Davis is a 6-foot-9, 212 pound wing, who can play multiple positions on the floor. The Buford, Ga., native played one season at the University of Tennessee under head coach Cuonzo Martin, and after the coach departed in April, Davis announced that he would transfer.

He had visits scheduled to a number of prominent Division I programs this summer, but cancelled them after meeting with Coach Jones and the rest of the Knights. Davis will sit out the 2014-15 season due to NCAA Division I transfer rules, but will be able to take the court with three years of eligibility in the 2015-16 campaign.

鈥淲e were looking to add another piece to our puzzle,鈥� Jones said of bringing in Davis. 鈥淲e were looking for an Isaiah Sykes-type small forward, who had great versatility. We saw that A.J. was available and knew of him from high school. We knew he had three years and thought he鈥檇 be an incredible get. We brought him in for a visit, worked him out, and really saw the skill level that he has and also where he can get to. He will be a great fit for our style of play.鈥�

Jones said that he thought Davis felt extremely comfortable with the team during his visit.

鈥淗e knew Brandon Goodwin a bit from growing up in the Atlanta area, playing with and against him on AAU teams,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淭hey had a relationship, which was good. I think A.J. was looking to go to a place where he could play his position, which is on the perimeter, somewhere he could play with the ball in his hands, and somewhere he thought he could get better.鈥�

Davis played in 25 games as a true freshman at Tennessee last season. He started one contest, averaging 9.4 minutes, 1.3 points, and 1.6 rebounds per game. Davis was efficient from the floor, shooting 40 percent overall and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.

鈥淗e has a lot of versatility,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淗e can really pass the ball, he has a high basketball IQ, he can score it, and he can put it on the floor. He鈥檚 long and athletic, so I think he will be good in the press. He can also be a good rebounder as a guard with his size.鈥�

Sitting out during this upcoming season, Davis will have an entire year to improve during practice with the Knights.

鈥淭he biggest thing for him is to transition from playing under the basket to playing out on the perimeter,鈥� Jones concluded. 鈥淥bviously he also has to get stronger. He鈥檒l definitely have to do that once he gets here.鈥�

Davis graduated from Buford High School where he led the Wolves to a 25-7 record and the Class AAA state semifinals as a senior in 2012-13. His father is Antonio Davis, who played collegiately at UTEP and 13 season in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks.

The Knights will make their debut in The American on New Year’s Eve when they host defending national champion Louisville. 麻豆原创 will face each of its conference foes twice, with marquee home league contests against Temple (Jan. 4), Memphis (Jan. 29), cross-state rival USF (Feb. 5), UConn (Feb. 9) and Cincinnati (Feb. 19).

麻豆原创 will play 17 total contests on the new blacktop floor at CFE Arena, including a Nov. 13 game against Florida State which will mark the Seminoles’ first visit to campus. Season tickets start at just $96 and a new youth season ticket is now available for only $49. Order season tickets today at or call (407) 麻豆原创-1000.

“We are so excited about the new conference and our schedule. The talent level of the teams that we will face night in and night out in The American is exceptional,” Jones said. “We have played great teams in the past, but now each night we will have to compete on a consistent level.”

Each of 麻豆原创’s 18 conference games will be nationally televised, with ESPN2 airing the league opener against Louisville and the game in Orlando against UConn. The Knights will have at least 20 contests broadcast nationally during the season.

Overall, the Knights will play 12 contests against squads that participated in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, including a Nov. 21 game in Coral Gables against Miami. The matchup with the Hurricanes is one of two non-league contests for the Knights in south Florida as the team will also face Florida Atlantic on Dec. 3. The Knights will play perennial NCAA Tournament squad Valparaiso twice – in Indiana on Nov. 26 and at CFE Arena on Dec. 22 as part of the Jackson Hewitt 麻豆原创 Holiday Classic.

“Our non-conference schedule is a good mix of teams that play different styles. We will face some great teams like Miami, Florida State and Valpo. The non-conference schedule will really prepare us for conference play,” Jones said.

麻豆原创 will open the season on Nov. 8, hosting Tampa. The Knights’ first conference road game is set for Jan. 11 at UConn. Jones’ team will visit Louisville on Feb. 1 and head to Tampa to meet USF on Feb. 15.

The Knights return four talented veterans from last season’s team that won 20 games. The group is led by Isaiah Sykes, who paced the country with two triple-doubles in 2012-13. The guard is joined by fellow seniors Calvin Newell and Tristan Spurlock and junior Kasey Wilson.

In three years at 麻豆原创, Jones has led the Knights to some of the biggest victories in program history. The Knights went 20-11 this past season, marking only the second time since the program moved to Division I in 1984 that they registered 20 victories in three-straight years.

