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 /
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Mar 6, 2016; Storrs, CT, USA; UCF Knights forward A.J. Davis (3) and guard Daiquan Walker (4) react after a play against the Connecticut Huskies in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2016; Storrs, CT, USA; UCF Knights forward A.J. Davis (3) and guard Daiquan Walker (4) react after a play against the Connecticut Huskies in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

9. UCF Knights

2015-16 record: 12-18 overall, 6-12 in AAC

Head coach: Johnny Dawkins (first year)

Key returning players: A.J. Davis, Tacko Fall, Matt Williams, Chance McSpadden, Tanksley Efianayi

Newcomers: Non-ranked SF Clayton Hughes, Non-ranked SG Caesar DeJesus, Illinois State grad transfer F Nick Banyard

Former Stanford head coach Johnny Dawkins will take over a Knights team that returns three of their top five scorers from last year.

Even though he shot just 38 percent overall and 29 percent from beyond the arc, forward A.J. Davis (12.0 points per game) was UCF’s top scorer in 2015-16.

Adonys Henriquez has transferred to Saint Louis and Daiquan Walker graduated in May, but 7’6″ center Tacko Fall is expected to be much better in 2016-17 and guard Matt Williams will likely become a double-digit scorer. UCF also adds a bit of experience in Illinois State graduate transfer Nick Banyard.

UCF will have their fair share of struggles given that they are learning a new system and are playing for a new head coach. They should be better than both Tulane and East Carolina, but challenging for any spot higher than ninth in the conference standings would be very surprising.

The Knights could take their first step forward in 2017-18 under Dawkins. They added Michigan transfer Aubrey Dawkins (Johnny’s son), Drexel’s Terrell Allen and Texas Tech’s Rokas Ulvydas this off-seasosn, but all three won’t eligible to play until next year. They could add more competition in practice though, as both Dawkins and Ulvydas come from Power Five programs that participated in the NCAA Tournament last season.