The 2015–16 American Athletic Conference men's basketball season took place between November 2015 and March 2016. Practices began in October 2015, with conference play beginning in December, and the season ended with the 2016 American Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. The season was the third since the split of the original Big East Conference into two separate leagues. The tournament had only 10 teams, as SMU is serving a postseason ban due to academic fraud and unethical conduct
Preseason At the 2015 American Athletic Conference media day on October 27, the conference released announced coaches predictions for standings and All-Conference teams
See Also: Men's Basketball Media Day October 27 In Orlando
2015-16 Preseason Coaches' Poll SMU (8) 98 Connecticut (2) 87 Cincinnati (1) 84 Tulsa 76 Memphis 59 Temple 54 Houston 48 East Carolina 31 UCF 30 USF 20 Tulane 11
(First-Place Votes) Points
Preseason All-AAC Teams
First Team Second TeamOctavius Ellis, F, CINDaniel Hamilton, G/F, CONNMarkus Kennedy†, F, SMUNic Moore†, G, SMUJames Woodard, G, TULSATroy Caupain, G, CINAmida Brimah, C, CONNSterling Gibbs, G, CONNShaq Goodwin, F, MEM Shaquille Harrison, G, TULSA
† denotes unanimous selection
American Athletic Preseason Player of the Year: Nic Moore, G, SMU American Athletic Preseason Rookie of the Year: Jalen Adams, G, CONN
Rankings + Legend Increase in ranking Decrease in ranking
Pre Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Wk16 Wk17 Wk18 Wk19 FinalCincinnati AP RV RV 24 17 23 23 22 22 RV RV RV RV RV RV C RV RV 24 1722 20 21 23 RV RV RV RV RVConnecticut AP 20 19 18 RV RV 25 RV RV 23 RV RV RV RV Cт 24 24 21 RVRV RV RV RV 24 RV RV RV RV RVEast Carolina AP C Houston AP RV C RV RV Memphis AP C SMU AP RV RVт25 22 19 18 18 17 15 10 8 13 12 16 21 24 24 25 24 C USF AP C Temple AP RV C Tulane AP C Tulsa AP RV C RV RV UCF AP C
AAC regular season
Conference matrix CincinnatiConnecticutEast CarolinaHoustonMemphisSMUUSFTempleTulaneTulsaUCFvs. Cincinnati — 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1-1 0–2 2–0 0–1 1–1 0-1vs. Connecticut 2–0 — 0–1 1–1 0–2 1-1 0–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 0-2vs. East Carolina 2–0 1–0 — 1–0 1–1 2-0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2-0vs. Houston 1–1 1–1 0–1 — 0–1 1-1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0-2vs. Memphis 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 — 2-0 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–1 0-2vs. SMU 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 — 0–2 1–0 0–2 1–1 0-1vs. South Florida 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 1–0 2-0vs. Temple 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–1 0–2 — 0–1 1–1 0-2vs. Tulane 1–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 — 2–0 2-0vs. Tulsa 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 0–2 — 0-2vs. UCF 1–0 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–0 0–2 2–0 0–2 2–0 — Total 12–6 11–7 4–14 12–6 8–10 13–5 4–14 14–4 3–15 12–6 6–12
Postseason
American Men's Basketball Championship
March 10–13, 2016 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida 2016 American Men's Basketball Championship seeds and results Seed School Conf. Over. Tiebreaker First roundMarch 10 QuarterfinalsMarch 11 SemifinalsMarch 12 ChampionshipMarch 131. Temple ‡ # 14-4 20-10 Bye vs. #9 South Florida - W, 79-62 vs. #5 Connecticut - L, 62-77 2. Houston # 12-6 22-8 1-0 vs. MEM Bye vs. #10 Tulane - L, 69-72 3.Tulsa # 12-6 20-10 0-1 vs. MEM Bye vs. #6 Memphis - L, 67-89 4. Cincinnati # 12-6 22-9 0-2 vs. TEMP Bye vs. #5 Connecticut - L, 97-104 4OT 5. Connecticut # 11-7 21-10 Bye vs. #4 Cincinnati - W, 104-97 4OT vs. #1 Temple - W, 77-62 vs. #6 Memphis - W, 72-586. Memphis # 8-10 17-14 Bye vs. #3 Tulsa - W, 89-67 vs. #10 Tulane - W, 74-54 vs. #5 Connecticut - L, 58-727. UCF 6-12 12-17 vs. #10 Tulane - L, 63-65 8.East Carolina 4-14 12-19 1-1 vs. TEMP vs. #9 South Florida - L, 66-71 9. South Florida 4–14 7–24 0–2 vs. TEMP vs. #8 East Carolina - W, 71-66 vs. #1 Temple - L, 62-79 10. Tulane 3–15 10–21 vs. #7 UCF - W, 65-63 vs. #2 Houston - W, 72-69 vs. #6 Memphis - L, 54-74 ‡ – American regular season champions, and tournament No. 1 seed.# – Received a bye in the conference tournament.Overall records include all games prior to the AAC tournament.
* SMU is banned from postseason play due to academic fraud and unethical conduct
NCAA tournament
Seed Region School First Four Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet 16 Elite Eight Final Four Championship9 South Connecticut Bye vs. #8 Colorado - W, 74-67 vs. #1 Kansas - L, 61-73 9 West Cincinnati Bye vs. #8 St. Joseph's - L, 76-78 10 South Temple Bye vs. #7 Iowa - L, 70-72 OT 11 East Tulsa vs. #11 Michigan - L, 62-67 W–L (%):0–1 ()1–2 ()0–1 ()0–0 ()0–0 ()0–0 ()0–0 () Total: 1–4 ()
National Invitation tournament
Seed Bracket School First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals 5 South Carolina Houston vs. #4 Georgia Tech - L, 62-81 W–L (%):0–1 ()0–0 ()0–0 ()0–0 ()0–0 () Total: 0–1 ()
Honors and awards
All-Americans
All-AAC awards and teams 2016 American Men's Basketball Individual Awards Award Recipient(s) Player of the YearNic Moore, G,SMU Coach of the YearFran Dunphy,TEMP Scholar-Athlete of the YearShaquille Harrison, G,TULSA Rookie of the YearDedric Lawson, F,MEMDefensive Player of the YearGary Clark, F, CINMost Improved Player Prince Williams, G, ECUSixth Man Award Markus Kennedy, F, SMUSportsmanship AwardRuben Guerrero, C, USF
2016 American Athletic Conference All-Conference Teams| First Team Second Team Honorable Mention All-Rookie TeamTroy Caupain, G, CINShaq Goodwin, F, MEMNic Moore†, G, SMUQuenton DeCosey†, G, TEMJames Woodard, G, TULSADaniel Hamilton, G/F, CONNGary Clark, F, CINDevonta Pollard, F, HOUDedric Lawson, F, MEMShaquille Harrison, G, TULSAShonn Miller, F, CONNDamyean Dotson, G, HOUKentrell Barkley, G/F, ECUDedric Lawson†, F, MEMGalen Robinson, G, HOUJahmal McMurray†, G, USFShake Milton†, G, SMU † denotes unanimous selection
NBA draft The following list includes all AAC players who were drafted in the 2016 NBA draft.
Player Position School Round Pick Team Daniel Hamilton SG/SF Connecticut 2 56 Denver Nuggets
References