Tulane

Poll: How Many CUSA Teams Will Make the Tournament?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 08:47:30 -0800

Tuesday Recap: Crowder's Shot Lifts Marquette Past Washington

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:42:24 -0800

The Jimmy V Classic doubleheader at Madison Square Garden annually provides soe outstanding basketball, with all of it being for a good cause. Tuesday night was no exception, and in the second half of the doubleheader Marquette and Washington put forth a thrilling display of basketball. Ultimately a Jae Crowder three pointer with seven seconds remaining gave the Golden Eagles the 79-77 win, but while the Huskies did fall there are more reasons for optimism than doubt for a team that let one slip away at Nevada on Friday night.

Terrence Ross led four Washington players in double figures with 19 points, and the Huskies controlled the boards to the tune of a 46-32 edge with 18 offensive rebounds. But they need to get point guard Abdul Gaddy going in order to possibly win the Pac-12. Gaddy made just two of his eleven shots from the field and scored four points, breaking even on his assist-to-turnover ratio with two apiece. Washington is very talented on the perimeter with Gaddy, Ross, C.J. Wilcox and Tony Wroten (13 points) but they can ill-afford Gaddy having too many off nights.

As for Marquette, Buzz Williams' program always has and always will be regarded as tough. It's a basic requirement for being a part of the program, but this is also a group that's very talented. In addition to Crowder there are guards Vander Blue (11 points) and Darius Johnson-Odom (23 points), and reserve Todd Mayo is a key contributor as well. But the rebounding numbers are a concern; removing Tuesday night Marquette grabbed just over three rebounds per game more than their opponents and with Chris Otule going down with a sprained knee that was one less big body inside.

As a positive the Golden Eagles, just like Missouri in the first game, played an unselfish brand of basketball that resulted in 20 assists to ten turnovers and four players in double figures. Mayo and Junior Cadougan combined for ten assists and two turnovers on the night, and of the seven players to see double-digit minutes only Blue (two assists, three turnovers) had more turnovers than assists. Does Marquette have enough to crack the top three in the Big East? They don't have the true big men like Syracuse or Connecticut (or even Pittsburgh for that matter), but it would be wise to not rule that out. The nation saw first-hand that the Golden Eagles are talented, but most importantly Buzz Williams' team remains tough.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Missouri holds off Villanova, and their unselfish nature could lead the Tigers to big things.
While Missouri/Villanova was a good matchup in regards to style of play, it became rather apparent as the game went on the different ceilings for the two teams. Villanova is a middle of the pack team in the Big East while Missouri is capable of doing some serious damage...or even getting to New Orleans. Yes, New Orleans, because even though they're lacking depth up front Frank Haith's team is tough defensively and unselfish offensively (and in general). In the 81-71 win the Tigers assisted on 23 of their 28 field goals with just eight turnovers, and Marcus Denmon led the way offensively with 28 points. Ricardo Ratliffe put up another double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and as a team Missouri was just a minus-1 (38-37) in rebounding margin.

Missouri outscored Villanova 31-20 in the paint and forced 15 Wildcat turnovers, and those numbers spelled doom for a team that's counting on young players at a number of key positions. Missouri may have changed their style with the arrival of Haith, eschewing the full-court pressure of the Mike Anderson era, but they've retained their unselfishness. That's one big reason why this team is still capable of great achievements despite a rotation that's essentially seven players deep.

2. Two more Pac-12 suspensions: UCLA's Reeves Nelson and Arizona's Josiah Turner.
Someone could make some good money doing a soap opera on the Pac-12 this season. Not only has the league continued to have issues in non-conference play, but some key talents can't seem to avoid trouble. Following on the heels of Utah suspending leading scorer Josh Watkins was the news on Tuesday that UCLA (Reeves Nelson) and Arizona (Josiah Turner) had to suspend key players...once again. Both Nelson nor Turner have been down this road before this season, and Nelson's situation has been bad enough that in some circles people hoped that the initial report that he'd been dismissed from the team was accurate. As for Turner, according to the Arizona website PointGuardU he missed practice on Monday and was left in Tucson ahead of their game Wednesday at Florida. Suspensions, transfers and on-court mediocrity has overshadowed the play of Oregon State and Stanford, two early-season surprises who could be capable of even more as the season wears on, which is bad news for the Pac-12 from a perception standpoint.

