Full Conference Schedule (PDF)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – On the heels of a remarkable inaugural season that produced an NCAA championship team, four NCAA tournament teams and the NIT runner-up, American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco has announced the conference’s 2014-15 men’s basketball schedule, which will be watched by large audiences on television industry leaders ESPN and CBS Sports.
“We demonstrated last year that we have one of the best men’s basketball conferences in the nation,” said Aresco. “We are excited to take the first step toward another promising season with the release of our conference schedule, which will once again produce an exciting regular season race and which will be watched on ESPN and CBS, the industry leaders in sports television. It will prepare our teams well for another successful postseason.”
The 2014-15 schedule calls for each team in The American to play 18 conference games. Each team will play eight opponents twice and two opponents once.
The American Athletic Conference will feature four teams that reached the 2014 NCAA Championship, including UConn, which won its fourth national title. The American has seven teams that played in the postseason last year. Cincinnati, Memphis and Tulsa joined the Huskies in the NCAA field, while SMU reached the championship game of the NIT. Tulane played in the College Basketball Invitational and East Carolina played in the CollegeInsider.com tournament.
The American enjoyed the best postseason winning percentage of any conference last season. Conference teams went 9-3 in the NCAA tournament and were a combined 13-4 (.765) in postseason play.
Eighty-eight of the 99 conference games (89 percent) will feature at least one team that played in the postseason last year, while 38 league games (38 percent) will be between two postseason teams. Ninety-four percent of the conference games will be carried on national television.
Sixteen conference games will be carried either on ESPN or ESPN2, many as part of a regular Thursday-night window. Twenty-five more will be seen on ESPNU, with 25 scheduled for ESPNEWS. CBS Sports will have two conference games – SMU at UConn March 1 and Memphis at Cincinnati March 8 – while CBS Sports Network will carry 25. Additionally, at least 16 conference-controlled nonconference games are slated for national telecasts, either on ESPN’s networks or on CBS Sports Network.
The conference season begins with five American Athletic Conference games on New Year’s Eve, including doubleheaders on ESPNU and ESPN2. The ESPNU slate has Tulsa at UCF at noon ET, followed by Houston at Memphis at 2 p.m. The ESPN2 lineup that day has Temple at UConn and USF at SMU. Tulane visits East Carolina in a game that will be on ESPNEWS.
American Athletic Conference teams also have assembled challenging nonconference schedules against some of the best programs in the nation. Eleven teams from the top 25 of last year’s final USA Today coaches’ poll appear on American Athletic Conference teams’ schedules in 2014-15. UConn, which was ranked No. 1 in the final poll, meets No. 3 Florida in Gainesville, Fla. (2 p.m. ET on CBS Sports), visits No. 24 Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif., and takes on No. 16 Duke in East Rutherford, N.J. SMU will face road tests against No. 6 Michigan, Indiana and Gonzaga. Memphis opens its season against No. 7 Wichita State and also faces No. 18 Baylor, Oklahoma State and Gonzaga in the nonconference schedule. Cincinnati, which was ranked No. 22 in last year’s final poll, hosts No. 12 San Diego State, while Temple will host No. 14 Kansas, visits No. 13 Villanova, and faces No. 16 Duke on a neutral court. East Carolina has a road date with No. 21 North Carolina, while Tulsa visits No. 7 Wichita State and hosts No. 20 Creighton in back-to-back games.
The 2015 American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship will take place March 12-15 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. ESPN networks will provide live coverage of every game of the tournament, including the March 14 semifinals on ESPN2 and the March 15 final on ESPN.
