*** College Basketball Preview - Conference USA *** From The My Sportsbook
By Brian Mason, College Basketball Staff Writer
OUTLOOK: This will be the final season of Conference USA as we know it, with Louisville, Marquette, Cincinnati, DePaul, South Florida, Charlotte and Saint Louis all leaving at the end of the year. The 2003-04 campaign in C-USA was one of the most intriguing in its short history, as five teams tied for the conference lead. DePaul, Memphis, Cincinnati, UAB and Charlotte all finished with 12-4 league marks, but it was Bob Huggins' Bearcats that captured the C-USA Tournament crown. While Cincinnati has been the standard for this league over the past decade, that is no longer the case with the likes of DePaul, Memphis, Charlotte, Marquette and Louisville. C-USA has been overlooked by much of the national media over the past few years, but some of the best talent in the nation is housed in this conference, including Louisville's Francisco Garcia, who might be the best player in the nation. The combination of Garcia and coach Rick Pitino makes the Cardinals the favorite to win the regular season championship this season, but coach John Calipari and his Memphis Tigers will be right on their heels. The Bearcats and the Charlotte 49ers will also have a chance at taking the league crown, while Marquette, DePaul and UAB should all take a step backwards this season. As usual the bottom of the standings will have the likes of Tulane, Houston, East Carolina and South Florida, but the top seven or eight teams in the conference all have a chance to beat anyone in the country on any given night, which should make for a fantastic final go around for the squads of C-USA.
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: LOUISVILLE
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Louisville; 2. Memphis; 3. Charlotte; 4. Cincinnati; 5. UAB; 6. DePaul; 7. Marquette ; 8. Saint Louis; 9. Southern Miss; 10. TCU; 11. East Carolina; 12. Houston; 13. Tulane; 14. South Florida
TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS:
LOUISVILLE - Coach Pitino is in his fourth season with the Cardinals and this is by far the most talented team he has assembled at Louisville. Garcia headlines a roster that includes nine returning letterman and four outstanding freshman. The Cardinals at one point last season won 16 straight games and finished with a 20-10 overall mark, earning them their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The emergence of Garcia as one of the best all-around performers in the nation could mean this team makes a run at the Final Four in 2004-05. An outstanding ball handler and finisher, Garcia led the Cardinals last season in scoring with 16.4 ppg. He also collected 4.5 rpg and dished out a team-best 4.7 rpg, while also shooting 79.7 percent from the charity stripe and 32.5 percent from long range. However, Garcia is not going to a win a National Championship on his own, as he will need the help of a couple of talented players that were not healthy last season, Taquan Dean and Ellis Myles. Dean played through pain through most of 2003-04, which limited him to 10.8 ppg and 3.6 rpg. Myles, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, was terrific in his junior season, averaging 7.8 ppg and 7.9 rpg. If Myles and Dean can stay healthy this year and forward Juan Diego Palacios emerges as one of the best freshman in the country, a National Championship is not out of the question for Louisville.
MEMPHIS - The Tigers were one of the five teams to finish in a tie for the regular season championship last season and they are now 93-39 in the four years under the guidance of coach Calipari. Although Memphis suffered another early exit in the NCAA Tournament, falling to Oklahoma State in the second round, the experience gained by the four starters who return this season could be monumental. There is no doubt that the loss of point guard Antonio Burks hurts this squad's chances of ousting Louisville from the top spot in the C- USA standings, but the return of both Sean Banks and Rodney Carney gives the Tigers one of the best frontcourts in the country. Banks could be an All- American candidate this season, following a 2003-04 campaign in which he averaged 17.4 ppg and 6.5 rpg. While Carney is not as talented as Banks, he is one of the top players in the conference and he contributed last year with 13.0 ppg and 5.7 rpg. Guard Anthony Rice should also play a big part in this squad's success, using his defensive skills and three-point ability (.331) to help the Tigers at both ends of the court. Jeremy Hunt and freshman Darius Washington will also spend time in the backcourt for Memphis, which is clearly loaded at the guard position. Washington is one of the most talked about freshman to enter C-USA in a few years, as he has outstanding play making ability and seems ready to guide an offense with tons of scoring options. Calipari has the talent once again for the Tigers to make a strong push in the NCAA Tournament, but again questions of whether or not this team is ready to make that jump will remain.
