(01-31-2014 04:14 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  I think Cincinnati is destined to be the flagship basketball team in the American. I see the American power structure like this 2014 forward:

1. Cincinnati
2. Memphis
3. UConn
4. SMU

As much as I would like to agree with your prediction, I see UCONN joining UC at the top of the heap most years in the AAC with Memphis right behind. Pastner will always wind up losing a game or two that he should not, which will keep Memphis from winning championships. That said, if conference tournaments are played in Memphis, that will always give the Tigers a leg up on an NCAA berth. SMU will be in that second tier and will occasionally challenge for championships as long as Larry Brown is the coach there. Temple will rise back up to the second tier and I see either UCF or USF establishing a better basketball brand over time. ECU, Tulane, Tulsa, Houston will be perennial bottom feeders in this conference. Unfortunately, they will also drag down the conference's RPI.

(01-31-2014 05:17 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  

(01-31-2014 04:14 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  I think Cincinnati is destined to be the flagship basketball team in the American. I see the American power structure like this 2014 forward:

1. Cincinnati
2. Memphis
3. UConn
4. SMU

As much as I would like to agree with your prediction, I see UCONN joining UC at the top of the heap most years in the AAC with Memphis right behind. Pastner will always wind up losing a game or two that he should not, which will keep Memphis from winning championships. That said, if conference tournaments are played in Memphis, that will always give the Tigers a leg up on an NCAA berth. SMU will be in that second tier and will occasionally challenge for championships as long as Larry Brown is the coach there. Temple will rise back up to the second tier and I see either UCF or USF establishing a better basketball brand over time. ECU, Tulane, Tulsa, Houston will be perennial bottom feeders in this conference. Unfortunately, they will also drag down the conference's RPI.

Pastner will lose a game or two he shouldn't and that wil keep memphis from winning a championship?

Pastner almost always wins the games where we're favored, and loses the games where we're the underdog. Few exceptions.

(01-31-2014 08:39 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Pastner almost always wins the games where we're favored, and loses the games where we're the underdog. Few exceptions.

This year, wins against OKState and Louisville when we were underdogs, and losses against Cincy and UConn when we were favored.

I understand what you're saying, but I think part of that is based on our previous years in Cusa. This year seems to be a bit different, which is what makes the AAC vastly more interesting to me.

(01-31-2014 10:35 PM)cotton1991 Wrote:  

(01-31-2014 08:39 PM)TripleA Wrote:  Pastner almost always wins the games where we're favored, and loses the games where we're the underdog. Few exceptions.

This year, wins against OKState and Louisville when we were underdogs, and losses against Cincy and UConn when we were favored.

I understand what you're saying, but I think part of that is based on our previous years in Cusa. This year seems to be a bit different, which is what makes the AAC vastly more interesting to me.

I said "almost always," and I did not restrict it to this year, but to Pastner's 5 years.