2014-15 American Athletic Conference Composite Men’s Basketball Schedule
(conference games only; all times Eastern)
Wednesday, Dec. 31
Tulsa at UCF Noon ESPNU
Houston at Memphis 2 p.m. ESPNU
Temple at UConn TBD ESPN2
Tulane at East Carolina TBD ESPNEWS
USF at SMU TBD ESPN2
Saturday, Jan. 3
East Carolina at USF 7 p.m. ESPN3
SMU at Cincinnati TBD ESPN2
Tulane at Memphis TBD ESPNU
Sunday, Jan. 4
UCF at Temple Noon ESPNEWS
Houston at Tulsa 2 p.m. ESPNEWS
Tuesday, Jan. 6
East Carolina at Cincinnati 7 p.m. ESPNU
UCF at Houston 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
UConn at USF 7 p.m. ESPN2
Wednesday, Jan. 7
Temple at Tulane 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
Thursday, Jan. 8
Memphis at SMU 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Jan. 10
Cincinnati at UConn 11 a.m. ESPN2
Tulsa at Temple 3 p.m. ESPNEWS
Sunday, Jan. 11
SMU at UCF 2 p.m. CBSSN
Memphis at Houston 4 p.m. CBSSN
USF at Tulane TBD ESPN3
Tuesday, Jan. 13
UConn at Tulsa TBD CBSSN
Wednesday, Jan. 14
Tulane at UCF 7 p.m. ESPN3
Houston at East Carolina 7 p.m. ESPNU
SMU at Temple TBD CBSSN
Thursday, Jan. 15
Cincinnati at Memphis 7 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Jan. 17
Tulsa at USF 11 a.m. ESPNU
Temple at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m. ESPNU
UCF at Memphis TBD ESPNEWS
East Carolina at SMU TBD CBSSN
Tulane at Houston TBD ESPNEWS
Wednesday, Jan. 21
Houston at Cincinnati 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
Memphis at Tulsa 7 p.m. ESPNU
SMU at Tulane 9 p.m. CBSSN
Thursday, Jan. 22
USF at Temple 6:30 p.m. ESPNEWS
UCF at UConn 7 p.m. CBSSN
Saturday, Jan. 24
Tulsa at East Carolina Noon ESPNEWS
Houston at SMU TBD CBSSN
Memphis at Tulane 8 p.m. ESPNU
Sunday, Jan. 25
USF at UConn Noon CBSSN
Cincinnati at UCF 2 p.m. CBSSN
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Tulsa at Tulane 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
Wednesday, Jan. 28
Temple at UCF 7 p.m. CBSSN
SMU at USF 7 p.m. ESPNU
East Carolina at Memphis 9 p.m. CBSSN
Thursday, Jan. 29
UConn at Cincinnati 8 p.m. ESPN2
Saturday, Jan. 31
USF at Tulsa 1 p.m. ESPNEWS
Tulane at Temple 2 p.m. CBSSN
UCF at SMU 8 p.m. ESPNU
Sunday, Feb. 1
Cincinnati at East Carolina 1 p.m. CBSSN
UConn at Houston 3 p.m. CBSSN
Wednesday, Feb. 4
Temple at USF 6:30 p.m. ESPNEWS
East Carolina at UConn 7 p.m. ESPNU
Thursday, Feb. 5
Tulsa at Houston 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
Cincinnati at SMU 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 7
Temple at Memphis 1 p.m. ESPNEWS
UConn at Tulane 6 p.m. CBSSN
USF at Cincinnati 8 p.m. CBSSN
SMU at Tulsa 8 p.m. ESPNU
UCF at East Carolina TBD ESPN3
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Memphis at East Carolina 7 p.m. ESPNU
Cincinnati at Temple TBD CBSSN
Wednesday, Feb. 11
USF at UCF 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
Thursday, Feb. 12
Tulsa at UConn 7 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
SMU at Houston 9 p.m. ESPNU
Saturday, Feb. 14
Memphis at USF Noon ESPNU
Tulane at Cincinnati 2 p.m. ESPNU
East Carolina at Temple 2 p.m. CBSSN
UConn at SMU 9 p.m. ESPN
Sunday, Feb. 15
Houston at UCF TBD ESPN3
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Houston at USF 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
Wednesday, Feb. 18
East Carolina at Tulsa 7 p.m. ESPNU
Thursday, Feb. 19
Temple at SMU 7 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
UCF at Tulane 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
UConn at Memphis 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 21
USF at East Carolina 11 a.m. ESPNU
Cincinnati at Houston 9:30 p.m. ESPNU
Sunday, Feb. 22
Memphis at UCF 2 p.m. CBSSN
Tulane at UConn 4 p.m. CBSSN
Temple at Tulsa 6 p.m. CBSSN
Wednesday, Feb. 25
UConn at East Carolina 7 p.m. ESPNU
Tulane at Tulsa 8 p.m. ESPNEWS
UCF at Cincinnati TBD CBSSN
Thursday, Feb. 26
Houston at Temple 7 p.m. CBSSN
SMU at Memphis 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 28
East Carolina at UCF Noon ESPNEWS
Cincinnati at Tulane 2 p.m. ESPNEWS
Tulsa at Memphis 8 p.m. ESPNU
Sunday, March 1
SMU at UConn 2 p.m. CBS
USF at Houston TBD ESPN3
Wednesday, March 4
UCF at USF 7 p.m. ESPNU
Houston at Tulane 8 p.m. ESPNEWS
Cincinnati at Tulsa 9 p.m. CBSSN
Thursday, March 5
Temple at East Carolina 7 p.m. ESPNU
Memphis at UConn 9 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, March 7
Tulane at USF TBD ESPNEWS
UConn at Temple TBD ESPN/ESPN2
Sunday, March 8
Memphis at Cincinnati Noon CBS
East Carolina at Houston 2 p.m. ESPNEWS
Tulsa at SMU 3 p.m. ESPNU
American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship
XL Center • Hartford, Conn.