3. In a bizarre game Iowa goes from 10-0 up to losing by 20 at UNI.
Things were looking very good for Fran McCaffery's team in the early going at Northern Iowa as they jumped out to a 10-0 lead. But the Panthers would methodically work their way back into the game as the first half went on, eventually taking a 32-27 lead into the locker room. The wheels would eventually fall off for the Hawkeyes in the second half of what would finish as an 80-60 loss, complete with five technical fouls and McCaffery being ejected. Why were emotions so high for the visitors? A 33-9 difference in free throws attempted had a lot to do with it, and four of Iowa's technical fouls helped spark a 20-2 UNI run that put the game away. Another issue for Iowa in the loss was their three-point shooting, as they made just one of twelve shots and were outscored by 30 in that area by the Panthers. That split (along with the 29-3 UNI edge in points from the foul line) proved to be too much to overcome for the Hawkeyes.

Quick Hitters

1. If TCU is the 7th-best team in the Mountain West as the coaches predicted in October that league's going to be a beast come conference play. The Horned Frogs moved to 7-2 on the season with a 75-69 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night, and the triumvirate of point guard Hank Thorns and guards Garlon Green and J.R. Cadot can give opponents fits.

2. Congrats to first-year Monmouth head coach King Rice, whose team picked up their first win of the season at Navy (69-67). While there are some holdovers from last year's team the Hawks are starting from scratch, and the adjustment on both ends of the floor has been a tough one. Jesse Steele led the way for MU with 20 points.

3. While he's been over 20 points in four of the last five games, Will Barton's performance on Tuesday night could be the one that Memphis followers look back to as a catalyst a month from now. The sophomore went for 27 points, 14 rebounds, four steals, three assists and two in the Tigers' 71-54 win at Miami (FL). Barton was all over the floor, and the best part (in addition to those numbers and the win): just one turnover.

4. One of the more stunning player progressions has been that of Kansas center Jeff Withey, who has taken advantage of the increased minutes due to Kansas' lack of interior depth. With finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks in the Jayhawks' 88-80 win over Long Beach State. One thing about KU however: they're not going very far if they rack up 22 turnovers on a consistent basis.

5. Brad Loesing scored 24 points to lead the way in Wofford's 61-50 win over Tulane, handing the Green Wave their first loss of the season. Ed Conroy's club made just two of sixteen shots from beyond the arc, and while they have definitely improved from last season a suspect early slate helped push them out of the gates to a 9-0 start.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Will Barton (Memphis)
27 points, 14 rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocks in the Tigers' 71-54 win at Miami.

2. G Keith Rendleman (UNC Wilmington)
29 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the Seahawks' 77-68 win at Liberty.

3. C Jeff Withey and F Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
Withey finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks while Robinson put up 26 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in the Jayhawks' 88-80 win over Long Beach State.

Non-BCS Top 25: Murray St and Tulane Enter

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:36:50 -0800

The Non-BCS Top 25 is a weekly companion to the popular CHN Top 50 ranking, taking an in-depth look into the underrated universe of teams outside of the big six.

