coreyschucky
11-08-2004, 01:10 PM
From CBSSPORTSLINE.COM
Conference USA preview
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. Louisville
2. Memphis
3. Charlotte
4. UAB
5. Cincinnati
6. DePaul
7. Marquette
8. TCU
9. Houston
10. Saint Louis
11. Southern Miss
12. Tulane
13. South Florida
14. East Carolina
Everyone is going to tell you about how sad it is that Conference USA is breaking up. Some might write soliloquies as to how it's proof that college athletics is damned, etc.
Expect Louisville to make the most of having Francisco Garcia for one last year.(Getty Images)
A fledgling league finally turns the corner only to be destroyed by the bigger sharks in the sea, carved up into little pieces and absorbed so those sharks can grow bigger and make more money. We get it. But please, let's not get sentimental about it.
We're not losing any great rivalries. Cincinnati-Memphis? If Bob Huggins and John Calipari miss each other so much they can schedule a non-conference bout. Besides, the Bearcats look forward to the Crosstown Shootout with Xavier, not a visit to the Pyramid. Louisville? Its big game is against Kentucky. Marquette? Wisconsin. DePaul? Notre Dame. Hey, that's a conference game now.
See where we're going? Conference USA was essentially the Metro Conference picking up a few stragglers to create a more viable league and market itself better. It did that and now it's over as we know it, but maybe it can serve to spotlight programs like UTEP, Central Florida and Marshall in the future.
Call it a mid-major league if you feel like it. Fact is, even with the success C-USA has had in recent years, there are those that never warmed up to it until they were forced to by the five bids the league's schools earned to last season's NCAA Tournament.
Now we're getting sentimental over the breakup? Boo-hoo, we only started appreciating you, UAB and Charlotte. Give it a rest. You can still appreciate the Blazers in next year's C-USA and the 49ers in the A-10.
As for this year, there's quite a race in store. There are seven or eight viable NCAA contenders, with the level of talent potentially surpassing what took place last season when five teams tied for the conference title. Enjoy it, and save the box of Kleenex for something more deserving.
Louisville
Top three: F/G Francisco Garcia, PG Taquan Dean, PF Tello Palacios.
On the rise: Rick Pitino dropped a few bombs on his team's media day, which in a hoops hotbed like Louisville is treated like a national holiday. First off, Garcia won't be back following the season. Pitino is pushing him out the door because he feels he's more than ready.
With that out of the way, he threw down the gauntlet, declaring this particular team has everything it takes to be the best. Clearly, he's not worried about adding any extra pressure, which means he's confident his kids can handle it.
There are question marks, though. Dean had surgery to treat a double hernia that destroyed this team's chances last year. Should something happen to him, there is still no true backup playmaker, though the versatile Garcia could always handle the role. Palacios, expected to be the top big man, is still a freshman adjusting to new surroundings. Ellis Myles, back after redshirting last year following knee surgery, must get re-acquainted with the grind.
All that said, if Pitino is ecstatic, who are we to rain on his parade? If they stay healthy, there won't be too many teams more fun to watch in all of college basketball.
Memphis
Top three: F Sean Banks, F Rodney Carney, PG Darius Washington.
On the rise: Best team of the Calipari era?
That's what the whisperers are saying about the group Calipari is molding, one he hopes will contend for more than just a C-USA title. They're thinking big at Memphis, and there are good reasons for it.
Banks and Carney form one of the best frontcourt tandems in the country and will get help at center from a host of candidates, although it appears freshman Joey Dorsey is separating himself from the group.
At the point, the team signed Washington, a top-10 national recruit, to replace Antonio Burks. There may be some growing pains, but anyone who has seen Washington play knows he's a future pro. Backcourt mates Jeremy Hunt and Anthony Rice will help ease his transition.
The team may be a bit too raw and young to compete for a national title, but there's no question the talent level on this roster is through the roof. Calipari has a massive coaching job ahead of him, but the rewards could be huge.
Charlotte
Top three: PF Curtis Withers, SF Eddie Basden, SG Brendan Plavich.
