Conference USA Notebook
New and old stepping up
We all know the likes of Louisville’s Francisco Garcia and Marquette’s Travis Diener are going to star nearly every game. We knew it before the season started. However, several players we have known for the past few seasons have busted out as stars early this season. Still other players, unknown to even their own teammates at the beginning of the year, are providing key contributions.
The first name that jumps out is DePaul’s Quemont Greer. The senior forward spent the past three seasons in the shadows of now graduated Andre Brown. When Delonte Holland stepped up last season as the team’s go-to player, Greer became at best the No. 3 option and a quiet contributor on the glass. Even his solid defensive play went unnoticed. With Brown and Holland gone, Greer has accelerated his game. He is the leading scorer in C-USA, averaging 22.4 points per game, and is eighth in the conference in rebounding, averaging eight boards per game.
Another big man who’s made a bigger name for himself this season is Cincinnati’s Eric Hicks. Playing in the shadows of Jason Maxiell and a guard-orientated team, Hicks has become a monster of the glass and developed a scoring touch as well. His 9.3 rebounds per game are third in C-USA, while his 14.3 points are second on the team.
An even better story are the players most of the conference has yet to hear about. Anyone know who Nile Murry is? In case that’s a no, he’s a junior college transfer who plays for TCU and dropped in 26 points last week against Grambling. He’s also second on the team in scoring, averaging 12 points per game. Or how about Charlotte freshman Leemire Goldmire, who’s averaging eight points per game and providing crucial minutes at the thin guard position for the Niners. These two are just examples of many no-name players making big contributions to their respected teams.
Showing some spunk
Saint Louis has struggled all season. Tulane has struggled for several seasons. Both took steps to reverse that trend this past week by showing some spunk. The Billikens lost twice, running their record 1-8 during their past nine games. But their second loss came on the road to undefeated and nationally-ranked Iowa, and Saint Louis actually led for most of the game. They could have packed it in after losing badly at home to Southeast Missouri State earlier in the week and traveling without injured star Reggie Bryant, but the Billikens hung tough. In fact, SLU still led by five with less than four minutes remaining before Iowa’s talent took over. Still, it could be the performance that turns the tide for the Billikens.
The Green Wave have not been good since the Clinton administration. A week ago, when Tulane trailed Princeton at the half, 33-18, one have easily written off the season. Yet the Wave fought back, even though they eventually lost, 59-51. Then Tulane put together two solid wins against Alabama State and Virginia Military Institute, improving its record to 6-5. It’s the first time in nearly a year that the Green Wave have been above .500, and the first time in a while that they have shown any promise. As luck would have it, these two teams face each other to start conference play, which leads us to…
Kicking off conference play
This week begins the C-USA season, and it’s shaping up to be a dandy. All of the favorites, besides Memphis, are playing close to their potential but still have room for improvement. Many of the schools picked to finish close to the bottom – Tulane, Southern Miss, Houston, South Florida – appear to be playing better than anyone would have thought two months ago. Right now, the two big disappointments are Memphis and Saint Louis. The Tigers are too talented not to get back on track, and the Billikens are too well disciplined to continue to struggle as bad as they are currently. This week’s games serve as a nice warm-up, with no colossal clashes, but plenty of opportunities for the little guys to go head-to-head with the big boys.
Around C-USA
Charlotte (9-2 overall) Last week: 2-0
The Niners won the Cable Car Classic at Santa Clara, Calif., last week with victories against Yale, 80-74, and Central Connecticut State, 66-52. The Charlotte frontcourt was dominant during the tournament, especially tourney MVP Curtis Withers. Withers averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds during the two games, while receiving help from forward Eddie Basden (12.5 points, 11 rebounds per game). Sophomore center Martin Iti, who’s failed to meet expectations during his first one-plus years, played perhaps his best game of his career Tuesday against Yale, scoring a career-high 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Leemire Goldwire continued to impress, scoring a career-high 22 points against Yale. Ready for conference play: definitely.