“Donnie has done a remarkable job in building the program. We are very excited about the future of the men’s basketball program and Donnie is a huge part of that future,” Stansbury said. “Going into the new conference, having his leadership is crucial to our future success.”

Jones led the Knights to some huge wins in 2012-13, including a triumph at in-state rival USF to open the season and wins over top-50 RPI squads in Belmont and Southern Miss. The head coach helped Isaiah Sykes develop into one of the most versatile players in the country and earn All-Conference USA First Team, C-USA All-Defensive Team and NABC District 11 First Team honors.

Keith Clanton, who concluded his career as the Knights’ all-time leader in rebounds, blocks, games played and starts, was named to the All-C-USA Second Team and the all-district first team. Jones has coached five All-C-USA selections at 麻豆原创 and has coached three 1,000-point scorers.

“I appreciate the commitment to our program and support from Todd Stansbury and President (John C.) Hitt,” Jones said. “I am extremely excited about the future of our program as we move into the American Athletic Conference. This is an incredible time to be part of the 麻豆原创 family and my family is thrilled to be a part of this wonderful university. We have made great progress and will continue to work tirelessly to make the program one of the best in the country.”

In his second season in Orlando, Jones helped the Knights record several historic achievements in 2011-12. 麻豆原创 went 22-11 overall, posting the fourth-most victories for the program at the D-I level, and received its first invitation to the postseason NIT. The Knights also advanced to the C-USA Championship semifinals for the first time.

In league play in 2011-12, the Knights registered their first wins over Memphis and UAB. Jones also led 麻豆原创 to one of the biggest wins in program history in non-conference action as the Knights defeated No. 4-ranked and defending national champion UConn at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

Under Jones, the Knights are also making strides in the classroom. The team established top-GPA records in 2012-13 and four members of the squad were named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. Seven Knights have earned their degrees during his tenure.

As a junior, Sykes averaged 16.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists and was named to the All-Conference USA First Team, the C-USA All-Defensive Team and the NABC All-District 11 First Team. The Detroit native led the conference in steals per game at 2.3 and became the first player in league history to finish C-USA competition ranked in the top 10 in points, rebounds, assists and steals.

“This was a good opportunity for Isaiah to learn more about playing at the next level,” 麻豆原创 head coach Donnie Jones said. “We are here to help our players achieve their goals and I have no doubt that Isaiah will continue to improve as a senior. We are excited for his future and our program’s future as we enter the new conference.”

This past season, Sykes helped the Knights record their third-straight 20-win campaign. He scored in double figures 27 times and had 12 20-point performances. Sykes will enter his final collegiate campaign 16th on 麻豆原创’s career scoring list with 1,030 points, ninth with 547 rebounds and ninth with 132 steals.

麻豆原创 will begin its inaugural campaign the American Athletic Conference in November. The league should be among the best in the country with defending national champion Louisville, along with Cincinnati, UConn, Memphis and Temple.

Here is a look at the top individual performances of the year:

10. Matt Williams vs. Florida Tech

In Williams’ first college game, he scored 21 points and was seven-of-nine from three-point range in only 13 minutes. During the game, the Knightmare even started to chant his name. Williams’ college debut was originally delayed to an illness.

9. Kasey Wilson at No. 7 Florida

In the first game against a ranked opponent this season, Wilson scored a career-high 20 points. He paced the team with his shooting from deep, where he connected on five-of-six shots. This game showed Wilson’s consistency from deep. He was ranked in the top-10 in the country for three-point shooting for almost the entire season.

8. Calvin Newell vs. Rice

Newell scored a career-high 24 points in the win over Rice. He was one of two Knights to score 24 points alongside Sykes. Fifteen of his points came from three-point range, where he shot five-of-eight from deep.

7. Keith Clanton vs. No. 17 Memphis

In his final home game, Clanton scored 29 points, grabbed six rebounds and swatted two shots. Clanton was accurate from the field hitting 10-of-15 shots (66.6 percent) and three-of-four from deep (75 percent). In the first half, Clanton racked up 13 points. When 麻豆原创 was down early in the second half, Clanton started his own mini-run, scoring the next nine points for 麻豆原创 to tie the game.

6. Isaiah Sykes at USF

Sykes wasted no time showing his improvement between his sophomore and junior years. He racked up 26 points, 11 rebounds and a then career-high eight assists in the win over the Bulls. Sykes was only two assists short of a triple-double in his first career start at point guard.

5. Tristan Spurlock vs. Southern Miss

Spurlock finished the game with 18 points and seven rebounds. What was more impressive during the game was how efficient Spurlock was shooting. He shot six-of-10 from the field, three-of-six from deep and a perfect three-of-three from the free-throw line.

