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SMU Basketball: Mustangs will make it a 3-way AAC title race in 2020-21

By Tristan Freeman

Jan 4, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Kendric Davis (3) and guard Tyson Jolly (0) celebrate after a win in overtime against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Kendric Davis (3) and guard Tyson Jolly (0) celebrate after a win in overtime against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The AAC is viewed as a two-team race for the upcoming season. But don’t be surprised if SMU Basketball makes a run to the top of the standings.

In the beginning years of the brand new American Athletic Conference, it was SMU Basketball who was consistently on top. They went a combined 57-15 in the first four seasons and went to the NCAA Tournament multiple times. The Mustangs have struggled a bit in recent years, having back-to-back 6-12 conference campaigns before going 9-9 last season.

The program hopes it’s the start of a rebound and a push back to the top-tier of the AAC. However, things are a little bit different now in the league. Although the UConn Huskies are now back in the Big East, plenty of quality competition remains.

Under head coach Penny Hardaway, the recruiting of Memphis looks nearly as good as it did under John Calipari. And the Houston Cougars have been at the top of the league in SMU’s place recently, led by a talented group of guards. These two, along with Cincinnati have become the new contenders in the league, with the Mustangs looking up.

https://twitter.com/American_Conf/status/1321466760277745665

It’s not a big surprise that the Cougars are the preseason No. 1, considering that they bring back most of their roster from the team that won 23 games in the regular season. Sophomore guard Caleb Mills was dubbed Preseason Player of the Year and players such as Quentin Grimes and and Dejon Jarreau are back as well.

Memphis got the other 1st place votes, returning a good portion of its roster as well, while also adding Landers Nolley and five-star freshman Moussa Cisse. This is even without Evansville transfer Deandre Williams getting a waiver to play this season.

SMU comes in third. However, the view is that there’s a clear gap between the top two (Houston and Memphis) and the rest of the AAC. I would beg to differ, based on who the Mustangs also brings back.

Guards Tyson Jolly and Kendric Davis each averaged over 14 ppg last season and are preseason 1st-Team All-AAC players. Feron Hunt, a forward who put up 11.0 ppg and 6.7 rpg, is back for his junior season as well. Cal sit-out guard transfer Darius McNeill is eligible to play and will provide quality off the bench.

The team did take a hit with the pro departure of forward Isiaha Mike this offseason but they were able to land Oklahoma State defensive standout Yor Anei. He hasn’t been given a waiver to play this season but considering the previous circumstance with the Cowboys, I would bet that he’ll be cleared to play for the Mustangs.

His impact would be tremendous for SMU, particularly on defense. They were stronger on offense than defense last season and a boost on the other end would give them the kind of balance to get plenty of wins. And don’t think that the two teams above are unbeatable, as Houston’s lack of size and the lack of cohesion for Memphis’ roster gives them their own vulnerability.

Preseason top-25 power rankings for 2020-21. dark. Next

Jolly and Davis makes up one of the best backcourt in all of college basketball and with good frontcourt play, will have enough to not only compete with the likes of Houston and Memphis, but potentially get back to where they were when the AAC started… at the top of the standings.