On the rise: The days of being overlooked will end for the 49ers once they enter the Atlantic 10. They'll rule that league like Temple once did and Xavier is trying to.
How can we be so sure? Bobby Lutz. He's built the 49ers into a national program by recruiting treasures that seemingly slip under everyone else's radar. Withers is his latest star, a double-double machine who is ready to emerge as one of the top players in the country.
There's also Martin Iti, a lanky sophomore who flirted with turning pro in the offseason before wisely reconsidering. He'll be better and should be a disruptive presence inside, particularly on defense. Seniors Basden and Plavich can score in bunches, and there's plenty of depth available with Lee Goldwire, E.J. Drayton and Chris Nance coming aboard. Get to know this team very early for bracket purposes.
UAB
Top three: G/F Ronell Taylor, G/F Donell Taylor, F Demario Eddins.
On the decline: Observers slept on UAB all season, snored through its 22 wins, hit the snooze button through its NCAA Tournament first round victory and gave it no chance against mighty Kentucky. It set the table for the Blazers to provide the opening wakeup call at the Wildcats' expense, which is precisely what they did.
They won't be quite as dangerous this year -- losing studs like Mo Finley and Gabe Kennedy will hurt -- but there are enough components back to fuel Mike Anderson's 40-minute full court press and keep the momentum going.
The Taylor twins are special, Eddins creates matchup problems, Squeaky Johnson runs a mean point and anchors the defense, and returnees Brandon Tobias and Ernest Little should emerge as key contributors. Also, keep an eye on JC transfer Marvett McDonald, who could claim Finley's role as the team's go-to perimeter threat.
Cincinnati
Top three: PF Jason Maxiell, F/C Eric Hicks, F/G James White.
On the decline: The Bearcats might be the most successful member of C-USA's history, but their final season in the league isn't likely to add to their legend.
Maxiell and Hicks are back to anchor the frontcourt, but the depth behind them is so limited that you might see the duo drop from overuse well before the season ends.
Backcourt standouts Field Williams and Tony Bobbitt are gone, so it will be up to White and Nick Williams to guard against a drastic dropoff. The arrival of JC transfer Jihad Muhammad gives Bobby Huggins a true point guard to place everything in motion.
DePaul
Top three: SG Drake Diener, PF Quemont Greer, PG Sammy Mejia.
On the decline: Dave Leitao has rejuvenated the Blue Demons, leading them to a share of last year's title and their first NCAA Tournament victory in 15 years last season.
The loss of frontcourt standouts Andre Brown and Delonte Holland tempers enthusiasm for this year, but Leitao is hoping newcomers Jamal Nichols and Wesley Green can team with Greer to avoid an extreme collapse.
Diener should be able to keep DePaul in games with his fabulous perimeter touch, and if Mejia plays as well as he did down the stretch, the team's guard play should be a great strength.
Marquette
Top three: PG Travis Diener, PF Steve Novak, G/F Dameon Mason.
On the decline: It would be a shame if Diener's senior season ends without an NCAA Tournament appearance, but unless the Golden Eagles find some big men to contribute, we don't see it happening.
Scott Merritt, the team's main post threat over the past two seasons, exhausted eligibility, and there's really no one to fill the void. Marcus Jackson and Chris Grimm return, but have been used sparingly in their careers. The answer could come from freshmen Mike Kinsella, Ryan Amoroso and raw Senegal native Ousmane Barro, but expecting anything significant would be unfair.
Diener, who doubles as the league's top point guard and best shooter, will have some assistance, but it's all on the wing. Novak is a deadeye shooter who causes problems because of his size (6-10), while Mason, an athletic slasher, will be Marquette's next star.
TCU
Top three: PG Corey Santee, PF Chudi Chinweze, SG Marcus Shropshire.
On the rise: With four starters returning, optimism is high that this will be the season third-year coach Neil Dougherty returns the Horned Frogs to the postseason. NIT, NCAAs, at this point, TCU isn't in position to be picky.
