IRVING, Texas (Oct. 12, 2022) — Houston has been selected as the unanimous preseason favorite to win the 2022-23 American Athletic Conference men’s basketball title in voting done by the league’s head coaches, the conference announced Wednesday, Oct. 12.
Houston was tabbed the favorite for the fourth consecutive year, receiving all 10 possible first-place votes and a total of 100 points. Memphis received one first-place vote and 87 total points to be picked second. Cincinnati is third with 82 points, followed by Tulane (74), Temple (66), UCF (51), SMU (43) Wichita State (43), South Florida (33), Tulsa (21) and East Carolina (13).
Houston senior guard Marcus Sasser has been picked as the Preseason Player of the Year, while Cougar freshman forward Jarace Walker has been unanimously selected as the Preseason Rookie of the Year.
Sasser, who was leading the Cougars with 17.7 points per game through 12 games before being sidelined with a foot injury for the remainder of the season, was one of three unanimous selections on the Preseason All-Conference First Team. Memphis senior guard Kendric Davis (19.4 ppg, 4.4 assists per game), who was the 2022 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year with SMU, and Tulane sophomore guard Jalen Cook (18.0 ppg) were also unanimous picks on the First Team. Memphis senior forward DeAndre Williams (11.1 ppg, 5.8 rebounds per game) and Temple redshirt sophomore guard Damian Dunn (14.9 ppg) rounded out the First Team selections.
The Preseason All-Conference Second Team consists of Cincinnati graduate guard David DeJulius (14.6 ppg), Houston junior guard Jamal Shead (10.1 ppg, 5.9 apg), Temple redshirt sophomore guard Khalif Battle (21.4 ppg in seven games in 2021-22) and the Tulane duo of junior forward Kevin Cross (13.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and junior guard Jaylen Forbes (16.5 ppg).
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
Houston advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the second year in a row, while Memphis advanced to the NCAA Second Round. The Cougars defeated the Tigers in the 2022 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Championship game. SMU was selected for the NIT.
The 2023 American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship will be held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, March 9-12.
American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
First-place votes in parenthesis
Preseason Player of the Year
Marcus Sasser, Sr., G, Houston
Preseason Rookie of the Year
Jarace Walker, F, Houston*
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Marcus Sasser, Sr., G, Houston*
Kendric Davis, R-Sr., G, Memphis*
DeAndre Williams, R-Sr., F, Memphis
Damian Dunn, R-So., G, Temple
Jalen Cook, So., G, Tulane*
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
David DeJulius, Gr., G, Cincinnati
Jamal Shead, Jr., G, Houston
Khalif Battle, R-So., G, Temple
Kevin Cross, Jr., F, Tulane
Jaylen Forbes, Jr., G, Tulane
* denotes unanimous selection
Houston was tabbed the favorite for the fourth consecutive year, receiving all 10 possible first-place votes and a total of 100 points. Memphis received one first-place vote and 87 total points to be picked second. Cincinnati is third with 82 points, followed by Tulane (74), Temple (66), UCF (51), SMU (43) Wichita State (43), South Florida (33), Tulsa (21) and East Carolina (13).
Houston senior guard Marcus Sasser has been picked as the Preseason Player of the Year, while Cougar freshman forward Jarace Walker has been unanimously selected as the Preseason Rookie of the Year.
Sasser, who was leading the Cougars with 17.7 points per game through 12 games before being sidelined with a foot injury for the remainder of the season, was one of three unanimous selections on the Preseason All-Conference First Team. Memphis senior guard Kendric Davis (19.4 ppg, 4.4 assists per game), who was the 2022 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year with SMU, and Tulane sophomore guard Jalen Cook (18.0 ppg) were also unanimous picks on the First Team. Memphis senior forward DeAndre Williams (11.1 ppg, 5.8 rebounds per game) and Temple redshirt sophomore guard Damian Dunn (14.9 ppg) rounded out the First Team selections.
The Preseason All-Conference Second Team consists of Cincinnati graduate guard David DeJulius (14.6 ppg), Houston junior guard Jamal Shead (10.1 ppg, 5.9 apg), Temple redshirt sophomore guard Khalif Battle (21.4 ppg in seven games in 2021-22) and the Tulane duo of junior forward Kevin Cross (13.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and junior guard Jaylen Forbes (16.5 ppg).
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
Houston advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the second year in a row, while Memphis advanced to the NCAA Second Round. The Cougars defeated the Tigers in the 2022 Air Force Reserve American Athletic Conference Championship game. SMU was selected for the NIT.
The 2023 American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship will be held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, March 9-12.
American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1 | Houston (10) | 100 | |||
| 2 | Memphis (1) | 87 | |||
| 3 | Cincinnati | 82 | |||
| 4 | Tulane | 74 | |||
| 5 | Temple | 66 | |||
| 6 | UCF | 51 | |||
| 7 | SMU | 43 | |||
| 8 | Wichita State | 35 | |||
| 9 | South Florida | 33 | |||
| 10 | Tulsa | 21 | |||
| 11 | East Carolina | 13 |
Preseason Player of the Year
Marcus Sasser, Sr., G, Houston
Preseason Rookie of the Year
Jarace Walker, F, Houston*
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Marcus Sasser, Sr., G, Houston*
Kendric Davis, R-Sr., G, Memphis*
DeAndre Williams, R-Sr., F, Memphis
Damian Dunn, R-So., G, Temple
Jalen Cook, So., G, Tulane*
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
David DeJulius, Gr., G, Cincinnati
Jamal Shead, Jr., G, Houston
Khalif Battle, R-So., G, Temple
Kevin Cross, Jr., F, Tulane
Jaylen Forbes, Jr., G, Tulane
* denotes unanimous selection
