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AAC College Basketball 2017-18 preview

By Connor Muldowney

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 17: Semi Ojeleye #33 celebrates with Shake Milton #1 of the Southern Methodist Mustangs against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second half during the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 17, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 17: Semi Ojeleye #33 celebrates with Shake Milton #1 of the Southern Methodist Mustangs against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second half during the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 17, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The AAC might be top-heavy, but college basketball might be on notice of this mid-major in 2017-18.

When you look at the American Athletic Conference, you don’t exactly think of a league full of college basketball powerhouses, but it might just sneak up on people this year. In fact, the AAC added Wichita State who was a staple of the Missouri Valley Conference, which instantly strengthens the league.

All of the doubt regarding conference strength might be put to rest this season if the Shockers’ preseason hype rings true. Along with Wichita State, there are teams like Cincinnati, UConn, Houston and Central Florida which will be near the top of the conference standings.

There will be plenty of questions surrounding the AAC this season, though. First, will Wichita State be too good for everyone else? Second, will the conference avoid being top-heavy? And third, can a usually-strong team like Memphis rise from the doubt and compete?

Preseason Player of the Year: Shake Milton, SMU

Not only does Shake Milton have probably the best name in the country, but he’s an impressive athlete. There isn’t a more exciting player in the AAC for the 2017-18 season and Milton might actually be the most underrated player in college basketball.

Entering his junior season, the former four-star guard from Owasso, Okla., has seen his numbers improve each season. Head coach Tim Jankovich has to feel better about his team knowing that Milton can play with anyone in the conference, if not the country, despite losing three players to the NBA.

The 6-foot-6, 205-pound combo guard has NBA potential himself, but has yet to truly break out with the Mustangs. This is going to be his year, though. He’s going to be the guy and has the keys to the car, coming off a season which he averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. Oh yeah, and he can shoot the deep ball.

This kid is an absolute playmaker and it’ll be fun to watch him play this season as he becomes the second straight Mustang to win the AAC Player of the Year award. And he makes short-shorts look cool.

The Rest of the All-AAC First Team:

  • Landry Shamet, Wichita State: The junior guard has been selected by many as a potential AAC Player of the Year candidate, but I don’t think he’s there just yet. However, he should be a lock for first-team All-AAC, especially if he can help lead his team to a top-10 ranking to end the season. He averaged 11.4 points and shot nearly 44 percent from long range in 2016-17.
  • Jalen Adams, Connecticut: A first-team All-AAC player a season ago, Jalen Adams averaged 14.4 points and a conference-leading 6.1 assists per game for the disappointing Huskies. If they’re going to turn things around, he needs to put the team on his back, which he is fully capable of.
  • Rob Gray Jr., Houston: The conference’s leading scorer from a season ago returns to lead a team that’s projected to finish in the middle of the pack. Will he be a big enough difference-maker to lead the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament? His 20.6 points per game will surely help.
  • Tacko Fall, UCF: Probably one of the most unique players in all of college basketball, Tacko Fall will be a force to be reckoned with in the paint. Don’t even try driving on the 7-foot-6, 295-pound Senegal-born center as he will swat your shot. He averaged nearly a double-double last season with 10.9 points and 9.5 rebounds along with 2.6 blocks. Can he win back-to-back AAC Defensive Player of the Year awards?

Preseason Freshman of the Year: Keith Williams, Cincinnati

It’s easy to pick the top-rated freshman as the conference’s best newcomer, but I truly believe Keith Williams has what it takes to be a top player in the league. He may not play much early on, but his minutes will grow as he adjusts into a more consistent role.

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound shooting guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., was a top-20 player at his position in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports, and he could complement the already-solid roster that Mick Cronin has assembled.

Don’t be surprised if the underrated recruit eases into a starting role by conference play and does so with his impressive shooting touch. He might end up being the top shooter on the team by the end of the season.

The Favorite: Wichita State

The rest of the league has to be thankful for the addition of Wichita State to boost the conference’s overall strength, but facing off against the Shockers is another story. No team will want to see the likes of Landry Shamet, Markis McDuffie and the hot-shooting Conner Frankamp on the other side of the floor.

Although Cincinnati, SMU, Connecticut, Houston and UCF are top contenders for the conference crown, I just can’t see anyone taking down the Shockers. This team has dominated the Missouri Valley over the years and Gregg Marshall may have his most impressive team yet.

There’s a reason the Shockers are considered a top-10 team in the country and they will prove it with a near-perfect conference record. I can see Wichita State losing two, maybe three, games in AAC play, but that’s only because upsets happen all the time in college basketball. A perfect AAC record isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

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Projected Order of Finish:

  1. Wichita State
  2. SMU
  3. Cincinnati
  4. UCF
  5. Connecticut
  6. Houston
  7. Temple
  8. Memphis
  9. Tulane
  10. Tulsa
  11. East Carolina
  12. South Florida