Santee makes things happen, having settled in at the point opposite Texas Tech transfer Shropshire, who clashed with Bobby Knight but had no problems in his first season in Fort Worth. Chinweze is a nice piece up front, and Temple transfer Nile Murry should add further scoring punch now that he's gained eligibility.
Houston
Top three: G Andre Owens, PG Lanny Smith, G/F Chris Lawson.
On the rise: It's definitely a case of nowhere to go but up at Houston, where Tom Penders became a surprise hire in the offseason, returning to the coaching ranks.
He quickly reloaded with five JC transfers, three of whom will almost certainly start. There's a buzz surrounding Lawson, a physical swingman who will combine with returning leading scorer Owens to give the Cougars a pair of solid wings that will run and gun in Penders' up-tempo system.
Saint Louis
Top three: SG Reggie Bryant, C Tom Frericks, PG Dwayne Polk.
On the decline: Brad Soderberg's second season at Saint Louis validated his abilities. The Billikens won 19 games, including a couple of shockers, and reached the NIT.
He'll have his top scorer back in Bryant, but there were significant losses in personnel. Freshman Polk is expected to take over point guard duties, while JC recruit Vas'shun Newbourne should move in at the wing. Frericks and sophomore Ian Vouyoukas, each 6-9 and 250 pounds, will anchor the post.
Southern Miss
Top three: C Jasper Johnson, G/F Rashaad Carruth, G/F Jarekus Singleton.
On the rise: Larry Eustachy's coaching re-birth begins in Hattiesburg, where he has already started shaking things up and teaching his style.
The team worked on nothing but defense for the first few weeks of practice, and the addition of five JC transfers breeds competition for spots that will push the intensity level to where Eustachy likes it.
When the lights come on, expect the team's top scorer to be well-traveled off guard Carruth, who has had behavioral problems at Kentucky and Oklahoma and like his new coach, seeks redemption.
Tulane
Top three: F/C Quincy Davis, F Vytas Tatarunas, PG Marcus Kizner.
On the rise: Tulane's top three scorers return, as does 7-footer Ivan Pjevcevic, who missed all of last year with a knee injury. That is a nice starting point for Shawn Finney's Green Wave, but what has everyone excited is a five-man recruiting class that has impressed with its size and athleticism.
Look for Finney to play a lot of people and try to establish some positive momentum that has been missing from the program since he was hired in 2000.
South Florida
Top three: PF Terrence Leather, SG Bradley Mosley, PG Brian Swift.
On the rise: Poor Robert McCullum. He left Western Michigan as a rising coaching star, but things aren't looking too good at the moment. USF won one C-USA game last year, won't win too many more this year and then next season enters the Big East, where they will certainly play the doormat role.
Seniors Leather, Mosley, Swift, Marlyn Bryant and Brandon Brigman figure to command the majority of the playing time, which doesn't bode well for the Bulls' future prospects.
East Carolina
Top three: C Moussa Badiane, G/F Mike Cook, G Josh King.
On the decline: After starting the season 9-1 last year, ECU wasted a great opportunity to make a postseason appearance by crumbling the rest of the way, finishing 13-14.
Only two starters return, and coach Bill Herrion will lean heavily on a recruiting class that represents the future of the program. King is the all-time leader in 3-pointers made in the state of North Carolina, while other cool names loom in Tom Hammonds Jr. (son of the former NBA veteran) and Charles Bronson (no relation, awesome nonetheless).
Accolades
First team
F -- Sean Banks, Memphis
F -- Jason Maxiell, Cincinnati
F -- Curtis Withers, Charlotte
F/G -- Francisco Garcia, Louisville
G -- Travis Diener, Marquette
Second team
F -- Rodney Carney, Memphis
F -- Quemont Greer, DePaul
F -- Demario Eddins, UAB
G -- Andre Owens, Houston
G -- Ronell Taylor, UAB
Player of the year
Francisco Garcia, Louisville
Newcomer of the year
Tello Palacios, Louisville
Breakthrough player
Ronell Taylor, UAB
Conference USA preview
By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. Louisville
2. Memphis
3. Charlotte
4. UAB
5. Cincinnati
6. DePaul
7. Marquette
8. TCU
9. Houston
10. Saint Louis
11. Southern Miss
12. Tulane
13. South Florida
14. East Carolina
Everyone is going to tell you about how sad it is that Conference USA is breaking up. Some might write soliloquies as to how it's proof that college athletics is damned, etc.
