Will Syracuse’s hot start cool off this winter?

Syracuse is officially on the clock.

As of Jan. 9, the Orange look an awful lot like the best team in the country. But considering that it’s still early January, that’s not terribly surprising. The question is whether Syracuse will still look like the best team in college hoops in another two months as the NCAA Tournament approaches.

Since the Orange won the championship in 2003, Syracuse has made a habit of starting hot, building a record at least nine games better than .500 each season. In half of those seasons, the Orange have had a record as gaudy as at least 15 games better than .500.

But each season, the team has fallen apart for one reason or another. In some cases, it’s a lack of leadership to handle adversity when the team inevitably drops a tough Big East game or two. In other cases, the downfall has been rifts in team chemistry, sometimes leading to suspensions or poor play. And injuries have factored into a few of the collapses.

In sum, Syracuse has not finished a season better than three games above .500 after the Orange’s struggles creep into the picture. Why would this team be any different?

To start, this team has fantastic depth. Ten players average at least 12 minutes per game. Seven players contribute at least seven ppg, but no one scores more than 14.1 ppg, and that’s senior swingman Kris Joseph. In addition, the Orange have superior height than nearly any other team in Division I, with nine players who stand 6’4” or taller.

Coach Jim Boeheim has helped this team navigate through the tumultuous Bernie Fine affair without any semblance of a disturbance on the court. Compared to the off court drama, Boeheim must be happy dealing with any complaints about playing time that come from his talented players — if there have been any at all. Only two players are averaging more than 25 minutes per game, but as far as we can tell, everyone has embraced his role on the team. And that is leading to win after win.

At some point, the Orange will likely drop a game or two in Big East play. Road games against Cincinnati, St. John’s, Louisville, Rutgers and Connecticut are potential land mines. But unlike in recent years, this team seems built to overcome the struggles of one night. Boeheim has the Orange playing their best basketball in eight years, according to Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency stats. If Syracuse can maintain its 1.202 points per possession on offense and 0.883 points per possession on defense, both those numbers will be the best marks for offensive and defensive efficiency for the years that Pomeroy has data available (since 2003).

In a season filled with talented teams, Syracuse has earned its No. 1 ranking, and the Orange should remain near the top from wire to wire. And for Syracuse fans, a strong finish to bookend a strong start would be a refreshing change of pace.

We go coast to coast with news from around the college basketball nation.

Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman is in the thick of serious allegations after several people at the Bears’ game at South Carolina State said the coach punched Morgan State senior Larry Bastfield during the game, according to ESPN.com news services. The school has indefinitely suspended Bozeman while looking into the accusations. Bozeman and Bastfield say the news is much ado about nothing — with that nothing being an accidental bump during the game, as Bastfield described it.

Xavier coach Chris Mack made his point, then paid the price. Mack missed the past couple of days after tearing a tendon in his left knee while dunking to re-energize the struggling Musketeers, who are 2-5 in the past few weeks, writes USA Today’s Marlen Garcia.

Arizona State coach Herb Sendek has accepted the departure of leading scorer Keala King, who left a few days after Sendek suspended him for unacceptable conduct, according to a CBS Sports.com wire report. King’s departure is a massive loss for a pretty bad Sun Devils team. King averaged 13.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 3.3 apg.

St. John’s scored a talented point guard when former Texas A&M sophomore Jamal Branch decided to transfer to the Red Storm, writes the New York Daily News’ Roger Rubin. Branch averaged 4.2 ppg and 2.5 apg for the Aggies, and he chose St. John’s over several other suitors.

Michael Jordan’s son Jeff has decided to leave Central Florida, according to an Associated Press report. His brother, Marcus, remains with the Golden Knights, as Jeff cited personal reasons for his decision.

BCS hurts college sports, especially basketball

Last month, Boise State head football coach Chris Petersen talked to local reporters about the BCS. Mainly, he simply unleashed a lot of feelings that many of us have, and rightly so for a lot of reasons. Many of us understand that the BCS is hurting college sports, especially college basketball.

From the outset, the BCS was a joke as far as its place in college football is concerned. There is no national championship in the Football Bowl Subdivision; the winner of the BCS Championship Game is like the winner of the NIT Season Tip-Off or the Maui Invitational in basketball, not a national champion. (The Division I national champion will be either Sam Houston State or North Dakota State, who will play on Saturday.) The system is your basic old boy network applied to college football, as it’s designed to benefit the six conferences that were in on the whole deal all along. The Big East has been a laughingstock in football for a while now, yet it still gets its champion into a BCS bowl while more deserving teams – which often have included Petersen’s Broncos – are pushed back into less prestigious bowl games (and ones without nearly the same payout).

… Continue Reading

CBS’ Doyel has the guts to step back from the controversy trap

Good journalism isn’t easy.

That’s especially true when a juicy story comes along that’s sure to rile up the masses, generating lots of readers and charged opinions. Those stories force editors and reporters to make critical decisions about the validity of sources and effort required to seek comment from an opposing side.

In the emerging brouhaha about the transfer of Todd O’Brien from Saint Joseph’s to UAB, we have an awful lot of information spewing from the O’Brien side and almost nothing from the Hawks’ side.

If you missed the background, Sports Illustrated’s website ran a lengthy column by O’Brien, who outlined his journey through college basketball, which has landed him at UAB as a graduated senior with one remaining year of eligibility. However, before O’Brien can play for the Blazers, Saint Joseph’s must grant him a full release from his scholarship. And supposedly coach Phil Martelli refuses to do so. Without that release, O’Brien won’t play college hoops again.

Frankly, it’s hard to imagine a legitimate reason for not letting a guy play, especially for a team in a different conference and not on the Hawks’ schedule. But that’s not the point.

As the media outcry has sided with O’Brien — who is seeking legal recourse to force his way onto the court — only a handful of commentators have taken a measured approach to this story. So I tip my hat to CBS Sports’ Gregg Doyel, a man with plenty of strong opinions, for leaping into the fray waiving a gigantic caution flag.

While everyone is crying foul, Doyel cried, “Wait!” He rightfully observed that Saint Joseph’s is remaining mum because they are respecting student-athletes’ privacy. The bottom line is we don’t know the Saint Joseph’s side of the story, and we might not for some time. So it’s presumptuous at best and flat-out wrong at worst to side with the supposed victim in this story.

Of course, it’s far less engaging to remain on the fence when others are going all in and calling for Martelli’s ouster. That bloodlust is unhealthy and not reflective of this country’s innocent-until-PROVEN-guilty judicial system. If mob rule dictated justice, we’d have a lot of major mistakes to apologize for whenever we learned the truth — if we ever learned the truth.

A good journalist’s duty is to present clear, accurate and precise information. Commentators who espouse opinions based on incomplete information aren’t doing anyone any good. As unsexy as it may be, we all need to follow Doyel’s lead and wait and see. Let the established rules play out in the NCAA, and if the courts get involved, let the state and local laws as interpreted by the courts decide the matter.

But there’s no need to call for Martelli’s head on a platter until there’s substantiated evidence that he acted like a callous, vindictive control freak.

We go coast to coast with news from around the college basketball nation.

Kentucky had no problems getting past Samford, 82-50, even without Terrence Jones, who missed the game to recuperate from a dislocated pinky, writes the Associated Press’ Colin Fly.

California will be without one its big men this week as sophomore Richard Solomon recovers from a left foot injury, writes Diamond Leung for ESPN.com’s “College Basketball Nation” blog. The sophomore forward is one of the team’s best rebounders, averaging 6.9 rpg, and he’ll miss at least the team’s games against UNLV Dec. 23.

Miami will get back DeQuan Jones, who figured to play a bigger role for the Hurricanes this season — if for no other reason than he’s one of the bigger players on the teams. Jones missed the first month and a half of the season because the school suspended him for the season while the NCAA investigated his possible involvement in the recruiting scandal that has rocked the university. However, according to an Associated Press report, the Hurricanes have reversed that decision, and Jones could be back in the lineup as early as this week.

Some tech-savvy pranksters punked Oregon’s website Sunday night and Monday morning, writes the Washington Post’s Steve Yanda, and the hackers posted some disparaging comments about Virginia that were attributed to Oregon coach Dana Altman. The Ducks lost to the Cavaliers 67-54, and the hacker made up comments ranging from Mike Scott’s hair to the Ducks’ pregame meal. Oregon apologized to the Cavaliers for the malfeasance.

New Mexico State is bringing suspended guard Christian Kabongo back into the fold after the sophomore had been suspended for two games for making obscene gestures in a game against UTEP, writes ESPN.com’s Diamond Leung for the “College Basketball Nation” blog.

NCAA Division I programs couldn’t get enough support to overturn a rule that bans universities from hosting high school prep tournaments, according to an Associated Press report.

Houston boosters might have lost as much as 40 percent of their investments in the David Salinas Ponzi scheme affair, according to the Associated Press. Salinas committed suicide last year, a few weeks before the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit that detailed the deceptive investments and behavior that swindled a bunch of Division I programs and coaches.

UCF tops No. 4 UConn

Central Florida upset No. 4 Connecticut, 68-62, as Marcus Jordan and Keith Clanton had 20 points each for the Knights. Jordan also had seven assists and seven rebounds.

UCF shot the ball well, hitting 41.2 percent from behind the arc, while UConn shot just 11.1 percent. Still, UConn was able to lead for most of the game. UCF pulled ahead on a pair of free throws from Marcus Jordan. It was a fitting way to win for a team that made 81 percent of its free throws throughout the game.

This win goes to show that Donnie Jones can do great things for the Knights. He got several marquee wins last year, as well. If this team can stay healthy, look for them to do damage in C-USA.

Memphis Tigers not a finished product

Losing to a top 15 team in November is not exactly a season-ending event. Still, when Michigan defeated Memphis 73-61 in the EA Sports Maui Invitational Tournament, it became obvious that several questions still plague the Tigers.

Michigan employed a zone defense that forced Memphis into half court sets. The Tigers were unsuccessful penetrating the zone and, instead, settled for 3-pointers. More than a third of Memphis’ shots came from behind the arc. The fact that they went 4-of-20 didn’t help matters.

Rebounding continues to be an issue for Memphis. Part of the problem is with Tarik Black. This is the second game in a row in which Black picked up his second foul in under two minutes. He’s going to need to play much smarter if the Tigers are going to have the season they are hoping for.

The final problem is discipline. Memphis can out-athlete many opponents, but when they play a well-coached opponent with talent, they need to rely on fundamentals and proper execution. Will Barton is an excellent example of the Tigers lack of discipline. He might have been the most talented player on the court today, but he was also the most frustrating. He forces the issue and takes circus shots. When he learns to play within the offense, the Tigers will be a much more formidable opponent.

Losing to a team as highly ranked as Michigan does not mean Memphis will not put together a good season. Unfortunately, it will have major implications on seeding come tournament time in March. Losing to Michigan means Memphis will be playing Tennessee instead of Duke in the next round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational. The chances of the Tigers facing another ranked opponent in Maui is very slim.

