2021-22 Basketball happenings around the American Athletic!

[Veritas]

By some of your logic ORU and UMKC deliver Tulsa and KC Metro eyeballs. Nobody GAF in those towns. No more UNO, UTSA, et al. We are well and proper ****ed. If the administration can turn this into anything other than an unmitigated disaster I will be mighty impressed.

As it looks from my view we are likely to go back to being a dwarf among midgets or as Anthony Michael Hall said in "Sixteen Candles" 'King of the Dorks.' Embrace it and brush up on your Dungeons and Dragons skills because we are not getting invited to the cool kids' table.

You must be carrying some PTSD from your high school years.

[Shoxing Me Softly]

By some of your logic ORU and UMKC deliver Tulsa and KC Metro eyeballs. Nobody GAF in those towns. No more UNO, UTSA, et al. We are well and proper ****ed. If the administration can turn this into anything other than an unmitigated disaster I will be mighty impressed.

As it looks from my view we are likely to go back to being a dwarf among midgets or as Anthony Michael Hall said in "Sixteen Candles" 'King of the Dorks.' Embrace it and brush up on your Dungeons and Dragons skills because we are not getting invited to the cool kids' table.

UTSA has almost double the students of WSU, in a metro 4 times Wichita, plays FBS football, building a brand new 10,000 seat basketball arena, brand new baseball stadium. I think you need to step back and look at WSU. WSU doesn't even compete in the full array of sports. It's a public metro University and it fields sports like a small private institution, except they don't even play soccer (not that I care). Point being is when I look around I see WSU falling behind. God forbid basketball does slip any more than it has cuz it will get ugly quick.

[JayPak]

Oh I don't doubt that at all. But with all the recent shake up in these conferences and a person or two associated with the Big East tweeting on Twitter about possibly grabbing a couple more basketball schools...you never know. They may wanna grab a couple more "name brands" to stay competitive for March bids and tv revenue.

Completely agree. For that reason, I think there's a chance for WSU to be invited if your leadership is proactive. The Fox contract expires in '25. Fox will get exclusive re-negotiation rights for some time before that. ESPN and CBS are expected to have interest.

Many people are unaware that the BE sports include lacrosse, field hockey, swimming/diving, track & field, and e-sports. Which of these does WSU offer or could add?
(Creighton has none of these sports, so it's not impossible to get invited without them. Basketball is obviously king.)

Actually, DePaul does, too. It's just old history. Last NCAA appearance was 2004, but the school has been to the tourney 24 times, including two Final 4s.

Good point. All the BE schools have a strong old history. I was analyzing since the BE re-boot in 2013, and unfortunately all DePaul has done since then is build an arena and beat Iowa once.

[ShockTalk]

Completely agree. For that reason, I think there's a chance for WSU to be invited if your leadership is proactive. The Fox contract expires in '25. Fox will get exclusive re-negotiation rights for some time before that. ESPN and CBS are expected to have interest.

Many people are unaware that the BE sports include lacrosse, field hockey, swimming/diving, track & field, and e-sports. Which of these does WSU offer or could add?
(Creighton has none of these sports, so it's not impossible to get invited without them. Basketball is obviously king.)


Good point. All the BE schools have a strong old history. I was analyzing since the BE re-boot in 2013, and unfortunately all DePaul has done since then is build an arena and beat Iowa once.

The only BE sport that WSU has that CU does not have is Track & Field.

WSU men would have the same number or more sports as 6 current BE schools.

WSU women would have the same number or more sports as 4 current BE schools.

[ShoxRoxMySox]

You're also half wrong. The conference's value has increased exponentially since 2013. Nova has won 2 titles. Xavier got a 1-seed and made the E8 in different years. The biggest media market teams, St. John's and Georgetown, have returned to the NCAAT after droughts. Butler made several S16's. Creighton finally made a S16. Marquette hired Shaka. UConn joined the conference. DePaul built an arena. Providence made multiple NCAAT's, as did Seton Hall. The BE has repeatedly finished in the top 4 of RPI and NET. Its conference tournament is the highest attended of any and is at "The World's Most Famous Arena." I could go on.

Exponentially? I don't think that word means what you think it means.
Examples of exponential growth: compound interest. Incorrect examples of exponential growth, BE value. That said, BE is still where I'd love WSU to be after these defections/additions.

