HOUSTON – For the third consecutive season, the University of Houston Men’s Basketball program was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the American Athletic Conference Coaches’ Preseason Poll, released Wednesday morning during the league’s annual Media Day.
Junior guard Marcus Sasser earned a place on the Preseason All-Conference Team.
The Cougars received eight first-place votes from the league’s head coaches, totaling 98 points. Houston finished six points ahead of Memphis, which received the remaining three first-place votes.
Following Memphis, SMU (77), Wichita State (76), UCF (66), Cincinnati (52), Tulsa (43), Temple (37), South Florida (25), Tulane (25) and East Carolina (14) rounded out the rest of the poll.
Sasser was joined on the Preseason First Team by Jalen Duren (Memphis), Landers Nolley II (Memphis ), Kendric Davis (SMU) and Tyson Etienne (Wichita State).
Brandon Mahan (UCF), Emoni Bates (Memphis), Deandre Williams (Memphis), Jeremiah Davenport (Cincinnati) and Jaylen Forbes (Tulane ) made up the Preseason Second Team.
Etienne was named the Preseason Player of the Year, while Memphis freshman Jalen Duren was selected as the league’s Rookie of the Year.
Houston tied with Memphis as the No. 1 team in Preseason Poll a year ago. With a 23-8 overall record and 13-5 mark in American Athletic Conference play, the Cougars captured their second straight regular-season title for only the second time in school history.
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2021 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE COACHES PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
Rk. School (1st-place votes) Pts
1. Houston (8) 98
2. Memphis (3) 92
3. SMU 77
4. Wichita State 76
5. UCF 66
6. Cincinnati 52
7. Tulsa 43
8. Temple 37
t9. South Florida 25
t9. Tulane 25
11. East Carolina 14