IRVING, Texas (SMU/The American) –
Kendric Davis was unanimously selected preseason First-Team All-American Athletic Conference, and the Mustangs were picked to finish third in the conference race behind Houston and Memphis, the league announced on Wednesday.
Last season, Davis was selected unanimous All-AAC First Team, NABC All-District First Team and USBWA All-District. He was also
one of 35 named to the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Mid-Season Watch List. Davis averaged 19.0 points (1st AAC, 44
th NCAA), 7.6 assists (1st AAC, 4th NCAA), 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals (4th AAC) with a 3.2 assist-to-turnover ratio (1st AAC, 10th NCAA). He also was among the league leaders in FG% (48.1, 7th AAC), 3FG% (37.3, 12
th AAC) and FT% (83.3, 5th AAC). He had five points-assists double-doubles, and was the only player in the country to lead his league in both scoring and assists. Davis was also twice named AAC Player of the Week in 2020-21 with six additional appearances on The American weekly honor roll.
The Mustangs are picked third following an 11-6 season that earned an NIT bid. SMU is entering the sixth season under Head Coach
Tim Jankovich, who has a 101-55 record on the Hilltop with a 69-17 mark at Moody Coliseum. SMU is 30-17 the past two seasons with a 21-4 mark at home.
SMU returns Davis along with fellow starters
Emmanuel Bandoumel (10.2 points, 24
th AAC; 36.4% 3s, 14
th AAC) and
Isiah Jasey (1.0 blocks, 6
th AAC) as well as reserves
Jahmar Young Jr. and
Darius McBride. SMU added transfers
Zach Nutall from Sam Houston (Southland Conference Player of the Year),
Marcus Weathers from Duquesne (2-time All-Atlantic 10),
Michael Weathers from Texas Southern (SWAC Newcomer of the Year),
Tristan Clark from Baylor (2019-20 Karl Malone Watch List) and
Franklin Agunanne from Loyola Chicago. Newcomers also include
Zhuric Phelps (2021 Texas Mr. Basketball),
Jalen Smith (3-star),
Stefan Todorovic (Nike Hoop Summit, Serbia U19 Team) and
Tyler Lundblade (McDonald's All-American nominee).
The season opens at Moody Coliseum versus McNeese on Tuesday, Nov. 9. The non-conference schedule is highlighted by home games against UNLV (Dec. 1), Vanderbilt (Dec. 4) and Dayton (Dec. 8), road games at Oregon (Nov. 12) and New Mexico (Dec. 19) plus the Jacksonville Classic (Nov. 21-22) with Florida State, Missouri and LMU. The conference slate opens at Tulsa on Dec. 29 with the first home game against UCF on Jan. 2. In AAC play, SMU has two matchups with Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa, USF and Wichita State. The Mustangs face UCF and East Carolina once each. The American Men's Basketball Championship is March 10-13 (Thursday-Sunday) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
For season ticket information, visit
smumustangs.com/tickets.
Wednesday is also
American Athletic Conference Media Day. Coverage on
ESPN+ begins at 10am CT.
10:10 a.m. | Commissioner Mike Aresco
1:05 p.m. | SMU
SMU Men's Basketball | Head Coach Tim Jankovich | Kendric Davis
SMU Women's Basketball | Head Coach Toyelle Wilson | Savannah Wilkinson
2021-22 American Athletic Conference Preseason Honors
Preseason Coaches Poll
| 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 |
| T9 |
South Florida |
25 |
| T9 |
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, Jr., 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
