Temple University Athletics
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Men's Basketball Picked to Finish Eighth in AAC Preseason Poll
10.13.21 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – Temple men's basketball has been selected to finish eighth in the American Athletic conference preseason poll in voting by the league's head coaches, the conference announced Wednesday (Oct. 13).
The Owls, under third-year coach Aaron McKie, return 10 lettermen, including four starters, from last year's squad that finished a 2020-21 season, that had five stoppage due to Covid-protocol issues, with a 5-11 record.
Sophomore Khalif Battle, a third team all-AAC selection in 2020-21, leads the Owls with a 15.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Redshirt freshman Damian Dunn also averaged double figures (13.5 ppg) for the Owls with junior Jake Forrester (9.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and freshman Jeremiah Williams (9.3 ppg, 4.1 apg) rounding out the returning starters.
Houston, which garnered eight first-place votes and 98 points, has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2021-22 American Athletic Conference. Memphis, which tallied three first-place votes, is picked to finish second with 92 points. SMU was third with 77 points, followed closely by Wichita State (76), UCF (66), Cincinnati (52), Tulsa (43), Temple (37), USF (25), Tulane (25) and East Carolina (14).
Wichita State's Tyson Etienne was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year, while Memphis freshman Jalen Duren was picked as the Preseason Rookie of the Year.
The American's men's basketball championships will be contested at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, March 10-13.
2021-22 American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll and Honors
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
T-9 South Florida 25
T-9 Tulane 25
11 East Carolina 14
First-place votes in parenthesis.
Preseason Player of the Year
Tyson Etienne, Wichita State
Preseason Rookie of the Year
Jalen Duren, Memphis
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Marcus Sasser, Jr., G, Houston
Jalen Duren, Fr., C, Memphis
Landers Nolley II, R-Jr., G, Memphis
Kendric Davis, Sr., G, SMU*
Tyson Etienne, So., G, Wichita State*
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Brandon Mahan, Gr., G, UCF
Emoni Bates, Fr., F, Memphis
DeAndre Williams, Sr., F, Memphis
Jeremiah Davenport, Jr., G, Cincinnati
Jaylen Forbes, So., G, Tulane
* denotes unanimous selection
The Owls, under third-year coach Aaron McKie, return 10 lettermen, including four starters, from last year's squad that finished a 2020-21 season, that had five stoppage due to Covid-protocol issues, with a 5-11 record.
Sophomore Khalif Battle, a third team all-AAC selection in 2020-21, leads the Owls with a 15.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Redshirt freshman Damian Dunn also averaged double figures (13.5 ppg) for the Owls with junior Jake Forrester (9.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and freshman Jeremiah Williams (9.3 ppg, 4.1 apg) rounding out the returning starters.
Houston, which garnered eight first-place votes and 98 points, has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2021-22 American Athletic Conference. Memphis, which tallied three first-place votes, is picked to finish second with 92 points. SMU was third with 77 points, followed closely by Wichita State (76), UCF (66), Cincinnati (52), Tulsa (43), Temple (37), USF (25), Tulane (25) and East Carolina (14).
Wichita State's Tyson Etienne was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year, while Memphis freshman Jalen Duren was picked as the Preseason Rookie of the Year.
The American's men's basketball championships will be contested at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, March 10-13.
2021-22 American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll and Honors
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
T-9 South Florida 25
T-9 Tulane 25
11 East Carolina 14
First-place votes in parenthesis.
Preseason Player of the Year
Tyson Etienne, Wichita State
Preseason Rookie of the Year
Jalen Duren, Memphis
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Marcus Sasser, Jr., G, Houston
Jalen Duren, Fr., C, Memphis
Landers Nolley II, R-Jr., G, Memphis
Kendric Davis, Sr., G, SMU*
Tyson Etienne, So., G, Wichita State*
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Brandon Mahan, Gr., G, UCF
Emoni Bates, Fr., F, Memphis
DeAndre Williams, Sr., F, Memphis
Jeremiah Davenport, Jr., G, Cincinnati
Jaylen Forbes, So., G, Tulane
* denotes unanimous selection
Players Mentioned
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