CHARLOTTE - The 49ers went just 8-8 in conference play two seasons ago, but they were the talk of the conference last year after finishing with 21 wins (21-9) and a conference mark of 12-4. The reason that Bobby Lutz's club was able to turn things around so quickly, was the emergence of Curtis Withers as one of the best forwards in the country. Although Withers does not gain a ton of national attention, he is a bruising forward who has outstanding range and can dominate games at will. The 6-8 junior averaged 16.3 ppg and 9.5 rpg last season, while also hitting 48.3 percent of his field goals and 34.4 percent of his three-point attempts. He scored in double figures all but twice last season, helping to earn him first-team all-conference honors. Although guard Demon Brown (12.4 ppg) has graduated, Mitchell Baldwin (5.7 ppg) and Brendan Pavlich (12.2 ppg) should do a solid job in the backcourt for the 49ers. The key to the season for Charlotte could be how well Martin Iti plays. A seven- foot center, Iti nearly entered the NBA draft this offseason, but returned to the 49ers in hopes that he would get more playing time and be a bigger part of the offense (6.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg). Lutz will likely have to turn to Iti more often this season, as his squad will make the transition to a team that looks to go inside first and dominate with its talented big men.
CINCINNATI - The Bearcats have notably taken a step back from being one of the teams that normally is ranked in the Top 10 of the nation, but coach Huggins still has a talented bunch to throw at opposing teams, starting with forward Jason Maxiell. Averaging 13.6 ppg and 6.9 rpg in 2003-04, Maxiell led the Bearcats to an overall record of 25-7. This season the senior forward is set to take the his game to the next level, but opponents will definitely be keying in on him more with little help at the other forward positions for Cincinnati. Forwards Eric Hicks (7.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and James White (7.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg) are solid in the frontcourt, but neither is going to scare anyone with their offensive abilities. The backcourt could either be extremely explosive or a major disappointment, depending on how Jihad Muhammad plays at the point and how Nick Williams (6.7 ppg) responds to playing back at his natural position, shooting guard. Huggins will have to deal with some off the court issues this season following his DUI arrest, but he is still the same coach that led the Bearcats to eight league championships in nine seasons, which is why Cincinnati should never be counted out of winning yet another one this year.
UAB - The Blazers once again proved to be a team that thrives on playing in pressure situations, making it all the way to the Sweet 16 and upsetting top-ranked Kentucky in the process. Guard Morris Finley (13.9 ppg) and forward Gabe Kennedy (11.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) played a huge part in the team's success, but they have both moved on and now forward Demarrio Eddins remains as the team's best all-around player. Eddins contributed with 10.1 ppg and 4.7 rpg last season, but those averages should increase with his expanded role this year. Twins Ronell (9.2 ppg) and Donell Taylor (7.5 ppg) will now take over starting positions at guard, which gives the Blazers size and rebounding ability in the backcourt. Forward Marques Lewis and guard Carldell Johnson will likely fill out the rest of the starting lineup for Mike Anderson's squad, which loves to play an up-tempo style of basketball. Junior college transfer Marvett McDonald could make a sudden impact as well for UAB, as he has proven this offseason to be a playmaker in the mold that Finley was.
