SMU is expected to again have the best men's basketball player in the American Athletic Conference.

SMU guard Shake Milton was named the AAC Preseason Player of the Year, the league announced Monday.

The 6-6 Milton averaged 13 points on 43.7 percent shooting while adding 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore. The Owasso, Okla., native shot 42.3 percent from 3-point range and averaged 1.3 steals. He finished the season on the All-AAC second team.

Former Mustangs have won the last three postseason AAC Player of the Year awards. Semi Ojeleye won the honor last season, and Nic Moore was the conference's top player the previous two seasons.

The AAC coaches picked SMU to finish fourth in their preseason poll. Cincinnati is the favorite with Wichita State and UCF projected to finish second and third, respectively. SMU won the regular season and tournament titles in 2016-17 but lost Ojeleye, Sterling Brown and Ben Moore to the NBA.

This year's SMU team returns just Milton, senior Ben Emelogu and junior Jarrey Foster. Arkansas transfer Jimmy Whitt practiced with the team last season as he redshirted. Head coach Tim Jankovich, entering his second season at the helm, added Georgetown graduate transfer Akoy Agau and a class of four freshmen.

SMU's women's team, which coaches picked to finish fifth in the AAC, was represented on the preseason second-team by senior forward Alicia Froling.

Twitter: @AdamGrosbard