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AAC Basketball power rankings: Wichita State rises to the top

By Ben Andreatta

WICHITA, KS - JANUARY 25: Darral Willis Jr. #21 of the Wichita State Shockers reacts after scoring a basket against UCF Knights during the first half on January 25, 2018 at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
WICHITA, KS - JANUARY 25: Darral Willis Jr. #21 of the Wichita State Shockers reacts after scoring a basket against UCF Knights during the first half on January 25, 2018 at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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DALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 09: The East Carolina Pirates mascot (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 09: The East Carolina Pirates mascot (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

10. East Carolina Pirates (Prior Ranking: 12)

So far East Carolina has exceeded expectations and I want to give credit where credit is due, at 2-1 ECU is one of the conference’s biggest surprises. Jayden Gardner is playing at an all-American level right now, and he’s one of the country’s best-kept secrets.

Gardner is averaging 21.4 points per game and 9.3 rebounds to start the season. If he gets consistent support ECU should win a few more. ECU needs to win one more conference game this season to match their conference win total from last season and their three games in.

ECU will get Tulsa and Cincinnati in their next two games, interested to see if they can keep up their good start.

9. Temple Owls (Prior Ranking: 4)

Temple is 1-3 to start conference play with their only win being by four points against UCF. Temple looked solid in non-conference play with wins against USC and Davidson but it hasn’t translated at all at the start of the conference play.

Temple really struggles to score with only Quinton Rose (14.3 ppg) and Nate Pierre-Louis (10.6 ppg) averaging double figures. That puts Temple in the bottom quarter in the country for points per game as a team at 68.9 per game. The Owls have scored over 70 just once in their first four conference games.

Things will not get easier for Temple as they play host to Wichita midweek before SMU on the weekend and Cincinnati to follow. Aaron McKie has his hands full trying to right the ship for what started as a promising season.