Conference USA Notebook
Looks can be deceiving
Marquette is 9-0. Cincinnati is 6-0. South Florida has a winning record. While these all may seem like shocking developments, (really, South Florida has a winning record?!?), a closer look will shed light on why. It’s called a weak non-conference schedule, something all three teams have used to prop up their record. The Golden Eagles can argue that they are legit after defeating Wisconsin, which is ranked in the Top 25, at home. No doubt that Marquette must have played a great game to defeat the Badgers. However, the women’s team could have likely defeated their eight opponents. Here’s the list: Western Carolina, Illinois State, Air Force, Sam Houston State, Kent State, Oakland, Delaware State and South Dakota State. Sure, all eight programs will argue they are no pushover and a few would actually be right. Yet six of those eight games were played at the Bradley Center. And no matter the data provided, no one can convince me that playing at Oakland (Michigan, not California by the way) is tough. But the Eagles did beat Wisconsin. And they’ll receive another test against Arizona this week.
Cincinnati did beat Dayton on the road, although the Flyers are not the team that advanced to the NCAA tournament last season. Cincinnati did beat Vanderbilt at home, although the Commodores are not the team that advanced to the Sweet Sixteen last season either. Anyone else? How about Northern Iowa at home, which the Bearcats needed two overtimes and an eighteen-point comeback to finish off. Sure, Cincinnati even beat Purdue. Hello, the Boilermakers are 2-5, good enough for the basement of the Big Ten. The Bearcats receive their wake-up call on Dec. 31 when they face No. 1 Illinois. As for South Florida, well, can you blame the program for finding some cupcakes to bolster its self esteem after last season’s ugliness? Even for the Bulls, games against Stetson and Prairie View are guaranteed W’s. But hats off to USF in that it has scheduled tough contests. Last week they traveled to Ann Arbor, and hung around with a talented (if not injury-riddled) Michigan team. This week they travel to South Carolina, another solid power-conference team. Trust us though, this first month is probably not a good indication on these three teams.
Early season stumbles
Memphis started the season ranked in the Top 25. Saint Louis is always a tough team to play, no matter who is on the team. Both squads have not looked the part during the early going. The Tigers can blame three of their four losses on tough competition. They’ve played Syracuse and Pittsburgh on neutral courts and at Maryland, all three of which were ranked in the top fifteen at the time. However, Memphis lost each game by at least thirteen and only showed glimpses of team unity. Then the Tigers lost at home to unranked Mississippi. (More on this game later). Right now, Memphis is not a team. It’s a collection of talent: Sean Banks, Rodney Carney, who has blossomed this year, and Darius Washington Jr., who might become C-USA Freshman of the Year, but so far they’re playing as individuals. Head coach John Calipari will have to earn his salary this year.
As for Saint Louis, a loss at Gonzaga is understandable. But a 1-6 record? Not only that, but it’s the way the Billikens have lost. Brad Soderberg-coached teams are known tough-minded ones that know how to win the close games. Three of the Billikens’ six losses were by a combined six points (losses of one, two and three). Reggie Bryant is not getting enough looks, and the usually solid defense is breaking down at key junctures in the game. Saint Louis can not blame a tough schedule on most of these losses (home games against Oral Roberts, Austin Peay and Hawaii, all losses), or expect it to get any better. Most of C-USA is better than those three teams and Soderberg must figure something out before SLU struggles to its worst season in decades.
Strong coaching starts
Tom Penders and Larry Eustachy knew they were not inheriting the second-coming of Duke when agreed to coaching gigs at Houston and Southern Miss, respectively. Yet the two have taken teams that struggled in 2003-04 and started strong this season. The biggest surprise is Houston, who last year went 9-18 and did not even qualify for the conference tournament. This season the Cougars are 5-3, including an improbable 57-55 win against Missouri. Their two road wins (at Sam Houston State and Lamar) already doubles its road win total from a year ago. Andre Owens continues to star for the Cougars, but is receiving contributions from the entire squad. Credit Penders for making this team believe, something that was not existent a year ago.
Eustachy has done much of the same in Hattiesburg. The Golden Eagles are 6-2, even if the competition has been lacking. He’s implemented his fast-paced style and the players are responding. Jasper Johnson, who has thrived in the more deliberate pace from the past two seasons, has not missed a beat, averaging 17.1 points per game. Once again, the Southern Miss players believe they can win, something that was not the case a season ago.
Around C-USA
Charlotte (5-2) Last week: 2-0
The 49ers bounced back from a 102-101 loss to Alabama with two wins last week. Wednesday, Charlotte went on the road to defeat a tough Davidson team, 87-68, before beating Georgia State at home Saturday, 80-65. While the Niners received their usual production from Curtis Withers and Brendan Plavich, a surprise to many outside the Charlotte camp is the emergence of E.J. Drayton. The junior college transfer from Colby College, the small forward is averaging 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He replaced Eddie Basden in the starting lineup against Georgia State, though Basden played the better game.
Next week – vs. NC Ashville (Dec. 19).
