CONFERENCE PLAY
UConn’s postseason hopes riding on improvement in league play
Next 18 games will make or break UConn men’s postseason hopes.
If UConn fans have never felt at home in the American Athletic Conference, imagine how the players and coaches have felt. The men’s basketball program that rose from doormat to dominant in the original, powerful Big East, going 97-27 between 1993 and 2000, has never been higher than a No. 4 seed in the five-year history of the AAC.
So the start of conference play on Wednesday, with UConn playing at South
Florida, brings both a new opportunity, and a new measuring tool, as Dan Hurley’s first season as coach moves toward its second half.
The Huskies (9-4) face 18 conference games. While their first 13 games have included eight fairly easy wins against mid-majors and four losses in five games to high majors, most recently an 81-58 loss to defending national champ Villanova on Dec. 22, these next 18 games will include a lot of toss-up games that will make or break UConn’s postseason hopes. UConn was picked fifth by the league’s coaches in the preseason poll.
Here’s a look at what UConn’s conference opponents have been up to:
Overview
The 11 other teams in the conference have a 93-38 record, with only Tulane (4-8) below .500 in nonconference play. Only one team is ranked, Houston at No. 22, and only one other team, Cincinnati, received votes in the most recent AP poll. Only three teams are in the top 50 in the NET rankings, the new metric that is expected to play a big role in the NCAA Tournament selection process – Houston, Cincinnati and Temple. To get itself on the bubble, UConn, at No. 92 in NET, would probably need to have its best record ever in The American, topping the 12-6 the Huskies posted in 2013-14.
The upper third
Teams: Houston (11-0), Cincinnti (11-2), Temple (10-2), Central Florida (10-2)
Houston, coming off an NCAA bid, has been the class of the conference so far, with notable wins over Oregon, Oklahoma State and LSU. Senior Galen Robinson, the AAC’s player of the week Dec. 17, has been steady at point guard, with Corey Davis Jr. and Armoni Brooks averaging 15 points per game. UConn plays Houston only at home, at XL on Feb. 14.
Cincinnati has lost to Ohio State and Mississippi, but may be on the rise after a resounding win over UCLA on Dec. 19. Jarron Cumberland, the conference player of the week Dec. 24, has five 20-plus point games. UConn play at Cincinnati’s new arena Jan. 12; the Bearcats are at XL Feb. 24.
Temple, in coach Fran Dunphy’s final season, lost to Villanova by 10 and Virginia Commonwealth by six, and has some dramatic wins, in OT over Davidson. A lot of familiar names, like Shizz Alston Jr. (19.3 points per game) and Quinton Rose (16.3). The Huskies are at Temple Feb. 6, the Owls are in Storrs for Senior Night March 7.
UCF, the preseason favorite, has lost to Florida Atlantic and Missouri (in OT), and beaten Western Kentucky and Alabama. B.J. Taylor, who beat out Jalen Adams for preseason player of the year, is averaging 17.5 points. Tacko Fall, 7-foot-6, is staying on the floor 23 minutes and averaging 10.7 points, 6.9 rebounds. UCF come to Hartford Jan. 5, UConn goes to Orlando on Jan. 31.
Middle of the pack
Teams: Tulsa (10-3), Southern Methodist (8-4), Memphis (7-5), Wichita State (7-5)
Tulsa always seems to outperform its expectations. The Golden Hurricane lost to Nevada and Southern Illinois in a Las Vegas event, but beat Oklahoma State and Kansas State in back-to-back home games. DaQuan Jeffries averages 13.6 points. Yearly reminder: The Huskies have never won at Tulsa, where they play Jan. 16.
SMU was decimated by injuries, but eliminated UConn in the conference tournament last March. The Mustangs have some tough losses – Southern Miss, Lipscomb, and TCU at home and Bradley in Cancun. They have a win over Georgetown. Jahmal McMurray, the transfer from USF, is averaging 19.2 points. UConn has SMU at Gampel Jan. 10, and in Dallas Feb. 21.
Memphis, in Penny Hardaway’s first season, has made big splashes on t he recruiting t rail. They’ve played a tough schedule, with losses to LSU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Charleston and Tennessee. The Tigers went to double-OT to beat Yale. Kyvon Davenport (15.3) is the top scorer. UConn plays at Memphis Feb. 10.
Wichita State is in a rare rebuilding year, and was picked eighth in preseason. It’s been a struggle, with losses to Louisiana Tech, Davidson, Alabama, Oklahoma and VCU. The Shockers did beat Providence early. As expected, veteran Markis McDuffie (18.8 points per game) is leading the way. They play at Gampel Jan. 16, and host the Huskies Feb. 28.
The bottom
Teams: South Florida (9-2), East Carolina (6-5), Tulane (4-8)
South Florida has lost to Georgetown, in OT, and to The Citadel at home, but has beaten the other opponents in a confidencebuilding nonconference slate. Whether stability is coming under coach Brian Gregory in year two will begin to show against UConn next week. David Collins (14.3 is the top scorer on what may be a deeper Bulls team. USF comes to Gampel March 3.
East Carolina lost by 15 to Georgia Tech and has played a mostly mid-major schedule as new coach Joe Dooley, his his second stint, begins building his way. Freshman Jayden Gardner averages 18.3 points and 8.4 rebounds. The Huskies play ECU in Hartford Feb. 3, in Greenville, N.C., March 10.
Tulane, in Mike Dunleavy Sr.’s third season, gave Florida State a decent game, losing by in its opener, but has really struggled since. Caleb Daniels average 15.8 points per game. UConn plays Tulane once, at Gampel Jan. 19.