Redshirt freshman guard Caleb Mills was named the freshman of the week in The American. Mills scored 20 points on Thursday night in the win against UConn. | Mikol Kindle Jr./The Cougar

Seven games into conference play and the race for first place in the American Athletic Conference standings is still competitive as can be with only a one-game difference between first and fifth place.

Wichita State and Houston are the only two AAC teams ranked in the latest AP top 25, with the Shockers jumping back in at No. 23 after falling out last week following their upset loss against the Cougars, who moved up four spots to No. 21.

Houston (16-4, 6-1 AAC) and Tulsa (14-6, 6-1 AAC) sit atop of the American with identical conference records after victories over last place USF (8-12, 1-6 AAC) and 11th place UConn (10-9, 1-5 AAC) respectively.

Memphis has fallen out of the top 25 for the first time this season, previously ranked No. 20, while also taking a tumble down The American conference standings after consecutive losses to Tulsa and SMU in the last week. The Tigers now sit No. 6 in the conference with a 3-3 record.

A three-way tie between No. 23 Wichita State, SMU, and Cincinnati rolls on for third place in the AAC standings.

The Mustangs will head up north to take on the Bearcats in what will be a crucial matchup for both programs in the conference regular-season title race.

After a home victory against UCF (11-8, 2-5 AAC), No. 23 Wichita State will be tested in their upcoming three-game stretch, first traveling to take on AAC co-leaders Tulsa, then hosting Cincinnati before heading south for a rematch against the other AAC co-leader, No. 21 Houston.

Sitting at the bottom of the conference are USF, UConn, Tulane and Temple, all of which have lost its last three games with many of the contests ending in single-digits defeats.

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“Around the AAC: Houston shares top spot with Tulsa, Memphis plummets” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar