2017-2018 AAC

[UCBearcats]

Not sure if anyone has watched any of the NIT games but UCF is still alive and looking good in their games so far.

They've knocked off Colorado, Illinois State and Illinois to set up a semifinal match-up next week with TCU at Madison Square Garden. Obviously any success they have this postseason bodes well for the prospect of having a little better competition in the AAC next season (or at least the perception of them as a legit threat).

Johnny Dawkins is a pretty good coach who has that program on the upswing and UConn will have talent like always. I have to think SMU will still be somewhat strong and Sampson seems to have Houston on a steady climb.

Imagine if the AAC was a 4 or 5 team bid conference this season and our record finished the same. We'd have been a 3 or a 4 and not a 6.

So who has potential next season besides us to be a tourney team? Is it realistic to think UConn can make it back after this season? Does UCF have a legit shot if Taco stays (I think BJ Taylor is a Sr. but not sure)? Can Sampson have Houston in next season and is there another school out there on the precipice?

I think we all agree that we'd like to see UC play a little tougher non-conference schedule but for now we are in the AAC so the best way for us to better our SOS is to hope the programs in this conference are on the rise.

 

[Bearcat2016]

Not sure if anyone has watched any of the NIT games but UCF is still alive and looking good in their games so far.

They've knocked off Colorado, Illinois State and Illinois to set up a semifinal match-up next week with TCU at Madison Square Garden. Obviously any success they have this postseason bodes well for the prospect of having a little better competition in the AAC next season (or at least the perception of them as a legit threat).

Johnny Dawkins is a pretty good coach who has that program on the upswing and UConn will have talent like always. I have to think SMU will still be somewhat strong and Sampson seems to have Houston on a steady climb.

Imagine if the AAC was a 4 or 5 team bid conference this season and our record finished the same. We'd have been a 3 or a 4 and not a 6.

So who has potential next season besides us to be a tourney team? Is it realistic to think UConn can make it back after this season? Does UCF have a legit shot if Taco stays (I think BJ Taylor is a Sr. but not sure)? Can Sampson have Houston in next season and is there another school out there on the precipice?

I think we all agree that we'd like to see UC play a little tougher non-conference schedule but for now we are in the AAC so the best way for us to better our SOS is to hope the programs in this conference are on the rise.

BJ Taylor is a sophomore and only getting better. Johnny Dawkins son will be eligible next season after transferring from Michigan. If Tacko returns I think they should be a tournament team. Their home court advantage last night was actually impressive.

 

[UCBearcats]

BJ Taylor is a sophomore and only getting better. Johnny Dawkins son will be eligible next season after transferring from Michigan. If Tacko returns I think they should be a tournament team. Their home court advantage last night was actually impressive.

That's great news, I did not realize BJ was Sophomore. I don't know enough about the makeup of some of these other team's rosters so I figured this would be a good place to gather that info and scout some of the other potential NCAA contending teams.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Houston loses Dotson. They have a couple JUCO guys coming in and a couple guys who aren't that highly rated. Not sure they'll be any better than this year.

 

[cincyguy13]

Us and uconn should be the favorites. I'd put us ahead of them, just for the fact that half of them haven't played together or play much college. SMU and ucf should be in the next teir. Hope all make the tourney for the league.

I don't know if we'll go 16-2 again. That's hard to do in any league. If there are 4-5 decent teams, it's even harder

 

[justinhub2003]

MY AAC NCAA Tourney Teams:

SMU: Should be good next year, probably not as good as this season. They gain Jamal McMurray in the second semester. Will compete for the league title again if Semi Ojejele stays.... Make NCAA Tourney

Cincinnati: Should be the favorite again to win the league. 3 returning starters. ......Make NCAA Tourney

UCF: if Tacko Stays (he should), they will have BJ Taylor, AJ Davis and Michigan transfer Aubrey Dawkins. Dawkins is a 6'6 JR with who shot 43% from 3 his Soph year. UCF will be scary good next year. They lose just 2 players and gain 3...... Bold prediction: NCAA Tourney

UCONN: If Kevin Ollie doesn't perform this year, they should fire him. He returns Terry Larrier, Gilbert, Vital, Vance Jackson, Durham, Enoch, Diarra, and then bring in a 4 star PG and 2 3 star guys.. I didn't even mention Jalen Adams, but Im thinking that he does return. And if he does, UCONN will easily have the most talented roster on paper. 7 4 star recruits. AND ZERO SENIORS..... NCAA Tourney

I Think we easily have a chance at 4 teams in the tourney. I really like UCF to make it. We might even have few on the bubble.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I know I always rip Temple, but I don't think they lose anyone.