UAB off to a rough start

UAB has dropped its first two home games this season. The Blazers’ first loss was to the Creighton Bluejays, 70-60. Three Blazers scored in double digits. Ovie Soko had 10, while Jordan Swing and Jekore Tyler both had 14.

The second loss came at the hands of Murray State, 62-55. Cameron Moore recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Soko chipped in with nine rebounds and 10 assists. No other UAB players scored or rebounded in double digits.

One of the Blazers’ biggest problems has been 3-point shooting. Over two games, UAB is shooting 22.6 percent from behind the arc. This must change as 3-pointers account for 30 percent of the shots they take.

Turnovers have also been an issue. Against Creighton, the Blazers had 18 turnovers. They didn’t fare much better against Murray State, recording 14.

These issues must be addressed quickly. UAB still has a chance to put together a good season, but the Blazers are going to have play at a much higher level.

Memphis Tigers’ Big 3 put in work against Belmont

Memphis topped a Belmont team that lost to Duke at Cameron Indoor by one point four days earlier. The final seconds were not as tense for Memphis, as they won 97-81. The victory was due in large part to three players: Will Barton, Wesley Witherspoon and Joe Jackson. The three combined for 65 points.

Barton was the leading scorer for Memphis with 23 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. He did force the issue at times, going 7-of-12 from the field and 0-of-4 from behind the 3-point line. Still, it’s hard to deny his talent. Barton can make shots that seem to have no chance of going in.

Witherspoon put his versatility on display against Belmont. He was the second-leading scorer with 22 points, tied for most rebounds with five and had two steals. His shot selection was superb. Witherspoon made 8-of-8 field goals, including 3-of-3 3-pointers. The only thing he did poorly was shoot free throws and a grab a poorly timed flagrant foul.

Jackson looked much better than he did most of last season. He had 20 points, four rebounds, seven assists and only two turnovers. He can blow by defenders at will, and he seems to have figured out what to do once he gets past them.

Barton has always been a good player, albeit a bit too flashy at times. If Witherspoon and Jackson can continue to play like they did against Belmont, Memphis will stay in the Top 10 all year.

2011-12 Conference USA Preview

Conference USA returns all of its coaches from last season, but it’s losing a lot of very talented players. Memphis is lucky to retain everyone from last year except Will Coleman. If they play like the Tigers did in the conference tournament, they will have no problem dominating the conference.

If there is one team that can give Memphis a run for its money, it’s Marshall. Marshall guards Damien Pitts, Shaquille Johnson and DeAndre Kane will be a scary match up for any C-USA foe.

UCF has the talent and UAB has the coaching to make some noise, but after that, the talent drop-off is remarkable. Don’t expect to see the same in-conference parity that we saw last year. … Continue Reading

UTEP Takes Steps Forward in Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The way the game started, plenty of people wondered what was going on. By the end of the game, it was clear that UTEP had taken steps forward in their 65-56 win over Michigan in the consolation game of the Legends Classic.

Reigning Conference USA Player of the Year Randy Culpepper started the game on the bench for UTEP. He entered the game just over six minutes in and didn’t sit much the rest of the way, and looked like himself for much of it by scoring a game-high 24 points on 10-16 shooting in 30 minutes. He helped the Miners shoot 61.5 percent from the field in the second half while holding Michigan to 25 percent. … Continue Reading

Giving Thanks to Hoops!

Bracket Breakdown: Mock Tournament 10.0

In mere hours, the selection committee will lift the mystery on the 2010 NCAA Tournament, unleashing bracket madness throughout the country.

As Selection Sunday arrives, the Mock Tournament has once again undergone significant changes. We have a new No. 1 seed, West Virginia, and fewer major conference bubble teams thanks to upset victories by Houston and New Mexico State. UTEP and Utah State take two at-large bids, turning the Conference USA and WAC into two-bid conferences.

The bubble could contract further today if Mississippi State wins the SEC championship. Today’s action could produce other changes to the brackets.

• Temple and Richmond could swap spots as No. 4 and No. 5 seeds if the Spiders beat the Owls.
• Florida would be the first team out if the Bulldogs win.

We have only four more games to go before all automatic bids are accounted for. Enjoy the games, and check back later to see how closely the Mock Tournament comes to predicting the field.

Here are the latest brackets and links to previous projections.

• Mock Tournament 9.0
• Mock Tournament 8.0
• Mock Tournament 7.0
• Mock Tournament 6.0
• Mock Tournament 5.0
• Mock Tournament 4.0
• Mock Tournament 3.0
• Mock Tournament 2.0
• Mock Tournament 1.0

Teams in bold have won an automatic bid.

Why You Need to Watch the Conference USA Tournament

For the Conference USA, Selection Sunday will be stressful regardless of which team wins the conference tournament and automatic bid.

UTEP enters the conference tournament on a 14-game winning streak and has not lost since dropping its only Conference USA game of the season at Houston Jan. 13. Despite a strong 24-5 record, the Miners have only three wins against the RPI top 50 — two against No. 40 UAB and one against No. 46 Memphis. The Miners cannot afford to lose in the quarterfinals against SMU or Central Florida. For UTEP to feel secure about its at-large chances, the Miners probably need to make it to the championship game.

Although the conference tournament favorite has more work to do, the No. 2 seed, UAB, might be in better position to earn an at-large bid if needed. The Blazers hope that the selection committee values its 23 wins, which include a home win against Butler, one of the RPI top 25 teams. UAB has 11 wins on the road or at neutral sites, and two more in the Conference USA tournament might be enough to book the Blazers a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Memphis is in a similar position as UTEP with a gaudy record but few quality wins. The Tigers are 23-8 and have two wins against the RPI top 50 — but both of those came against UAB. Memphis came close to knocking off Kansas and Tennessee, but the Tigers came up short. And if they don’t win the automatic bid, their run toward an NCAA Tournament bid might likewise fall short.

The biggest wild card in the Conference USA tournament is Tulsa, which is hosting the tournament. Tulsa has lost only twice at home this season, but the Golden Hurricane has no wins against the top three teams in the conference. If Tulsa wants to live up to its lofty preseason expectations, the Golden Hurricane will need to knock off Rice and Marshall before likely facing UTEP in the semifinals and either Memphis or UAB in the championship game. It’s not inconceivable for the home team to win four games in four days, but it’s a lot to ask for a team that hasn’t posted more than two straight wins since mid-January.

Another sleeper to win the conference championship is Marshall. The Thundering Herd have received less press coverage than UTEP, UAB and Memphis. Besides a five-game losing streak in the middle of conference play, Marshall went 23-3 to start and end the season. Despite the record, Marshall lacks any quality wins and is not a viable at-large candidate. But the Thundering Herd have one of the most dominant defensive players in the nation in Hassan Whiteside, who averages 5.4 blocks per game. He adds 13.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game to give the Thundering Herd a bona fide game-changer.

The Conference USA figures to place two teams in the NCAA Tournament if the favorites take care of business and reach the conference championship game. If a team seeded six or lower reaches the championship, the conference might slip back to being a one-bid conference yet again.

Halftime Adjustment Makes Difference For Seton Hall

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – For the Seton Hall women, it was a simple halftime adjustment after the Hall trailed Marshall 33-30 at the half.

“They ran their flex, posted up and had their way with our man to man,” Seton Hall coach Phyllis Mangina said. “So at the half we decided to go to 2-3 zone and trapped a little out of it.”

The simple adjustment worked. The Hall dominated the final twenty minutes and defeated Marshall of Conference USA 73-52 on Saturday at Walsh Gym. The second half of the contest saw Marshall score 19 points. The inside game was shut down and the perimeter shots didn’t fall. A close contest turned into a rout.

“I think our first six games we zoned about 13 seconds,” Mangina said, “so they probably only got to prepare against our man-to-man.”

The Hall made another simple adjustment: they relaxed. They had more turnovers (16) than field goals (12) the first half. “Coach just told us to just settle down and play our game,” Nicole Emery said. “She said we’re at home don’t panic and come out hard on defense.”

Emery, a junior swingman, played a major part in the victory. While Ebonie Williams, an outstanding sophomore guard, struggled with an uncharacteristic 1-of-7 shooting night, Emery took up the slack. She scored a game-high 18 points while grabbing four rebounds.

Chantelle Handy and Alyssa Hammond combined for 14 first half points for Marshall, with virtually all coming in the paint. In the second half the pair combined for seven points and their teammates could not take up the slack. Hammond led Marshall with 11 points and Handy added 10.

Seton Hall had nice balance with Candace Green scoring 18 points and adding six rebounds. Noteisha Womack, the Pirates’ prime inside threat, added a dozen points and boards.

The loss dropped Marshall to 5-2 while the Hall improved to 5-1, the lone loss a two point decision at San Diego.

“We are playing a lot of teams with different styles to get us ready for the Big East,” Mangina said. Already the Pirates have faced the likes of Rider, UMBC, Wagner, Marshall and were set to entertain Colorado of the Big Twelve on Tuesday. “(Pre-conference) is not about going out and playing teams you can smack,” Mangina said. “We want to face teams that can get us ready for the conference. I think we can be pretty good.”

Said Emery of holding Marshall to 19 second-half points: “We came out with more energy. We had fun.”

Conference USA Preview

Conference USA 2007-08 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

When the subject is Conference USA basketball, the discussion invariably centers around Memphis, and with good reason. Everyone in the conference is chasing the Tigers, fresh off consecutive Elite Eight appearances and now being talked about as a serious national title contender this season. The Tigers ran the table last season and could certainly do it again this year.

It’s not entirely a bad thing that the schools are all chasing Memphis. That gives each school all the incentive in the world to get better, and we’ve seen many cases where a conference has a dominant team and gets better over time because other schools that are chasing the dominant team get progressively better. The Patriot League is a good recent example, as teams have been chasing Bucknell and Holy Cross, and in the process the league got better. That appears to be happening here as well, although the measuring sticks often applied – number of teams in the NCAA Tournament or NIT – won’t reflect that just yet, much to the chagrin of John Calipari as he campaigns for the conference regularly.

Who will chase Memphis the best this season? A couple of familiar faces seem likely. Houston will have a senior-laden team that will once again play at the fast pace that Tom Penders likes, and the backcourt of a healthy Lanny Smith and Robert McKiver will be a good start towards that end. UCF is fresh off a nice 22-win season, and Kirk Speraw has that program set to contend for the foreseeable future and without having had a major issue adjusting to its jump from the Atlantic Sun. And UAB has an influx of talent with several transfers now eligible, although there are some questions surrounding a couple of the more talented ones.

They aren’t the only teams to keep an eye on besides Memphis. Tulane is coming along after being one of several schools devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Tulsa could be primed for another nice year as Doug Wojcik’s rebuilding work takes shape, although few will probably notice outside of Oklahoma. Marshall and UTEP appear to have better days ahead as well.

There is plenty of returning talent this season, which means it should certainly be a better year for the conference. Only one first team All-Conference member doesn’t return, and two second team and three third team members are back. There is good talent coming in as well, especially in the transfer ranks with UAB leading the way there.

