AMERICAN MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL
- Memphis
- South Florida
- Tulane
- UAB
- Wichita State
- Florida Atlantic
- North Texas
- Tulsa
- Temple
- East Carolina
- UTSA
- Rice
- Charlotte
MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN 1ST TEAM:
-Jordan Riley – SR, G – East Carolina
-Aaron Bradshaw – JR, F – Memphis
-Dug McDaniel – SR, G – Memphis
-Rowan Brumbaugh – JR, G – Tulane (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Kenyon Giles – SR, G – Wichita State
MEIDA DAY PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN 2ND TEAM:
-Izaiyah Nelson – SR, F – South Florida
-Damion Collins – SR, F – South Florida
-Vasean Allette – JR, G – UTSA
-Asher Woods – SR, G – Tulane
-David Green – SR, F – Tulsa
MEDIA DAY PRESEASON FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Josiah Parker – Florida Atlantic
COMMENTS FROM DAVID:
-Memphis is the class of this conference. Sometimes I think people forget how good a team they are because the American just does not provide them with a lot of showcase opponents. They won 29 games last year and made the NCAA Tournament, but did not advance beyond the Round of 64. This year they are tasked with replacing their entire starting lineup, but they have hit the portal and reloaded on proven D-1 talent. Hasan Abdul Hakim (UTRGV), Quante Berry (Temple), Dug McDaniel (Kansas State), and Sincere Parker (McNeese State) all averaged double-figures last year and help make up a strong core of players this year. All can be successful in this conference, and Memphis should once again be at or near the top of the standings.
-South Florida struggled last year, which was entirely understandable given the tragedy they experienced prior to the start of the season. This year they have hit the portal and added Wes Enis, who averaged over 20ppg at the D-2 level, and although transitioning from D-2 to D-1 is a major step up, he still looks like someone who can step in and contribute for the Bulls. Joseph Pinion and Izaiyah Nelson both come in from Arkansas State after averaging double-figures a season ago. The Bulls definitely have some pieces and the expectations are somewhat high.
-I have been a big fan of this Tulane program ever since Ron Hunter took over, and despite being in a transfer-heavy era where it is difficult to retain talent from one year to the next, the Green Wave have shown signs of improvement. They won 19 games a year ago and they may be able to build on that this year. Just two starters are back, but one of them is Rowan Brumbaugh (who was voted the preseason player of the year in the conference). JoJo Moore also transfers in from Oral Roberts, and they have a couple of Big East transfers in Scotty Middleton and Curtis Williams who are perhaps seeking more minutes. (***writer’s note*** Gregg Glenn III, who would have been a senior for Tulane this year, drowned this past July in a tragic accident. I have been doing what I do for a long time, and I can understand how much coaches, teammates, and administrators feel it when there is a tragedy like this. I never really know what to say other than all of our thoughts and sympathies are with them)
-UAB continues to win 20+ games every year under Coach Andy Kennedy, but this year they are in a bit of a rebuild mode after losing all five starters. Their roster seems to be made up of former power conference players who did not get a lot of playing time and JUCO standouts who have not played at the D-1 level. Kennedy has shown he can win despite having to retool the roster. We will see if he can do it again this year.
-Since jumping to the American, Wichita State has at no point been nationally relevant. They were just 8th in the conference last year and Coach Paul Mills is having to replace all his starters. They do have a solid player transferring in in Kenyon Giles, who was a great PG and outside shooter at UNC Greensboro last year. They have some other players with D-1 experience transferring in as well, but they will have to step into bigger roles than the ones they came from in order for the Shockers to be a contender.
-Florida Atlantic’s trip to the Final Four seems like it was forever ago. It is amazing how short a shelf life there is for success these days. They won just 18 games a year ago and are now tasked with replacing all their starters. No one on their roster really jumps out at me as being an experienced or proven D-1-caliber player, so it could be a tough year for the Owls.
-North Texas had a phenomenal season last year where they won 27 total games, finished 2nd in the conference behind Memphis, and advanced to the NIT semifinals. The problem is that, like a lot of teams in this transfer-heavy era, they were a victim of their own success. All five starters are gone, and their coach from last year is also gone. Daniyal Robinson takes over as coach and his roster consists of a mixture of guys with some D-1 experience who probably transferred in looking for more minutes as well as some standout JUCO players.
-Tulsa, who at one time was a very strong program, has not been strong at all in recent years. They won just 13 games a year ago and expectations are not high this year. David Green had a solid season last year and received all-conference honors this year, and Terrance Ford Jr. was a solid player for Arkansas State a year ago, so they do have a few pieces and should be a little better, but they will likely struggle to finish in the top half of the league.
-Temple is another program that has a rich and successful history, but also has a very underwhelming recent history. They were not impressive at all in the second half of conference play last year so I can understand why the expectations are low. Having said that, they do have some quality guys with D-1 experience transferring in. AJ Smith (College of Charleston), CJ Hines (Alabama State), Masiah Gilyard (Manhattan), and Derrian Ford (Arkansas State) all played key roles for their teams last year and I think could be the nucleus of an improved Temple team this year. I do not want to get carried away and say they can win the league, but I think they will finish better than 9th.
-East Carolina seems to be slowly trending up under Coach Michael Schwartz. They were a modest 10-8 in league play last year, but were really good in the second half of conference play. Having said that, they did lose a lot from last year’s team. Jordan Riley returns, who is one of the better guards in the conference, but he cannot do it all by himself.
-UTSA just cannot ever seem to build anything and the expectations are that they will not start to do so this year. It has been a while since they have had a winning season, and with all five starters gone it is looking like it is going to be another long year for the Roadrunners.
-Rice has a pretty solid point guard in Trae Broadnax, and with the addition of transfers Jordan Williams (Vanderbilt) and Dallas Hobbs (Mount Saint Mary’s), I think we could see significant improvement out of the Owls this year. I am actually surprised they are picked to finish this low. I know that traditionally they are usually much closer to the bottom than the top, but I like this team this year and think they can be a dark horse!
-Charlotte is another team that I think is being undervalued. I do not expect them to be good, but I do not think they are the worst team either. They do have some talent transferring in in Dezayne Mingo (Marshall) and Major Freeman (Siena), and I think they will manage to win at least a few games this year.