Non-BCS Top 25: December 4th

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last	Pre.
1	Xavier	6-0	1	2
2	Creighton	7-0	4	8
3	Gonzaga	5-1*	2	3
4	UNLV	8-1*	3	7
5	Memphis	4-2	5	1
6	Harvard	8-0	7	21
7	Cleveland St	8-1	8	NA
8	Saint Louis	7-1*	9	NA
9	San Diego St	8-2*	11	18
10	Wichita St	5-2	12	13
11	Temple	4-2	10	4
12	Belmont	5-2	13	12
13	Kent St	5-1	14	15
14	New Mexico	6-2	16	5
15	Marshall	5-1*	6	10

Not in CHN Top 50 Ranking

	Team	Record	Last	Pre.
16	Charleston	7-1	17	NA
17	Saint Mary's	5-1	18	14
18	Murray St	9-0	NA	NA
19	Northern Iowa	7-1	22	NA
20	Weber St	5-1*	15	20
21	UCF	5-2	21	25
22	Indiana St	6-2*	20	19
23	Tulane	9-0	35	NA
24	George Mason	6-2	27	9
25	Iona	6-1	33	NA

pre. = preseason ranking

last = last ranking (end of 2010-11 season)

* = Losses in the last week

Next 5: VCU (5-3), BYU (6-2), MTSU (7-1), Milwaukee (7-1), Long Beach St (4-3*)

Further 5: St. Joseph's (5-2), Wyoming (8-1), Dayton (5-3**), Davidson (6-1), Campbell (7-1)

Dropped Out of Top 25 This Week:

#19 Dayton

#23 Butler

#24 Long Beach St

#25 Utah St

Dropped Out of Top 25 Since Preseason:

#6 Butler

#11 Drexel

#16 VCU

#23 Long Beach St

#24 UAB

Agree/Disagree? Post Your Thoughts Below!

Check out last week's Non-BCS Top 25 Ranking

College Hoops Saturday Recap: "Game of the Year" Lives Up to Hype

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:18:36 -0800

One of the most anticipated regular season college basketball games in recent memory came down to wingspan. That was the difference between Kentucky and North Carolina as freshman Anthony Davis got a hand on John Henson's jumper in the final seconds to preserve a 73-72 win at Rupp Arena. UNC would enjoy the largest lead for either team with just under seven minutes left in the first half as they led 34-25, and the two titans would play close throughout. But in spite of the close nature of the score there were areas in which John Calipari's team separated itself and ultimately won the game.

The biggest discrepancy could be found in the paint, where the Wildcats outscored the Tar Heels 36-14 on the afternoon. Unlike North Carolina, who scored 45.8% of their points from beyond the arc, the Wildcats were able to consistently attack the basket and scored 65.8% of their points on two-point baskets. Terrence Jones (14 points, seven rebounds) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (17 points, 11 rebounds) were two of the key factors in this department, with Kidd-Gilchrist successfully attacking Harrison Barnes off the dribble on multiple occasions.

"At the 12-minute timeout I told them who was doing the scoring for them and it was Teague and [Kidd-] Gilcrhist and the guys taking the ball to the basket so our defense had to get stronger," said UNC head coach Roy Williams. "You look at the stat sheet and (Kentucky) shot 56 percent in the second half but they were a little more patient with it than we were."

North Carolina's biggest weapon on the offensive end was the three-point shot as they made 11 of their 18 attempts. Four players made those 11 shots with Harrison Barnes (14 points) and P.J. Hairston (11) leading the way with four and three made bonus shots respectively. But the Tar Heels didn't attack the rim nearly as much as Kentucky throughout the course of the game, and that posed some issues as the game wore on. Doron Lamb woke up from his slow offensive start to score 12 of his 14 points in the second half to help lead the Wildcats, and he simply began to make better decisions after a slow start was amplified by four turnovers.

"I thought in the second half, I put the ball in his hands saying, 'Let's go down'," said Kentucky head coach John Calipari. "He [had] a couple layups. He had a couple 3s. They were big shots. That one in the corner was a huge shot. He knocked it down."

