Busting Brackets
Fansided

AAC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

By Ben Andreatta

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: The AAC Championship trophy to be presented to the Cincinnati Bearcats after the final game of the 2018 AAC Basketball Championship against Houston Cougars at Amway Center on March 11, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: The AAC Championship trophy to be presented to the Cincinnati Bearcats after the final game of the 2018 AAC Basketball Championship against Houston Cougars at Amway Center on March 11, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 12
Next
CINCINNATI, OH – JANUARY 19: Jayden Gardner #1 of the East Carolina Pirates (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – JANUARY 19: Jayden Gardner #1 of the East Carolina Pirates (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

. Pirates . 9. team. 933. .

Jayden Gardner. One of the most underappreciated players in the country, Gardner has single-handedly won games for East Carolina in his stellar career. The Pirates are starting to surround Gardner with some young talent, Tristen Newman and Brandon Suggs are both back after solid freshman campaigns and the Pirates will bring in Noah Farrakhan and 7-foot center Derrick Quansah as well.

East Carolina was relatively competitive last season despite going just 5-13 in conference play last season. The Pirates have to improve their three-point shooting for next season, their dismal 28% shooting from deep was 347th in the country.

Related Story. ECU expectations for 2020-21. light

I think the offense will be better, the Pirates are entering their third season under head coach Joe Dooley and while the results haven’t quite been there yet, there’s been a much-needed improvement in talent coming in and you can see the effort that’s been put in on the recruiting trail.

Seven conference wins were good enough for eighth last season and I don’t think there’s any reason ECU can’t do that. I’m optimistic for the Pirates this season, I think they’ll really show some improvement and a little bit more consistency.

Consistency will be key, especially during the non-conference slate building up to conference play. Either way, this should be one of the most talented rosters the Pirates have had in years.