Around the AAC: good opening weekend at the top, rough in the middle
The opening weekend of college basketball saw mixed results for the American Athletic Conference.
The top seven teams, including Wichita State, went a combined 7-0 over the weekend. That keeps seven teams in Ken Pomeroy’s top-100 ratings this season, while the Shockers have moved up to No. 2 in the country following their opening-night thrashing of UMKC. The AAC remains No. 7 in Pomeroy’s conference rankings.
To move up in the conference rankings, though, the middle of the AAC will have to improve. The middle isn’t off to a promising start, as Tulsa lost to Lamar (a team ranked No. 190) at home and Memphis missed out on a nice victory against a severely under-manned Alabama team.
Tulsa started the season as Pomeroy’s No. 82 team, but has now plummeted to No. 101.
No. 12 Cincinnati (1-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 11
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Win vs. No. 328 Savannah State, 107-77, on Nov. 10.
Next week: vs. No. 266 Western Carolina on Nov. 13; vs. No. 344 Coppin State on Nov. 16.
WSU dates: vs. Wichita State on Feb. 18; at Wichita State on Mar. 4.
No. 26 SMU (2-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 24
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Win vs. 198 UMBC, 78-67, on Nov. 10; Win vs. No. 203 Louisiana Monroe, 83-65, on Nov. 12.
Next week: vs. No. 303 Northwestern State on Nov. 15.
WSU dates: at Wichita State on Jan. 17; vs. Wichita State on Feb. 24.
No. 59 Houston (1-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 64
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Win vs. No. 319 McNeese State, 81-53, on Nov. 10.
Next week: vs. No. 215 Drexel on Nov. 17 at neutral.
WSU dates: at Wichita State on Jan. 4; vs. Wichita State on Jan. 20.
No. 61 Central Florida (1-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 60
Key wins: Win vs. No. 105 Mercer, 88-79, on Nov. 10.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Win vs. No. 105 Mercer, 88-79, on Nov. 10.
Next week: vs. No. 240 Gardner Webb on Nov. 15; vs. No. 229 William & Mary on Nov. 18.
WSU dates: at Wichita State on Jan. 25; vs. Wichita State on Mar. 1.
No. 66 Temple (0-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 66
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Idle.
Next week: vs. No. 98 Old Dominion at neutral on Nov. 16.
WSU dates: vs. Wichita State on Feb. 1; at Wichita State on Nov. 15.
No. 67 Connecticut (1-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 69
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Win vs. No. 179 Colgate, 70-58, on Nov. 10.
Next week: vs. No. 200 Stony Brook on Nov. 14.
WSU dates: vs. Wichita State on Dec. 30; at Wichita State on Feb. 10.
No. 101 Tulsa (0-1)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 82
Key wins: None.
Key losses: 74-67 loss to No. 190 Lamar at home on Nov. 10.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Loss vs. No. 190 Lamar, 74-67, on Nov. 10.
Next week: vs. No. 244 Oral Roberts on Nov. 13; vs. No. 147 Western Michigan at neutral on Nov. 16.
WSU dates: vs. Wichita State on Jan. 13; at Wichita State on Jan. 28.
No. 130 Memphis (0-1)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 132
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-1
Last week: Loss vs. No. 25 Alabama at neutral on Nov. 10.
Next week: vs. No. 290 Little Rock on Nov. 14.
WSU dates: vs. Wichita State on Feb. 6.
No. 172 East Carolina (1-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 173
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Win vs. No. 344 Coppin State, 76-50, on Nov. 12.
Next week: vs. No. 193 Radford on Nov. 15; vs. No. 340 Central Connecticut on Nov. 17.
WSU date: vs. Wichita State on Jan. 11.
No. 192 Tulane (1-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 189
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Win vs. No. 289 LIU-Brooklyn, 102-96, on Nov. 10.
Next week: vs. No. 209 Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 13; vs. No. 110 Colorado State at neutral on Nov. 17.
WSU dates: at Wichita State on Feb. 21.
No. 254 South Florida (1-0)
Pre-KenPom Rating: No. 242
Key wins: None.
Key losses: None.
Record vs. top-100: 0-0
Last week: Win vs. No. 275 Florida Atlantic, 60-59, on Nov. 10.
Next week: vs. No. 322 Morgan State on Nov. 13; at No. 312 Stetson on Nov. 15.
WSU date: at Wichita State on Jan. 7.
This story was originally published November 12, 2017 at 9:03 PM with the headline "Around the AAC: good opening weekend at the top, rough in the middle."