4. Keith Clanton at East Carolina

On a night where Clanton was one of two Knights to total a career-high in points, it wasn’t enough to win the game in overtime. Clanton accumulated 36 points and eight rebounds. He did most of his work when it counted by scoring a combined 28 points in the second half and overtime. In overtime, he scored eight of 麻豆原创’s nine points.

3. Isaiah Sykes vs. Stetson

By scoring 16 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists, Sykes recorded his first career triple-double and only the third in school history. Prior to the game, Kingsley Edwards was the last 麻豆原创 player to record a triple-double in 2005.

2. Keith Clanton vs. Bethune-Cookman

Clanton scored a then career-high 30 points en route to a 麻豆原创 win over the visiting Wildcats. He also grabbed 13 rebounds. Clanton shot 14-of-15 (93.3 percent) in the game. He recorded the highest shooting percentage with a minimum of 15 shots in the nation since 2008. Besides making history in the national scope, Clanton was the first Knight since Jermaine Taylor (2009) to score 30 points in a game.

1. Isaiah Sykes vs. East Carolina

In a memorable game for Sykes, he earned his second triple-double of the season and his career. Sykes finished the game with 20 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. The 16 rebounds and 11 assists were career highs for Sykes. Over the course of the regular season, Sykes was the only player in the country to record with multiple triple-doubles. His triple-double was the fourth in school history.

Honorable Mention

The hosts led for the majority of the second half and made 22 foul shots after intermission to knock of the Golden Hurricane (14-13, 6-7).

“I am happy for these guys,” 麻豆原创 head coach Donnie Jones said. “That is the team that we have been all year long. I thought we played with some toughness and played together. We played defense every possession.”

Tulsa led 36-35 at the break, but was outscored 48-39 in the second stanza. Spurlock hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight total points during a 12-3 麻豆原创 run midway through the second half that gave the Knights a 12-point edge.

麻豆原创 was playing the second game of a four-contest homestand.

The Knights shot 31-of-42 (73.8 percent) from the line and recorded 14 assists on 22 made field goals with only nine turnovers for the game.

Sykes, who shot 10-of-15 at the line, also added seven rebounds and four assists. Keith Clanton made 9-of-12 foul shots and finished with 15 points, four assists, four steals and four blocks.

Pat Swilling, Jr., who connected on five triples, led Tulsa with 19 points.

The Knights will play their final non-league game of the season Tuesday when they host Georgia Southwestern at 7 p.m. 麻豆原创’s last 2012-13 home contest is next Saturday against No. 19 Memphis.

Sykes finished with 20 points and career highs in rebounds (16) and assists (11) to register the fourth triple-double in program history. He became the first Knight to record two triple-doubles in a season and grabbed nine offensive rebounds.

“I was trying to look for my teammates and get others involved in the game,” Sykes said. “Without my teammates, it wouldn’t be possible. You have to give them credit.”

Clanton (14 points, 6 rebounds) now has 948 boards for his career. The senior from Orlando is also sixth on the C-USA all-time rebounds list.

“It means a lot, knowing that rebounding is all effort,” Clanton said of the 麻豆原创 record. “It is just about how hard you are going to go out there and play every day. I feel like I competed every day.”

麻豆原创 led 48-35 at the break and then built its advantage to 16 early in the second stanza. The Pirates (13-9, 4-5) rallied and cut the Knights’ lead to four with 1:31 to play when Akeem Richmond hit a 3-pointer. Sykes answered for the Knights, grabbing a pair of offensive rebounds before scoring inside. 麻豆原创 scored the game’s final six points.

“I was proud of our guys, showing great composure down the stretch,” 麻豆原创 head coach Donnie Jones said.

The Knights, who have won six-straight games at home, are now tied for second with Southern Miss in the C-USA standings.

Five 麻豆原创 players finished with double figures in scoring. Tristan Spurlock totaled 16 points and Calvin Newell added 13 points. Kasey Wilson came off the bench to record 10 points for the Knights, who had 18 assists with only seven turnovers.

Maurice Kemp led the Pirates with 24 points and 11 boards.

麻豆原创 will play a pair of games on the road next week, starting with a Wednesday evening contest at Memphis. The Tigers are currently receiving top-25 votes in both national polls and are unbeaten in conference play.

Sykes, who recorded his second-straight 20-point outing, made some big plays down the stretch after the Mustangs (11-10, 1-5) tied the contest at 63 with 3:45 to play on a Ryan Manuel jumper. On the ensuing possession, Sykes tipped in a missed shot as he was fouled.

The junior completed the 3-point play with one of his seven made free throws and scored inside again with 1:36 on the clock after SMU had gotten within one point. The Mustangs were not able to get any closer the rest of the game.

Sykes was one of three Knights to finish with double digits in scoring as Calvin Newell scored 17 points and Tristan Spurlock added 14 points and a career-high four blocks.