Two schools changed coaches after last season. East Carolina reassigned Ricky Stokes in the summer after just two years, replacing him with former assistant Mack McCarthy, who has previous head coaching experience. Marshall let Ron Jirsa go and hired former Florida assistant Donnie Jones, marking a homecoming for the native of Point Pleasant, W.V. Jones has wasted little time injecting life into the program, and while they don’t project to contend this season, they look improved already and should have better years ahead.

Preseason Awards
Player of the Year: Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis
Top Newcomer: Derrick Rose, Memphis
Defensive Player of the Year: Joey Dorsey, Memphis
Coach on the Hot Seat: Willis Wilson, Rice
Best NBA Prospect: Derrick Rose, Memphis

All-Conference USA Team
Paul Delaney III, Sr. G, UAB
Joey Dorsey, Sr. C, Memphis
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Jr. G, Memphis
David Gomez, Sr. F, Tulane
Robert McKiver, Sr. G, Houston

Memphis Tigers (33-4, 16-0 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Fr. G Derrick Rose
Jr. G Chris Douglas-Roberts (15.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.1 spg)
Jr. G-F Antonio Anderson (8.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.6 spg)
Jr. F Robert Dozier (9.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.5 bpg)
Sr. C Joey Dorsey (8.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 1.4 spg)
Schedule Highlights: Not only is the Tigers’ non-conference schedule loaded, it’s loaded with home games as they will leave home no more than four times. They open up as a regional host in the 2K Sports Classic, hosting Tennessee-Martin and either Maine or Richmond. Later home games include Ohio Valley favorite Austin Peay, Georgetown, Arizona, MAAC contender Siena, Gonzaga and in-state rival Tennessee. Away from home, they play USC in the Jimmy V Classic in New York and also travel to play former C-USA rival Cincinnati. In C-USA play, a stretch that stands out is a four-game homestand to start February.
Outlook: The Tigers are a national title contender as only one significant contributor from last season’s team returns, and they add Rose, classmate Jeff Robinson and Iowa State transfer Shawn Taggart. They go deep at every position, as Rose is capably backed up by Willie Kemp and senior Andre Allen, Douglas-Roberts and Anderson have Robinson and Doneal Mack behind them, and Dozier and Dorsey can give way to Taggart or Hashim Bailey without a huge drop-off. They also have clearly defined roles, with Rose running the show, Douglas-Roberts and Anderson as primary scorers and Anderson being their best defender outside the post, Dorsey doing the dirty work inside and Dozier scoring and rebounding. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Tigers ran the table in Conference USA again, and look for them to make a deep run in March.

Houston Cougars (18-15, 10-6 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Lanny Smith (redshirt)
Sr. G Robert McKiver (19.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G Marcus Malone (7.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Sr. F Dion Dowell (11.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
So. F Nick Mosley (2.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Cougars have a nice non-conference schedule that has them leaving home just twice. They will play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, first playing Colonial contender VCU and then either Marist or Miami, and later play at UMass. In between are eight straight home games that include MAC contender Toledo and Kentucky, and they finish the non-conference slate with Arizona at home.
Outlook: Although it would be a shock if they topped Memphis for the top spot, the Cougars have all the pieces to contend, starting with their four senior starters. Smith and McKiver will score plenty of points and help others score as well, while Malone is the complementary piece who benefits from them. They aren’t lacking depth with junior college transfer DeShaun Williams and freshman Brockeith Pane also available. Dowell can play inside and out, while Mosley should be seriously pushed by Seton Hall transfer Marcus Cousin. There isn’t great depth inside among the holdovers, as senior Tafari Toney and a couple of freshmen are likely next in line. The Cougars will need to be more efficient, as they were third in scoring but last in field goal percentage, and it wouldn’t hurt if they improved on defense after they allowed opponents to shoot a conference-high 43.5 percent from the floor, including 44.5 percent in C-USA games.

UCF Knights (22-9, 11-5 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Mike O’Donnell (10.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.5 spg)
Sr. G Dave Noel (9.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.2 spg)
Jr. G Jermaine Taylor (12.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.5 apg)
So. F Tony Davis (2.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Jr. F-C Kendrick Zondervan (3.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Home games against Connecticut, Mississippi and Nevada, as well as the UCF Holiday Classic, highlight a non-conference schedule that features just three true road games. None of the road games is a walk, as they head to USF, Nevada and Southland contender Sam Houston State. They will also participate in the Old Spice Classic not far from home, where they open with Villanova. In C-USA play, they play Memphis only on the road.
Outlook: Kirk Speraw has the Knights poised to be a regular contender in Conference USA, as they lose two of their top three scorers (who were also their two best rebounders) but should still be among the top teams. Taylor becomes the go-to guy on this perimeter-oriented team, with O’Donnell being an underrated point guard and Noel another ball handler who can score. There is good depth with senior Chip Cartwright and freshman shooter Chris Baez among the reserves. Davis showed some promise last season and Zondervan needs to improve now that he’ll have to handle more of the rebounding load, while senior big man Stanley Billings is also in the mix and in October, former forward Will Bakanowsky was granted another year of eligibility. Bakanowsky last played in 2005, so how good he will be is an open question. Cordell Pope is a nice pickup for them and could get good minutes right away. If the Knights can repeat their good shooting from last season, when they led the conference in field goal percentage and three-point percentage, they will have a chance for second place.

UAB Blazers (15-16, 7-9 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Paul Delaney III (15.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.9 spg)
Jr. G Robert Vaden (transfer from Indiana)
Jr. F Lawrence Kinnard (13.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. F Frank Holmes (6.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
So. C Jeremy Mayfield (4.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Seven home games highlight a challenge non-conference schedule. Highlighting the home slate are games against Ohio Valley contender Eastern Kentucky, Cincinnati and Colonial contender Old Dominion. The Blazers will participate early in the inaugural Glenn Wilkes Basketball Classic, hosting Stetson before traveling to Daytona Beach for three games against Florida State, Southern contender Georgia Southern and Atlantic 10 contender Rhode Island. In December, they have three challenging road games in a row: USF, Kentucky at Freedom Hall in Louisville, and Wichita State. In C-USA play, mid-February brings with a tough two straight at home: Memphis and Houston.
Outlook: Mike Davis has put together a good deal of talent in his second season at the helm, as three starters return and three transfers are now eligible and ready to play major minutes. Delaney can score and pass as well as many point guards, while Vaden will give them another scorer and Georgia transfer Channing Toney and junior college transfer Ed Berrios will also be in the mix for major minutes. The coach’s son, Mike Davis, Jr., started four games last season but will likely drop a little on the depth chart this year, and freshman Aaron Johnson is another option off the bench at point guard. Kinnard leads the way on the wing and led the team in rebounding last season, and at times Vaden could shift there to back him up while they go a little smaller. Holmes is a solid role player inside and Mayfield showed flashes of potential as a freshman, and Mississippi State transfer Walter Sharpe has plenty of talent and could start. If he can play to his talent, Sharpe could be an All-C-USA player. Freshman Keenan Ellis is very long and athletic, and has a world of potential if he can keep his head on straight (he was arrested at a night club in September). There are only two seniors on the roster and a number of talented newcomers, meaning the biggest challenge will be managing the players to get the most out of this group.

Tulane Green Wave (17-13, 9-7 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
So. G Kevin Sims (10.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.1 spg)
Sr. G Matt Wheaton (4.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. F David Gomez (13.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.4 bpg)
Jr. F Daniel Puckett (7.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Jr. F Robinson Louisme (6.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: Seven home games and a neutral site game against LSU highlight the non-conference schedule, which also includes a trip to Hawaii for the Rainbow Classic. The toughest home games look to be against Auburn and Indiana State, while the toughest road game will be at Syracuse.
Outlook: The Green Wave’s success last season was a nice story in light of the university being decimated a year earlier by Hurricane Katrina. Their 17 wins was the most since 1999-2000, with 11 of them coming at home, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them top that this season as Dave Dickerson continues to move the program forward in his third season. Gomez leads the way as a do-everything player, while Puckett came along nicely and Louisme is the presence player inside. Senior Donnie Stith is a key off the bench and has started a few games in his career. Sims stabilized the point guard spot last season and should only get better, as he can score, shoot and pass the ball well. Wheaton is the incumbent at shooting guard, with little experience behind him. Cutting down on their 15 turnovers per game from last season is one area for improvement, while there isn’t much concern defensively based on last season, as opponents shot just over 39 percent against them.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane (20-11, 9-7 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Brett McDade (6.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.7 apg)
Sr. G Rod Earls (11.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg)
So. G Ben Uzoh (9.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. F Calvin Walls (5.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Jr. C Sam Mitchell (4.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: A five-game homestand in December highlights seven home games on the non-conference schedule. The Golden Hurricane open the season in the CBE Classic against MEAC contender Hampton and possibly host Maryland. They later head across town to play Summit League contender Oral Roberts and across the state to play at Oklahoma before coming home for five straight. Charlotte is the highlight of the homestand, and after that they head to Colorado. In late February, they host Presbyterian in their last non-conference game.
Outlook: If there is a team that flew under the radar even by the conference standards last season, it was the Golden Hurricane in their 20-win season. They have seven players back who started at least ten games last season, so while they have just three seniors and eight freshmen and sophomores, they aren’t entirely lacking in experience. A senior backcourt is never a bad place to start, and they have that with McDade and Earls, the latter of whom led the team in scoring last season and should increase his output. Uzoh quietly led the team in rebounding and should jump into double digits in scoring. Mark Hill and Ray Reese will be the primary reserves, with the former having started ten games last season. The frontcourt doesn’t have players with great numbers, but Walls and Mitchell are serviceable and 7-foot sophomore Jerome Jordan started ten games as well. Tulsa was the best defensive team in the conference last season as they led in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense and tied for the top rebounding margin. The big area for improvement is cutting down on their more than 16 turnovers per game.

Marshall Thundering Herd (13-19, 7-9 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Pierre Marie Altidor Cespedes (transfer from Gonzaga)
Sr. G Mark Dorris (13.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.4 spg)
Jr. F Markel Humphrey (14.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.4 apg)
So. F Tyler Wilkerson (2.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Sr. F-C Jean Francois Bro Grebe (4.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference schedule is manageable, with just three road games and a few challenges mixed in. The last of three straight home games to open the season is against America East favorite Boston University, and they later host Big South favorite Winthrop. The three road games are at Wright State, East Tennessee (completing an in-season home-and-home) and Louisville. In C-USA play, they lucked out in getting Memphis at home only, and in late February they have a three-game homestand.
Outlook: New head coach Donnie Jones has quickly injected a great deal of life into the program, and there should be some immediate results. The Thundering Herd won’t contend right away, but they should be very competitive and interest in the program should be on the rise. Cespedes should start right away at the point, and he’ll have excellent scorers to get the ball to in Dorris and Humphrey, the latter of whom will be a serious first team All-C-USA candidate and is also the team’s top rebounder. Junior Darryl Merthie will be one of the main reserves in the backcourt. The frontcourt isn’t deep, and don’t be surprised if seven-footer Robbie Jackson works his way into the starting lineup, and active freshman Tirrell Baines should get good minutes right away as at least an energy guy off the bench. The Thundering Herd has good years ahead as Jones gets things going, but this season should show a good taste of what is to come.