The question now is what the two teams need to do in order to position themselves for a possible rematch down the line. North Carolina displayed a level of toughness some wanted to see in the aftermath of their loss to UNLV, and the young Wildcats turned the ball over just nine times with Marcus Teague having just one. While there are definitely issues for both to work out, and there will be a large number of challengers for the national title, it isn't unrealistic to think that these two could meet again this season with a lot more on the line.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Marquette picks up a good win at Wisconsin despite personnel "limitations".
Before the game it was learned that head coach Buzz Williams suspended junior point guard Junior Cadougan for a violation of team rules. Add to that the foul trouble that Jae Crowder had to deal with and there would be little chance of Marquette leaving Madison with a win, right? Wrong. Darius Johnson-Odom scored 17 points and Todd Mayo added 14 off the bench as the Golden Eagles beat in-state rival Wisconsin 61-54.

How did Marquette get it done? Defense and toughness, as they limited the Badgers to 32% shooting from the field (35.4% on twos and 26.3% on threes) and controlled the boards to the tune of a 44-32 advantage. The numbers weren't pretty but Marquette won by attacking Wisconsin on both ends of the floor, and there were a number of players who contributed to the effort. Buzz Williams' teams will make opponents fight for every inch of space, and that's a big reason why this group is capable of being a player in the Big East race.

2. Down 19 at one points in the second half, Xavier storms back to beat Purdue.
It was absolutely ugly for Chris Mack's Musketeers in the first half as they turned the ball over 18 times and trailed Purdue 33-22 at the break. Things would get worse before they got better in the second half as the Boilermakers led 55-36 with 10:44 remaining, but Xavier's "never say die" attitude resulted in a comeback for the ages. Tu Holloway made up for a rough 30 minutes with some impressive pressure shot-making and Xavier limited Purdue to 37.9% shooting in the second half on their way to the 66-63 win.

Matt Painter's team wasn't helped by the fact that Robbie Hummel had to deal with leg cramps down the stretch, and his absence in the final seconds was apparent as the team struggled to fine a good look for Ryne Smith. Holloway would lead four Xavier starters in double figures with 21 points, and there may not be another player in the country who can not only take the big shots but embrace the pressure that comes with them. He and Mark Lyons form the kind of backcourt that can lead a team deep into the NCAA Tournament, and their aggressive nature makes them a handful for whoever the Musketeers face.

3. A power outage seemingly robs UCLA of their energy as they fall to Texas at home.
Late in the first half the LA Sports Arena lost power, and with UCLA leading by double figures this was the worst possible time for a team of shaky temperment to have to leave the court. Of course after the break Texas would outscore UCLA 9-4 to end the half, and Rick Barnes' team kept the ball rolling in the second half on their way to a 69-59 win. J'Covan Brown scored 22 points and Myck Kabongo added 13 points and eight assists in leading the comeback, but the soap opera that is UCLA Basketball added another unfortunate chapter on Saturday afternoon.

Reeves Nelson was benched the entire second half due to a missed defensive assignment, and outside of Lazeric Jones (21 points) and Travis Wear (13 points) the Bruins didn't get much done offensively. While Texas shot 54.7% from the field UCLA limped to the finish shooting at a 38.6% clip, and they struggled to keep the Longhorns off of the offensive glass as well (Texas' offensive rebounding percentage: 48.0%). With just one win over a Division I opponent it's extremely difficult to see UCLA contending for a conference championship with the current level of play, regardless of how weak the Pac-12 has been.

4. Charleston's late-game execution ultimately results in a double-overtime victory.
With 21 seconds remaining Bobby Cremins' team trailed visiting Chattanooga 65-61, and the Mocs looked to be a decent bet to pick up their first SoCon win of the season after dropping their league opener. But College of Charleston refused to lie down, and in coming back the Cougars played smart basketball in eventually forcing overtime. Andrew Lawrence scored five of his career-high 25 points in the final ten seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime, and the Cougars would ultimately take advantage of the second chance in winning 87-85 in double overtime.

Anthony Stitt came off the bench to score 20 points, and Trent Wiedeman (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Antwaine Wiggins (14 and 12) both posted double-doubles to back up Lawrence. The result dropped Chattanooga to 0-2 in SoCon play, and that's exactly the start that the Mocs were hoping to avoid given their status as the preseason favorite in the North Division. But execution is critical in games such as this one, and Charleston's ability to play smart basketball without panicking is why they were able to come back.