“You want your team to be versatile. As we continue to build our team, it only makes us better (to get contributions from many players),” 麻豆原创 head coach Donnie Jones said. “We were able to win.”

The contest concluded a two-game homestand for the Knights. The team’s next two games are on the road, starting with a matchup Wednesday at Tulane. 麻豆原创 plays at Marshall next Saturday.

SMU led by seven points early, but the Knights took a 38-32 advantage into halftime after closing the period on a 19-9 run.

Manuel led the Mustangs with 17 points. 麻豆原创 shot 46.4 percent overall and made 17-of-21 (81.0 percent) of its free-throw attempts.

Sykes’ triple-double was the first by a Knight since Kingsley Edwards in 2005. He shot 6-of-10 overall and connected on a career-high two 3-pointers in 37 minutes. The modest Sykes had no idea that he joined an elite group at 麻豆原创 until public address announcer Erik Kohler alerted the crowd of the achievement with two minutes left in the contest.

“It surprised me when they announced that I had a triple-double,” Sykes said. “Coach (Donnie Jones) told me to come out there and be more aggressive, so that is what I tried to do. It feels good, but we need to come out and keep competing for the next game. We can’t focus on things like that.”

Sykes secured the triple-double with a feed to Tristan Spurlock who scored inside with 4:58 to play. The assist was one of 19 for the Knights.

“Isaiah Sykes does the things that we talk about that (make) a complete player. Tonight is a great example. I am really proud of not only him, but with the way that our team shared the ball tonight,” Jones said.

Keith Clanton led 麻豆原创 with 18 points. Stetson fell to 3-8 with the loss.

The Knights opened the contest with three quick early 3-pointers – two from Kasey Wilson (11 points), who leads the country in 3-point field goal percentage, and one from Calvin Newell (11 points) – to grab a 9-2 edge. 麻豆原创 led 43-27 at the break and then built its advantage to as many as 24 points in the second half.

The contest with the Hatters concluded a busy stretch for the Knights. 麻豆原创 was playing its fourth game in nine days.

Chris Perez led Stetson with 20 points.

The Knights will have a break for Christmas before returning to action on Dec. 28 when they host Howard at 7 p.m. The contest is part of the two-day 麻豆原创 Holiday Tournament.

A huge contingent of 麻豆原创 (1-0) fans were on hand to see the Knights defeat the Bulls, who won a pair of games in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, in Tampa for the first time since 1978.

Sykes, who traditionally plays at small forward, shined running the team. He nearly recorded a triple-double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high eight assists.

The Knights, who hardly trailed during the evening, shot 50.0 percent overall and finished with a 45-26 edge on the glass. Sykes was one of four 麻豆原创 players who finished with double digits in scoring. Keith Clanton had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

“It was an incredible win for our program and our school,” 麻豆原创 head coach Donnie Jones said. “I am very proud of this team. I thought we played a great team (game). We had four guys in double figures tonight and played very unselfishly. The thing I am really proud of is that we played a lot of guys out of position. Isaiah Sykes hasn’t played one minute at point guard in his career until tonight. I am very proud of him.”

The Knights dominated from the start. 麻豆原创 led 40-24 at the break after a first half filled with dunks, offensive rebounds and incredible play at the point from Sykes. The junior had 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and no turnovers in the opening stanza.

麻豆原创 shot 45.2 percent in the first half, when it outrebounded the Bulls (0-1) 25-13.

The Bulls got within 12 points with 8:28 left in the contest, but the Knights responded with a huge 3-pointer from Kasey Wilson that handed 麻豆原创 a 59-46 advantage.

Sykes did it all for the Knights. In the first half, he found open teammates like Clanton and Sykes for dunks, and scored in a variety of ways. Holding a big lead in the second half, he slowed things down and got to the basket for impressive buckets.

“I just stuck to the game plan and focused. Our coaches did a great job in breaking down their film,” Sykes said. “Our coaches did a good job of preparing our team.”

麻豆原创 limited the hosts to a 36.4 percent shooting performance. Tristan Spurlock totaled 14 points in the winning effort, and Wilson added 13 points and six rebounds. Jawanza Poland led USF with 22 points.

麻豆原创 and the Bulls will also meet on Jan. 2 in Orlando. The home-and-home series is offering the Knights a preview of the BIG EAST Conference, which the program will join next fall. On Saturday, 麻豆原创’s banner already hung in the rafters of the Sun Dome among those of the other BIG EAST programs.

“It was big for us,” Clanton said of the win. “We knew that they were going to come out with a lot of emotion. Coach told us that we might not shoot it well, but the one thing that we can always control is our hustle.”

The Knights will make their 2012-13 home debut on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the 麻豆原创 Arena against Alabama State. The game is the first of a school-record 20 home contests this season.