UTEP Miners (14-17, 6-10 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Marvin Kilgore (8.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Jr. G Stefon Jackson (18.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg)
Sr. G Darren Clarke (7.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
Sr. F Victor Ramalho (4.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Sr. C Jeremy Sampson (4.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference schedule is highlighted by an appearance in the NIT Season Tip-Off, where they open with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and then play either Summit League contender Oral Roberts or Texas A&M (host). Seven home games are on tap, including half of in-season home-and-homes with New Mexico State and Texas Southern and a meeting with New Mexico. Among the other road games in non-conference are UNLV and Texas Tech. The Miners get no breaks in C-USA play, as they get Memphis and UCF both on the road only and East Carolina at home only.
Outlook: The Miners didn’t quite duplicate the success of prior seasons, but Tony Barbee’s second season at the helm looks like it will be a good improvement as he has a solid veteran cast with a year in his system. The backcourt of Kilgore and Jackson is a good starting point, with Jackson being a candidate to be a first team all-conference. Although Clarke is the incumbent on the wing, he’ll be pushed by newcomers such as freshman Julyan Stone, Manuel Cass and Gabriel McCulley. Ramalho and Sampson are the incumbents inside, and both will need to improve to keep their jobs as there is a good deal of size among the newcomers. Three stand 6’9″ or taller and all could get good minutes right away. The Miners were out-rebounded in conference games last season and allowed more points than any other team, so defense is one area for improvement. Another is cutting down on their 16 turnovers per game last season.

Southern Miss Golden Eagles (20-11, 9-7 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
So. G Jeremy Wise (17.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.0 apg)
Jr. G Courtney Beasley (9.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.1 spg)
So. G-F Sai’Quon Stone (10.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.2 spg)
So. F Andre Stephens (4.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
Sr. C Gijo Bain (3.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference schedule is a little more challenging this time around, although the toughest games are by far on the road as only two of their six home games are against Division I teams (Alabama State and McNeese State). The road games of note are at California, Alabama and Mississippi, and they will also play in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic.
Outlook: Larry Eustachy has continued to improve the talent base, and although this team is still fairly young (just two seniors two juniors), they return four starters and could be a sleeper team. The top eight scorers and rebounders return, led by the sophomore duo of Wise and Stone as they came in and were immediate impact players for them. Beasley has been a two-year starter, and there are plenty of talented guards behind them from junior Craig Craft and sophomore Jarvis Hill to freshmen Kevin Branch, R.L. Horton and Wayne Turner. It wouldn’t be a major surprise if Branch starts before the season is over. They aren’t lacking for supporting bodies inside, either, as Bain anchors the post with Stephens and senior Demar Dotson. There isn’t much experience behind them, but freshman Gustavo Lino adds size with his seven-foot frame and classmate Brandon Cooks adds depth as well. The Golden Eagles quietly had the best rebounding margin in the conference last season, but a lot of that came in non-conference play. The biggest area for concern is taking care of the ball, as no regular had more assists than turnovers.

SMU Mustangs (14-17, 3-13 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Jon Killen (8.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.7 spg)
Sr. G Derrick Roberts (8.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.2 apg)
So. F Cameron Spencer (1.4 rpg)
Fr. F Papa Dia
Jr. C Bamba Fall (7.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.5 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference slate is clearly designed to get this team some wins, as the Mustangs will leave home just three times and have mostly winnable games. They open up by hosting the SMU Tip-Off Classic and later host the SMU Holiday Classic. The toughest home game looks to be against TCU, while the road games include Dayton and Colorado.
Outlook: There is a new look in Dallas this year, as the Mustangs begin the season by opening a new practice facility and will also have a new look to the floor at Moody Coliseum. The senior backcourt of Killen and Roberts is a good one for Matt Doherty to build around in his second season, and as the only returning starters they’ll be the leaders on a team with seven talented newcomers. Three of the newcomers, freshmen Mike Walker, Ryan Harp and Bennie Rhodes, figure to be among the key reserves. Fall is the only other returnee who started at least 10 games last season, and he improved to become an enforcer inside. The forward spots are up for grabs, with Spencer as the best holdover and players like little-used senior Paulius Ritter and freshmen Dia, Alex Malone, Robert Nyakundi and Tomasz Kwiatkowski all competing for the second spot and minutes off the bench. Dia has a big, mature body and played in an elite prep school league last year. The Mustangs made a big jump in RPI last year, and to duplicate that they’ll need to improve defensively, as they allowed C-USA opponents to shoot over 45 percent from the field.

Rice Owls (16-16, 8-8 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
So. G Chris Hagan (5.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 spg)
Jr. G Rodney Foster (4.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Jr. G Cory Pflieger (6.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. F Patrick Britton (5.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
Sr. F Paulius Packevicius (3.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: A very challenging non-conference schedule has five home games, highlighted by Texas and the second game of an in-season home-and-home with TCU. The Owls will be in the Hawkeye Challenge and have road games at Southland favorite Lamar, then Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma to close it out.
Outlook: No player meant more to his team than Morris Almond did to Rice last season. The nation’s second-leading scorer accounted for over 33 percent of his team’s points last season and has finished his career. Two other starters are gone, both of whom were next in scoring behind Almond and one of them, Lorenzo Williams, was among the conference leaders in assists. The Owls now must make do with a team that has just two seniors and not a lot of proven scoring punch. Hagan showed some promise last season running the team, starting 17 games along the way, while Pflieger is the top returning scorer and deadly from long range. Foster tended to take three-point shots, and while he shot it reasonably well from there he didn’t shoot well overall. There isn’t much depth there, as sophomore Lawrence Ghoram played limited minutes and freshman Jasen Williams is the only other guard on the roster. Britton and Packevicius will be counted on to score more inside with the lack of proven scorers, having already shown they can rebound while needing to do more in that category as well as the Owls were already out-rebounded last season. Junior Aleks Perka is next in line, then two freshmen. The lack of scoring means the Owls absolutely must improve defensively if they are to win games, as opponents shot over 43 percent against them last year and only one Conference USA team was worse in that category.

East Carolina Pirates (6-24, 1-15 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Darrell Jenkins (12.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.5 apg)
Sr. G Cory Farmer (6.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.1 spg)
Jr. G Sam Hinnant (4.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg in 14 games)
So. F Gabe Blair (5.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg)
So. F John Fields (9.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.9 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference schedule has a couple of challenges but is certainly manageable, as the Pirates will leave home just twice: at USF and against George Mason (BB&T Classic) in Washington, D.C. The toughest home games will be against Clemson, North Carolina State and an improved UNC Wilmington team.
Outlook: After two seasons of struggle, Ricky Stokes was let go in favor of Mack McCarthy, who had success a few years back at Tennessee-Chattanooga. He inherits a team that returns most of its players and isn’t an old team as just six of 15 are juniors or seniors. Two of the seniors are in the backcourt, with Jenkins back after leading the conference in assists and Farmer to be his main complement. Hinnant played in just 14 games due to injury, and don’t be surprised if talented freshman Jamar Abrams supplants one of the wings in the starting lineup. Freshman Brock Young is the point guard of the future and should get good minutes backing up Jenkins. Fields and Blair are capable inside players who will be backed up mainly by freshmen.

Conference Outlook

It should be another season of chasing Memphis, although that chase is likely to prove futile as the Tigers simply have too much for everyone else. The battle for second place should be interesting, with Houston, UCF and UAB looking like the best bets. The Cougars have some veterans and will score points, while the Knights have veterans in the backcourt and the Blazers get a big influx of talent.

The teams picked in the middle will be worth watching as well, each with questions. Will Tulane keep up its progress after last season? Will Tulsa continue to quietly put up good seasons en route to contending? How fast will Donnie Jones make Marshall competitive?

The conference certainly appears to be improving as a whole. Add the improving teams to the solid nucleus of individual talent that returns, and 2007-08 looks to be a good year for Conference USA.

C-USA Championship Recap

Conference USA Championship Recap

by Ryan Westin

No. 1 Memphis 71, No. 3 Houston 59

Day four from the FedEx Forum in Memphis brought a solid effort from Houston against the heavily-favored Memphis Tigers. The Cougars were able to play toe-to-toe with the Tigers for 38 minutes, but it was the last two minutes of the first half that they faltered that lost the game.

In the first half, it looked as though Houston was actually going to be able end the first twenty minutes with a chance of making it a game in the second half. Memphis was down for most of the first half after the Cougars were able to shoot the lights out to start the game. Memphis struggled from the field and the crowd drew restless with Memphis’ struggle. Where was their potent run that had put away so many foes on that court?

Well with two minutes left in the first stanza, Memphis showed the nation and the crowd what Memphis basketball is all about, causing three turnovers on Houston’s last three possessions and converted all four of their shots to put yet another contender away before they went to the lockers at the break. Memphis took a one-point lead and turned it into an 11-point cushion, one they were able to rest on the final twenty minutes.

Notes

• Memphis is hottest team coming into the tournament winning with nation’s longest winning-streak at 22 wins. They are the first squad to run the table in the conference and win the title in Conference USA’s 12-year history. It was the Tigers’ second consecutive conference tournament championship.
• What does it take to be number one? Well, John Calipari believes his squad has done what it takes to be a No. 1 seed for the big dance. Only time will tell if the Tigers pick up a one seed or if they passed and given a two or three. Memphis is 30-3 on the season, but has lacked the big wins and attention that other squads have picked up during this season.
• Houston head coach Tom Penders, a household name of the NCAA Tournament, will be like the rest of America this March in watching the big dance on TV.
• Robert McKiver, who led the Cougars to the championship game with his amazing game from beyond the perimeter, was held to seven points in the loss. McKiver was at a little bit of a disadvantage as Chris Douglas-Roberts, who is 6 inches taller, held him scoreless from beyond the perimeter with a season-low three attempts from downtown.

C-USA Semifinal Recaps

Conference USA Tournament Semifinal Recap

by Ryan Westin

No. 1 Memphis 71, No. 4 Tulane 49

Day three of the Conference USA tournament brought about the semifinals at the FedEx Forum and looked eerily similar to day two as Memphis absolutely pummeled Tulane in the first twenty minutes of contest in yet another impressive first half effort. The Tigers held David Gomez (Tulane’s leader in scoring and rebounds) scoreless, with his most significant statistical contribution being 3 boards.

It will be interesting to see this squad play a higher-seeded team in the big dance and see whether Memphis is really that good or if the competition they have been playing is that bad. The Tigers’ are a different team in the FedEx Forum, but seem to be mortal when the play outside the friendly confines of Memphis.

Tom Penders’ Houston Cougars should note before their date with destiny tomorrow that the Tigers can be beat at home. Look at when Southern Miss took the Tigers down to the wire before losing by three in late January. There are two keys to beating the Tigers home: you need a solid guard and need to limit Memphis’ ability to put up a run. Southern Miss had one of these in Conference USA Freshman of the Year Jeremy Wise, who put up 25 against the Tigers in January. Southern Miss was not able to contain Memphis as they went on an 8-0 run late in the game to hold on for the victory.

