2024 AAC Basketball Media Days (October 13th-14th)

[WuShock Reaper]

Over the last 5 seasons, how many times with Zero Players on the Preseason All-conference First or Second team did teams make the Top 3 final AAC standings?
Players on First or Second Teams	# of Times Finished Top 3	% of
0	4	27%
1	5	33%
2	4	27%
3	1	7%
4	1	7%
	15

Who were the 4 teams?
Year	Outcome
2024	South Florida predicted 9th and finished 1st.
2024	Charlotte predicted 13th and finished 3rd
2023	None
2022	None
2021	Wichita State predicted 7th and finished 1st (Covid year)
2020	Tulsa predicted 10th and finished tied for 1st.

However, there were 26 times where teams had no players on the 1st or 2nd Preseason All-conference team and did not finish in the top 3.

[WuShock Reaper]

Death, Taxes and Memphis falling short.....

Memphis: Over or Under Performing in the AAC Race?

Season	Predicted Finish	Actual Finish	Preseason Players*
2023-24	2	5	2
2022-23	2	2	2
2021-22	2	3	4
2020-21	3	3	2
2019-20	1	5	1
Average	2	3.6

*Number of players on either 1st or 2nd All-Conference Team

[WuShock Reaper]

[SubGod22]

Go Shockers - Shockers Check in at No. 4 in AAC Preseason Coaches Poll

Wichita State received 102 votes in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, sliding in fourth out of 13 teams, the league announced Friday afternoon.

The fourth place pick is the highest projected finish for Wichita State since 2021 when the Shockers were also picked fourth.

Wichita State returns seven lettermen from a season ago, while welcoming seven newcomers to the team. The 2023-24 Shockers finished in a five-way tie for 10th in the American at 5-13 and 15-19 overall.

UAB, the defending conference tournament champions, are the preseason favorites. The Blazers received nine first place votes and 141 total points. Memphis came in second with four first place votes and 136 points. South Florida rounds out the top three in hopes of repeating as regular season champions.

UAB's Yaxel Lendeborg was voted Preseason Player of the Year, and was the only unanimous Preseason All-Conference selection.

Wichita State hosts Emporia State on Oct. 27 for an exhibition game in Charles Koch Arena, and officially opens the season on Nov. 4 at WKU.

Season tickets are on sale now through the Shocker Ticket Office, (M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.), by phone at 316-978-FANS (3267) or in person at southwest corner of Charles Koch Arena.

American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll:
First-Place votes in parenthesis

1.	UAB (9)	141
2.	Memphis (4)	136
3.	South Florida	108
4.	Wichita State	102
5.	Florida Atlantic	97
6.	Temple	86
7.	North Texas	83
8.	Charlotte	65
9.	East Carolina	63
10.	Tulsa	44
11.	UTSA	35
	Tulane	35
13.	Rice	18

Preseason All-Conference First Team
Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., F, UAB*
RJ Felton, Sr., G, East Carolina
PJ Haggerty, R-So., G, Memphis
Tyrese Hunter, Sr., G, Memphis
Jamal Mashburn Jr., Gr., G, Temple

Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Efrem 'Butta' Johnson, Jr., G, UAB
Alejandro Vasquez, Sr., G, UAB
KyKy Tandy, Gr., G, Florida Atlantic
Colby Rogers, R-Sr., G, Memphis
Jayden Reid, So., G, South Florida

Preseason Player of the Year
Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., F, UAB

Preseason Rookie of the Year
Jared Harris, G, Memphis

* denotes unanimous selection

[WuShock Reaper]

[Kung Wu]

We are going to sneak up on a lot of unsuspecting schools and coaches this year.

[WuShock Reaper]

Hmph x2

[WuShock Reaper]

Hmph x3

[Aargh]

9 guards and 1 forward on the first and second all-conference teams? I have a feeling there just might be a C and a F on the post-season all-conference lists.

