Busting Brackets
Fansided

AAC Basketball: The conference runs through UConn and Cincinnati

By Carmine Carcieri

Mar 13, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Kevin Ollie cuts the net defeated the Memphis Tigers 72-58 to win the AAC Conference tournament at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Kevin Ollie cuts the net defeated the Memphis Tigers 72-58 to win the AAC Conference tournament at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
10 of 13
Next
Feb 21, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; SMU Mustangs guard Shake Milton (1) looks to pass by East Carolina Pirates guard Kentrell Barkley (15) during a game at Moody Coliseum. SMU won 74-63. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; SMU Mustangs guard Shake Milton (1) looks to pass by East Carolina Pirates guard Kentrell Barkley (15) during a game at Moody Coliseum. SMU won 74-63. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /

4. SMU Mustangs

2015-16 record: 25-5 overall, 13-5 AAC, ineligible for the postseason

Head coach: Tim Jankovich (first year)

Key returning players: Shake Milton, Ben Moore, Sterling Brown, Jarrey Foster

Newcomers: Non-ranked PG Dashawn McDowell, non-ranked SG Tom Wilson, non-ranked PF Harry Froling, Duke transfer F Semi Ojeleye 

Any team that loses a Hall of Fame head coach and a Player of the Year in their respective conference is likely to fall in the standings.

The Mustangs went undefeated during the non-conference portion of the schedule in 2015-16, but lost momentum after losing at Temple. They weren’t able to participate in the postseason due to an academic fraud scandal and ultimately lost five games the entire season.

The 2016-17 version of the Mustangs will have a very different look as Tim Jankovich will roam the sidelines and sophomore Shake Milton will run the team at the point guard position. SMU still returns veterans Ben Moore and Sterling Brown to flank Milton, while they also add a critical transfer in Semi Ojeleye.

Ojeleye only played 10.5 minutes per game for Duke back in 2014-15, but could end up as SMU’s leading scorer in 2016-17. Ojeleye was the 40th best recruit in the nation in 2013, according to ESPN, however, he was never able to get off the bench at Duke.

The adjustment from Brown and Jankovich won’t be a major change considering that Jankovich was the associate head coach and served as the team’s acting head coach during Brown’s suspension last year.

Even though Milton will be special by the end of the season, SMU will miss Moore and finish fourth in the AAC.