No. 3 Houston 77, No. 7 Rice 62

Houston has one of the best guards in the conference in Robert McKiver, who led his team to victory over Rice with 25 points. Houston was able to hold off Rice after boasting a double-digit lead in the second half and was able to coast to the championship game after McKiver and the Cougars combined for six three-pointers in the second half.

There is a little jingle that goes “sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.” Well, after Morris Almond was able to dominate in the first two rounds of the tournament with two 30-plus point performances, he was the one that was dominated today as he was held to three points in the first half and 11 for the game in the losing effort to Houston.

The key to tomorrow’s championship game will be if Houston can limit Memphis’ first half run that has put their past two opponents away before heading to the lockers at the break. If Houston is unable to slow down the Tigers in the first half when they get on a run, not if they get on a run, it will be a very, very long day for Cougar Nation.

Notes

• It’s the holiday season. Well, not really, but Memphis has not lost since before Christmas when they lost Arizona on the road. From the looks of it, Memphis will definitely not lose before St. Patrick’s day, as the Tigers look more destined to play after April Fools day in the national championship game on April 2nd.
• In order to defeat Memphis, a team will need to play a nearly perfect forty minutes on the hardwood. Tulane started out doing just that, shooting 7-13 from the floor early on. Things went downhill from then on as the Green Wave shot a dismal 10-45 the remainder of the contest.
• Former NBA head coach Larry Brown was in attendance during the Memphis game to watch former colleague John Calipari coach the Tigers’ to the victory.
• Another NBA name made an appearance at the FedEx Forum was a McGrady making a brief appearance. No, not T-Mac, but his cousin Chance McGrady saw two minutes of action for Memphis in the closing minutes of the contest for his ninth appearance of the year. McGrady has one point on the season, which ironically came in Memphis’ blowout of Tulane earlier this season.
• Rice was able to come from behind in the second half of their first two matchups of the tournament, but looked like the comeback efforts had worn the Owls out, as they were flat and looked like out of gas in the second half as Houston beat them to a pulp.

Saturday, March 10
Conference USA Basketball Championship Game, 11:35 A.M. EST on CBS
No. 1 Memphis vs. No. 3 Houston

C-USA Quarterfinal Recaps

Conference USA Tournament Quarterfinal Recap

by Ryan Westin

No. 1 Memphis 92, No. 8 Marshall 71

Day two of the Conference USA tournament started out and ended with what March madness is all about as three contests were decided by a three point shot as time dwindled down. Top seeded Memphis was able to cruise to an easy victory as head coach John Calipari’s Tigers played with such intensity you would have thought that they were not a lock for the big dance. Memphis put on a show in the first half with 52 points and coasted to the semifinals in second round’s only blowout.

No. 7 Rice 53, No. 2 UCF 51

Rice’s Morris Almond showed why he is the Conference USA POY taking over the in the second half in their victory to upset No. 2 UCF. Rice head coach Willis Wilson put the game in Almond’s hands when they were down by one for the last shot and boy did he deliver with a heartbreaking fade away three with 2.8 ticks left in the contest to give the Owls their second come from behind victory in the tournament in as many days. Almond is the real deal and he proved with his 30 points today and 31 yesterday.

No. 3 Houston 62, No. 6 Southern Miss 59

The first half of the Southern Miss Houston game looked as though it was a high school game with sloppy play by both squads and many off balance shots. The two teams combined for a mere 42 points in the first stanza. Houston guard Robert McKiver then got the action filled second half going knocking down some threes and buried Southern Miss with ten unanswered who looked like the same prep squad from the first twenty minutes of action.

Something sparked the young Southern Miss squad as they brought their “A” game down the stretch after a dismal start. The Golden Eagles would take the lead but were unable to hold on after an equalizing prayer at the buzzer hit the front of the rim to hand the Cougars a ticket to the semifinals against a Rice squad that looks to be able to knock off any one in their way.

No. 4 Tulane 58, No. 5 Tulsa 56

The final game of the day came down to yet another last shot opportunity to go on to the semifinals. Ramsdell drove down the court as the clock ticked down and was unable to get off what would of been the game winning three as Tulane was able to avoid a repeat of their match up earlier this year that was decided by a game winning three by Rod Earls with 2 seconds to go in the contest at Tulane.

Second Round Notes

• With Tulane up three and the shot clock off, Tulsa was forced to foul late in the second half. The scoreboard read nine fouls but the official on the floor called for the double bonus. After Tulane missed the front end of the of the bonus, officials conferred and realized that it was Tulsa’s ninth foul and ruled for a jump ball which put the ball back in Tulane’s hand on the alternating position rule. Tulane would convert their two free throws after being fouled on the inbound pass and go up five. Ramsdell knocked down a deep three to cut the lead to two. Tulane missed both free throws but Tulsa lost by two points as they could not overcome the officiating error down the stretch.
• Five of the eight games in the first and second round of the tournament have been decided by three or less points.
• Memphis extended their home winning streak to 30 games dating back to a loss to Texas in 2006.
• The victor of the second semifinal tomorrow will have approximately 14 hours between the buzzer of that contest and the tip off of the championship game on Saturday which starts at 10:30 am CST.
• C-USA coach of the year Kirk Speraw’s contract is up at the end of the season and at this time his future with the Knights is questionable with no extension or answer about Speraw’s status from AD Keith Tribble. Speraw has led UCF to four twenty win seasons in the last five years as well as two appearances with in that span.

Friday, March 9
No. 1 Memphis vs. No. 4 Tulane, 4:30 pm
No. 7 Rice vs. No. 3 Houston, 7 pm

C-USA Opening Round Recaps

Conference USA Tournament Opening Round

by Ryan Westin

The first round of Conference USA tournament action is complete and surprisingly brought no upsets in the four contests. The first round did bring three close contests, two of which were of the come-from-behind variety by Rice and Marshall. Rice was down by 11 in the second half until Morris Almond took over the game on his way to 31 points.

The second round should be even more entertaining with the top four seeds seeing their first action in the tournament. Host and number one seed Memphis will take on eight seed Marshall in the night cap, while the action will get started with UCF and Rice going at it for the third time this season. Houston will look to avenge a recent loss to Southern Miss and Tulane looks to do the same to Tulsa.

This tournament is still up for the taking, although it would still take a solid forty minutes from a team to knock off the likes of Memphis. Last year, the top four squads took advantage of their first round bye and advanced to the semifinals. Do not expect the same outcome this year as this league is pretty level talent-wise compared with last year and should see at least one of the top four go home early.

Almond leads the Owls to a come-from-behind win to advance

Rice was able to come from behind and regain the lead in the final minutes of this shoot out to advance to the second round, defeating UTEP 77-74. Morris Almond was able to knock down a clutch three-pointer to give the Owls the lead deep into second half and advance the Owls to a match up tomorrow against two seed UCF. The Owls are 0-2 against the Golden Knights this season and are now 15-15 on the year overall.

Stefon Jackson, who finished the day with 17 points, was able to put UTEP on the board first with a jump shot one minute into the contest. Almond, the Conference USA Player of the Year, was able to answer with a jump shot of his own and three the next time down the court to give the Owls their first lead. Almond scored the first 7 points for the Owls on his way to 31 in the game.

UTEP would go on to score nine unanswered points over the next two minutes of action to regain the lead at 11-5.

The Miners would hold the lead until they went cold with just under twelve minutes remaining in the first half. Rice took advantage of the opportunity and went on a 12-2 run to go up by 5 with just over seven minutes to go, when UTEP’s Malik Alvin was able to knock down a three to end the Owls’ run. UTEP was able to knock down six 3-pointers (43 percent from the perimeter) in the first half, led by two apiece from Stefon Jackson and Kevin Henderson, to lead the Miners to a 39-37 lead at the break.

Almond was stellar in the first stanza with 12 points, including two field goals from downtown, and he also grabbed 4 rebounds.

Jackson would lead the Miners to in scoring at the half with 12 points on his way to 17 on the day, and like Almond he had 4 rebounds in the first stanza.

Coming into the second half, Rice was able to regain the lead after Rodney Foster nailed a three for his only points of the contest. Almond and Jackson were able to steal the show again, with a three by Almond tying the game back up and then Jackson taking the lead right back with another three.

Later, Jackson was able to boast the Miners’ lead to seven with a jumper, but this time Almond was there to answer with a bucket to cut the lead right back to five. Kevin Henderson knocked down a huge three-pointer, one of three for him in the game, followed by a lay-up by Maurice Thomas after Almond’s shot was rejected at the other end. That gave the Miners an eleven-point advantage after Thomas converted from the line after being fouled.

Jackson would pick up his third and fourth fouls within a minute of each other and was quickly on the bench. Rice would take advantage of Barbee’s decision and were able to cut the lead back down to a manageable four with just eight minutes remaining.

After the two squads swapped baskets for the next couple of minutes, Rice was not able to cut into the UTEP lead until Lorenzo Williams knocked down a three to put the Owls within two with just under four minutes to go. After a UTEP turnover, a three from Almond gave the Owls the lead back at 70-69.

Jackson fouled out on an offensive foul with 1:12 left in the contest, and after the two squads swapped out free throws the Owls had themselves a two-point lead and the ball with a minute to go.

Charles Belton was able to pick the right time to score his only bucket, a jump shot to put the Owls up four. UTEP guard Marvin Kilgore was there to answer with a quick layup to cut the lead to two. Belton was fouled and made one of two from the charity stripe to put the Owls up by three with 13 ticks in the contest remaining.

UTEP shot up two prayers in the last seven seconds to no avail as Rice would hold on to pick up the victory and a ticket to the second round tomorrow to take on two seed UCF.

Assistance: UTEP was able to dish out 18 assists on the day and had 12 assists at the break, led by Dale Vanwright with all six of his assists in the first half.

Almond Joy: After being named Conference USA Player of the Year this morning, Almond decided to celebrate the feat on the hardwood. He led the Owls with 31 points, 8 rebounds 3 blocks and one steal in the first round victory. 19 of those points came in the second stanza, helping the Owls’ comeback.

What’s Next For UTEP?: UTEP’s season is likely over as they are now 14-17 and will likely not be considered for the NIT. Today’s contest will be the last for senior Kevin Henderson.

Southern Miss holds off SMU in low scoring affair

Southern Miss was able to advance to the second round for the second year in a row as they defeated SMU, 59-52 in the first round of the conference tournament. The Golden Eagles now set their eyes on quarterfinal opponent Houston, the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Southern Miss improved to 20-10 on the year while the Mustangs end their season at 14-17.

Jeremy Wise had 15 points in the game for Southern Miss and was able to get the game started with two free throws and a layup to give them an early 8-2 advantage. Jarvis Hill led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 16 and came through big with eight rebounds as well.

Southern Miss started the game shooting 5-9 from the floor, but allowed SMU to tie the game at 14 after 5 turnovers by the Golden Eagles in the first five minutes of the contest.

