American, Colorado State, North Texas and UNLV pick up class of 2025 commitments over weekend
By SAM LANCE Several class of 2025 prospects
By SAM LANCE Several class of 2025 prospects
In the closest preseason poll in American Athletic Conference history, Cincinnati was tabbed as the favorite to win the 2016-17 American Athletic Conference men’s basketball regular-season title, in voting of the conference’s head coaches.
Cincinnati senior guard Troy Caupain and Memphis sophomore Dedric Lawson were chosen as the American Athletic Conference Preseason Co-Players of the Year. For the fourth straight season, a UConn player was selected as The American’s Preseason Rookie of the Year, with Alterique Gilbert collecting honors this year.
The Bearcats edged UConn as the preseason favorite with 95 points to the Huskies’ 94 in the balloting of the coaches, who could not vote for their own teams. Cincinnati received six first-place votes, while UConn claimed the other five.
| 2016-17 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL |
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| Rank | Team (First-Place Votes) | Pts. |
| 1. | Cincinnati (6) | 95 |
| 2. | UConn (5) | 94 |
| 3. | SMU | 76 |
| 4. | Houston | 75 |
| 5. | Memphis | 63 |
| 6. | Temple | 56 |
| 7. | East Carolina | 39 |
| 8. | UCF | 37 |
| 9. | Tulsa | 34 |
| 10. | USF | 25 |
| 11. | Tulane | 11 |
| 2016-17 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON INDIVIDUAL HONORS |
||
| Preseason Co-Players of the Year | ||
| Troy Caupain, G, Sr., Cincinnati Dedric Lawson, G/F, So., Memphis |
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| Preseason Rookie of the Year | ||
| Alterique Gilbert, G, Fr., UConn | ||
| Preseason All-Conference Teams | ||
| First Team | ||
| Troy Caupain, G, Cincinnati* | ||
| Gary Clark, F, Cincinnati* | ||
| Dedric Lawson, G/F, Memphis | ||
| Ben Moore, F, SMU | ||
| Damyean Dotson, G, Houston | ||
| Second Team | ||
| Shake Milton, G, SMU | ||
| Jalen Adams, G, UConn | ||
| Jahmal McMurray, G, USF | ||
| Rob Gray, Jr., G, Houston | ||
| B.J. Tyson, G, East Carolina | ||
| * unanimous selection | ||
