Two UConn players got the attention of the American Athletic Conference men's basketball coaches this season.

Sophomore Jalen Adams was named to the All-AAC first team and forward Vance Jackson earned all-rookie honors. The AAC announced the all-conference awards on Tuesday.

Adams was the only player from a team with a losing overall record — the Huskies are 14-16 overall — to make either the first or second team.

A point guard, Adams leads UConn in scoring (14.1 points) and ranks first in the AAC in assists (6.3), which also is sixth in the country.

Adams is the program's third All-AAC first team pick in the last four seasons. Shabazz Napier (2014) and Ryan Boatright (2015) are the others.

"I think Jalen is just a tremendous, tremendous talent," said Tulsa coach Frank Haith during Monday's conference call.

Joining Adams on the first team: Houston's Damyean Dotson and Rob Gray, SMU's Semi Ojeleye and Dedric Lawson of Memphis.

The SMU trio of Sterling Brown, Shake Milton and Ben Moore as well as Central Florida's B.J. Taylor and Cincinnati's Kyle Washington and Troy Caupain made the second team.

Jackson is the third UConn player to earn all-rookie team honors in the AAC, joining Amida Brimah (2014) and Daniel Hamilton (2015). He's averaging eight points and 3.8 rebounds per game while appearing in 29 games, starting 21. He has the highest 3-point field goal percentage overall on the team at 39.7 and converts an AAC best 48.4 percent in conference play.

Cincinnati's Jarron Cumberland, Temple's Quinton Rose, East Carolina's Jeremy Sheppard and K.J. Lawson of Memphis round out the all-rookie team.

The AAC tournament begins Thursday with three first round games at the XL Center in Hartford. Sixth-seeded UConn, the defending champion, and No. 11 South Florida (7-22) meet at approximately 8:30 p.m. The winner advances to play No. 3 Houston in the quarterfinals on Friday night.

Adams, who's been hobbled by a sprained left ankle, is expected to play Thursday. Jackson is in concussion protocol and his status has yet to be determined.

— Gavin Keefe