5. Tulane moves to 9-0 with a win over Georgia Tech, but how good are they?
You never want to discount a team's 9-0 start to a season, especially when that team has struggled as much in recent years as the Tulane Green Wave. But even with Ed Conroy's team off to a 9-0 start with their most recent outing being a 57-52 win over Georgia Tech, there remain questions about Tulane due to a strength of schedule that ranks 342nd nationally. Ricky Tarrant picked up the slack for leading scorers Kendall Timmons and Josh Davis with 24 points on Saturday, and on the season four players are averaging double figures in scoring.

Tulane shot just 31% from the field against the Yellow Jackets but won because of a +12 differential in points from the foul line along with 8-for-16 shooting from beyond the arc. Tulane likely won't overwhelm teams offensively once they get into Conference USA play but this is an improved basketball team. Just beware reading too much into the record, as the Green Wave likely won't be tested again until they visit Syracuse on the 22nd. So the answer to the question of how good Tulane is: we don't have enough information right now.

Quick Hitters

1. The development of big man Meyers Leonard has been a sight to behold in Champaign, and despite foul trouble he put up 21 points and six rebounds in Illinois' 82-75 win over Gonzaga. Leonard has added a physical dimension inside that Bruce Weber hasn't had for a couple years, and this could end up being one of his best teams as a result.

2. At some point in his career B.J. Young will be an All-SEC player at Arkansas. The freshman scored 28 points in 27 minutes off the bench, but it wasn't enough to lead the Razorbacks to a win at Connecticut as they fell 75-62. Another encouraging development for the Hogs: 27 offensive rebounds despite losing Marshawn Powell for the season with a knee injury last week.

3. Valparaiso won a thriller in their Horizon League opener as they beat Butler 77-71 in overtime at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Richie Edwards led five players in double figures with 18 points off the bench, and the Crusaders were solid enough defensively to limit the Bulldogs to 34.3% shooting from the field.

4. Mississippi State outscored West Virginia 23-10 over the final 8:02 in beating the Mountaineers 75-62 in Starkville. Arnett Moultrie led the way with 21 points and 13 rebounds and Dee Bost chipped in with 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five steals.

5. It was quite obvious how much Rutgers needed big man Gilvydas Biruta on the floor, as his foul trouble in the second half coincided with the Scarlet Knights' struggles in a 55-50 loss to LSU. Mike Rice's team scored just two points after Biruta fouled out with 4:49 remaining, and they had a hard time controlling LSU defensively when he wasn't in as well.

Five Notable Performances

1. F Greg Magnano (Yale)
22 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in the Bulldogs' 68-52 win over Vermont.

2. G Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in the Terriers' 83-63 win over The Citadel.

3. G Taylor Braun (North Dakota State)
30 points (9-11 FG), eight rebounds and three assists in the Bison's 84-79 win at IUPUI.

4. G C.J. McCollum (Lehigh)
31 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Mountain Hawks' 81-79 overtime loss at Cornell.

5. F Noah Hartsock (BYU)
23 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two assists in the Cougars' 79-65 win over Oregon.

Poll: Who Will Win the CUSA Tournament?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:26:28 -0800

Conference USA: All-Conference Teams

Press Release — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:02:24 -0800

IRVING, Texas - Players from five different schools are represented on the 2010 All-Conference USA men's basketball first-team, featuring three repeat all-conference selections and two newcomers. Seniors Aubrey Coleman of Houston and Ben Uzoh of Tulsa are joined by juniors Elijah Millsap of UAB and Randy Culpepper of UTEP, along with sophomore Elliot Williams of Memphis. All five players are guards. Voting on the awards was done by the C-USA head coaches and media members in each conference city.