[C0|dB|00ded]

Xavier would protest vehemently and the rest of the league would back up Xavier so as not to dilute the Cincinnati media market.


"The Pee" absolutely would pick VCU... as to why, you'd have to ask the president of Georgetown (DeGioia), the single most powerful BE administrator.


The BE is one of the LEAST desperate conferences in America. Probably more stable than anyone not named SEC.


You're half right. Fox overpaid in 2013 because they were starting up FS1 and FS2 and needed content; they paid ~$4M per school when the "new" BE was unproven.

You're also half wrong. The conference's value has increased exponentially since 2013. Nova has won 2 titles. Xavier got a 1-seed and made the E8 in different years. The biggest media market teams, St. John's and Georgetown, have returned to the NCAAT after droughts. Butler made several S16's. Creighton finally made a S16. Marquette hired Shaka. UConn joined the conference. DePaul built an arena. Providence made multiple NCAAT's, as did Seton Hall. The BE has repeatedly finished in the top 4 of RPI and NET. Its conference tournament is the highest attended of any and is at "The World's Most Famous Arena." I could go on.

Big East

Syracuse, Boston College, Connecticut, Villanova, Pitt, Miami, WVU, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Cincy, Louisville....




Big Pee

Villanova + sleeping UConn + Big East dregs + mid-major backfill.




Paying $70 million for a name does not a major conference make.

And the answer is yes, Wichita State would be very thankful to be invited. We'd much prefer a power-esque conference like the (unpoached) AAC filled with research universities pursuing similar academic goals. But we will gladly hang with ya'll and do our part to hack the NCAA selection metrics adding one more potential NCAA invite each and every year. I'm just worried our average seeding will go down. You guys are notorious for picking up the seeds that normally go to the major conference dregs.

[WuShock Reaper]

How Many NCAA Bids Will the AAC Get in 2022? - SB Nation

https://www.downthedrive.com/2021/10/24/22743273/how-many-ncaa-bids-will-the-aac-get-in-2022

By Clayton Trutor
Oct 24, 2021, 11:24am EDT

"The AAC boasts arguably its best field in conference history this season.

The 2021-2022 AAC Men’s Basketball league boasts at least six teams that can legitimately be considered contenders for an NCAA Tournament.

The Houston Cougars coming off a trip to the NCAA Tournament with most of its key components (with the notable exception of Quinton Grimes) returning.

Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers return their top two scorers while boasting super recruit Jalen Duren,

Wichita State returns conference co-player of the year Tyson Etienne and a battle-tested roster.

The SMU Mustangs finds themselves in a similar situation, as they will be built around future NBA standout Kendric Davis.

The UCF Knights returns almost everyone from a team that got better as the 2020-2021 season grew older.

Earlier this week, I sang the praises of the roster that Wes Miller has built up for our Cincinnati Bearcats.

Several of these teams are bound to have good seasons. It will be hard for the NCAA to justify making this stacked league a two-bid conference once again."

[WuShock Reaper]

AAC expert picks 2021-22: Projected order of finish, bold predictions, most overrated and underrated teams - CBS Sports
https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...errated-teams/
By David Cobb
10/27/21, 2:pm cst

"Things are looking up in Memphis thanks to a talented roster brought in by Penny Hardaway

For a moment during last season's AAC Tournament, the league's prognosis looked particularly bleak, as Wichita State's loss to Cincinnati in the semifinals put the Shockers on the NCAA Tournament bubble and moved the conference perilously close to being a one-bid league for the first time in its history. Ultimately, though, the Shockers made it to the Big Dance, Houston made a Final Four run and Memphis won the NIT as the league made the most of an otherwise down season with a good postseason.

CBS Sports AAC Preseason Player of the Year
Tyson Etienne, Wichita State
Tyson Etienne won the AAC's Player of the Year award last season while keying an improbable regular-season league title for Wichita State during a breakout sophomore year....

CBS Sports AAC Preseason Coach of the Year
Penny Hardaway, Memphis
Early in his tenure, Penny Hardaway seemed hellbent on playing a villainous role in college basketball and sticking it to the sport's power establishment...

CBS Sports AAC Preseason Freshman of the Year
Emoni Bates, Memphis
Once regarded by some as the greatest high school prospect since LeBron James, Bates enters the AAC as a well-known name across the basketball landscape....