Expect Louisville to make the most of having Francisco Garcia for one last year.(Getty Images)
A fledgling league finally turns the corner only to be destroyed by the bigger sharks in the sea, carved up into little pieces and absorbed so those sharks can grow bigger and make more money. We get it. But please, let's not get sentimental about it.
We're not losing any great rivalries. Cincinnati-Memphis? If Bob Huggins and John Calipari miss each other so much they can schedule a non-conference bout. Besides, the Bearcats look forward to the Crosstown Shootout with Xavier, not a visit to the Pyramid. Louisville? Its big game is against Kentucky. Marquette? Wisconsin. DePaul? Notre Dame. Hey, that's a conference game now.
See where we're going? Conference USA was essentially the Metro Conference picking up a few stragglers to create a more viable league and market itself better. It did that and now it's over as we know it, but maybe it can serve to spotlight programs like UTEP, Central Florida and Marshall in the future.
Call it a mid-major league if you feel like it. Fact is, even with the success C-USA has had in recent years, there are those that never warmed up to it until they were forced to by the five bids the league's schools earned to last season's NCAA Tournament.
Now we're getting sentimental over the breakup? Boo-hoo, we only started appreciating you, UAB and Charlotte. Give it a rest. You can still appreciate the Blazers in next year's C-USA and the 49ers in the A-10.
As for this year, there's quite a race in store. There are seven or eight viable NCAA contenders, with the level of talent potentially surpassing what took place last season when five teams tied for the conference title. Enjoy it, and save the box of Kleenex for something more deserving.
Louisville
Top three: F/G Francisco Garcia, PG Taquan Dean, PF Tello Palacios.
On the rise: Rick Pitino dropped a few bombs on his team's media day, which in a hoops hotbed like Louisville is treated like a national holiday. First off, Garcia won't be back following the season. Pitino is pushing him out the door because he feels he's more than ready.
With that out of the way, he threw down the gauntlet, declaring this particular team has everything it takes to be the best. Clearly, he's not worried about adding any extra pressure, which means he's confident his kids can handle it.
There are question marks, though. Dean had surgery to treat a double hernia that destroyed this team's chances last year. Should something happen to him, there is still no true backup playmaker, though the versatile Garcia could always handle the role. Palacios, expected to be the top big man, is still a freshman adjusting to new surroundings. Ellis Myles, back after redshirting last year following knee surgery, must get re-acquainted with the grind.
All that said, if Pitino is ecstatic, who are we to rain on his parade? If they stay healthy, there won't be too many teams more fun to watch in all of college basketball.
Memphis
Top three: F Sean Banks, F Rodney Carney, PG Darius Washington.
On the rise: Best team of the Calipari era?
That's what the whisperers are saying about the group Calipari is molding, one he hopes will contend for more than just a C-USA title. They're thinking big at Memphis, and there are good reasons for it.
Banks and Carney form one of the best frontcourt tandems in the country and will get help at center from a host of candidates, although it appears freshman Joey Dorsey is separating himself from the group.
At the point, the team signed Washington, a top-10 national recruit, to replace Antonio Burks. There may be some growing pains, but anyone who has seen Washington play knows he's a future pro. Backcourt mates Jeremy Hunt and Anthony Rice will help ease his transition.
The team may be a bit too raw and young to compete for a national title, but there's no question the talent level on this roster is through the roof. Calipari has a massive coaching job ahead of him, but the rewards could be huge.
Charlotte
Top three: PF Curtis Withers, SF Eddie Basden, SG Brendan Plavich.