Southern Miss would keep its hot hand as they eliminated the turnovers. The Golden Eagles would go on a 14-2 to boast their lead to 28-19 with seven minutes to go in the first half.

SMU was able to reduce Southern Miss’ advantage down to four despite some poor shooting in the first half. The Mustangs shot 18.2 percent from beyond the arc in the first half and were 4-8 from the line.

In the second half SMU was able to keep within striking distance. Southern Miss’ hot hand cooled off and allowed the Mustangs to wipe out the nine-point deficit they faced with 18 minutes to go as SMU fought back to with reduce the gap to three-point advantage.

Southern Miss again was able to build the lead back to 10, capped off by a three from Hill. SMU scored five unanswered to cut the lead to five, but that was as close as they would get a Southern Miss held on.

Southern Miss will now face Houston in the second round of the Conference USA tournament. The Cougars have their mind’s set to avenge a loss late in regular season to the Golden Eagles.

60 Minutes: Southern Miss has now held 14 of their opponents this season to less than 60 points and is a spectacular 12-2 in those matchups.

Coach of the Year: Both coaches in this contest were former AP coach of the year. Larry Eustachy earned his while at Iowa State in 2000 and Matt Doherty was able to follow in Eustachy’s footsteps in 2001 when he earned the honor at North Carolina.

20 minutes: Southern Miss has improved to 16-1 on the season when the Golden Eagles held the lead at the break. The lone loss came at UCF when the Golden Knights defeated Southern Miss with a late comeback.

Block Party: SMU was able to reject six shots in the contest with Devon Pearson, Ike Ofoegbu and Donatas Rackauskas each swatting two.

No. 8 Marshall 53, No. 9 UAB 52

The Thundering Herd must have a higher calling, as they were able to hold UAB after an “offensive” second half. Marshall’s big halftime lead was almost not enough until Markell Humphrey put in an easy lay-up with 24 seconds in the game to give Marshall a 53-52 victory over UAB.

Marshall will now advance to the second round to face No. 1 Memphis in front of the host’s hometown crowd, where the Tigers have a 29-game winning streak.

Marshall was able to dominate the Blazers in the first half, going up 38-24 at the break. The Thundering Herd went cold in the second half – real cold, as they were only able to knock down just five shots in the second half for a total of only 15 points.

That left the door wide open for the UAB to get back into what seemed to be a blowout. Blazer head coach Mike Davis was very disheartened by the loss and how UAB could not pull off the victory when Marshall went ice cold.

“It’s really frustrating, very, very frustrating to be in this situation.” Davis said after the loss.

With 5:08 left in the game, Marshall held an eight-point lead after Humphrey hit a jumper to put Marshall up 51-43. UAB went on a run, finished off with a layup by Paul Delaney, to take a one point lead with 29 seconds left. Marshall pushed it up the court for an easy lay-up by Humphrey to regain the lead and put the Thundering Herd on top 53-52.

Mike Davis, Jr.’s jumper would not fall and UAB put Marshall’s Mark Dorris on the line. He missed the bonus one-and-one, giving the Blazers one last shot. After a timeout by UAB, two ticks remained in the contest when Paul Delaney’s 12-foot jumper rimmed out to give Marshall the victory.

Marshall now must regroup in a hurry as they play top-seeded Memphis tomorrow night in front of Tiger Nation.

No. 5 Tulsa 65, No. 12 East Carolina 50

East Carolina was no match for the more talented Tulsa in a game that was never really in question. East Carolina was shown the door early in this contest, as they were down 13 at the break and never came back. Tulsa head coach Doug Wojcik was able to take advantage of the situation and rested up some of his squad. Only one of his players was on the court more than 25 minutes.

Tulsa has its sights set on winning against Tulane again tomorrow, but just not in the same fashion they did earlier this year when they needed a three pointer from Rod Earls with two ticks on the clock. Memphis head coach John Calipari has stated that all squads in the conference have put a bull’s-eye on Memphis, but forgot a slight technicality: Tulane wants to avenge that loss to Tulsa.

Look at how Tulane played before the matchup earlier this season and after. For some reason, Tulsa rubbed them the wrong way and Tulane has gone onto win seven of their last nine contests, falling only at Memphis and at Houston.

This quarterfinal matchup looks to be one of the best on day two and could go either way.

Conference USA Preview

Conference USA 2006-07 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

Conference USA prognosticators will generally agree on a couple of things entering the 2006-07 season, its second since the major changeover in membership. One is that Memphis is the pick to win. The other is that Morris Almond’s return to Rice after testing the NBA Draft waters was a big win for the conference. What the latter means is unclear, aside from it meaning that the Owls may have a shot at postseason play.

Even with Memphis, the picture isn’t clear. They are the favorites, to be sure, but with the heavy personnel losses and only role players from last year’s team remaining, the question is which players will step up and become stars to lead the way. The team has a lot of youth, as they will likely start four sophomores and a freshman, but there’s no denying the talent and athleticism.

The most likely contender, the Houston Cougars, are at a different end of the spectrum. They will likely start three seniors and a junior, though one of those seniors (Lanny Smith) will miss some time after off-season surgery. Another contender, UAB, lost some star power and has a new coach to adjust to as former Indiana head coach Mike Davis takes over for Mike Anderson, who took the head coaching job at Missouri.

Davis is one of three new coaches in the conference this season, and all three enter with some notoriety. SMU welcomes former North Carolina head coach Matt Doherty after one season at Florida Atlantic, while Tony Barbee makes the jump from being Memphis’ top assistant to the head coach at C-USA rival UTEP. Barbee is also the first African-American head coach at the school that first became famous when Don Haskins won the national championship in 1966 with a team that featured five African-Americans in the starting lineup. (At that time, the school was named Texas Western.)

One other thing that is clear is that a couple of teams at the bottom are in full-fledged rebuilding mode. There isn’t much veteran talent at either Southern Miss or East Carolina, the latter of whose roster was gutted during the off-season to start over. It will be a long season in both places, but the plan isn’t about this season.

Preseason Awards

Player of the Year: Morris Almond, Rice
Top Newcomer: Dion Dowell, Houston
Top Freshman: Jeremy Mayfield, UAB
Defensive Player of the Year: Bamba Fall, SMU
Primed to Break Out: Wen Mukubu, UAB

All-Conference USA Team
Morris Almond, Sr. G, Rice
Chris Douglas-Roberts, So. G, Memphis
Robert Dozier, So. F, Memphis
Oliver Lafayette, Sr. G, Houston
Wen Mukubu, Sr. G-F, UAB

Memphis (33-4, 13-1 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Fr. G Willie Kemp
So. G Chris Douglas-Roberts (8.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.5 apg)
So. G-F Antonio Anderson (7.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.5 spg)
So. F Robert Dozier (5.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
So. F Joey Dorsey (6.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.8 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: It’s another loaded schedule for the Tigers, starting with the EA Sports Maui Invitational, where they begin with Oklahoma. Later, they have Tennessee (road), Mississippi (home), Arizona (road), Cincinnati (home), and Gonzaga (road) in February. No part of the C-USA schedule looks especially daunting, although a late-season stretch with home games against Rice and Houston right after the Gonzaga game could challenge them.
Outlook: The Tigers suffered heavy personnel losses, but don’t feel sorry for John Calipari. They will likely start four sophomores that all have plenty of potential, with Douglas-Roberts looking like the best of them. Anderson will be a key on the perimeter as he can play multiple positions, while Kemp will likely start at the point and share the position with junior Andre Allen. Jeremy Hunt’s reinstatement gives them another guard with experience, while wing Doneal Mack should get a chance. Dozier should get better with more minutes this year, while Dorsey is what he is and will remain a presence inside. There is no shortage of size with mammoth big men Kareem Cooper and freshman Hashim Bailey; the former has already incurred a suspension. Freshman Pierre Niles also has some size at 6’8″ and 285 pounds and should be in the mix.
The non-conference schedule will give the freshmen a fast and furious introduction to Division I, and there’s plenty of talent to keep them atop the conference.

Houston (21-10, 9-5 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Lanny Smith (12.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.7 spg)
Sr. G Oliver Lafayette (15.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 3.4 spg)
Jr. F Sam Anderson (4.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
Sr. F Jahmar Thorpe (9.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 spg)
So. F Lamar Roberson (5.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Penders will challenge this team with the non-conference slate, which features road dates with Arizona and Kentucky as well as the Rainbow Classic, where they open with Charlotte and will then play either Valparaiso or a tough Creighton team. A few other road challengers: Rhode Island to open the season, Saint Louis and VCU. Their first two C-USA games are at home, with Memphis as the opener, and in February they have a three-game homestand.
Outlook: While winning the conference may be a bit much to expect, the Cougars look like the best challenger to Memphis. The senior backcourt of Smith and Lafayette may be the best in the conference, although Smith will be out at least until December recovering from surgery on the big toe in his left foot. They lead a team with five seniors and a few newcomers who should make an impact. While he is out, junior college transfers like Robert McKiver and Robert Lee will need to make an impact. Anderson is the incumbent on the wing, but he’ll be pushed by players like Marcus Malone and even other forwards who may allow Penders to move Roberson to the wing, where he is capable of playing. Roberson has plenty of talent and could break out this season, while Thorpe is solid and unspectacular. Texas transfer Dion Dowell is sure to give them a good boost once he is eligible in December.
The Cougars can score, but their efficiency could be better as they shot below 41 percent from the field last season. They’ll need to improve there and on the glass, where only UAB was out-rebounded by a wider margin, if they want any chance to compete with Memphis for the top.

UAB (24-7, 12-2 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Andre White (junior college transfer)
Sr. G Paul Delaney (8.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. G-F Wen Mukubu (9.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.4 apg)
So. F Lawrence Kinnard (6.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
Jr. F Frank Holmes (6.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Blazers open up in the John Thompson Foundation Challenge in Milwaukee, where they will take on Washington State, Radford and UW-Milwaukee. The non-conference slate is not a light one overall: a home-and-home with Wyoming (consecutive games four days apart), at Western Kentucky, Cincinnati, VCU and Old Dominion, and against Florida in the Orange Bowl Classic. Home highlights in the non-conference slate include Minnesota and former C-USA foes DePaul and USF. In C-USA play, their toughest stretch is in early February, when they have three straight home dates with Memphis, UTEP and Rice, followed by a road date with Houston.
Outlook: New head coach Mike Davis inherits a team that lost a couple of key players, but still has pieces in place to contend. Like the teams of his predecessor, this one has plenty of guards, led by Delaney and Mukubu, both of whom could blossom as their roles increase even more. White looks like the favorite to run the show, an area of concern as there is no experienced point guard on the roster. The frontcourt has good starters with Holmes and Kinard, the latter of whom could blossom now that they will need more from him. Freshman Jeremy Mayfield, who originally signed at Oklahoma, will get plenty of minutes, and high school classmates Howard Crawford and Curtis Nickson also bring some size.
The Blazers figure to be even better in another year, when Davis starts to bring in his own players and two potential impact transfers that sit out this season become eligible. But right now, he inherits a team that should be around the top of the conference, although another NCAA bid might be a bit much to expect.

