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Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein · 16m

Here's some early projections for the AAC in 2014-15. Never too early to start talking ball!

14-15 AAC Preseason Power Rankings: 1. SMU 2. UConn 3. Cincinnati 4. Memphis 5. Temple 6. Tulsa 7. Houston 8. USF 9. UCF 10. Tulane 11. ECU

14-15 AAC Preseason Player of the Year: Emmanuel Mudiay, SMU

14-15 AAC Sleeper: Temple

14-15 AAC Preseason 1st Team: Emmanuel Mudiay(SMU), Ryan Boatright(UConn), James Woodard (Tulsa),Markus Kennedy (SMU) Shaq Goodwin,(Memphis)

10 Impact AAC Freshman for 14-15: Emmanuel Mudiay (SMU), Daniel Hamilton (UConn), Rashawn "Pookie" Powell (Memphis) Dominic Magee (Memphis), Gary Clark (Cincinnati), Quadri Moore (Cincinnati), Keondre Dew (Tulsa), Obi Enechionyia, (Temple), Ruben Guerrero (USF), Adonys Henriquez (UCF)

10 Impact AAC Transfers for 14-15: Justin Martin (SMU), Rodney Purvis (UConn), Sam Cassell Jr. (UConn), Coreontae DeBerry (Cincinnati), Octavious Ellis (Cincy), Jaylen Bond (Temple), Jesse Morgan (Temple), Devonta Pollard(Houston), Cavon Baker (Houston), Nehemias Morillo (USF)

5 Breakout AAC Players for 14-15: Shaquille Thomas (Cincy), Amida Brimah (UConn), Chris Perry (USF), Nick King (Mem), D'Andre Wright (Tulsa)

As the season nears we are going to see the media hype and lofty predictions for SMU Basketball unlike ever before. This stuff is awesome for us fans but I hope the guys block out the noise and just go to work. I'm sure LB will get everyone's head right.

LA_Mustang wrote:As the season nears we are going to see the media hype and lofty predictions for SMU Basketball unlike ever before. This stuff is awesome for us fans but I hope the guys block out the noise and just go to work. I'm sure LB will get everyone's head right.

This! ^^^

Putting us at #1 in the AAC is nuts (exciting and at the same time a bit premature). I think we snuck up on some AAC teams last year (no one beats us at Moody . . . well, except Pitino). UConn will be gunning for us, Cincy will be scrappy as ever, Memphis will be loaded with talent as usual, and Temple already beat us so they will get "up" for those games as well (as long as we beat them all at Moody and can "steal" a game or two on the road against one of these I'll be happy). I expect us to smoke everyone else in the conference (we SHOULD anyway . . . Tulsa could be a dog fight though also).

Yes, we caught several teams off guard last season, and NO ONE could have ever imagined a home court advantage like we had at Moody. This season every team visiting Moody will be pumped up and prepared for a hostile environment. Same for our big road games. It's hard to believe, but SMU at Gonzaga, Michigan, and Indiana will probably be a tough ticket, and their fan bases will be hyped to play LB/SMU. It will be different being the hunted. This is something very new for SMU.

So true. Not since our 1983 football team have we had a team that is nationally known and is legitimately feared by others - not just when they have to play us, but when we go to their place. The houses on our road games will be packed. Legitimate top ten talent and a hall of fame coach. It will be nuts at some of these spots - and they will start hating us with the heat of a 1000 suns if we can actually keep stealing wins. Can you imagine UConn if we manage to sweep them again? They might explode.

My personal pipe dream - we meet both Louisville and UT in the tournament - and beat them both.

IMO, the most encouraging thing is we seem to have guys who can handle pressure - Nic hit the biggest shot of the year against Cal in a win or go home moment, Sterling made one of the biggest plays of the year with a perfect full court pass to Markus at MSG against Clemson, Cannen and KF both stepped up with big plays in big games and I don't think there's a tougher player mentally than Markus. Then we have a freshman who's constantly played in the spotlight the past three years, who's confident and embraces the big moments. Martin comes from a tough-minded program at Xavier and he will only add to our team's toughness.

I believe we have the talent and toughness to make a deep run. LB has four months to get them ready. Hopefully, everyone buys in and stays happy.

I'm excited about seeing so many great players on one team.

Could anyone other than LB successfully manage this much talent? His ability to connect with the players and get them to buy-in to the program is amazing.

max the wonder dog wrote:Could anyone other than LB successfully manage this much talent? His ability to connect with the players and get them to buy-in to the program is amazing.

Phil Jackson.

But he doesn't have that challenge where he is currently.

ojaipony wrote:

max the wonder dog wrote:Could anyone other than LB successfully manage this much talent? His ability to connect with the players and get them to buy-in to the program is amazing.

Phil Jackson.

But he doesn't have that challenge where he is currently.

Uggghhhh, the Knicks. [THUMBS DOWN SIGN]

NY Pony wrote:

ojaipony wrote:

max the wonder dog wrote:Could anyone other than LB successfully manage this much talent? His ability to connect with the players and get them to buy-in to the program is amazing.

Phil Jackson.

But he doesn't have that challenge where he is currently.

Uggghhhh, the Knicks. [THUMBS DOWN SIGN]

Melo taking ALL THAT CASH HOMIE

Do y'all think Mudiay will get the same hype Wiggins and Jabari Parker got every night on sportscenter?

If you think Moody was hostile last year, just wait for this year. Already getting goosebumps.

I called the ticket office just to make sure I still was on for my season tickets this year. I don't want any foul-ups!

Harry0569 wrote:Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein · 16m

Here's some early projections for the AAC in 2014-15. Never too early to start talking ball!

14-15 AAC Preseason Power Rankings: 1. SMU 2. UConn 3. Cincinnati 4. Memphis 5. Temple 6. Tulsa 7. Houston 8. USF 9. UCF 10. Tulane 11. ECU

14-15 AAC Preseason Player of the Year: Emmanuel Mudiay, SMU

14-15 AAC Sleeper: Temple

14-15 AAC Preseason 1st Team: Emmanuel Mudiay(SMU), Ryan Boatright(UConn), James Woodard (Tulsa),Markus Kennedy (SMU) Shaq Goodwin,(Memphis)

10 Impact AAC Freshman for 14-15: Emmanuel Mudiay (SMU), Daniel Hamilton (UConn), Rashawn "Pookie" Powell (Memphis) Dominic Magee (Memphis), Gary Clark (Cincinnati), Quadri Moore (Cincinnati), Keondre Dew (Tulsa), Obi Enechionyia, (Temple), Ruben Guerrero (USF), Adonys Henriquez (UCF)

10 Impact AAC Transfers for 14-15: Justin Martin (SMU), Rodney Purvis (UConn), Sam Cassell Jr. (UConn), Coreontae DeBerry (Cincinnati), Octavious Ellis (Cincy), Jaylen Bond (Temple), Jesse Morgan (Temple), Devonta Pollard(Houston), Cavon Baker (Houston), Nehemias Morillo (USF)

5 Breakout AAC Players for 14-15: Shaquille Thomas (Cincy), Amida Brimah (UConn), Chris Perry (USF), Nick King (Mem), D'Andre Wright (Tulsa)

AAC pre-season 1st team gonna have to be tweaked.

Move Nic Moore back to first team where he was last year.