> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # 2026 American Conference Men's Basketball Preview - URL: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/2026-american-conference-mens-basketball/ - Published: 2026-01-02T15:03:08.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T15:45:42.000Z - Description: I took a look at every American Conference hoops squad so you didn't have to Bulls fans. - Author: Collin Sherwin - Tags: #Migrated-1792597384348, #Import 2026-10-21 15:44 This Sunday, the South Florida Bulls men’s basketball team will begin American Conference play. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/ac1d0651-fe16-4b27-906a-b9cbbb105430_6000x4000-jpeg.jpg) Vanessa Wenzl | The Bay Area Examiner The Bulls will head into the conference season with an 8-5 overall record. USF has been tested with losses against Alabama, VCU, Oklahoma State and Colorado State, and a win over Utah State — all teams ranked in the top 75 nationally, according to KenPom. However, if the Bulls want to reach the ultimate goal of the program’s fourth NCAA Tournament appearance — and its first since 2012 — they will need to play well against American Conference foes. The American has only four teams ranked inside the top 100, according to KenPom: Memphis, Tulsa, Wichita State and the Bulls. The conference has sent only one team to the NCAA Tournament in each of the two seasons since realignment following the 2022-23 season. This year will likely be another one-bid season for the league. I’m not naive. I recognize that the average fan has been tuned into the College Football Playoff, critical NFL games or maybe some early-season NBA and NHL action, so I’ve got you covered. Let’s take a look at all 13 teams in the American as USF heads into Bryan Hodgson’s first American Conference game. **South Florida** USF is led by first-year coach Hodgson. He is 8-5 in his opening stretch as a Bull and owns a 53-33 career record as a head coach. The Bulls are 6-0 at home and 2-5 away from the Yuengling Center this season. Hodgson’s team plays at a frenetic pace, ranking 19th nationally in adjusted tempo. Because of that pace, the Bulls are the highest-scoring team in the American, averaging 91.1 points per game. USF has scored 90 or more points nine times this season. The Bulls boast a balanced scoring attack, with five players averaging double figures. Forward Izaiyah Nelson leads the Bulls with 15.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He has eight double-doubles this season, the fifth most by any Division I player, and owns the highest field-goal percentage in the American. Guard C.J. Brown runs the offense, averaging 12.8 points and a team-high 5.5 assists per game. The biggest offensive struggle for USF has been 3-point shooting. The Bulls are shooting 32.5% from beyond the arc, ranking 248th nationally. USF’s lone sharpshooter has been guard Joseph Pinion, who has made 46 3-pointers this season while shooting 39% from deep. His 46 made 3s lead the American and rank inside the national top 10. The Bulls have been ferocious on the glass, posting a plus-55 rebounding margin this season. USF rebounds 38.8% of its missed shots, the 17th-highest rate in the nation. Defensively, USF has relied on chaos. The Bulls lead the American in steals, and opponents are turning the ball over on 21.1% of their possessions. Opponents are averaging 78.4 points per game against USF, the most allowed by any American Conference team. One consistent advantage for the Bulls has been getting to the free-throw line. USF averages 28.9 free-throw attempts per game, the fifth most nationally, while opponents average 25 attempts. USF enters league play as one of the American’s most explosive and dangerous teams. **Tulsa** **Record:** 13-1 **Head-to-head:** Jan. 10 at Tulsa; Feb. 8 vs. USF Tulsa has had the most impressive start to the season in the American. The Golden Hurricane has won nine straight games following its lone loss on Nov. 17 against Kansas State. Head coach Eric Konkol is enjoying his most success in his fourth season at Tulsa after the program won just 13 games during the entire 2024-25 season. Tulsa has not been heavily tested in nonconference play, as KenPom ranks its strength of schedule 248th nationally. The Golden Hurricane boasts a prolific offense, averaging 89.4 points per game, second most in the American. Tulsa relies heavily on 3-point shooting, connecting on 38.3% from beyond the arc, the 30th-best mark nationally. The Golden Hurricane averages 10.8 made 3s per game, the most in the conference. Junior Cal Baptist transfer Tylen Riley leads Tulsa with 15.2 points and 3.7 assists per game. Tulsa’s signature moment came Dec. 19, when senior guard Miles Barnstable hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to secure a one-point win over Western Kentucky. The Golden Hurricane is 3-1 in one-possession games. Tulsa has also been strong on the boards, outrebounding opponents by nine per game. Opponents grab offensive rebounds on just 27% of their misses. The Golden Hurricane leads the American with a 1.62 assist-to-turnover ratio, and its entire starting lineup consists