DEPAUL - The Blue Demons were outstanding in 2003-04, finishing with an overall mark of 22-10 and fighting their way to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, losing to the eventual national champion Connecticut Huskies. However, that squad relied heavily on the scoring ability of Delonte Holland (16.5 ppg), who is no longer with the team. DePaul also will have to make up for the loss of Andre Brown, who was one of the top forwards in C-USA last season after averaging 13.5 ppg and 9.2 rpg. Quemont Greer and Drake Diener will now take on larger roles, which both seem ready to handle. Greer could be nearly as effective as Brown was, contributing with 12.6 ppg and 7.4 rpg a season ago. Diener, who knocked in 12.6 ppg in 2003-04, is one of the best three-point shooters in the conference, having made 45.9 percent of his shots from behind the arc last year. Guard Sammy Mejia (7.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.4 apg) also should play a big part in this squad's success, as he was able to improve down the stretch last year and quickly became one of the best point guards in the league.
MARQUETTE - The Golden Eagles knew that replacing All-American Dwyane Wade was going to be tough last season, but it turned out to be even harder than anticipated for coach Tom Crean and Marquette, which went a disappointing 8-8 in league action and just 19-12 overall. However, the nation was again introduced to one of the purest shooters in college basketball, as Travis Diener provided fireworks nearly every time he took to the hardwood. Diener led the Golden Eagles with 18.8 ppg and 6.0 apg, while also shooting a blistering 45 percent from three-point territory. A possible All-American himself, Diener has the luxury of having Steve Novak at forward. Novak, who is also lethal from behind the arc (.430) and was able to score 12.5 ppg last year, while grabbing 4.6 rpg. Dameon Mason also excelled for Marquette last season, averaging 9.0 ppg and 4.5 rpg in his freshman campaign. Mason has the ability to slash to the basket and finish, which could open up a ton of outside shots for both Diener and Novak.
SAINT LOUIS - The Billikens were able to finish with 19 wins (19-13) last season and went 9-7 in conference play, but their offense was atrocious and averaged a mere 62.7 ppg. Thankfully for Saint Louis and coach Brad Soderberg, the Billikens played outstanding defense and held opponents to just 59.9 ppg. The same can be expected this season for Soderberg's squad, which returns three starters from last year's team including superstar Reggie Bryant. Although Bryant does not receive much recognition, he has quickly become one of the top players in the conference and averaged 16.4 ppg on 36.7 percent shooting from long range last year. Tom Frericks will likely be the squad's second scoring option, but he contributed with only 7.7 ppg last year and made only 46 percent of his free throw attempts. Frericks is however an excellent rebounder (6.0 rpg) and seems to be much more healthy coming into this season after missing eight of the team's 32 games last year. Freshman point guard Dwayne Polk has a chance to be a special player on this team, as his scoring ability could be utilized for a squad that has little scoring depth.
SOUTHERN MISS - The Golden Eagles made a bold move in hiring Larry Eustachy this past offseason after all of the controversy that surrounded his exit from Iowa State. That being said, Eustachy is still considered one of the best young coaching minds in college basketball and his 260-145 record amassed in Ames speaks for itself. Although the squad he inherits has lost its leading scorer and rebounder from a year ago in Charles Gaines (15.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg), Jasper Johnson returns and one of the most sought after juco's in recent memory is on the roster, (Rashaad Carruth). Johnson (12.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg) can play both forward and center, using his size (6-8, 290) to dominate in the paint both on offense and defense. Carruth, a former McDonald's All-American, has some character issues but if Eustachy can get this amazingly talented guard to play within his system, he might just have the next star of the conference on his side.
TCU - Coach Neil Dougherty has a record of just 21-36 in his two seasons behind the bench for the Horned Frogs, but that mark is somewhat deceiving. TCU has shown improvement since Dougherty was hired and after posting wins against Marquette and Louisville last year, it seems that this program is on the rise. The reason for optimism is centered around the play of guard Corey Santee, who was able to score 14.5 ppg and dish out 4.4 apg last season for the Horned Frogs. Santee is joined in the backcourt by Marcus Shropshire, a six-foot senior that contributed last year with 13.1 ppg on 39.6 percent shooting from behind the arc. However, the loss of Nucleus Smith (8.6 ppg) could be huge for this team, which relied heavily upon its athletic rotation of guards last season. The only real frontcourt option that the Horned Frogs can turn to is forward Chudi Chinweze. The 6-7 junior averaged 10.7 ppg and 4.9 rpg last year, but is not a great defender and has proven to be a terrible free throw shooter (.611).
