“The waiting is the hardest part.” – Tom Petty
College basketball is at a standstill.
The NCAA’s announcement that Aug. 3rd is the new early entry withdrawal date for the 2020 NBA Draft means that we’re going to have to wait seven more weeks until we have full clarity for the 20-21 college basketball season.
Not to worry, between now and then we will break down one conference each week from soup to nuts.
This week we’ll feature the American.
The rankings below will be altered immediately if there’s any personnel changes.
Check below for a comprehensive list of power rankings, projected lineups, and much more:
1. Houston
Projected Starting 5:
G Marcus Sasser
G Quentin Grimes
G Caleb Mills
G DeJon Jarreau
C Brison Gresham
Key Losses: Chris Harris, Nate Hinton, Fabian White (injury)
Key Newcomers: Cameron Tyson (Idaho), Tramon Mark, Jamal Snead, Kiyron Powell
Sit Out Transfers: Reggie Chaney (Arkansas)
Projected Bench: Justin Gorham, Cameron Tyson, Tramon Mark, Jamal Shead, Kiyron Powell, J’Wan Roberts
2020 NBA Draft Watch: None
The Skinny: Losing Hinton to the NBA and White to a season-ending knee injury is disappointing, but that doesn’t change the recent narrative that’s been associated with this program. This is the team to beat in the American Conference as long as Kelvin Sampson is the head coach.
2. SMU
Projected Starting 5:
G Kendric Davis
G Darius McNeill
G Tyson Jolly
F Feron Hunt
C Ethan Chargois
Key Losses: Isiaha Mike
Key Newcomers: Darius McNeill (Cal)
Sit Out Transfers: Yor Anei (Oklahoma State)
Projected Bench: Emmanuel Bandoumel, CJ White, Isiah Jasey, William Douglas, Everett Ray, Jahmar Young Jr., Charles Smith IV
2020 NBA Draft Watch: None
The Skinny: Tim Jankovich returns nearly everyone of significance from last year’s team that won 19 games. Meanwhile, the 6-3 McNeill was a double-figure scorer in each of his two seasons at Cal before transferring. The Ponies have the requisites to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.
3. Memphis
Projected Starting 5:
G Damian Baugh
G Boogie Ellis
G Lester Quinones
F D.J. Jeffries
C Moussa Cisse
Key Losses: Tyler Harris, Precious Achuiwa
Key Newcomers: Isaiah Stokes (Florida), Ahmad Rand, Moussa Cisse
Sit Out Transfers: Landers Nolley (Virginia Tech), DeAndre Williams (Evansville)
Projected Bench: Isaiah Stokes, Alex Lomax, Malcolm Dandridge, Jayden Hardaway, Lance Thomas, Ahmad Rand
2020 NBA Draft Watch: None
The Skinny: There’s no James Wiseman or Precious Achuiwa in the Tigers’ program, but Penny Hardaway still has talent. Ellis, Quinones, and Jeffries should be all-conference caliber players as sophomores.
4. South Florida
Projected Starting 5:
G David Collins
G Caleb Murphy
G Justin Brown
F Alexis Yetna
C Michael Durr
Key Losses: Laquincy Rideau
Key Newcomers: Caleb Murphy, Luke Anderson (Iowa State), Alexis Yetna (injury), Prince Oduro (Mississippi State)
Sit Out Transfers: Russell Tchewa (Texas Tech)
Projected Bench: Xavier Castaneda, Zack Dawson, Rashun Williams, Luke Anderson, Jamir Chaplin, Madut Akec, Prince Oduro
2020 NBA Draft Watch: None
The Skinny: Brian Gregory adds a Top-100 freshman in Murphy and a forgotten star in the 6-8 Yetna, who missed last season due to injury. If Yetna regains the form he showed two years ago as a freshman (12.3 points, 9.6 rebounds), South Florida will compete for a berth in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
5. Cincinnati
Projected Starting 5:
G Mika Adams-Woods
G Zach Harvey
G Keith Williams
F Rapolas Ivanauskas
C Chris Vogt
Key Losses: Jarron Cumberland, Tre Scott, Jaevin Cumberland, Jaume Sorolla
Key Newcomers: Rapolas Ivanauskas (Colgate), Tari Eason, Mike Saunders, Gabe Madsen, Mason Madsen, Victor Lakhin
Sit Out Transfers: David DeJulius (Michigan)
Projected Bench: Tari Eason, Mike Saunders, Gabe Madsen, Mason Madsen, Mamoudou Diarra, Jeremiah Davenport, Victor Lakhin
2020 NBA Draft Watch: Keith Williams (will go through draft process), Chris Vogt (will go through draft process)
The Skinny: John Brannen lost the American Conference’s best player from last season in Jarron Cumberland as well as a walking double-double in Tre Scott. Cincinnati needs both Williams and Vogt back to remain in the mix at the top of the league.