 

[Bearcat513]

I know I always rip Temple, but I don't think they lose anyone.

Think we need a running list of who you rip. Temple, Frank Haith and Tulsa, then one just from last week I forget.

 

[Bearcat513]

SMU loses a lot if Semi leaves since Sterling Brown and Ben Moore are seniors. Shake Milton is an NBA talent, or at least he's on various draft boards for the 2018 draft, and McMurray is damn good.

I think UC is the favorite next season but honestly, if Tacko stays at UCF they won't be far behind. That team should make the tourney.

All in all, the AAC should be much better next season. UC, UCONN, SMU, UCF and Houston could all be tourney teams, or at least bubble teams with solid RPI/ metrics etc.

 

[RedlegZdid]

MY AAC NCAA Tourney Teams:

SMU: Should be good next year, probably not as good as this season. They gain Jamal McMurray in the second semester. Will compete for the league title again if Semi Ojejele stays.... Make NCAA Tourney

Cincinnati: Should be the favorite again to win the league. 3 returning starters. ......Make NCAA Tourney

UCF: if Tacko Stays (he should), they will have BJ Taylor, AJ Davis and Michigan transfer Aubrey Dawkins. Dawkins is a 6'6 JR with who shot 43% from 3 his Soph year. UCF will be scary good next year. They lose just 2 players and gain 3...... Bold prediction: NCAA Tourney

UCONN: If Kevin Ollie doesn't perform this year, they should fire him. He returns Terry Larrier, Gilbert, Vital, Vance Jackson, Durham, Enoch, Diarra, and then bring in a 4 star PG and 2 3 star guys.. I didn't even mention Jalen Adams, but Im thinking that he does return. And if he does, UCONN will easily have the most talented roster on paper. 7 4 star recruits. AND ZERO SENIORS..... NCAA Tourney

I Think we easily have a chance at 4 teams in the tourney. I really like UCF to make it. We might even have few on the bubble.

Tacko is being projected as a first round pick in a lot of mock drafts. Would be surprised if he didn't jump at that opportunity. With his height and build health is always a major concern.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Think we need a running list of who you rip. Temple, Frank Haith and Tulsa, then one just from last week I forget.

Bruce Weber maybe?

 

[Bearcat513]

Bruce Weber maybe?

Hahah I went back through my posts and found it. You mentioned how Ben Emelogu is just as good as Cumberland coming off of the bench.

 

[indydoug]

Lets hope that Wichita State makes it to the tourney from the American, too.

 

[IDC]

Gotta win non conference games to get respect period

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Gotta win non conference games to get respect period

Last year the AAC had 4 teams make the tourney and SMU who was on probation was not 1 of them. Down year for the league but it isn't a every year problem.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Hahah I went back through my posts and found it. You mentioned how Ben Emelogu is just as good as Cumberland coming off of the bench.

Haha oh yeah. No one seems to be mentioning that in their SMU breakdowns for next year!

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Also want to add with regard to scheduling. Our OOC schedule was 31 and we blew a 9 point lead playing RI which would have given us a game against Duke and don't forget Michigan backed out on us. Really think our OOC issues may be a bit overblown. As I mention above last year we were a 4 bid league.

We played Iowa St. Xavier, Butler, Rhode Island and had a chance to play Duke and Michigan backed out on us. I really think people may be over reacting a bit because our league was down this year. Other than beating RI I really don't think there was much we could have done.

 

[Bearcat513]

Also want to add with regard to scheduling. Our OOC schedule was 31 and we blew a 9 point lead playing RI which would have given us a game against Duke and don't forget Michigan backed out on us. Really think our OOC issues may be a bit overblown. As I mention above last year we were a 4 bid league.

Yes, this past season's schedule was solid. I think the concern is over next year since we don't have Iowa State and Butler on the schedule. Those are two pretty big games. Our OOC won't be nearly as good in '17-'18 as it has been the last two seasons.

 

[cincyguy13]

Yes, this past season's schedule was solid. I think the concern is over next year since we don't have Iowa State and Butler on the schedule. Those are two pretty big games. Our OOC won't be nearly as good in '17-'18 as it has been the last two seasons.

Yep. Going to be hard to get 4-5 good games in the 6 months before the next season. And if we don't, no matter how good we are in league, will probably be looking at another 5-6 seed. I think that's people fear.

If the league is a little better and the OOC schedule isn't, they cancel each other out

 

[jacobkdoyle]

We need to play Iowa next year. I know they were down this year, but didn't someone say they bring everyone back but Jok? It's a numbers game. They were Top 25 in KenPom in 2014-15 and 15-16. They were Top 50 RPI those years too. Go Hawkeyes next year in 30 of their 31 games!