On the rise: The days of being overlooked will end for the 49ers once they enter the Atlantic 10. They'll rule that league like Temple once did and Xavier is trying to.
How can we be so sure? Bobby Lutz. He's built the 49ers into a national program by recruiting treasures that seemingly slip under everyone else's radar. Withers is his latest star, a double-double machine who is ready to emerge as one of the top players in the country.
There's also Martin Iti, a lanky sophomore who flirted with turning pro in the offseason before wisely reconsidering. He'll be better and should be a disruptive presence inside, particularly on defense. Seniors Basden and Plavich can score in bunches, and there's plenty of depth available with Lee Goldwire, E.J. Drayton and Chris Nance coming aboard. Get to know this team very early for bracket purposes.
UAB
Top three: G/F Ronell Taylor, G/F Donell Taylor, F Demario Eddins.
On the decline: Observers slept on UAB all season, snored through its 22 wins, hit the snooze button through its NCAA Tournament first round victory and gave it no chance against mighty Kentucky. It set the table for the Blazers to provide the opening wakeup call at the Wildcats' expense, which is precisely what they did.
They won't be quite as dangerous this year -- losing studs like Mo Finley and Gabe Kennedy will hurt -- but there are enough components back to fuel Mike Anderson's 40-minute full court press and keep the momentum going.
The Taylor twins are special, Eddins creates matchup problems, Squeaky Johnson runs a mean point and anchors the defense, and returnees Brandon Tobias and Ernest Little should emerge as key contributors. Also, keep an eye on JC transfer Marvett McDonald, who could claim Finley's role as the team's go-to perimeter threat.
Cincinnati
Top three: PF Jason Maxiell, F/C Eric Hicks, F/G James White.
On the decline: The Bearcats might be the most successful member of C-USA's history, but their final season in the league isn't likely to add to their legend.
Maxiell and Hicks are back to anchor the frontcourt, but the depth behind them is so limited that you might see the duo drop from overuse well before the season ends.
Backcourt standouts Field Williams and Tony Bobbitt are gone, so it will be up to White and Nick Williams to guard against a drastic dropoff. The arrival of JC transfer Jihad Muhammad gives Bobby Huggins a true point guard to place everything in motion.
DePaul
Top three: SG Drake Diener, PF Quemont Greer, PG Sammy Mejia.
On the decline: Dave Leitao has rejuvenated the Blue Demons, leading them to a share of last year's title and their first NCAA Tournament victory in 15 years last season.
The loss of frontcourt standouts Andre Brown and Delonte Holland tempers enthusiasm for this year, but Leitao is hoping newcomers Jamal Nichols and Wesley Green can team with Greer to avoid an extreme collapse.
Diener should be able to keep DePaul in games with his fabulous perimeter touch, and if Mejia plays as well as he did down the stretch, the team's guard play should be a great strength.
Marquette
Top three: PG Travis Diener, PF Steve Novak, G/F Dameon Mason.
On the decline: It would be a shame if Diener's senior season ends without an NCAA Tournament appearance, but unless the Golden Eagles find some big men to contribute, we don't see it happening.
Scott Merritt, the team's main post threat over the past two seasons, exhausted eligibility, and there's really no one to fill the void. Marcus Jackson and Chris Grimm return, but have been used sparingly in their careers. The answer could come from freshmen Mike Kinsella, Ryan Amoroso and raw Senegal native Ousmane Barro, but expecting anything significant would be unfair.
Diener, who doubles as the league's top point guard and best shooter, will have some assistance, but it's all on the wing. Novak is a deadeye shooter who causes problems because of his size (6-10), while Mason, an athletic slasher, will be Marquette's next star.
TCU
Top three: PG Corey Santee, PF Chudi Chinweze, SG Marcus Shropshire.
On the rise: With four starters returning, optimism is high that this will be the season third-year coach Neil Dougherty returns the Horned Frogs to the postseason. NIT, NCAAs, at this point, TCU isn't in position to be picky.