of upperclassmen. Tulsa has played high-level basketball so far. The question is whether it can sustain that play as competition improves in conference action. **Memphis** **Record:** 5-7 **Head-to-head:** Feb. 19 at USF; March 5 at Memphis Memphis entered the season as the preseason conference favorite, but nonconference play has been rocky. The Tigers did not return a single player from last year’s American Conference championship team, and it has shown early. Memphis started 1-4, capped by a buzzer-beater loss to Wake Forest on Nov. 21. Memphis has played the ninth-toughest schedule nationally, with losses to Purdue, Vanderbilt and Louisville — all AP Top 25 teams. Scoring has been a challenge, as the Tigers average 75.2 points per game, near the bottom half of the conference. Memphis is shooting 42.5% from the field and 32.1% from 3-point range, with only two players averaging double figures. Senior guard Dug McDaniel leads the Tigers with 14.7 points and 5.1 assists per game. This is his third team in four collegiate seasons after stops at Michigan and Kansas State. Defensively, Memphis has been solid, allowing 75.6 points per game while holding opponents to 41.3% shooting, second best in the conference. This is the eighth season under former NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway. Memphis has made the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four seasons and won both the regular-season and tournament titles last year. The Tigers remain uber-talented and will look to find their rhythm in conference play. **Wichita State** **Record:** 9-5 **Head-to-head:** Jan. 18 at USF; Feb. 11 at Wichita State Wichita State has been one of the American’s most consistent programs, and this season is another example. The Shockers are coming off a 19-15 season under head coach Paul Mills, and their 8-5 start has continued that momentum. Wichita State allows just 66.5 points per game, the second fewest in the conference. The Shockers accomplish this by slowing the game down, ranking 320th nationally in adjusted tempo. Because of the slow pace, Wichita State relies on offensive efficiency to reach its 77.9 points per game average. The Shockers are shooting 45.5% from the field and turn the ball over on just 14.4% of possessions, the second-lowest rate in the American. Senior guard Kenyon Giles leads Wichita State with 16.8 points per game, fifth most in the conference. The Shockers are also strong on the offensive glass, rebounding 38.9% of their misses, the 16th-highest rate nationally. Wichita State’s methodical tempo and reliable execution make it a dark-horse contender in the American. **UAB** **Record:** 9-4 **Head-to-head:** Jan. 4 at USF; Jan. 22 at UAB UAB looks different this season after losing American Conference Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg to Michigan. It has been an adjustment year for head coach Andy Kennedy in his 19th season as a college head coach and sixth at UAB. The Blazers have compensated by spreading out production, with five players averaging double figures. UAB leads the American in rebounding margin, outrebounding opponents by 8.9 per game. The Blazers rebound 76.5% of opponents’ missed shots, the sixth-best rate in the nation. Sophomore guard Chance Westry leads UAB with 16 points per game. Senior forwards Daniel Rivera and Kyeron Lindsay-Martin each average more than points and seven rebounds. The Blazers have struggled to shoot the 3, ranking in the bottom half of the conference in both 3-pointers made and percentage. UAB has lost both of its one-possession games this season, falling to Alabama State on Nov. 11 and Troy on Dec. 14. The Blazers will look to find success with their new-look roster as conference play begins. **Florida Atlantic** **Record:** 9-5 **Head-to-head:** Jan. 25 at USF; Feb. 15 at FAU Florida Atlantic is aiming to return to the level it reached under former coach Dusty May during John Jakus’ second season at the helm. FAU enters conference play on a two-game losing streak after losses to Saint Mary’s and UCF, following an 8-3 start. The Owls rank third in the American in scoring at 82.9 points per game and sit top three in both field-goal percentage and 3-pointers made. FAU leads the conference with 5.92 blocks per game. Sophomore forward Devin Williams ranks seventh nationally, averaging three blocks per game. Redshirt sophomore guard Devin Vanterpool leads FAU with 16.7 points and seven rebounds per game. Junior guard Kanaan Carlyle adds 14.5 points per game. In an era when college basketball is older than ever, FAU is a rarity — it does not have a single senior on its roster. The Owls will look for their young team to grow together as conference play begins. **North Texas** **Record:** 9-5 **Head-to-head:** Jan. 7 at North Texas North Texas has produced one of the conference’s most entertaining seasons so far, playing six one-possession games and going 4-2 in those contests. The Mean Green are led by first-year coach Daniyal Robinson, who posted a 65-42 record in three seasons at Cleveland State. North Texas owns the best scoring defense in the American, allowing just 63.6 points per