Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Power conferences’ 2019-20 surprising and disappointing teams

By Jason Burgess

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: A view of the official game ball in the basket prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: A view of the official game ball in the basket prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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TULSA, OK – MARCH 17: Head coach Tim Jankovich of the Southern Methodist Mustangs (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
TULSA, OK – MARCH 17: Head coach Tim Jankovich of the Southern Methodist Mustangs (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /

American Athletic Conference

Surprise: SMU Mustangs 9-2

Before the season, it was assumed that the shiny new toys at Memphis would be doing battle with defending champ Houston for supremacy in the conference, and while the Tigers are still considered a favorite despite James Wiseman leaving school and the Cougars will likely be there in the end as well, the most surprising team to me is the team that was picked 8th in the preseason poll, the SMU Mustangs.

Tim Jankovich’s team enters the new year with a 9-2 record with wins over UNLV and an Evansville team with one of the biggest upsets of the season, knocking off No. 1 Kentucky in Rupp Arena. Not bad for a team with eight newcomers and four players averaging at least 14 points per game and two sophomores, Feron Hunt and Kendric Davis who have combined for nearly 30 points per game in their second season.

Disappointment: Cincinnati Bearcats 7-5

On the flip side, the perennial favorite Cincinnati Bearcats have struggled to 7-5 record with an up and down season so far. Under new head coach John Brannen, the Bearcats have a win over No. 21 Tennessee, but also losses to Colgate and Bowling Green along the way.

Offensively they are led by senior Jarron Cumberland and junior Keith Williams, but it is on the defensive end is where they haven’t been the same Cincinnati team we remember. They have given up 69 points per game while allowing opponents to shoot over 40% from the field and 33% from deep. Those numbers may improve during conference play, but so far, the Bearcats haven’t been near the team that was picked to finish third in the conference.

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