CBS Sports AAC predicted order of finish
The consensus order as voted by our experts with how they voted below:

1. Memphis...
2. Houston...
3. Wichita State
Tyson Etienne, last season's AAC co-Player of the Year, returns to anchor the reigning AAC regular-season champions. He'll have plenty of help, too, as five other players who were part of last season's rotation are back. With AAC Coach of the Year Isaac Brown now in place full-time after working wonders under the interim tag last season, this team will have a solid shot at returning to the NCAA Tournament after it was ousted in the First Four last season. Wichita State's ceiling will be determined in part, by the development of depth. Abilene Christian transfer Joe Pleasant will need to help in the frontcourt. If high-scoring Division II transfer Qua Grant from West Texas A&M can adapt his game to much loftier competition, it would keep the Shockers from relying too heavily on just a few players.
4. SMU...
5. UCF...
6. Cincinnati...
7. Tulsa...
8. Temple...
9. Tulane...
10. South Florida...
11. East Carolina..."

[WuShock Reaper]

Ranking the Top 100 And 1 best college basketball players entering the 2021-22 season - Times News Express

https://timesnewsexpress.com/news/sports/ranking-the-top-100-and-1-best-college-basketball-players-entering-the-2021-22-season/

By Madison blue
10/27/21, 1:00pm cst

19. Emoni Bates | Memphis | Freshman
Once considered the No. 1 prospect in his class, Bates, who is still just 17 years old, reclassified this offseason and slots in as one of Memphis’ most talented players right away. The 6-9 forward has been a bucket-getter at every level of competition and for the Tigers his ability to take, make and create shots from anywhere on the court should change the trajectory of their team’s potential for the better.

25. Kendric Davis | SMU | Senior
Davis led the American Athletic Conference in both points (19.0) and assists (7.6) last season while helping SMU finish 56th at KenPom. His assist rate of 46.4 ranked first nationally, according to KenPom. Memphis coach Penny Hardaway has called him the most difficult opposing player to contain in the AAC.

32. Marcus Sasser | Houston | Junior
With Dejon Jarreau and Quentin Grimes departed, Sasser is in line to feast offensively during his third season in the Houston program. The 6-1 guard is the Cougars’ leading returning scorer and a volume shooter who can take strides as a ball-handler.

34. Tyson Etienne | Wichita State | Junior
Etienne (co-player of the year in the AAC) averaged 16.3 points and 3.4 rpg while growing into the team’s alpha. He has a knack for helping with winning plays and doesn’t make many mistakes. The Shockers have had an NCAA Tournament-worthy team in nine of the previous 10 seasons. Etienne, a junior, can be the one to keep that trend alive.

36. Jalen Duren | Memphis | Freshman
Duren ranks as the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2021 class and is coming into a league not known for its quality front court play. That should allow the athletic 6-10 to feast in the paint and follow in the footsteps of Precious Achiuwa, who won AAC Freshman and Player of the Year honors for Memphis in the 2019-20 season.

43. Kyler Edwards | Houston | Senior
What’s Texas Tech loss is Houston’s gain with the addition of Kyler Edwards. He averaged 10.1 points and 4.8 boards per game for the Red Raiders last season and enters the mix on a Houston team coming off a Final Four appearance with expectations of revisiting the promised land.

53. DeAndre Williams | Memphis | Senior
Williams was one of only six players last season to average at least 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals. Memphis went 16-5 after he became eligible with all five losses coming by a total of just 15 points. It’s reasonable to suggest the Tigers would’ve made the NCAA Tournament if the 6-9 forward would not have missed the season’s first seven games.

80. Landers Nolley | Memphis | Redshirt junior
Nolley shined on the perimeter after transferring in from Virginia Tech, where he was cast as a small-ball forward. The 6-7 gunner refined his 3-point shot by hitting 38.7% of them last season on six attempts per game and is the leading returning scorer for a Memphis team that begins the season ranked No. 12.

[WuShock Reaper]

2021-22 AAC Basketball Preview - Last Word On Sports

https://lastwordonsports.com/basketball/2021/10/27/2021-22-aac-basketball-preview/

By: Ty Wellemeyer
October 27, 2021

LWOS continues its coverage of the 2021-22 college basketball season with its preview of the AAC. The AAC is a sneakingly good basketball conference every year. In the 2020-21 season, the conference ranked 3rd in win percentage. Two of its teams made the NCAA Tournament, and one of its teams won the NIT. The same team that won the NIT also landed the top two recruits in the class of 2021, creating an interesting question in the conference: Memphis or Houston? Can the glitz and glamour of Memphis topple the consistency of Houston? What other teams will surprise or collapse under the difficult season? The AAC is a conference of twists and turns, and the audience is along for the ride.