Santee makes things happen, having settled in at the point opposite Texas Tech transfer Shropshire, who clashed with Bobby Knight but had no problems in his first season in Fort Worth. Chinweze is a nice piece up front, and Temple transfer Nile Murry should add further scoring punch now that he's gained eligibility.
Houston
Top three: G Andre Owens, PG Lanny Smith, G/F Chris Lawson.
On the rise: It's definitely a case of nowhere to go but up at Houston, where Tom Penders became a surprise hire in the offseason, returning to the coaching ranks.
He quickly reloaded with five JC transfers, three of whom will almost certainly start. There's a buzz surrounding Lawson, a physical swingman who will combine with returning leading scorer Owens to give the Cougars a pair of solid wings that will run and gun in Penders' up-tempo system.
Saint Louis
Top three: SG Reggie Bryant, C Tom Frericks, PG Dwayne Polk.
On the decline: Brad Soderberg's second season at Saint Louis validated his abilities. The Billikens won 19 games, including a couple of shockers, and reached the NIT.
He'll have his top scorer back in Bryant, but there were significant losses in personnel. Freshman Polk is expected to take over point guard duties, while JC recruit Vas'shun Newbourne should move in at the wing. Frericks and sophomore Ian Vouyoukas, each 6-9 and 250 pounds, will anchor the post.
Southern Miss
Top three: C Jasper Johnson, G/F Rashaad Carruth, G/F Jarekus Singleton.
On the rise: Larry Eustachy's coaching re-birth begins in Hattiesburg, where he has already started shaking things up and teaching his style.
The team worked on nothing but defense for the first few weeks of practice, and the addition of five JC transfers breeds competition for spots that will push the intensity level to where Eustachy likes it.
When the lights come on, expect the team's top scorer to be well-traveled off guard Carruth, who has had behavioral problems at Kentucky and Oklahoma and like his new coach, seeks redemption.
Tulane
Top three: F/C Quincy Davis, F Vytas Tatarunas, PG Marcus Kizner.
On the rise: Tulane's top three scorers return, as does 7-footer Ivan Pjevcevic, who missed all of last year with a knee injury. That is a nice starting point for Shawn Finney's Green Wave, but what has everyone excited is a five-man recruiting class that has impressed with its size and athleticism.
Look for Finney to play a lot of people and try to establish some positive momentum that has been missing from the program since he was hired in 2000.
South Florida
Top three: PF Terrence Leather, SG Bradley Mosley, PG Brian Swift.
On the rise: Poor Robert McCullum. He left Western Michigan as a rising coaching star, but things aren't looking too good at the moment. USF won one C-USA game last year, won't win too many more this year and then next season enters the Big East, where they will certainly play the doormat role.
Seniors Leather, Mosley, Swift, Marlyn Bryant and Brandon Brigman figure to command the majority of the playing time, which doesn't bode well for the Bulls' future prospects.
East Carolina
Top three: C Moussa Badiane, G/F Mike Cook, G Josh King.
On the decline: After starting the season 9-1 last year, ECU wasted a great opportunity to make a postseason appearance by crumbling the rest of the way, finishing 13-14.
Only two starters return, and coach Bill Herrion will lean heavily on a recruiting class that represents the future of the program. King is the all-time leader in 3-pointers made in the state of North Carolina, while other cool names loom in Tom Hammonds Jr. (son of the former NBA veteran) and Charles Bronson (no relation, awesome nonetheless).
Accolades
First team
F -- Sean Banks, Memphis
F -- Jason Maxiell, Cincinnati
F -- Curtis Withers, Charlotte
F/G -- Francisco Garcia, Louisville
G -- Travis Diener, Marquette
Second team
F -- Rodney Carney, Memphis
F -- Quemont Greer, DePaul
F -- Demario Eddins, UAB
G -- Andre Owens, Houston
G -- Ronell Taylor, UAB
Player of the year
Francisco Garcia, Louisville
Newcomer of the year
Tello Palacios, Louisville
Breakthrough player
Ronell Taylor, UAB