UConn Men’s Basketball Picked 2nd In The American Preseason Poll

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.

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