2021-22 AAC Basketball Preview
11: East Carolina Pirates
10: South Florida Bulls
9: Tulsa Golden Hurricane
8: Tulane Green Wave
7: Temple Owls
6: Cincinnati Bearcats
5: UCF Knights
4: Wichita St. Shockers
All seemed lost after Wichita St. lost its previous coach; however, Isaac Brown was an excellent interim coach, leading the Shockers to a first-place finish in the AAC. It may be difficult for Brown to recreate the magic of last year, but he definitely has the talent to get close. Etienne will definitely be the best player on the Shockers. In the 2020-21 season, Etienne shot 39% from three while attacking the basket with ferocity, winning Co-AAC Player of the Year. He evolved as an isolation scorer, something that will be extremely useful for Wichita St. Udeze should be a post threat while Dennis should be a threat beyond the arc. A name to watch on the Shockers is Ricky Council, a 6’6″ guard who possesses tons of potential. He could help make Wichita St. dangerous.

Grant made First Team D-II All-American and possesses a great offensive game, meaning he will either challenge Porter for the starting point guard job, or he will help Council solidify the bench. Jackson and Pleasant should have a battle for a starting position as well as both guys are bruisers who possess the ability to space the floor. Pleasant has the experience, but Jackson is the better rebounder, something the Shockers desperately need. They surrendered 11 offensive rebounds against Drake, which ultimately lost them the game. If the rebounding improves, Wichita St should be third or better in the AAC. The offensive talent is there with Etienne, Udeze, and tons of shooters. It all falls on whether or not Wichita is able to make it all work.

3: SMU Mustangs
2: Houston Cougars
1: Memphis Tigers

AAC Awards Predictions
C0-AAC Player of the Year: Kendric Davis and Tyson Etienne

AAC Coach of the Year: Penny Hardaway

Co-Newcomer of the Year: Jalen Duren and Emoni Bates

All-AAC First Team: Kendric Davis, Tyson Etienne, Marcus Sasser, Emoni Bates, Jalen Duren

[Stickboy46]

For those yearning for us to bring football back. Just look at Cincy tonight. Undefeated ... Went on the road and beat Notre Dame. #2 in the AP poll...

They get 6th in the CFP poll. And they don't rank SMU or Houston (who are both AP ranked) so no chances at good wins to move up. Same thing they did to UCF twice

There is no reason to start up a G5 football team at this point. College football is the dumbest sport ever created. 95% of teams start the year with no chance at playing for a title no matter what they do.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

For those yearning for us to bring football back. Just look at Cincy tonight. Undefeated ... Went on the road and beat Notre Dame. #2 in the AP poll...

They get 6th in the CFP poll. And they don't rank SMU or Houston (who are both AP ranked) so no chances at good wins to move up. Same thing they did to UCF twice

There is no reason to start up a G5 football team at this point. College football is the dumbest sport ever created. 95% of teams start the year with no chance at playing for a title no matter what they do.

If Cincy doesn’t get in the CFP, I’m rioting in the streets.

That might be awkward if I’m by myself.

[SubGod22]

Well if it's only about the four team playoff, about 100 schools should just drop football all together. We know football doesn't have a good championship system, but there are other bowl games that still add value and prestige.

And it's no surprise that the CFP is as poorly done as the NCAA tournament. The only difference is basketball doesn't only put four teams in.

[ShockingButTrue]

If Cincy doesn’t get in the CFP, I’m rioting in the streets.

That might be awkward if I’m by myself.

and if OU does (haven't seen the rankings yet).

[jdmee]

For those yearning for us to bring football back. Just look at Cincy tonight. Undefeated ... Went on the road and beat Notre Dame. #2 in the AP poll...

They get 6th in the CFP poll. And they don't rank SMU or Houston (who are both AP ranked) so no chances at good wins to move up. Same thing they did to UCF twice

There is no reason to start up a G5 football team at this point. College football is the dumbest sport ever created. 95% of teams start the year with no chance at playing for a title no matter what they do.

There is no reason to start up a non SEC/Big 10 football team.