Rice (12-16, 6-8 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Morris Almond (21.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.4 spg)
Sr. G Lorenzo Williams (10.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 6.1 apg, 1.4 spg)
Jr. F Patrick Britton (5.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
Jr. F Paulinas Packevicius (2.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
Jr. F Marius Craciun (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: The Owls have scheduled for the NCAA Tournament, starting with the NIT Season Tip-Off as they take on Gonzaga. Home games with Oregon and Vanderbilt and road dates with Utah and Princeton could help raise their profile, while North Texas (home) will be a challenge. They will also play in the Shamrock Office Solutions Classic at St. Mary’s, where they open with Belmont and then play either St. Mary’s or Western Carolina. In conference play, they get Memphis on the road only.
Outlook: Many people cheered when C-USA leading scorer Almond returned for his senior season after testing the NBA Draft waters. The cheers from other teams in C-USA were probably a bit muted, though, since he tortured them for 25.1 points a night last season. He combines with underrated floor leader Williams to give them a solid backcourt that could lead this team into postseason play. There is good depth with sophomores Rodney Foster and Cory Pflieger having shown promise last season, and three freshman guards will also be in the mix. The frontcourt isn’t bad, but it could stand some improvement after the Owls were out-rebounded by more than three per night. Britton played internationally over the summer with a team of other college players, so he should be ready to make steady improvement. Other holdovers like Packevicius, senior Greg Killings and sophomores Aleks Parka and Matt Hagen need to improve more. Craciun poised to give them a boost, and he should challenge for minutes or even a starting spot right away given the questions in the frontcourt.
The Owls won’t have a problem scoring, but they won’t be a postseason candidate if they don’t improve their defense. They were last in scoring defense and only Southern Miss allowed opponents to shoot better from the floor.

UTEP (21-10, 11-3 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Kevin Henderson (7.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.7 spg)
So. G Stefon Jackson (8.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
Jr. F Victor Ramalho (junior college transfer)
Jr. F Tavaris Watts (junior college transfer)
Jr. C Jeremy Sampson (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: The Miners start out in Syracuse at the BCA Invitational, where they will take on Penn, then possibly Syracuse in the second round. After that, the only road game is at New Mexico State in December, with Texas Tech, New Mexico and a return game with New Mexico State highlighting the home games. The Miners will also take on Jackson State and either Drake or Toledo in the State Farm Sun Bowl Tournament before Christmas. Three of the first four C-USA games are on the road, but they catch a break in having to play Memphis only once, and in El Paso.
Outlook: New head coach Tony Barbee will have quite a challenge on his hands trying to keep a this consistent postseason team this year, as the roster has a very new look to it. The top four scorers have departed, as well as one player who started 21 games, so newcomers will be relied upon for a lot. Fortunately, there is experience in the backcourt starting with steady floor leader Henderson and Jackson, who could break out now that he will be relied upon for more scoring. Off the bench, they will rely on players like junior college transfers Xavier Dawson and Marvin Kilgore, the latter of whom has Division I experience since he started his career at East Carolina, and Saint Louis transfer Darren Clarke. Sophomore forward Maurice Thomas has the only experience in the frontcourt, but junior college transfers Ramalho, Watts and Sampson all figure to get minutes right away. Freshman Franklin Jones could contribute, but his weight has steadily risen to 290 pounds and he could probably stand to lose some of that.
The Miners have some talent, and Barbee has a solid background. This year will be a challenging one to get the newcomers together and get to postseason play again, but the talent is there.

UCF (14-15, 7-7 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Mike O’Donnell (8.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.6 spg)
Sr. G-F Josh Peppers (13.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Fr. F Tony Davis
Jr. F-C Adam Gill (2.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
Jr. C Stanley Billings (junior college transfer)
Schedule Highlights: The Golden Knights won’t leave Orlando until December, when they first head to Minnesota, then open with Utah in the San Juan Shootout. They host the UCF Holiday Classic before hitting the road to close out the non-conference slate with games at Colorado and South Dakota State. In conference play, they got a small break by getting Memphis only at home.
Outlook: The Golden Knights began their tenure in C-USA with a pleasant surprise as they went 7-7 in a much tougher conference than their previous one. This year could be a little tougher after the departure of two of the top three scorers and with just two seniors on the team. They start in good shape in the backcourt with their best player in Peppers, who can shoot it, and steady floor leader O’Donnell, who had the second-best assist/turnover ratio in the conference last season. Sophomore Jermaine Taylor should get better and junior Dave Noel is the only other guard with much experience, meaning they could use a little help from newcomers like junior college transfer Chip Cartwright or freshman Taylor Young. The frontcourt doesn’t have much in the way of proven bodies, although Gill and Lavell Payne, the only other senior on the roster, both started more than 10 games last season. Billings, who stands 6’11″, and freshman Davis seem the most likely newcomers to make an impact. Fellow freshman Andre Thornton has a solid frame and should also give them some minutes inside.
It was a good start for the Golden Knights last season. Now they have to build on it and become consistently competitive as they recruit players at the C-USA level.

Tulane (12-17, 6-8 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Andrew Garcia (5.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.2 apg)
So. G Ryan Williams (4.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.9 apg)
Sr. G-F Chris Moore (9.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Jr. F Donnie Stith (6.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg)
Jr. F David Gomez (11.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Green Wave has eight home games on tap in non-conference play, including part of an in-season home-and-home with New Orleans and LSU at New Orleans Arena. They’ll hit the road to play at TCU and Richmond. In C-USA play, there aren’t any daunting road stretches, but they play both Memphis and Houston on the road without a home return.
Outlook: Last season had its share of trials and tribulations even before it started thanks to Hurricane Katrina. In light of that, and the team’s relocation to College Station until December, second-year head coach Dave Dickerson should be commended on the job he did with this team. Now they are in a position to possibly make a good move up in the standings as only one starter is gone from last season’s team. That one starter is leading scorer Quincy Davis, but there is plenty of talent to pick up the slack there with six of the top seven scorers returning. Gomez leads the way, as he has the potential to be an all-conference player, while Stith is a good role player and sophomore Daniel Puckett and senior Kory Castine will also figure into the mix. Junior Robinson Louisme has a big body with some Division I experience as well. Moore and junior Matt Wheaton have the wing in good shape, with Moore possibly set to close his career out on a good note. Garcia and Williams are serviceable guards, but neither is a long range threat and there isn’t great depth among the holdovers.
The Green Wave will defend, as only Memphis was better in field goal percentage defense last season. It’s at the offensive end, where they turned it over more than 18 times a night, that the concerns lie.

SMU (13-16, 4-10 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Dez Willingham (9.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Jr. G Derrick Roberts (10.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Sr. F Devon Pearson (10.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Sr. F-C Donatas Rackauskas (6.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
So. C Bamba Fall (5.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.0 bpg in 18 games)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference slate is a good mix, starting with three games in Tallahassee, the last of which is against host Florida State. They return home for five games, including Dayton, and a trip to Oklahoma is on tap in late December. In conference play, a challenging three-game road swing starting in late January ends at Memphis.
Outlook: New head coach Matt Doherty inherits a team with most of last year’s players back, which may or may not be a good thing since they went 13-16 last season. Willingham and Roberts are a good starting point on the perimeter, with senior Brian Epps and junior John Killen also figuring in the mix. If Fall is healthy, the frontcourt should be in good shape with Pearson and Rackauskas returning; if nothing else, they won’t lack size, especially with senior Ike Ofoegbu and freshman Cameron Spencer also in the mix.
The Mustangs will have to make up for the scoring lost by Bryan Hopkins’ career ending, but if they can do that, they might make a jump in the standings and contend for an NIT bid.

Tulsa (11-17, 6-8 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Brett McDade (10.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Jr. G Roderick Earls (junior college transfer)
So. F Ray Reese (6.1 ppg. 3.1 rpg, 1.2 apg)
So. F Darold Crow (9.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. C Charles Ramsdell (9.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: 18 home games dot the Golden Hurricane’s schedule, with only three road games (North Texas, Oklahoma State and Arkansas) in non-conference play. The home slate is light, as Oral Roberts is the toughest opponent by a good margin, with Jackson State and Lamar as the next toughest opponents.
Outlook: Second-year head coach Doug Wojcik is building for the future, and that’s certainly evident this season as his team has just one senior and three juniors. The roster has an overall new look about it with three redshirts joining four true freshmen and junior college transfer Earls, who could give them a scorer on the wing. McDade looks to be better suited to playing off the ball, as he turned the ball over too much but shot it well from long range. If a freshman like Mark Hill or Joey Kieval can run the show, they might be better off. Reese will also get time on the wing. Ramsdell anchors a frontcourt that has a little more experience, as Crow also started most of last season and sophomore center Sam Mitchell started 19 games last season. It’s a unit that won’t make headlines, but with some improvement will look serviceable.
The Golden Hurricane was next-to-last in scoring last season, so they’ll need to improve there. One place where they could start is in taking better care of the ball, as they committed over 18 turnovers per game last season; no returning player had more assists than turnovers.

Marshall (12-16, 5-9 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Chris Ross (6.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.9 spg)
Jr. G Mark Dorris (5.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
Sr. G-F Tre Whitted (7.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
So. F Markel Humphrey (7.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Jr. C Jean Francois Bro Grebe (1.9 ppg in nine games)
Schedule Highlights: After two home games, Marshall heads to Alaska to open with California in the Great Alaska Shootout. More road action follows, featuring games at Ohio and an early C-USA battle at Memphis. Ohio returns the game in Huntington after Wright State, Bowling Green and Virginia Tech head there, and their final two non-conference games won’t be easy ones at George Washington and at West Virginia. In conference play, they have a chance to get some momentum near the end of January with three straight home games.
Outlook: Scoring could be difficult for the Thundering Herd this year unless a few players improve or a newcomer injects scoring into the offense, as the only two double-digit scorers from last season are gone. Humphrey gives them a player to build around after he was a C-USA All-Freshman selection last year. He’ll need help in the frontcourt from players who are either unproven or have been hit by the injury bug. Newcomers who could help there are freshmen Robbie Jackson and Tyler Wilkerson, and they may need to as Bro Grebe and sophomore Jesse Oglesby have size but played very limited minutes last season. The backcourt is in better shape, as Ross is a good floor leader flanked by Dorris, Whitted and Travis Aikens, the leading returning scorer. Sophomore Daryl Merthie could lead the team in scoring after sitting out last season under Prop 48, and junior college transfer Chris Williams could help. Don’t be surprised if Merthie starts before the season is over.

