The undisputed top dog
1. Houston
Key returners: Tramon Mark, Fabian White, Reggie Chaney
Pending: Marcus Sasser
Key additions: Kyler Edwards (Texas Tech), Josh Carlton (UConn), Taze Moore (Bakersfield)
The Cougars finally punctuated the Sampson rebuild and reclamation with that Final Four run, cementing their place atop the AAC. Last season’s 28-4 record made for six consecutive years with 20-plus wins and the most well-rounded team in Sampson’s seven at the helm, producing an elite group on both ends of the floor. Defense and toughness have been Houston’s defining qualities, but the offensive firepower from Grimes and Marcus Sasser balanced the calculus and elevated the Cougars in 2020-21. Even more impressive, they did it without AAC Preseason Player of the Year Caleb Mills, who opted out and transferred after only four games.
Houston will have to weather some additional turnover this coming season if it wants a shot at another deep tournament run. Grimes is gone, as is AAC Defensive Player of the Year DeJon Jarreau and leading rebounder Justin Gorham. Sasser filed as an early entrant in the NBA Draft as well, though he retained his eligibility, and the prevailing sentiment seems to be that he will return for his junior season. Big man Fabian White, who recovered from an ACL injury to play in 13 games last year, announced he will return for a final season, and sophomore guard Tramon Mark looks primed to take a leap in Year 2. Sharp-shooting Texas Tech transfer Kyler Edwards expects to fill some of the offensive void in the backcourt as well.
Sasser’s return would rubber-stamp Houston as the league’s preseason favorite again and likely give the Cougars another preseason player of the year. Though considering the Final Four run and overall consistency it has established in a conference hamstrung by the contrary, Houston has earned that level of respect regardless of what the roster looks like on paper.
