The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Huskies ready for one last go in AAC
UConn deserved an invitation to a Power 5 conference seven years ago, certainly over Rutgers, arguably over Louisville.
UConn has underachieved and not held up its end of the bargain in the American Athletic Conference.
Both of these things can be true.
The 201920 season marks UConn’s seventh and final one in the AAC. The Huskies move back to the Big East in 202021, and virtually every fan of the program is ecstatic about that. As they should be.
Numerous UConn fans are also quick to trash everything about the AAC on the way out, blaming the league for the Huskies’ lack of success in recent years. That is comical.
UConn won a national championship in 201314, the AAC’s first season, and that can never be overlooked. Dozens of Power 5 schools have never been to a national championship game, never mind won one (or four over the past 20 years).
But the Huskies have underachieved in the regular season in each of their six seasons in the AAC, including in 201314. Every year of the AAC’s existence, UConn has finished lower than where it was picked in the preseason coaches’ poll. Conversely, Tulsa — a place, like SMU and Cincinnati, where the Huskies have never won in AAC play — has exceeded its preseason poll prediction all six seasons.
The last three seasons have been particularly atrocious, as UConn has lost more than its won. There’s plenty of blame to go around, but blaming the AAC doesn’t make much sense.
UConn routinely still snagged the best recruiting classes of any AAC program (remember the “Top Five,” anybody?). The Huskies could have dominated the league like Gonzaga has in the West Coast Conference or Villanova has in the Big East. Instead, since the national title: NIT; a
Jalen Adams 75footer away from another NIT or a trip to Dayton; 1617; 1418; 1617.
It’s all the AAC’s fault, right? Please.
It’s not the AAC’s fault that UConn was left on the outside looking in on conference expansion. It’s not the AAC’s fault that the Catholic 7 sought to leave the Big East — and take the conference name with them. The AAC was the only landing place UConn had when the dust had settled. An awkward, odd landing place for a bunch of programs that made little geographic sense. But a landing place, nonetheless.
No, the additions of Tulsa and ECU haven’t helped the league in basketball or football. Yes, the addition of Wichita State has been a good one for basketball.
Yes, commissioner Mike Aresco comes across a bit awkward — at best — when bragging about the league. Yes, the “Power 6” campaign can be a tad cringeworthy.
Yes, UConn should have had a spot in the Big Ten or ACC seven years ago. No, UConn has not proven it doesn’t belong in the AAC. Not even close.
With that, here’s a look at how the AAC looks heading into UConn’s final goaround in the league:
A WISEMAN ONCE SAID …: The league has a gaping home in it now that James Wiseman, the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation and possibly the top pick in the 2020 NBA draft, has decided to skip college ball and prepare for the NBA. Memphis should still be good without Wiseman, but he would have brought a whole lot more sizzle to a league that needs it.
PRECIOUS CARGO: With Wiseman gone, Memphis’s Precious Achiuwa is easily the frontrunner for conference Rookie of the Year, if not Player of the Year. The 6foot9 forward is the only player in the league currently among the top 11 in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
WE ARE YOUNG: The AAC has usually been upperclassmandominated, but there is a distinct youth movement this season. Even without Wiseman, Memphis still has Achiuwa, D.J. Jeffries, Boogie Ellis and Damion Baugh. Entering the weekend, the league’s leading rebounder (Achiuwa), shotblocker (UConn’s Akok Akok) and 3point shooter (Cincinnati’s Mika AdamsWoods) were all freshmen. Putnam Science Academy product Tyson Etienne has been impressive at Wichita State, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson has said Caleb Mills could be one of the top freshmen he’s ever coached. And we haven’t even gotten to James Bouknight yet.
CUMBERLAND GAP?: Something’s not right with Jarron Cumberland at Cincinnati. The reigning league player of the year returned to school for his senior season, but he’s been at odds with firstyear Bearcat coach John Brannen since the summer. That strange, lategame sequence in a loss to Colgate a couple of weeks ago was just the tip of the iceberg … so far.
WILL TULANE WIN A GAME?: The Green Wave went winless in 18 AAC games last season and fired head coach Mike Dunleavy, Sr. Ron Hunter, who has a knack for turning programs around, has taken over and Tulane is 84 and was getting votes in the USA Today/Coaches’ Poll up until a couple of weeks ago. They’ll win a few league games this season.
WHO’S UCONN’S MAN?: Hurley has said from the start of the season he needs guys like Christian Vital, Josh Carlton and Alterique Gilbert to play like allleague players if the Huskies are going to make a surprise NCAA tournament run. But which one (or two, or three) of those players will be make allAAC? Vital has gotten off to the best start and might be the most logical choice, if he continues to play consistently.
FINAL SEASON FREEZEOUT?: Of course, it’s possible UConn could get shut out of the postseason awards. Or do you think if it comes down to a UConn player and someone from another team for allleague or allrookie, the league will side with the player from the team that’s leaving the league after this season?