Southern Miss (10-21, 3-11 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G DeWayne Green (junior college transfer)
So. G Courtney Beasley (10.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G Kyle Lamonte (4.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Jr. F Demar Dotson (junior college transfer)
So. C Donatas Visockis (1.2 apg in 17 games)
Schedule Highlights: Clearly a schedule for a team in transition, the Golden Eagles won’t leave home until they take on Alabama in Tuscaloosa in mid-December. Four non-Division I teams dot the schedule, whose only other road non-conference games are at Bradley and Savannah State (part of a home-and-home this year). The home slate is highlighted by a January 2 meeting with Auburn.
Outlook: The future is the main idea in Hattiesburg after an exodus of veterans in the off-season leaves this team with a lot of youth. Lamonte is the only senior and there are just three juniors (all of whom are junior college transfers), so there isn’t a ton of Division I experience on the roster. Green should start right away at the point, and Beasley should improve on a good freshman season that saw him post better numbers once C-USA play got going. Lamonte is another experienced guard, but that unit will generally lack experience as six freshmen guards are on the roster. Dotson and fellow junior college transfer Gijo Bain should get minutes early, while Visockis is the only frontcourt player with Division I experience.
The Golden Eagles will need time before they can contend. That means this isn’t their year to contend, but it’s an important developmental season for the seven freshmen and three sophomores.

East Carolina (8-20, 2-12 C-USA)
Projected Starters:
So. G Sam Hinnant (10.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Jr. G Jeremy Ingram (10.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.4 spg)
Sr. G Courtney Captain (8.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Fr. F Hillary Haley
Fr. F John Fields
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference slate won’t be easy, but then, the conference slate won’t be, either. Two early road games, Richmond and UNC Greensboro, won’t be easy, and a later road game at UNC-Wilmington figures to be a tough one as well. Home dates with USF and Winthrop, as well as road dates with North Carolina State and Wake Forest, will all combine to make December a challenging month. They have a chance early in conference play to get momentum going with three early home games in a row, but all are difficult: Rice, Tulane and Memphis.
Outlook: Fans need to get a program, as the Pirates saw eight players leave who still had some eligibility. The remaining pieces feature some talent in the backcourt, where Hinnant had a nice freshman season, Ingram can score and Captain gives them an experienced wing. Junior college transfer Darnell Jenkins will also get minutes at the point and Corey Farmer should contribute, ensuring that the perimeter will be the team’s strength. The frontcourt has an entirely new look, making it a great unknown, but it isn’t lacking in size as four freshmen are 6’8″ or taller. Haley was one of the better prospects in the nation’s capital and may be the best of the newcomers.

Conference Outlook

New season, same old result: Memphis should win the conference. They might not roll to the title like they did last season with a 13-1 mark, but they are still the favorites with all their talent. Houston and UAB are the veteran teams that could compete, while Rice is a dark horse with Morris Almond’s return. How the middle shapes up will be interesting since that could go a few ways depending on things like injuries.

The conference looks good to get at least four teams in postseason play again this time around, and it wouldn’t be a shock if a fifth made it. But for any more, some of the middle teams will have to make good steps forward.

C-USA Notebook

Conference USA Notebook

by Zach Van Hart

Well, it wasn’t the five-way tie witnessed last season, but it was a
great regular season in Conference USA. The Louisville Cardinals
finally made it through February without collapsing and earned their
first ever C-USA regular season championship. Along with the Cards,
Cincinnati and Charlotte are locks for the NCAA Tournament, while
DePaul and UAB have work to do. Houston, TCU, Memphis and Marquette
all have hopes of making it to at least the NIT.

Here are the season-ending awards, team postseason outlooks or season recaps and a look ahead to this week’s conference tournament in Memphis.

Conference USA Season Awards

First Team All-C-USA
Eddie Basden, Charlotte
Francisco Garcia, Louisville
Quemont Greer, DePaul
Travis Diener, Marquette
Donell Taylor, UAB

Second Team
Eric Hicks, Cincinnati
Curtis Withers, Charlotte
Andrew Owens, Houston
Darius Washington Jr., Memphis
Terrance Leather, USF

Third Team
Jason Maxiell, Cincinnati
Taquan Dean, Louisville
Corey Santee, TCU
Larry O’Bannon, Louisville
Lanny Smith, Houston

Player of the Year – Francisco Garcia
Defensive Player of the Year – Eddie Basden
Coach of the Year – Tom Penders, Houston
Sixth Man of the Year – Ronell Taylor, UAB
Freshman of the Year – Darius Washington Jr.

Postseason Outlook / Season Recap

Charlotte (21-6 overall, 12-4 C-USA) Last week: 0-2

The 49ers are guaranteed a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but their seeding took a hit last week with two losses. Both hurt equally, but the loss at South Florida was very unexpected. Right now the Niners are probably looking at a No. 7 seed and could move up if they advance to the conference finals, or down a spot if they fall in the quarterfinals. This could be a likely scenario as Charlotte will probably face Memphis, playing on its home court, to start its conference tournament run Thursday.

Cincinnati (24-6, 12-4) Last week: 2-0

Cincinnati is also cemented into the field of 65. Right now the Bearcats are probably and No. 5 or 6 seed. They come in riding a six-game winning streak. Barring a loss in the quarterfinals to Houston or South Florida, their seeding will not fall any further. But if they make a run and win the conference title, they could rise to as high as a No. 4. This will be difficult; so expect them to settle for a No. 5 seed.

DePaul (18-9, 10-6) Last week: 0-2

A win against Louisville would have guaranteed a spot in the big dance for the Blue Demons. Now, a return trip to the NCAA Tournament is not for certain. They have lost four of six, and even though all four losses were close and to quality opponents, it still does not look good. Two wins, including against UAB in the quarterfinals, would lock in a bid, likely a No. 10 or 11 seed. If they were to run the table, they could possibly eek their way to a No. 8. If they lose to Tulane they’re out; If they lose to the Blazers on Thursday, it’s going to be a nervous bunch on Sunday evening.

East Carolina (9-19, 4-12) Last week: 0-2

This season had to be expected for the Pirates. It should have been looked upon as a stepping stone to next year, to the refurbished C-USA that ECU would be much more equipped to compete with. Unfortunately, the athletic department decided Bill Herrion would not be around to see it and fired him with three weeks remaining in the season. True, he never produced a winning season, but the cards were stacked against him. In his final game, the Pirates lost on the road to Tulane, 77-71, which bumped them out of the No. 12 and final seed at the conference tournament.

Houston (18-12, 9-7) Last week: 0-2

The pleasant surprise of C-USA, the Cougars still need to win the conference tournament to earn a bid to March Madness. Even if they defeated Cincinnati and Charlotte and lost in the finals, those wins coupled with its defeat of Louisville in January cannot overshadow Houston’s weak non-conference schedule and home loss to Tulane. However, the Cougars are a lock for the NIT, which is amazing enough considering they were predicted to finish in the basement of the conference.

Louisville (26-4, 14-2) Last week: 2-0

The Cardinals are playing for seeding now. A No. 1 seed is unlikely, but a No. 2 is well within their grasp if they continue playing well and win the conference tournament. With no bad losses, a season sweep of Cincinnati and road win at Florida, Louisville’s resume in solid. It lacks a top-notch win and that, along with the lower RPI of C-USA, will cost the Cards a No. 1 seed. An early loss in the tournament will likely slide them down to a No. 3.

Marquette (19-10, 7-9) Last week: 1-1

The only way the Golden Eagles can make the field of 65 is to win the C-USA tournament, and even a NIT bid – although likely – is not a certainty. With a losing conference record and the possibility of only three teams making the NCAA field, there may be five teams from C-USA with better resumes than Marquette to make the NIT. A win against TCU will help the Golden Eagles’ case, but only beating Louisville in the quarterfinals will guarantee it.

Memphis (16-14, 9-7) Last week: 0-2

Three weeks ago the Tigers had played themselves into the possibility of earning an at-large bid. A four-game losing streak ended that. Memphis needs to win the tournament to earn a bid and have a shot thanks to home-court advantage. If not, the Tigers are almost assured of a NIT bid, unless they lose in the first round to Saint Louis. Baring that, even a loss to Charlotte in the quarterfinals should not keep them out of at least the lesser postseason tournament.

South Florida (12-15, 5-11) Last week: 1-1

The Bulls need to win the conference tournament to advance to any postseason play. Even if they win three games and lose in the finals, they have no chance at the NIT. Having to go through Houston, Cincinnati, then probably Charlotte or Memphis and Louisville, this seems highly unlikely. An upset win against the Cougars would at least build some momentum going into next year. The Bulls were actually a disappointment after such a strong start, but this season was definitely a step in the right direction. At the moment though, they appear to be the doormat of the new Big East next season.

Southern Miss (11-17, 2-14) Last week: 1-1

Larry Eustachy would just as soon forget his first season as the Golden Eagles coach. Inheriting a team in disarray and then kicking off his best player, Jasper Johnson, Eustachy and his squad stumbled throughout conference play. They at least salvaged one positive moment, ending the season with a thrilling 66-64 win against tough TCU, sending seniors David Haywood and Dante Stiggers out on a high note. Jason Forte made a putback layup with two seconds remaining to clinch the win.

Saint Louis (9-20, 6-10) Last week: 2-0

The bright news for the Billikens is they finished the regular season with solid wins against Memphis and Marquette. Of course, this came at the tail end of the worst season of basketball at SLU in decades. Saint Louis will face Memphis again to start the conference tournament and if it manages to upset the Tigers again, this time on their home floor, SLU’s season will likely end at the hands of Charlotte.

TCU (18-12, 8-8) Last week: 1-1

A win against Southern Miss on Saturday would have likely cemented a bid for the Horned Frogs into the NIT. Now, with only a .500 record in conference play and a No. 8 seed instead of a No. 7, that bid is not 100 percent. A win against Marquette should do it, and an upset of Louisville will guarantee it. Anything short of winning the conference tournament, even an upset of the Cardinals and UAB or DePaul, will keep the Frogs out of the NCAA field.

Tulane (10-17, 4-12) Last week: 1-1

The Green Wave prolonged its season and ended a six-game losing streak by defeating East Carolina on Saturday. With the win Tulane earned the No. 12 seed and final spot in the conference tournament. But the win was truly avoiding the inevitable. Barring a miracle, Tulane will lose its first round game against DePaul. Nothing really else to say here.

UAB (20-9, 10-6) Last week: 2-0

Right now, the Blazers are truly a bubble team. If they lose in the quarterfinals to DePaul, they are likely out. If they win and upset Louisville, they are definitely in. But if they beat the Blue Demons but lose to the Cardinals, than they will not know their fate until between the hours of 6 and 7 p.m. Sunday. If they do make it to the tournament, do not expect anything higher than a No. 12 seed.

Look ahead to the Conference Tournament

Heading into the final C-USA tournament for half of the conference, the hottest teams are the usual suspects of Louisville and Cincinnati. While fans would surely love to see the third rendition of the season for this rivalry, there are several teams that are capable and thwarting this battle of I-71.

Perhaps the dangerous team in the field is the hometown Tigers at the No. 7 seed. Although Memphis has struggled down the stretch, losing four in a row, the Tigers are always capable of beating anyone in this league and will have home-court advantage. However, they would have to defeat Charlotte and likely Cincinnati before making it to the championship game.

The 49ers are obviously as threat as the No. 2 seed, while UAB and DePaul could both test Louisville in the semifinals. But don’t expect any of that to occur. It will be Louisville and Cincinnati in the finals and the Cardinals will complete the three-game sweep of the Bearcats.