Cincinnati (6-0) Last week: 2-0
The Bearcats remained perfect with two home wins, beating Vanderbilt 88-72 on Thursday and Detroit 61-44 on Saturday. Cincinnati looked awful during the first five minutes against Vandy, falling behind 17-7. The next fifteen minutes of the first half was easily the best basketball the Bearcats have played this season. They would eventually go into halftime leading 46-31. Against Detroit, starting forward Eric Hicks sat out with a sprained left knee and it showed on the boards. Detroit out-rebounded the Bearcats 40-26. Armein Kirkland continued his hot play after a career-high 23 points against Dayton Dec. 4. During last week’s two games the junior forward averaged 18.5 points.
Next week – vs. Northwestern St. (Dec. 18).
DePaul (5-2) Last week: 2-0
The Blue Demons played perhaps the best five minutes of any C-USA team this season Saturday. On the road at Notre Dame, which while unranked is a solid team and probably should be ranked, DePaul led by four points with eight minutes remaining. The Blue Demons produced a 12-0 run, complete with three-point plays, backdoor passes and cuts and solid defense. The Fighting Irish never recovered and DePaul won 84-73, following up an 88-67 home win against Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis on Monday. While Quemont Greer continues to lead the Demons (20 points per game) a few newcomers are starting to show their mettle. JC transfer Jamal Nichols, a slender 6-foot-8 forward, finished with a season-high twelve points against Notre Dame.
Next week – at Northwestern (Dec. 15), vs. Illinois-Chicago (Dec. 18).
East Carolina (4-4) Last week: 0-2
The Pirates suffered two hard-fought losses last week, falling on the road to Western Carolina on Tuesday, 77-72, before losing at home to Old Dominion on Sunday, 51-50. The loss Sunday came in heartbreaking fashion, as ODU’s Alex Loughton nailed a three-pointer from beyond the NBA line with 16.9 seconds remaining in the game. Mike Cook paced the Pirates, with back-to-back sixteen-point performances. ECU performed well against Western Carolina on the offensive end, as four starters reached double figures. The defense failed them though during the second half as Western Carolina scored 43 second-half points and shot 51.8 percent from the field for the game.
Next week – vs. Winthrop (Dec. 17).
Houston (5-3) Last week: 0-0
The Cougars had no game scheduled last week because of finals.
Next week – vs. New Orleans (Dec. 16), vs. Southeast Louisiana (Dec. 18).
Louisville (5-1) Last week: 1-0
The Cardinals put together their best effort of the season Saturday, winning on the road against a tough Florida squad, 74-70. Francisco Garcia did a bit of everything, finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists, five steals and one block, before fouling out during the closing minutes. Even with Garcia out, Louisville withstood a consistent Gator comeback. Taquan Dean led all scorers with 22 points and Larry O’Bannon contributed 13. Otis George sat out his second straight game with a stress fracture in his leg and is not scheduled to return for another month. Without George, Louisville’s bench suddenly is rather short. Only one bench player (Brandon Jenkins) played more than six minutes.
Next week – vs. North Carolina A&T (Dec. 14), vs. Kentucky (Dec. 18).
Marquette (9-0) Last week: 2-0
Similar to Louisville, Marquette put together its best effort of the season Saturday. We know this of course because of the Golden Eagles relative cake schedule mentioned earlier. After an easy eight-game stretch, Marquette knocked off nationally-ranked Wisconsin at the Bradley Center, 63-54. Travis Diener, playing on a sprained left ankle that hindered his playing time earlier in the week, scored 29 points and hit five three-pointers to led Marquette. The Eagles controlled the boards, 44-28, as Marcus Jackson corralled a career-high fifteen. The win paid back the Badgers, who defeated Marquette last season in Madison. Earlier in the week, the Eagles defeated winless South Dakota State, 76-60. Junior forward Steve Novak led all scorers with 21 points, one off his season high.
Next week – vs. Arizona (Dec. 18).
Memphis (5-4) Last week: 0-2
No one denies that Memphis’ early schedule has been brutal. That being said, Saturday’s loss at home to Mississippi was not supposed to happen. Rodney Carney and Sean Banks, who have combined for 33.1 points per game this season, finished with six and five points, respectively. That, coupled with sluggish play throughout, contributed to the Tiger’s 65-53 loss; it was the team’s fourth in its last six games. Tuesday, Memphis lost bad to Pittsburgh, 70-51, in New York for the Jimmy V Classic. The Panthers, notorious for their deliberate pace, were able to beat Memphis at its own quick-paced game. The Tigers should be able to regroup with a few lightweights coming their way though, and this hard non-conference schedule will pay dividends when March rolls around. No other C-USA has played a tougher schedule this first month of the season.
Next week – vs. Austin Peay (Dec. 18).
South Florida (5-3) Last week: 0-1
There are two ways to look at the Bulls’ 71-62 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor on Saturday. One – South Florida hung around with a NCAA tournament-caliber team, on the road, for 40 minutes. Two – USF could not defeat a team that was without four players because of injury. Your view personifies what the loss really meant. To South Florida’s credit, they made two big runs late in the game when Michigan pushed the lead to double digits. Terrance Leather added to his legacy with a career-high 28 points and Solomon Jones led all players with 11 rebounds. The Wolverines won the game at the free-throw line; shooting 23-of-29 (USF was only 8-of-11). Brian Swift, typically a reliable three-point shooter, only went 1-of-8 from deep. If a couple more of those drop, this instead could be about a shocker in Ann Arbor.