6. Wichita State
Projected Starting 5:
G Alterique Gilbert
G Tyson Etienne
G Dexter Dennis
F Trey Wade
C Morris Udeze
Key Losses: Jamarius Burton, Erik Stevenson, Jaime Echenique, Asbjorn Midtgaard, Grant Sherfield, Noah Fernandes
Key Newcomers: Alterique Gilbert (UConn), Ricky Council, Clarence Jackson (JUCO), Craig Porter (JUCO), Trevin Wade (JUCO), Chaunce Jenkins, Jaden Seymour
Sit Out Transfers: None
Projected Bench: Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler, Ricky Council, Clarence Jackson, Trevin Wade, Josaphat Bilau, Chaunce Jenkins, Jaden Seymour
2020 NBA Draft Watch: Dexter Dennis (will go through draft process)
The Skinny: A mass exodus saw three of the Shockers’ top six scorers from last season — Stevenson, Burton, and Sherfield — transfer during the spring. That doesn’t mean that Wichita State is closing up shop. If Dennis withdraws from the 2020 NBA Draft and returns to school, Gregg Marshall will still enough reinforcements to make the Shockers competitive in 20-21.
7. Tulsa
Projected Starting 5:
G Elijah Joiner
G Darien Jackson
G Curtis Haywood
F Brandon Rachal
C Emmanuel Ugboh
Key Losses: Martins Igbanu, Jeriah Horne, Lawson Korita
Key Newcomers: Keshawn Williams, Christian Shumate, Peyton Urbancic, Austin Richie (JUCO), Curtis Haywood (Georgia Tech), Keyshawn Embery-Simpson (Arkansas)
Sit Out Transfers: Rey Idowu (Illinois State)
Projected Bench: Keshawn Williams, Christian Shumate, Peyton Urbancic, Austin Richie (JUCO), Josh Early, Keyshawn Embery-Simpson
2020 NBA Draft Watch: None
The Skinny: No one in this league did a better coaching job last season than Frank Haith, who has quietly won 18 or more games in five of his six years at Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane will miss big man Martins Igbanu inside, but there’s a blueprint within this program on how to overachieve. Don’t be surprised if it happens again.
8. UCF
Projected Starting 5:
G Darius Perry
G Darin Green Jr.
G Brandon Mahan
F Sean Mobley
C Collin Smith
Key Losses: Dazon Ingram, Matt Milon, Caesar DeJesus
Key Newcomers: Isaiah Adams, Jamille Reynolds, Sean Mobley (VCU), Darius Perry (Louisville)
Sit Out Transfers: C.J. Walker (Oregon)
Projected Bench: Tony Johnson Jr., Dre Fuller Jr., Avery Diggs, Isaiah Adams, Jamille Reynolds, Moses Bol, Ibrahim Famouke Doumbia
2020 NBA Draft Watch: Collin Smith (will go through draft process)
The Skinny: Johnny Dawkins has two all-conference caliber players in Green and Smith, who remains an early entrant to the 2020 NBA Draft. The addition of Perry — a grad transfer from Louisville — will immediately stabilize the Knights’ back court.
9. East Carolina
Projected Starting 5:
G Tremont Robinson-White
G Tristen Newton
G J.J. Miles
F Jayden Gardner
C Charles Coleman
Key Losses: None
Key Newcomers: Noah Farrakan, Derrick Quansah
Sit Out Transfers: None
Projected Bench: Noah Farrakan, Derrick Quansah, Brandon Suggs, Tyrie Jackson, Bitumbia Baruti, Miles James, Edra Luster, Ludgy Debaut
2020 NBA Draft Watch: None
The Skinny: Jayden Gardner (19.7 points, 9.2 rebounds) is the most productive player in college basketball that nobody really knows about. And his supporting cast? It’s better than you think. The door is open for Joe Dooley to make a move towards the middle of the American Conference.
10. Temple
Projected Starting 5:
G Tai Strickland
G Damian Dunn
G J.P. Moorman
F Dre Perry
C Jake Forrester
Key Losses: Quinton Rose, Nate Pierre-Louis, Josh Pierre-Louis, Alani Moore, Damion Moore, Monty Scott, Justyn Hamilton
Key Newcomers: Jahlil White, Nick Jourdain, Jeremiah Williams, Quincy Ademokoya
Sit Out Transfers: Khalif Battle (Butler), Sage Tolbert (SEMO)
Projected Bench: Jahlil White, Nick Jourdain, Jeremiah Williams, Quincy Ademokoya, Arashma Parks
2020 NBA Draft Watch: None
The Skinny: Year Two for Aaron McKie feels like the start of a rebuild. Temple is essentially starting over after losing four of its top five scorers from last year’s team that finished 14-17.
11. Tulane
Projected Starting 5:
G Jordan Walker
G Ryan Murphy
G Kevin Zhang
F Nobal Days
C Ibby Ali
Key Losses: Teshaun Hightower, Christion Thompson, K.J. Lawson, Nic Thomas
Key Newcomers: Sion James, Jadan Coleman, Ibby Ali (Arkansas)
Sit Out Transfers: Kevin Cross (Nebraska), Jaylen Forbes (Alabama), Gabe Watson (Southern Miss), Oton Jankovic (Vanderbilt)
Projected Bench: Sion James, Jadan Coleman, Tylan Pope, Buay Koka, R.J. McGee
2020 NBA Draft Watch: None
The Skinny: Ron Hunter made Tulane legitimately competitive in his first year in New Orleans. Now comes the hard part — remaining competitive. There’s a reason why this program hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1995. Tough job.