Coleman is a repeat first-team selection and has been the nation's leading scorer this season, averaging 26.0 points per game. The guard from Houston, Texas, scored 420 points during the conference regular season, the second-highest total in league history. Coleman, who has led UH in scoring in all but one game this season, enters this week's GMC Sierra C-USA Men's Basketball Championship with 1,400 points during his two years at UH. He was named C-USA Player of the Week five times this season.

Uzoh, a two-time second-team all-conference selection, leads Tulsa in scoring this season at 15.4 points per game, while adding 4.7 rebounds per game and 45 three-pointers made. He has moved into the top 10 in C-USA history in scoring, ranking seventh with 1,895 points. Uzoh is just the sixth player in Tulsa to history to score at least 400 points in three consecutive seasons.

Culpepper made the jump from the all-conference third team to the first team as he helped guide UTEP to its first C-USA title with a 15-1 league record. The junior from Memphis, Tenn., enters the C-USA Championship ranked third in C-USA in scoring at 18.1 points per game. Culpepper has led the Miners in scoring 14 times this season and has moved up fourth place in scoring all-time at UTEP with 1,597 points. He has topped the 30-point mark three times this year, including 45 points against East Carolina on Feb. 13, the most by any C-USA player this season and tied for second-most in league history.

Millsap burst onto the scene for UAB this season, averaging 16.0 points per game (fifth in C-USA), while leading the league in rebounding (9.3) from his guard position. He is one of only two guards to rank among the top 40 players in rebounding in Division I. Millsap, the brother of Utah Jazz star Paul Millsap, tops the conference in double-doubles with 15 (second-most in UAB history).

Williams has scored in double figures in 29 of 31 games this season and is currently averaging 18.5 points per game. He has topped the 20-point mark on 16 occasions, the fourth-highest single-season total in Tiger history. Williams also ranks in C-USA's top 10 in assists per game (3.8) and three-point field goals made (56).

The second team is comprised completely of forwards and centers. Marshall senior Tyler Wilkerson and freshman Hassan Whiteside (the only freshman all-conference selection) are joined by Southern Miss junior Gary Flowers, UTEP junior Derrick Caracter and Tulsa senior Jerome Jordan on the second unit.

SMU placed two student-athletes on the all-conference third team in junior forward Papa Dia and senior guard Derek Williams. The pair was joined by Memphis sophomore swingman Wesley Witherspoon and junior guards Brock Young of East Carolina and Aaron Johnson of UAB.

These 15 All-Conference players will be in action at this week's GMC Sierra C-USA Men's Basketball Championship, March 10-13 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.

2009-10 ALL-CONFERENCE USA FIRST TEAM
Aubrey Coleman, Houston, G, 6-4, 200, Sr., Houston, Texas
Randy Culpepper, UTEP, G, Jr., 6-0, 165, Jr., Memphis, Tenn.
Elijah Millsap, UAB, G, Jr., 6-6, 211, Grambling, La.
Ben Uzoh, Tulsa, G, 6-3, 200, Sr., San Antonio, Texas
Elliot Williams, Memphis, G, 6-5, 180, So., Memphis, Tenn.

2009-10 ALL-CONFERENCE USA SECOND TEAM
Derrick Caracter, UTEP, F, 6-9, 275, Jr., Fanwood, N.J.
Gary Flowers, Southern Miss, F, 6-8, 214, Jr., Dallas, Texas
Jerome Jordan, Tulsa, C, 7-0, 245, Sr., Kingston, Jamaica
Hassan Whiteside, Marshall, F, 6-11, 235, Fr., Gastonia, N.C.
Tyler Wilkerson, Marshall, F, 6-8, 240, Sr., Lexington, Ky.

2009-10 ALL-CONFERENCE USA THIRD TEAM
Papa Dia, SMU, F, 6-9, 235, Jr., St. Louis, Senegal
Aaron Johnson, UAB, G, 5-8, 175, Jr., Chicago, Ill.
Derek Williams, SMU, G, 6-1, 170, Sr., Jamaica, N.Y.
Wesley Witherspoon, Memphis, F/G, 6-9, 210, So., Atlanta, Ga.
Brock Young, East Carolina, G, 5-11, 175, Jr., Raleigh, N.C.

