While four AAC teams made the NCAA tournament in 2019, they compiled a record of just 3-4 — Temple (lost in First Four), Cincinnati (Round of 64), UCF (Round of 32), Houston (Sweet 16). Andy Katz expects to see a vast improvement from the conference this season.
He believes seven AAC teams will make the Big Dance in 2020, and that one program will end an eight-year tournament drought. Check out the rest of Katz's AAC predictions right here.
2019 CONFERENCE PREDICTIONS: 5 Big East predictions | Big 12 | ACC | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
Andy Katz's 2019-20 AAC predictions
Player of the Year: Jarron Cumberland, Cincinnati
Freshman of the Year: James Wiseman, Memphis
Underrated: Alexis Yetna, South Florida
BIG DANCE: The 2020 NCAA tournament bracket predicted, less than 50 days from opening night
Five important non-conference games:
- Florida at UConn, Nov. 17
- Cincinnati at Ohio State, Nov. 6
- Memphis at Tennessee, Dec. 14
- Houston at Oregon, Nov. 22
- South Florida vs. Utah State, Houston, Dec. 18
Bold prediction: The AAC will go into the final weekend of the season with seven teams out of 12 having a chance to get a bid to the NCAA tournament (a minimum of three will get a bid). The seven will be: Memphis, Cincinnati, Houston, South Florida (the school with the eight-year drought), Wichita State, UConn and Temple.
