What AAC teams will be "competitive" next year?

[EricLA]

I'm not talking about anyone being able to hang with UCONN, but rather a team who can hang with middle of the pack teams in the P5 conferences.

Temple, for example, lost to WVU in OT in the semifinals of the NIT. I would say they should be "competitive" next year. ECU made the NIT and won a few games, and while I think Tulsa only won one in the NIT (or lost in the first round), Tulane and USF both made the NCAA's. So including UCONN, those 6 teams should be at least solid.

Of the remaining teams, who pretty much sucked in the AAC (Memphis, UCF, Cinci, SMU and Houston), which, if any, will be decent? I know Cinci had a bunch of kids injured last year so I think it's safe to say they will be "better", but will they be able to beat a team like Virginia, Michigan, TCU, Washington State or Mississippi (those were all about the middle of the pack teams from each of the P5 conferences last year)...

It seems like Houston got some "help", but how much help will it really be? Any other teams poised to "move up" in the AAC? Thoughts?

 

[UcMiami]

I think aiming for six competitive teams by your definition is about right, and hoping that a the others will be 'more competitive' is about right. It takes a few years to change, and there were a bunch of teams and coaches that saw the mountaintop for the first time this past year. Change takes a little time. The big east took a while to become the best league in the country - about ten years.

 

[ChicagoGG]

Well, USF didn't exactly "suck" this year...they improved their OOC schedule, and it paid off for them. They return Courtney Williams and Alicia Jenkins. Their Danish big girl shows good signs for next year. Laura Ferreira is poised to make a developmental jump, and she was good this year. ESPN ranks them #21 coming in to next season. I think they will do well.

 

[Sonny44]

Well, USF didn't exactly "suck" this year...they improved their OOC schedule, and it paid off for them. They return Courtney Williams and Alicia Jenkins. Their Danish big girl shows good signs for next year. Laura Ferreira is poised to make a developmental jump, and she was good this year. ESPN ranks them #21 coming in to next season. I think they will do well.

I think they'll be as good as some of the teams in the 10 - 15 range.

 

[HGN]

I think the conference as a whole will be better over the next couple of years...........USF , Temple , Cincinnati , . UH , all will improve. UConn winning the NC gave the conference good exposure. And if the HUskies can make the FF again it will thoroughly raise the visibility of the conference. USF is a good team and will make some noise again next season too.

 

[MilfordHusky]

USF, USF, and USF.