Next week – at South Carolina (Dec. 14).
Southern Miss (6-2) Last week: 2-0
Yeah, Southern Miss’ competition was lacking. Regardless, the Golden Eagles chalked up two more wins and continue to look better than last year. USM defeated Spring Hill, 76-60, on Tuesday before squashing Alcorn State on Saturday, 82-61. Tuesday, Larry Eustachy decided not to start his usual trio of Jasper Johnson, Jason Forte and Michael Ford against the lesser opponent Spring Hill. The three responded against Alcorn State, scoring 23, 19 and 11 points, respectively. Johnson shot 9-of-11 from the field and also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds. Eustachy was also able to clear the bench Saturday, as thirteen players saw action.
Next week – vs. LSU (Dec. 18).
Saint Louis (1-6) Last week: 0-2
So much for keeping them close. After losses of one, two and three points during their first five games, the Billikens decided to lose going away last week. SLU fell to Wisconsin-Milwaukee at home Tuesday, 57-47, before getting blown out at Gonzaga on Saturday, 75-45. The losses dropped the Billikens to 1-6, their worst start in years. Saturday was a complete breakdown on both ends of the court. SLU shot 31.5 percent from the field, while allowing the Bulldogs to go 15-of-23 from the field during the second half. Gonzaga attempted 13 more free throws and Saint Louis committed 11 turnovers during the first half. Tuesday, the Billikens made only 17 field goals during the entire game and were out-rebounded by 10. Reggie Bryant led the team in scoring with only 10 points.
Next week – vs. Oakland (Dec. 15), Dayton (Dec. 18).
TCU (6-3) Last Week: 1-1
Kansas was just too much for TCU to handle last week, as the Horned Frogs lost on the road Thursday, 93-74. But TCU recovered to split the week with a 65-51 win at home against intra-state rival SMU. The big news this week was the play of junior Nile Murry. A JC transfer from Temple, the 6-foot-4 guard averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. His addition to the backcourt, along with Corey Santee and Marcus Shropshire, make the Frogs even more lethal. He shot 41.7 percent from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the three-point line. Bad news of the week: Chudi Chinweze suffered a leg injury during the loss to Kansas. He landed awkwardly on it late during the game, and then did not appear in the SMU game. His status remains unknown but there is no guarantee he will be back on the court anytime soon.
Next week – at Vanderbilt (Dec. 18).
Tulane (2-4) Last Week: 0-1
The Green Wave was out-muscled during its lone game of last week, an 85-72 loss to Northwestern State on Monday. Tulane was out-rebounded 35-24, and their opponents attempted twice as many free throws (34-17). It did not help that Northwestern State was nearly automatic from the line either (only missed five of those 34 attempts). The Green Wave wasted a strong offensive performance, as four players reached double figures, led by Quincy Davis’ 16. Marcus Kinzer also set a school record with 13 assists, but it was for naught. The Demons also hit 10 three-pointers, including a few crucial treys to put the game away.
Next week – vs. Savannah State (Dec. 18).
UAB (4-1) Last week: 0-1
The Blazers were finally tested this past week, and although they failed, it was about the hardest test out there. UAB traveled to Stillwater, Okla., to face nationally-ranked Oklahoma State and lost 86-73. The Cowboys were just too strong as six players scored in double figures, led Joey Graham’s 20 points and John Lucas’ 18. OSU shot 51.9 percent from the field and 85.3 percent from the free-throw line and was just too dominant for the Blazers to handle. Donell Taylor led all UAB scorers with 17. The Blazers though only shot 34.8 percent from the field. They were able to create turnovers like usual, 21, but committed 16 of their own and traded fast-break points with the Cowboys, leading to their downfall.
Next week – vs. Belmont (Dec. 15), at Richmond (Dec. 17).
Player of the Week
Travis Diener, Marquette
He wasn’t even supposed to play against Wisconsin on Saturday. Right, like the kid is going to miss his last opportunity against the Golden Eagles’ intra-state rival. Diener knocked down 29 points on a bum leg, including several crucial three-pointers late.
Games to Watch
Louisville vs. Kentucky
When is this game not a big one? All Louisville did last year was march into Rupp Arena when the Wildcats were No. 1 and leave victorious. Don’t think that, well, at least Chuck Hayes was around last year to remember. Another great test for UK’s youngsters.
Marquette vs. Arizona
The Golden Eagles checked off the first half of their non-conference revenge list with their win against Wisconsin. Marquette was beating Arizona in Tucson last year for 30 minutes before falling apart. The Wildcats look just like last year, unfulfilled promises.
South Florida vs. South Carolina
The Bulls looked tough on the road against Michigan, even if the Wolverines were undermanned. Another chance for South Florida to prepare for conference play with some real competition, as opposed to Stetson Law College.