Thursday, March 12 • First Round
No. 9 seed vs. No. 8 seed 3:30 p.m. ESPNU
No. 10 seed vs. No. 7 seed 6 p.m. ESPNEWS
No. 11 seed vs. No. 6 seed 8 p.m. ESPNEWS
Friday, March 13 • Quarterfinals
9/8 winner vs. No. 1 seed Noon ESPN2
No. 5 seed vs. No. 4 seed 2 p.m. ESPN2
10/7 winner vs. No. 2 seed 7 p.m. ESPNU
11/6 winner vs.No. 3 seed 9 p.m. ESPNU
Saturday, March 14 • Semifinals
Quarterfinal winners 3 p.m. ESPN2
Quarterfinal winners 5 p.m. ESPN2
Sunday, March 15 • Final
Semifinal winners 3:15 p.m. ESPN
2014-15 American Athletic Conference Nationally Televised Nonconference Games
(all times Eastern; additional national telecasts will be added at a later date)
Monday, Nov. 17
SMU at Gonzaga 11 p.m. ESPN2 ESPN Tip-Off Marathon
Tuesday, Nov. 18
Memphis vs. Wichita State 2 p.m. ESPN ESPN Tip-Off Marathon (at Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Thursday, Nov. 20
UConn vs. Charleston 12:30 p.m. ESPNU Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan, P.R.)
Friday, Nov. 21
Temple vs. Duke 9 p.m. TruTV Coaches vs. Cancer Classic (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
UConn vs. Texas A&M/Dayton TBD ESPN2/ESPNU Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan, P.R.)
Saturday, Nov. 22
Temple vs. Stanford/UNLV TBD TruTV Coaches vs. Cancer Classic (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Sunday, Nov. 23
USF at North Carolina State 4 p.m. ESPNU Global Sports Shootout
UConn vs. TBD TBD ESPN2/ESPNU Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan, P.R.)
Monday, Nov. 24
Tulsa vs. Auburn 11 p.m. ESPNU MGM Grand Main Event (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Tuesday, Nov. 25
Arkansas at SMU 7:30 p.m. ESPNEWS
Wednesday, Nov. 26
Tulsa vs. Oklahoma State/Oregon State TBD ESPN2/ESPN3 MGM Grand Main Event (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Friday, Nov. 28
Memphis vs. Baylor Midnight FS1 Las Vegas Invitational (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Memphis vs. Illinois/Indiana State TBD FS1 Las Vegas Invitational (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Sunday, Nov. 30
Texas at UConn Noon ESPN2
Tuesday, Dec. 2
Stephen F. Austin at Memphis 7 p.m. ESPNEWS Las Vegas Invitational
Friday, Dec. 5
Wyoming at SMU 7 p.m. ESPNEWS
Saturday, Dec. 6
Temple vs. La Salle Noon ESPNEWS at The Palestra, Philadelphia, Pa.
Bradley at Memphis 9:30 p.m. ESPNU
Sunday, Dec. 7
East Carolina at North Carolina 2 p.m. ESPNU
Saturday, Dec. 13
Oklahoma State at Memphis 6 p.m. ESPN2
Wednesday, Dec. 17
San Diego State at Cincinnati 9 p.m. ESPN2
Thursday, Dec. 18
UConn vs. Duke 8 p.m. ESPN at Izod Center, East Rutherford, N.J.
Saturday, Dec. 20
Virginia Commonwealth at Cincinnati Noon ESPNU
SMU at Michigan Noon ESPN2
Monday, Dec. 22
Kansas at Temple 7 p.m. ESPN2 at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pa.
Houston vs. Boise State 10:30 p.m. FS1 Las Vegas Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Tuesday, Dec. 23
Houston vs. Texas Tech/Loyola (Ill.) TBD FS1 Las Vegas Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Tuesday, Dec. 30
Cincinnati at North Carolina State 4 p.m. ESPNU
Saturday, Jan. 3
UConn at Florida 2 p.m. CBS
Saturday, Jan. 31
Memphis at Gonzaga 10 p.m. ESPN2
Wednesday, Feb. 18
Xavier at Cincinnati 7 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2