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Despite the fact that the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team was the highest ranked American Athletic Conference team in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and by other major outlets doing rankings, they were not picked to win the conference this season. Instead, the Cincinnati Bearcats edged them out by one point in the preseason poll.
Cincinnati had 95 points with six first place votes and the Huskies had 94 points with five first place votes. SMU was picked third with 76 points.
| 2016-17 AAC Preseason Coaches Poll | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team (First Place votes) | Pts |
| 1. | Cincinnati (6) | 95 |
| 2. | UConn (5) | 94 |
| 3. | SMU | 76 |
| 4. | Houston | 75 |
| 5. | Memphis | 63 |
| 6. | Temple | 56 |
| 7. | East Carolina | 39 |
| 8. | UCF | 37 |
| 9. | Tulsa | 34 |
| 10. | USF | 25 |
| 11. | Tulane | 11 |
For the third straight season, a member of the UConn men’s basketball program has been named the Preseason Rookie of the Year as Alterique Gilbert received the honor. The only other Husky to pick up a preseason accolade was Jalen Adams, who made the Preseason All-Conference Second Team.
2016-17 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
PRESEASON INDIVIDUAL HONORS
Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Troy Caupain, G, Sr., Cincinnati
Dedric Lawson, G/F, So., Memphis
Preseason Rookie of the Year
Alterique Gilbert, G, Fr., UConn
Preseason All-Conference Teams
First Team
Troy Caupain, G, Cincinnati*
Gary Clark, F, Cincinnati*
Dedric Lawson, G/F, Memphis
Ben Moore, F, SMU
Damyean Dotson, G, Houston
Second Team
Shake Milton, G, SMU
Jalen Adams, G, UConn
Jahmal McMurray, G, USF
Rob Gray, Jr., G, Houston
B.J. Tyson, G, East Carolina
* unanimous selection