AAC Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2022-23 season

By Joey Loose | Jun 9, 2022

Mar 24, 2022; San Antonio, TX, USA; Houston Cougars guard Jamal Shead (1) tries to save a ball from going out of bounds during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats in the semifinals of the South regional of the men's college basketball NCAA Tournament at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports /

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AAC Basketball UCF Knights forward C.J. Walker Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports /

6. UCF

The Knights had that breakout season back in 2019, nearly upsetting Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The three years since have been less successful, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but they haven’t been horrible either. Last year, UCF was a potential sleeper team that went just 18-12. Could this be the year they take that big step forward again?

Losing guard Darin Green to Florida State is hard to get past, but landing Pittsburgh guard Ithiel Horton and East Carolina guard Brandon Suggs gives the Knights a new one-two punch in the backcourt. Forward C. J. Walker is the leading returning scorer and solidifies the frontcourt, while young players like Darius Johnson and freshmen like Jayhlon Young will be expected to contribute.

There’s a potential for this UCF team to be much better on offense next season; it’s all about if the defense can follow suit. Things just haven’t been the same since Tacko Fall left the program, though players like that don’t just grow on trees. For this season, the pieces are there to take a step forward, especially if that young talent really comes together. In this conference, UCF’s current roster will probably have them somewhere in the middle.