The American 2020-21 predictions -- A Memphis rebound, and Wichita State's dark cloud
As the countdown to the 2020-21 college basketball season continues, ESPN's conference predictions series begins with the AAC.
2020 ScheduleAll times ET
2020 Schedule
5th in American
- 11/5W 97-64
- 11/8W 92-46
- 11/1214L 82-74
- 11/16W 102-56
- 11/20W 68-58
- 11/23W 87-86
- 11/28W 83-78
- 12/3W 71-56
- 12/7W 65-57
- 12/1419W 51-47
- 12/21W 77-49
- 12/28W 97-55
- 12/30W 84-73
- 1/4L 65-62
- 1/923L 76-67
- 1/12W 68-64
- 1/16W 60-49
- 1/22L 80-40
- 1/25L 74-70
- 1/29W 59-57
- 2/1W 70-63
- 2/5W 79-65
- 2/8L 75-73
- 2/13L 92-86
- 2/16L 64-61
- 2/19W 77-73
- 2/2222W 60-59
- 2/25L 58-53
- 2/29W 74-67
- 3/5W 68-60
- 3/821L 64-57
- 3/12CANC
- Full Schedule
2021 men's college basketball recruiting class rankings: Oregon, Duke start on top
Oregon is a surprise No. 1, Duke is close behind at No. 2 -- and (in a plot twist) Kentucky is currently nowhere to be found in the top 25.
Newcomer Impact Rankings: Which freshmen, transfers will determine team fortunes?
Several college basketball programs' fortunes will rise or fall on the play of new faces in 2020-21. Here are the players most under the microscope.
Ohio State, Memphis in Crossover Classic field
Four potential preseason top-25 teams highlight the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic, including a first-round matchup between Ohio State and Memphis.
Nolley eligible for Memphis as transfer approved
The NCAA has approved guard-forward Landers Nolley's request for a transfer, allowing him to play this season at Memphis. Nolley averaged 15.5 points per game as a freshman at Virginia Tech last season.
The best plays from this year's NBA draft prospects (2:21)
Rachel Nichols, Scottie Pippen and Richard Jefferson discuss the latest from the NBA bubble in Orlando.
The panel reacts to the first night of the playoffs including Donovan Mitchell's 57 point effort, Kristaps Porzingis ejection costing the Mavericks the game, and how Joel Embiid needs to take over for the Sixers to win the series. Plus, Kyle Kuzma sits down for a convo, and potential top pick James Wiseman joins the show along with more NBA topics.
Wiseman thinks he'd be a terrific fit with the Warriors (1:01)
Courtside: Greenberg and Dakich discuss who's had the best offseason in college basketball
Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich tip off the podcast by discussing who’s had the best offseason between Michigan State, Baylor and Villanova. They also look at Florida, Auburn and Purdue’s offseason and talk about the transfer culture in college basketball. Later, the guys discuss the possibility of a bubble for college athletes, if they’d draft LaMelo Ball, why Seth isn’t solid on Anthony Edwards and Lou Williams’ adventure outside the NBA bubble.
Courtside: Who's staying in the NBA Draft and who's returning to college?
Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich tip off the podcast by stating the obvious: They don’t know anything about when, how or if college basketball will be played. Then the guys run through players that are still deciding whether they’ll stay in the NBA Draft or return to college, what Michigan State will look like next year if Xavier Tillman leaves and the impact of Filip Petrusev going pro on Gonzaga. Plus, they discuss how many difference-makers are in the draft, what the G League looks like this season and Europe basketball leagues being hit hard by the pandemic.
Touted Canadian guard Mane staying in NBA draft
Canadian guard Karim Mane, considered a five-star prospect by ESPN's recruiting analysts, has elected to sign with an agent and keep his name in the 2020 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Thursday.
Winners and losers of college basketball's transfer season
Lots of players moved destinations this offseason. Here are the programs that fared the best on the college basketball free-agent market and those that saw a slew of unforeseen departures.
24th-ranked Moussa Cisse commits to Memphis
Moussa Cisse, the No. 24 prospect in the ESPN Class of 2020, has committed to play for the Memphis Tigers, he told ESPN on Wednesday.
Memphis cuts budget; coaches giving back salary
Memphis is cutting 14% from its administrative and sports operation budgets.
Hardaway says 4 Memphis players tested positive for COVID-19 (1:50)
Alabama agrees to play 3 games with Memphis
Coach Penny Hardaway and Memphis will play Alabama three times over the next three seasons with two of those games in Memphis.
Ranking the top 50 individual seasons of the one-and-done era
From Zion to Jimmer to D-Rose, John Gasaway ranks the best individual seasons in men's college basketball since 2007.
Mike Miller leaving Memphis to focus on family
Former NBA player Mike Miller, who has spent the past two seasons on Penny Hardaway's staff at Memphis, says he is leaving the Tigers to focus on his family after a successful stint, especially as a recruiter.
Hardaway: G League's recruiting impact 'huge'
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway says the challenges of the recruiting trail will only get tougher with the entry of the G League, which is now offering high school players contracts reportedly worth as much as $500,000.
Why Penny Hardaway isn't keen on new G-League (0:41)
Ranking the 25 best recruiting classes of the one-and-done era
Based solely on where players were ranked coming out of high school, and not a ranking of which classes turned out to be the best, which groups come out on top?
Ranking the 25 best college basketball coaching hires of the past 25 years
Which active college coaches were memorable hires? From Roy to Coach Cal to Penny, we look at the best since 1995.
Precious Achiuwa breaks down his defensive versatility at Memphis (2:56)
Memphis standout Achiuwa to enter NBA draft
Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa, the No. 12 prospect in the ESPN Top 100 and one of the most productive freshmen in college basketball this year, is entering the NBA draft, he told ESPN.
NBA decisions with big impacts on top college conferences
Iowa's Luka Garza, Baylor's Jared Butler and others haven't yet decided whether they'll enter the NBA draft, but their decisions will have a big effect on their college teams.
2019-20 American Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 13-5 | - | 23-8 |
| Tulsa | 13-5 | - | 21-10 |
| Cincinnati | 13-5 | - | 20-10 |
| Wichita State | 11-7 | 2 | 23-8 |
| Memphis | 10-8 | 3 | 21-10 |
| UConn | 10-8 | 3 | 19-12 |
| SMU | 9-9 | 4 | 19-11 |
| UCF | 7-11 | 6 | 16-14 |
| South Florida | 7-11 | 6 | 14-17 |
| Temple | 6-12 | 7 | 14-17 |
| East Carolina | 5-13 | 8 | 11-20 |
| Tulane | 4-14 | 9 | 12-18 |
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Team Stats
Points Per Game72.0Tied-157th
Rebounds Per Game40.0Tied-31st
Assists Per Game14.1111th
Points Allowed64.9
2021 Recruits
| NAME | POS | STATUS | GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Nesbitt | SF | Committed | 83 |
| Sam Ayomide | C | Committed | 82 |
| John Camden | SF | Committed | 82 |
| Josh Minott | SF | Committed | 79 |
Tournament History
| Final Fours | 3 |
| Tournament Record | 34-26 |
| Championship Seasons | None |
| Tournament Appearances | 26 |