For the past few weeks, it looked as if each week would give further clarity to a muddled AAC basketball conference. While there have really only been two contenders for the regular season crown for some time now, the AAC continued to surprise every week. The moment you think you know what a team is, they prove otherwise.
Once again, this past week stayed the same as all weeks in the past. It looked as if Houston was in the clear for the AAC title, but they have since shown some decent-sized flaws in their team. For the first time since 2021, there is a new king atop the AAC basketball standings, in the SMU Mustangs. With another week loaded with good matchups and with the Memphis Tigers starting to look like a force to be reckoned with once again, only one thing is for sure: the AAC is far from decided.
AAC Basketball Weekly Headlines
Stars Aligning for SMU Basketball
When SMU basketball is on, they are one of the most talented offenses in the entire country. Michael and Marcus Weathers have truly come into their own while Kendric Davis continues to look like the best guard in the AAC. In a must-win game that they couldn’t afford to lose, they dug deep and got the job done.
The trio combined for 59 points, 17 rebounds, 16 assists, and five steals in their upset of #6 Houston. They were efficient too, shooting 45% from the field and an absurd 54% from downtown. The Weathers twins and Davis showed that they are arguably the best trio in the AAC. They were calm in high-pressure situations and didn’t let the moment get to them.
For a team that is also on the bubble of the NCAA tournament, this win will have huge ramifications as long as they can take care of business from here on out. If even two of their big three can come to play each night, the Mustangs should have no problem.
Regular Season Title Coming Down to the Wire
Coming into last week, the Houston Cougars held a two-game lead atop the AAC basketball standings. After blowing a 15-point lead to SMU giving up a 21-6 run to end the game against Memphis, they now are tied with SMU for first. There is still plenty of basketball to be played in the conference season, but as of now, Houston is no longer anywhere near a lock to win the regular season title.
The bigger problem for Houston may be in the form of seeding in the NCAA tournament. If the Cougars can put together a good run to end the season, they’ll make the tournament as a high seed. Their two recent losses this week will likely see them crash in the AP polls and could affect their seeding coming tournament time. It is not crazy to think that Houston may have just dropped from a potential one or two seed to a three or four seed with their losses this week. For a team missing two of their top players for the year due to injury, that may spell real trouble for the Cougars.
Updated AAC Basketball Standings
| Team | Conference Record | Overall Record |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | 15-3 | 26-5 |
| SMU | 13-4 | 22-7 |
| Memphis | 13-5 | 19-9 |
| Temple | 10-7 | 17-11 |
| Tulane | 10-8 | 13-14 |
| UCF | 9-9 | 17-11 |
| Wichita State | 6-9 | 15-12 |
| Cincinnati | 7-11 | 17-14 |
| East Carolina | 6-11 | 15-14 |
| Tulsa | 4-14 | 10-19 |
| South Florida | 3-15 | 8-22 |
Upcoming AAC College Basketball Games to Note
With a full slate of AAC college basketball games on deck this week, there is plenty to watch. Here are the biggest matchups to watch this week.
Memphis at Cincinnati
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 15
Time: 7:00 pm EST
TV Coverage: ESPN+
SMU at Temple
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 16
Time: 9:00 pm EST
TV Coverage: ESPNU
#6 Houston at Wichita State
Date: Sunday, Feb. 120
Time: 1:00 pm EST
TV Coverage: ESPN
Memphis at SMU
Date: Sunday, Feb. 20
Time: 3:00 pm EST
TV Coverage: ESPN