Next week – vs. East Carolina (Saturday)
Cincinnati (11-1) Last week: 2-1
No. 1 Illinois stomped on the Bearcats’ perfect record on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas, winning 67-45 at the Las Vegas Tournament. The loss came after Cincinnati beat Longwood, 95-69, the night earlier in Las Vegas and intrastate rival Miami (OH), 77-53, at a neutral site in Cincinnati on Monday. The Fighting Illini beat the Bearcats at their own game: with defense and rebounding. Illinois held Cincinnati to 28 percent shooting and out-rebounded them, 36-34, and Cincinnati only dished out six assists. This bad loss came off the heels of the Bearcats’ best game of the season, a 24-point romp over the Miami Redhawks. Big men Eric Hicks and Jason Maxiell each produced monster games during each of the team’s wins. Hicks finished with 21 points and 17 rebounds against Miami, while Maxiell scored a career-high 30 against Longwood. Ready for conference play: pretty close.
Next week – vs. DePaul (Thursday), at Saint Louis (Saturday)
DePaul (8-3) Last week: 2-0
It was an interesting week for the Blue Demons and in particularly for sophomore guard Sammy Meija. The 6-foot-6 starter, who averaged 12.9 points during the team’s first nine games, announced before DePaul’s 60-51 win over Rhode Island on Thursday that he was leaving the team indefinitely for personal reasons. The leave lasted one game, as he returned for the Demons’ 73-60 win against Old Dominion on Sunday. Meija came off the bench, played 18 minutes and scored 11 points. Quemont Greer continued to dominate, averaging 25 points and 11 rebounds during the two wins. Without Meija, DePaul struggled early against Rhode Island, needing a 19-4 run midway through the second half to take control.
Meija and Drake Diener need to consistently score to ease the burden on Greer, while head coach Dave Leitao routinely has his team prepared on the defensive end. Ready for conference play: pretty close.
Next week – at Cincinnati (Thursday), vs. Houston (Saturday).
East Carolina (4-7) Last week: 0-1
Well, at least the Pirates did not suffer a heartbreaking loss this time. East Carolina received a thorough beating from Clemson on the road Wednesday, 74-40. The Tigers took a 34-19 halftime lead and then produced runs of 14-3 and 15-2 during the second half to cement the win. The loss proved two points: that East Carolina was not as good as it seemed during their close losses to big-conference schools and how far-and-away the ACC is above every other conference in college basketball. Mike Cook again came off the bench and led the team in scoring, with 18 points. East Carolina allowed Clemson to shoot 55.6 percent from the field, while they only managed 12 field goals and shot 21.1 percent. The Pirates were also out-rebounded 37-32 and finished with only five assists to the Tigers’ 21. Ready for conference play: not even close.
Next week – vs. St. Andrews (Monday), vs. South Florida (Wednesday), at Charlotte (Saturday)
Houston (8-5) Last week: 0-1
The Cougars faced a good test last week, playing on the road against an undefeated Texas A&M squad that was looking for some street cred after a soft early season schedule. Houston was not up to the task, losing 93-80 on Wednesday. Lanny Smith’s 26 points were not enough, as the Aggies’ starting five put on an offensive clinic. A foul-happy Cougar team committed 32 fouls, enabling Texas A&M to shoot 34-of-47 from the free-throw line. Four Aggies scored at least 15 points, led by Acie Law’s 25. Andre Owens played one of the worst games of his career. Playing only 25 minutes because of foul trouble, he shot 1-of-5 from the field and finished with four points before fouling out.
If Owens performs like he usually does, Houston has a great chance at pulling out this win. Still, the Cougars look better than they did at start of conference play last year. Ready for conference play: getting there.
Next week – vs. Louisville (Wednesday), at DePaul (Saturday)
Louisville (11-2) Last week: 3-0
It was a somber week in Louisville with the passing of head coach Rick Pitino’s mother. On the court it was business as usual, as the Cardinals romped to three wins against no-name non-conference teams. The Cards coasted at home, beating Morehead State, 104-40, Eastern Kentucky, 78-63, and Tennessee State, 98-64. Francisco Garcia showed a more aggressive approach with his shot selection, averaging 27 points during the three games. Ellis Myles showed he’s returning to his rebounding form from two seasons ago, averaging 11.3 rebounds during the three games. Currently he leads C-USA with an average of 10 boards per game. But he’s doing more than that, becoming a complete player and needed leader beside Garcia. He averaged 11.3 points and five assists during the three games.