game. Opponents are shooting 40% from the field and 28.2% from 3-point range, both best in the conference. The Mean Green record a block or steal on 27.6% of opponents’ possessions. Offensively, North Texas has been less effective, averaging 71.5 points per game. Only two players average double figures. Sophomore Je’Shawn Stevenson leads the team with 16.1 points per game, while junior guard David Terrell adds 11.8 points and 5.2 assists. North Texas does not have a player taller than 6-foot-9, which has contributed to a negative rebounding margin. Despite being undersized, the Mean Green’s defensive ability makes them a tough out on any given night. **Tulane** **Record:** 10-4 **Head-to-head:** Jan. 28 at Tulane; March 1 vs. USF Tulane is in head coach Ron Hunter’s seventh season and is searching for its first NCAA Tournament appearance under him — and its first since the 1990s. The Green Wave rank in the bottom three of the American in both scoring offense and defense. Tulane’s offense has relied heavily on free throws. The Green Wave has attempted 340 free throws and converted 77.2%, the second-best percentage in the conference. Junior guard Rowan Brumbaugh leads Tulane with 18.5 points per game, third most in the American. Junior guard Curtis Williams averages 13.4 points. The statistics do not fully reflect Tulane’s 9-4 record. Opponents are outscoring, outrebounding and outshooting the Green Wave on the season. **Temple** **Record:** 9-5 **Head-to-head:** Jan. 31 at Temple Temple is coming off a winning season under third-year coach Adam Fisher. The Owls play at a slow pace, ranking 259th nationally in adjusted tempo, while maintaining an efficient offense. Temple owns the second-best field-goal percentage in the American at 47.3%. Temple also protects the ball, turning it over on just 13.2% of possessions, the sixth-lowest rate nationally. The Owls feature one of the conference’s top backcourts. Senior Derrian Ford averages 17.8 points per game, while sophomore Aiden Tobiason adds 15.1. Defensively, Temple ranks third in the American, allowing 71.4 points per game. The Owls are on a five-game winning streak, including a conference win over Charlotte on Tuesday, and will look to keep rolling. **Rice** **Record:** 6-8 **Head-to-head:** Feb. 25 at Rice Rice is searching for momentum in Rob Lanier’s second season. The Owls are one of four American teams with a losing record and have struggled offensively, ranking 295th nationally in effective field-goal percentage. Rice is shooting just 42.2% on 2-point attempts and averaging 12.8 turnovers per game. The Owls rely heavily on the 3, making 8.9 per game while shooting 37.2%. Rice is led by three senior guards who each average more than 12 points. Trae Broadnax leads the team with 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while Nick Anderson and Jalen Smith average 13.6 and 12.5 points, respectively. Rice has lost two overtime games, falling to Kennesaw State and Florida Gulf Coast. The Owls have struggled and may continue to do so in conference play. **East Carolina** **Record:** 5-9 **Head-to-head:** Jan. 14 at USF East Carolina has not sustained the momentum from head coach Mike Schwartz’s first winning season last year. The Pirates rank last in the conference in scoring at 67.1 points per game, and their effective field-goal percentage ranks 358th nationally. Senior guard Jordan Riley leads the American with 20.8 points per game and accounts for 31% of East Carolina’s scoring. Senior forward RJ Felton averages 14.2 points and is second in the conference with 9.5 rebounds per game. East Carolina also owns the conference’s second-worst scoring defense, allowing 76.2 points per game. The Pirates will look for improved results as conference play begins. **UTSA** **Record:** 4-9 **Head-to-head:** Feb. 4 at USF UTSA coach Austin Claunch went 12-19 in his first season and has struggled again this year. The Roadrunners own the worst record in the American and rank second to last in scoring at 71.3 points per game. Their adjusted offensive efficiency ranks 320th nationally. UTSA has defended the 3 well, holding opponents to 29.5% shooting. Senior forward Jamir Simpson is the lone Roadrunner averaging double figures, posting 18.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. UTSA, East Carolina and Tulane are the only American teams with a negative scoring margin. Conference play may only continue the Roadrunners’ struggles. **Charlotte** **Record:** 6-8 **Head-to-head:** March 8 at USF Charlotte posted a 19-12 record in head coach Aaron Fearne’s first season in 2023-24\. Since then, the 49ers are 17-30. Charlotte ranks 354th nationally in adjusted tempo and has struggled offensively, averaging 72.1 points per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Defensively, the 49ers allow the same 72.1 points per game. Sophomore guard Ben Bradford leads Charlotte with 14.5 points per game. Junior center Anton Bonke averages 10.5 points and 8.8 rebounds. Charlotte is another American team that the top of the conference is likely to feast on during league play. *Note: All stats are updated through Tuesday December 30th.*