Conference USA Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:06:35 -0800

With Memphis in flux following the departure of John Calipari, this might be the year someone like Tulsa, Houston, or UTEP breaks through. The other contenders better act quickly as Memphis has locked up a monster recruiting class next year..

Conference Rank: 10th

10 year average: 8th

Conference USA Page

All-CUSA Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Aubrey Coleman	Houston	Sr
G	Ben Uzoh	Tulsa	Sr
G	Randy Culpepper	UTEP	Jr
G	Willie Kemp	Memphis	Sr
F	Jerome Jordan	Tulsa	Sr

Player of the Year - Jerome Jordan Freshman of the Year - Keith Clanton (UCF)
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
CHN All-Americans Jerome Jordan High-Major All-Americans Jerome Jordan (1st Team) Aubrey Coleman (2nd) Willie Kemp Roburt Sallie Ben Uzoh		Points: Aubrey Coleman 19.4 Rebounds: Jerome Jordan 8.6 Assists: Brock Young 7.6 Team: Houston 75.8

Conference USA Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

33	Memphis	CUSA	1	NCAA
38	Tulsa	CUSA	2	NCAA
80	UTEP	CUSA	3	NIT
100	Houston	CUSA	4	CBI/CIT
118	Marshall	CUSA	5	CBI/CIT
153	UAB	CUSA	6
163	UCF	CUSA	7
193	SMU	CUSA	8
208	Tulane	CUSA	9
211	East Carolina	CUSA	10
230	Rice	CUSA	11
272	Southern Miss	CUSA	12

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the CUSA?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

The Ultimate Schedule: Conference USA West Division

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:47 -0700

Conference USA Schedule “Rules”:

- Four non-conference games

- Eight conference games (three against West Division opponents)

- Conference USA Championship Game (December 5^th)

Week 1: Buffalo @ UTEP (September 5^th)

It’s an important season for head coach Mike Price and the Miner program, and they’ll be tested right out of the gate by the reigning MAC champions. Head coach Turner Gill has high hopes for new quarterback Zach Maynard, and weapons such as James Starks and Naaman Roosevelt will help Maynard with the transition to starter. And with a defense that welcomes back eight starters, the Bulls will be a handful for UTEP in the season opener. Trevor Vittatoe is back for another run as starting quarterback, and if the defense can raise its level of play the Coach Price may be able to get UTEP back into bowl contention.

Other Games Considered: Rice @ UAB (9/5), Tulsa @ Tulane (9/4)

Week 2: Houston @ Oklahoma State (September 12^th)

This promises to be a wild, high-scoring affair with football filling the sky. In Case Keenum and Zac Robinson you’ll have two of the better quarterbacks in the nation, and the same goes for running backs Bryce Beall and Kendall Hunter. Add to this the presence of OK State WR Dez Bryant and the winner will likely score at least forty points. The question for both teams lies with the defense; as in how much have both units improved since last season.

Bill Young takes over the defensive coordinator role at Oklahoma State, and his addition has to be the difference if the Cowboys want to entertain any thoughts of cracking the Texas/Oklahoma tandem at the top of the Big 12 South. Houston, with a win here, would open up a world of possibilities in regards to a possible run at a BCS bid.

Other Games Considered: Rice @ Texas Tech (9/12), Kansas @ UTEP (9/12), Tulsa @ New Mexico (9/12)

Week 3: Tulsa @ Oklahoma (September 19^th)

The Golden Hurricane will have their hands full with a Sooner squad that blew them out in Tulsa last season. Heisman winner Sam Bradford is back and has a number of weapons at his fingertips with TE Jermaine Gresham, RB DeMarco Murray and WR Ryan Broyles among the many options. Tulsa, despite an offense that was the best in Conference USA last season, will have to contend with one of the best front sevens in all of college football. Coach Graham prefers a balanced attack so expect Tulsa to commit to establishing the run early on. If they can’t they’ll be in trouble against a team that, much like them, can put points on the board in a hurry.