[Kung Wu]

9 guards and 1 forward on the first and second all-conference teams? I have a feeling there just might be a C and a F on the post-season all-conference lists.

[WuShock Reaper]

Based on the AAC Preseason Rankings, the lower the score the harder schedule you have, i.e., if you play the Preseason Ranked #1 team (UAB) twice, you get two points. If you play the Preseason Ranked #13 team (Rice), you get 26 points.

Based on this methodology, you can get an approximation who got it harder and who got it easier.

The Shockers Preseason rank of #4, has the:

9th Hardest Away Schedule
6th Hardest Home Schedule
9th Hardest Overall Schedule

Team	Preseason Rank	Away Score	Away Rank	Home Score	Home Rank	Overall Score	Overall Rank
South Florida	3	57	2	57	1	114	1
Florida Atlantic	5	57	2	58	2	115	2
Memphis	2	62	6	58	2	120	3
Temple	6	64	7	59	4	123	4
North Texas	7	54	1	69	13	123	4
East Carolina	9	60	5	65	10	125	6
Tulsa	10	58	4	68	12	126	7
Rice	13	66	10	60	5	126	7
UAB	1	64	7	63	8	127	9
Wichita State	4	65	9	62	6	127	9
Charlotte	8	66	10	64	9	130	11
Tulane	11	69	13	62	6	131	12
UTSA	11	68	12	65	10	133	13

[WuShock Reaper]

Just as I had suspected, the number of times you play the top 4 teams and the bottom 4 teams, directly relates to the toughest of your schedule. Of course, this is just linear (with one step between the 13 rankings) and does include any weight or where you play your opponent, i.e., Away versus Home.

Also, the only game for WSU with UAB is Home at Charles Koch Arena. That might end up being a big advantage for us.

Team	Preseason Rank	Top 4	Bottom 4
Florida Atlantic	5	7	4
South Florida	3	6	4
Memphis	2	6	5
Temple	6	6	5
North Texas	7	6	6
Tulsa	10	6	6
Charlotte	8	5	6
East Carolina	9	5	6
Rice	13	5	6
Tulane	11	5	6
UAB	1	5	6
UTSA	11	5	6
Wichita State	4	5	6

Florida Atlantic and South Florida have to face more top 4 teams and get less bottom 4 teams.

[WuShock Reaper]

Based on the Torvak Rankings, the lower the score the harder schedule you have, i.e., if you play the Preseason Ranked #32 team (Memphis) twice, you get 64 points. If you play the Preseason Ranked #219 team (UTSA), you get 438 points. https://barttorvik.com/trankpre.php

Based on this methodology, you can get an approximation who got it harder and who got it easier.

The Shockers Preseason Torvak T-rank of #100, has the:

9th Hardest Away Schedule
5th Hardest Home Schedule
6th Hardest Overall Schedule

Team	Torvak Preseason T-Rank	Avg. Away Score	Away Rank	Avg. Home Score	Home Rank	Avg. Overall Score	Overall Rank
Florida Atlantic	104	113	1	120	3	116	1
Temple	139	124	4	111	1	117	2
South Florida	107	123	3	112	2	118	3
UAB	82	119	2	125	8	122	4
Rice	203	124	4	122	5	123	5
Wichita State	100	128	9	122	5	125	6
UTSA	219	127	7	123	7	125	6
Memphis	32	140	13	120	3	130	8
Tulane	182	135	12	126	9	130	8
Charlotte	125	129	11	135	10	132	10
East Carolina	127	127	7	139	11	133	11
North Texas	87	124	4	143	13	133	11
Tulsa	133	128	9	142	12	135	13

Observations:
The Shockers stay about the same compared to the AAC Coaches Poll.
UAB gets it much tougher on the Road with their Away games at #2 rank,
FAU and South Florida get it tough at both Away & Home games.
Memphis gets a big break at their Away games (ranked 13th),

[WuShock Reaper]

[TrackSuitAndTie]