AAC looking stronger so far

[A10 fan]

With UConn struggling early, it's a plus that the other solid programs (Cincy, Memphis, Houston, SMU, Temple), are off to fairly solid starts. Along with UCF looking like it's ready to take a step up, if these schools can maintain what they're doing through the end of the non conference schedule, UConn will have many opportunities for quality wins in league play. It ain't the old Big East, but the AAC is looking like it might be very solid this year. Hope I'm not jinxing it.

 

[champs99and04]

Couple interesting games today:

Temple-WVU - The transitive property can officially be put to rest if Temple wins this game. They lost to New Hampshire and West Virginia beat them by 61.

SMU @ USC - I still don't know what SMU is. The blowout loss to Michigan has me soured on them, hopefully they bounce back with a win today.

Providence-Memphis - Pretty much a toss-up game, IMO. Looking forward to seeing how Memphis looks against their first quality opponent.

 

[upstater]

UCF played Villanova tough. Amidah Brimah is going to have to go to war with Tacko Fall for UConn to have a real chance and Jalen is going to have to drive right into Tacko's body to get him in foul trouble.

 

[A10 fan]

Couple interesting games today:

Temple-WVU - The transitive property can officially be put to rest if Temple wins this game. They lost to New Hampshire and West Virginia beat them by 61.

SMU @ USC - I still don't know what SMU is. The blowout loss to Michigan has me soured on them, hopefully they bounce back with a win today.

Providence-Memphis - Pretty much a toss-up game, IMO. Looking forward to seeing how Memphis looks against their first quality opponent.

Yeah, those games will tell us a lot, especially PC-Memphis. Tubby is so superior to Pastner as an Xand Os guy that Memphis may have a better season than last year, despite having less talent.

 

[gtcam]

Temple starts it off nicely by beating that creaton Bobby H today

 

[UconnFanDC]

Well the way we have looked and with the lack of depth, I hope we can make some noise or we are in for a very long season

 

[A10 fan]

Temple starts it off nicely by beating that creaton Bobby H today

Very good result. These early games will largely determine whether the AAC struggles to get 3 bids, or if it's a solid 5, or even 6 bid league. In a 6 bid league, you can lose some games, and still have chances to make up ground. Will help if UConn can get rolling.

 

[auror]

Very good result. These early games will largely determine whether the AAC struggles to get 3 bids, or if it's a solid 5, or even 6 bid league. In a 6 bid league, you can lose some games, and still have chances to make up ground. Will help if UConn can get rolling.

Love the optimism, but this is not the year for 5 or 6 bids.

 

[upstater]

Love the optimism, but this is not the year for 5 or 6 bids.

Really? League seems deeper than ever before.

Without UConn, UCF, Memphis, SMU, Cincy and Temple look like they can do it. Maybe Houston as well.

 

[A10 fan]

Really? League seems deeper than ever before.

Without UConn, UCF, Memphis, SMU, Cincy and Temple look like they can do it. Maybe Houston as well.

SMU lost a close one to a good USC team. Not a loss that will hurt, but a missed chance to get a good scalp.

 

[auror]

Ironically, we'll probably screw some teams by beating them with little chance of making it ourselves.

It's early, but Cincy is the only school in the top 38 of KenPom. Committee looks at that now (just not as much as RPI top 50 wins apparently.....) and it's more stable than RPI at this time so good to keep in mind. It's safe to say if you're not in the top 50 come tourny time you're in trouble (I think there were 3 at larges past 50 last year). So that brings SMU in.

Houston scheduled like . They might play 1 total tournament team in the nonconf and it'll be at home, and that team isn't close to a given. Well, they did win an easy neutral site tournament, so that might help, but only if the committee doesn't look at the overall strength of schedule.

UCF also scheduled like . Their best win, if they do it, will be @GWU.

Memphis has a shot. They've played only bunnies so far, so no idea how good they actually are. They need to win tonight (winning so far).

Temple will need to play well in conference play to continue to offset those ugly losses to UNH (home) and UMass (road). Last 2 games were huge, obviously. If they beat Villanova in Big5 play they'll have a good shot.

Everybody needs to keep winning to get the RPIs up before conference play and especially protect home court for RPI sake to have any shot. It's stupid early so it doesn't really matter, but only 3 AAC teams in the RPI top 100. Work to be done. By conference play, the RPIs need to be helpful to everyone. UConn RPI #293 currently, for the record (I mention this mostly for my own benefit, want to track this).

 

[MexicoHusky]

Great. We shouldn't have to carry the load. Since we entered the AAC we have 7 tourney wins. I'd be surprised if the rest of the league has 7 in that time.

 

[champs99and04]

Really? League seems deeper than ever before.

Without UConn, UCF, Memphis, SMU, Cincy and Temple look like they can do it. Maybe Houston as well.

Don't see 5 or 6 bids. None of those teams are very good, besides maybe Cincy. Houston has a decent shot - they're 62nd in kenpom and have a chance to add a nice win to their resume when they host Rhode Island December 10th.

Memphis has to get the game on 12/30 against South Carolina. They blew a big opportunity tonight against Providence. I still don't know what to make of UCF.

Given how well Temple usually plays in conference, they're in pretty good shape after their wins these last couple days. If they can go 13-5 or so in conference, I think they're in. SMU has an uphill climb. They could have really used one of those wins against Michigan or USC.

And then there's us, obviously. We still have a chance to pick up a couple quality wins OOC, but Wagner and Northeastern will haunt us.

Gun to my head, I would say three bids, maybe four. Then again, I didn't think there was any chance they would get four bids last year.