With the return of Otis George imminent, it looks like Louisville is close to hitting top form. Ready for conference play: pretty close.
Next week – at Houston (Wednesday), vs. TCU (Saturday)
Marquette (12-1) Last week: 2-0
Dameon Mason broke out of a three-week slump, and Todd Townsend broke out a season-long slump, as Marquette defeated Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday, 91-57. The Golden Eagles also defeated Coppin State on Wednesday, 65-55. Townsend, who’s hesitated with his shot all season, went 6-of-9 from the field, a season-high in shot attempts, and scored a season-high 15 points. Mason, a sophomore guard who’s needed to star for the Eagles to contend for a conference title, finished with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Wednesday’s score was not as close as it appeared. Marquette took control midway through the first half, and led by double digits the entire second half.
As conference play looms, the Golden Eagles are looking pretty formidable, but trouble will lurk any time Travis Diener struggles, as evident during their loss to Arizona. Ready for conference play: pretty close.
Next week – at Tulane (Saturday)
Memphis (7-6) Last week: 1-0
Thursday’s game was about venting frustration for the Tigers. To their credit though, they achieved this against a quality opponent. Memphis romped at home against East Tennessee State, 87-56, during its only game of the week. Following two straight home losses, the Tigers were in need of win just to prevent a complete collapse before conference play even started. Sean Banks finally looked like the Sean Banks of last season, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Anthony Rice played fantastic, scoring a career-high 20 points, and Darius Washington chipped in 17. The freshman guard scored 14 of his points during the first half, going 5-of-5 from the field. Memphis finally found its shooting touch from deep, going 11-of-21 from the three-point line. Rodney Carney continued to rest his ankle, playing only 18 minutes.
The Tigers are still nowhere near their potential, but Thursday’s win was at least a step in the right direction. Ready for conference play: not really.
Next week – at Texas (Thursday), vs. Southern Miss (Sunday)
South Florida (7-4) Last week: 1-0
The Bulls again won their lone game last week, this time defeating Texas Arlington, 81-51. It was a far cry from a solid team to prep them for conference play, however. The blowout allowed South Florida to extend some playing time to the bench, which allowed freshman Collin Dennis to score a career-high 21 points, thanks to 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc and 8-of-10 overall. Terrance Leather produced a very workman-like 18 points and Brian Swift dished out another five assists.
South Florida appears leaps and bounds ahead of where they were last season. Right now, when their entire starting five is clicking, they are capable of competing with anyone in C-USA, including the likes of Louisville, Cincinnati and Charlotte. Solidifying their bench will be crucial if the Bulls are to keep winning. Ready for conference play: pretty close.
Next week – at East Carolina (Wednesday), vs. UAB (Saturday)
Southern Miss (9-3) Last week: 1-1
The Golden Eagles lost a tough road game to New Orleans, 67-56, on Thursday, after coasting to a 90-46 win against crosstown school William Carey on Tuesday. The Privateers’ star Bo McCalebb tore up the Southern Miss defense for 25 points, as New Orleans shot 52.2 percent from the field and dished out 15 assists. The Golden Eagles were limited to 36.7 percent from the field and made only 1-of-13 three-point attempts. Jasper Johnson led the team with 15 points, while Rashaad Carruth was the only other player in double digits, with 12. Four players scored in double figures against William Carey, as Southern Miss dominated in every facet.
While Johnson continues to star, the rest of the Eagles are playing pretty decent. Head coach Larry Eustachy has done an admirable job so far with his new squad. Ready for conference play: getting there.
