Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Zamani Feelings
Dunn, Battle Named to Preseason All-AAC Team; Men’s Basketball Picked Fifth in Preseason Poll
10.12.22 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – Damian Dunn was named to the preseason American Athletic Conference First Team while backcourt mate Khalif Battle was selected to the Second Team as the conference in voting by the league's coaches, the conference announced Wednesday (Oct. 12).
As a team, Temple, which returns eight letterwinners from last year's team that posted a 17-12 record, was picked to finish fifth in the AAC preseason poll.
Besides Dunn, a second team all-AAC selection in 2021-22, and Battle, who was averaging 21.4 ppg before being sidelined due to injury, fourth-year head coach
Aaron McKie's squad also returns starters Jahlil White (7.4 ppg., 6.0 rpg), Nick Jourdain (6.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Hysier Miller (4.9 ppg). AAC all-Freshmen selection Zach Hicks (8.3 ppg, 61 threes) was the team's sixth man.
Houston, which garnered nine first-place votes and 100 points, has been selected as the unanimous preseason favorite to win the 2022-23 American Athletic Conference. Memphis, which tallied one first-place vote, is picked to finish second with 87 points. Cincinnati was third with 82 points, followed closely by Tulane (74), Temple (66), UCF (51), SMU (43), Wichita State (35), South Florida (33), Tulsa (21), and East Carolina (13).
Houston's Marcus Sasser was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year, while Houston freshman Jarace Walker 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 9-12.
2022-23 American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll and Honors
1 Houston (10) 100
2 Memphis (1) 87
3 Cincinnati 82
4 Tulane 74
5 Temple 66
6 UCF 51
7 SMU 43
8 Wichita State 35
9 South Florida 33
10 Tulsa 21
11 East Carolina 13
First-place votes in parenthesis
Preseason Player of the Year
Marcus Sasser, Sr., G, Houston
Preseason Rookie of the Year
Jarace Walker, F, Houston*
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Marcus Sasser, Sr., G, Houston*
Kendric Davis, Sr., G, Memphis*
DeAndre Williams, Sr., F, Memphis
Damian Dunn, R-So., G, Temple
Jalen Cook, So., G, Tulane*
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
David DeJulius, Gr., G, Cincinnati
Jamal Shead, Jr., G, Houston
Khalif Battle, R-So., G, Temple
Kevin Cross, Jr., F, Tulane
Jaylen Forbes, Jr., G, Tulane
* denotes unanimous selection
As a team, Temple, which returns eight letterwinners from last year's team that posted a 17-12 record, was picked to finish fifth in the AAC preseason poll.
Besides Dunn, a second team all-AAC selection in 2021-22, and Battle, who was averaging 21.4 ppg before being sidelined due to injury, fourth-year head coach
Aaron McKie's squad also returns starters Jahlil White (7.4 ppg., 6.0 rpg), Nick Jourdain (6.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Hysier Miller (4.9 ppg). AAC all-Freshmen selection Zach Hicks (8.3 ppg, 61 threes) was the team's sixth man.
Houston, which garnered nine first-place votes and 100 points, has been selected as the unanimous preseason favorite to win the 2022-23 American Athletic Conference. Memphis, which tallied one first-place vote, is picked to finish second with 87 points. Cincinnati was third with 82 points, followed closely by Tulane (74), Temple (66), UCF (51), SMU (43), Wichita State (35), South Florida (33), Tulsa (21), and East Carolina (13).
Houston's Marcus Sasser was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year, while Houston freshman Jarace Walker 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 9-12.
2022-23 American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll and Honors
1 Houston (10) 100
2 Memphis (1) 87
3 Cincinnati 82
4 Tulane 74
5 Temple 66
6 UCF 51
7 SMU 43
8 Wichita State 35
9 South Florida 33
10 Tulsa 21
11 East Carolina 13
First-place votes in parenthesis
Preseason Player of the Year
Marcus Sasser, Sr., G, Houston
Preseason Rookie of the Year
Jarace Walker, F, Houston*
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Marcus Sasser, Sr., G, Houston*
Kendric Davis, Sr., G, Memphis*
DeAndre Williams, Sr., F, Memphis
Damian Dunn, R-So., G, Temple
Jalen Cook, So., G, Tulane*
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
David DeJulius, Gr., G, Cincinnati
Jamal Shead, Jr., G, Houston
Khalif Battle, R-So., G, Temple
Kevin Cross, Jr., F, Tulane
Jaylen Forbes, Jr., G, Tulane
* denotes unanimous selection
Players Mentioned
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