EAST CAROLINA - The Pirates finished just one game under .500 last season (13-14), but they won just five of their 16 league matchups and have gone 1-13 against Cincinnati, Marquette, Louisville and Charlotte over the past two years. Coach Bill Herrion now has to deal with the loss of four of his top six scorers from a season ago, which could make for an even more turbulent 2004-05 campaign. Guard Mike Cook is the team's leading returning scorer, having posted 10.4 ppg despite shooting just 65.3 percent from the foul line and 19.5 percent from three-point range. Center Moussa Badiane is never going to be a consistent scorer in the paint (8.5 ppg), but he is a very good rebounder and this season will become the league's career block leader. Mike Castro will likely start in the frontcourt as well for ECU, while freshman Marvin Kilgore and Josh King could lock down the other starting guard positions next to Cook. Kilgore is the more polished scorer of the two, while King has excellent long range shooting ability and can distribute the ball with ease.
HOUSTON - The Cougars have been seated near the bottom of the C-USA standings over the past few seasons, but with the entrance of coach Tom Penders that will likely change very quickly. Penders, who has 527 career victories in his 30 years of experience as a head coach at the collegiate level, should have Houston playing a run-and-gun style of basketball that will be directed by outstanding guard Andre Owens. One of the few players that shined for the Cougars last season, Owens averaged 16.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 3.0 apg. Having started every game for Houston over the past two seasons, Owens should flourish in Penders' system and will likely see his .372 field goal shooting percentage from last season rise. Lanny Smith will join Owens in the backcourt, while the star down low could be Andrew Francis, who missed most of last season with a back injury. Francis has a chance to start with little depth and experience in the frontcourt and his athleticism would be a major plus for a squad that needs an inside presence badly.
TULANE - Tulane could either be one of the surprise teams of C-USA or one of its worst. The latter is probably the safest bet, as this squad has been hit with injuries over the past few years and has not responded well to the coaching of Shawn Finney. The Green Wave went just 4-12 in conference action last year and 11-17 overall. but five of the team's six leading scorers return including Quincy Davis. The 6-9 forward should be even better in his junior season after posting 10.6 ppg and 6.1 rpg as a sophomore. Guard Marcus Kinzer (10.1 ppg, 3.4 apg) should also be an asset for Tulane, while Vytas Tatarunas (9.3 ppg) has proven to be one of the top rebounders in the conference (7.2 rpg). However, the key to Tulane's season will once again come down to the health of senior seven-foot center Ivan Pjevcevic. One of the most highly regarded big men in the conference, Pjevcevic played in just one game last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He has the skills to be a disruptive force in the paint, but if he is again troubled by injuries in 2004-05, the Green Wave will likely find itself trying to stay out of the C-USA cellar.
SOUTH FLORIDA - Coach Robert McCullum had a rough time in his first season coaching the Bulls, as they went just 7-20 last year and won only one of their 16 conference matchups. Things don't look like they will be getting any better for McCullum and USF this season either, as it returns little talent outside of forward Terrence Leather and guard Bradley Mosley. Leather, who is one of the better all-around forwards in the league, averaged 15.5 ppg and 8.4 rpg in 2003-04. He is by far the best scoring option for the Bulls, using his size and shooting ability to score from both the paint and from the outside. Mosley, who scored 14.6 ppg last year despite shooting just 38.9 percent from the floor, is a slashing type of guard that has the ability to create shots off the dribble. Unfortunately he will have very few options to dish the ball to, as Brandon Brigman (4.7 ppg) is not a viable option down low and Marlyn Bryant (5.2 ppg) and Brian Swift (9.9 ppg) still have not proven to be reliable. The one player that could quickly turn some heads for USF is Lithuanian Marius Prekevicius, who can play both forward and guard. Although Prekevicius is talented, he must adjust to the Division I level quickly.