Next week – at UAB (Wednesday), at Memphis (Sunday)
Saint Louis (2-10) Last week: 0-2
The Billikens showed a bit of life against Iowa, as mentioned in this week’s feature piece. Unfortunately, Saint Louis failed to crack the win column for the fourth straight game. SLU is now 2-10 for the season, its worst start in 13 seasons. Last week the Billikens lost badly at home to Southeast Missouri State, 65-49, before their spirited loss to undefeated Iowa, 67-58. Scoring leader Reggie Bryant missed both games with a left eye injury, hindering an already stagnant Billiken offense. Against SE Missouri State, Saint Louis fell behind by 16 at halftime and never recovered. Their usual sturdy defense allowed the Indians to shoot 52.2 percent from the field and only forced 11 turnovers, while SLU was also out-rebounded, 31-23. On the offensive side of the ball, Saint Louis shot 38.9 percent from the field, went a pathetic 7-of-18 from the free-throw line, missed all eight of its three-point attempts and turned the ball over 18 times.
While they improved against Iowa, the Billikens are stumbling in to conference play. Ready for conference play: not even close.
TCU (9-4) Last week: 1-0
The Horned Frogs nearly broke triple digits during their only game last week, defeating Grambling, 98-83, on Tuesday night. As mentioned earlier, it was a big night for JC transfer Nile Murry. He wasn’t the only unheralded TCU player that played an exceptional game, though. Junior forward Judson Stubbs scored 15 points, his second-highest total of the year, and pulled down six rebounds. Marcus Shropshire also contributed 18 points. The Horned Frogs actually trailed by one at the half, 48-47, before pouring it on during the second half. TCU dominated on the glass, 42-26, and hit 17 more free throws than Grambling, who stayed alive by hitting 14-of-29 from beyond the three-point line.
It appears the Horned Frogs have achieved becoming a balanced attack even with Chudi Chinweze lost for the season with a knee injury. Ready for conference play: pretty close.
Next week – vs. Texas State (Monday), at Louisville (Saturday)
Tulane (6-5) Last week: 2-1
Just like Saint Louis, the Green Wave showed some spunk last week, coming back strong against Princeton, even though they eventually lost, and then defeating Alabama State and Virginia Military Institute. All in all, it was a solid week for Tulane, a program that has not seen many of those during the past few seasons. Freshman guard Taylor Rochestie stepped up, scoring back-to-back career-highs during the team’s two wins, with 19 and then 22 points. Despite good games from Ben Benfield and Vytas Tatarunas during the loss to Princeton, it’s obvious that Marcus Kinzer and Quincy Davis must play solid games for the Green Wave to win. The two combined for 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists against the Tigers. That will not cut it, but do not except both of Wave’s stars to struggle like that at the same time. Ready for conference play: getting there.
Next week – at Saint Louis (Wednesday), vs. Marquette (Saturday)
UAB (10-3) Last week: 3-0
The Blazers broke triple digits twice last week and show little sign of slowing down from their current pace or their run to the conference title last season. UAB went 3-0 last week, beating Alabama A&M, 100-68, South Alabama on the road, 82-76, and Murray State, 100-80. The Taylor twins continued to serve as a double dose of anxiety for opposing teams, as the two combined for 83 points during the team’s three wins (Ronell topped his brother Donell by one, 42-41). The Blazers attempted 201 shots during the three games, 18 more than their opponents, and forced 65 turnovers.
Head coach Mike Anderson has his team exactly where he wants them and needs them to be. Ready for conference play: definitely.
Next week – vs. Southern Miss (Wednesday), at South Florida (Saturday)
Player of the week
Quemont Greer, DePaul
The senior forward averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds during the Blue Demons’ two wins. Stability was needed when Sammy Meija temporarily left the team early in the week and Greer provided it.
Games to Watch
Tulane vs. Saint Louis (Wednesday at 8 p.m.)
Perhaps the Billikens are not as bad as their record makes them appear, especially after leading for most of their game at Iowa. Perhaps Tulane is genuinely better than the past few seasons. This game should serve as a solid measuring stick for both teams.
Cincinnati vs. DePaul (Thursday at 7 p.m.)
These two teams split their match-ups last season. This game should be a great battle of big men, Quemont Greer against the combination of Jason Maxiell and Eric Hicks. DePaul must deal with the Cincinnati crowd charged for an ESPN game.
UAB vs. South Florida, Saturday at 1 p.m.
This is a great opportunity for the Bulls to find out how far they’ve come. In fact, South Florida almost upset the Blazers last season, losing on a buzzer-beater. If the Bulls can pull the upset this time, it will bode extremely well for their confidence.