Other Games Considered: Rice @ Oklahoma State (9/19), UTEP @ New Mexico State (9/19)

Week 4: Bye Week (September 26^th)

A little early for a bye week, but with October delivering a matchup of Boise State visiting Tulsa and no conference games on the schedule for West Division teams it’s a good time to rest. Keep an eye on Texas Tech visiting Houston and Rice hosting Vanderbilt for some entertaining football.

Week 5: Houston @ UTEP (October 3^rd)

The Cougars racked up seven hundred yards of offense in last year’s meeting yet only won by the final score of 42-37. The Miners had the ball for a little more than six minutes longer than Houston despite rushing for just 102 yards. Trevor Vittatoe had arguably his best game of the season, throwing for 362 yards and accounting for five total touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to upstage Case Keenum’s 480 passing yards and Bryce Beall’s 167 rushing yards. Houston has won the last three meetings in the series, scoring at least thirty-four points in each contest. Expect some fun in El Paso, and a Miner win would quickly turn the division race into a three-team affair.

Other Games Considered: Tulsa @ Rice (10/3), SMU @ TCU (10/3)

Week 6: East Carolina @ SMU (October 10^th)

While the more intriguing game in regards to division title/bowl implications would be Memphis taking on UTEP, we’ve already seen the Miners twice in the first four games of the season. That means a trip to Dallas is in order to check out the growth of the Mustangs under June Jones. It was a tough first season for Coach Jones, who had to lean upon a freshman quarterback (Bo Levi Mitchell) and went 1-11. Now with Mitchell and the other cogs of the offense having a full season under their belts with Jones, some are looking for the Mustangs to make a jump up the standings. How high? A meeting with the defending conference champions would provide an early answer. They haven’t met since 2006, so it will be interesting to see how the normally stout Pirate defense deals with the run and shoot.

Other Games Considered: UTEP @ Memphis (10/10), Houston @ Mississippi State (10/10)

Week 7: Boise State @ Tulsa (October 14^th)

No team in their right mind would schedule two games just four days apart; that rule doesn’t apply here. The Golden Hurricane host one of the schools that has provided the “BCS buster” blueprint over the last ten years in Boise State. QB Kellen Moore had an outstanding freshman campaign, and the Broncos were essentially two points away from going unbeaten in 2008 (losing to TCU 17-16 in the Poinsettia Bowl). Boise State has an awful lot of weapons back for another run at the BCS, and this along with their opener against Oregon may be their biggest roadblock. Tulsa can score with just about anyone; it’s the matter of how well their defense can perform in games like this. Linebacker Mike Bryan and SPUR James Lockett will lead the way for a unit that should improve its productivity. Are the strides enough to slow down the Broncos? We shall see.

Other Games Considered: Rice @ East Carolina (10/17), Navy @ SMU (10/17), and Houston @ Tulane (10/17)

Week 8: Tulsa @ UTEP (October 21^st)

The final game in the three-team round robin that will likely decide the West is Houston taking on Tulsa the first Saturday in November. And the Miners should be hungry for some revenge; if they’re not upset about getting seventy-seven points hung on them last season then something’s very wrong (SMU only allowed 37 the week prior). The Miners gave up 791 yards of offense, thirty-six first downs…and Tulsa only scored seven points in the fourth quarter. It was an embarrassing showing, indicative of the Miners’ poor defense in 2008. The UTEP offense struggled mightily on the ground, rushing for just thirty-two yards and thus failing to keep the ball away from the Golden Hurricane. For UTEP, this meeting is just as much about restoring pride as it is pushing their way into the division title race.

Other Games Considered: SMU @ Houston (10/24), Tulane @ Southern Miss (10/24)

Week 9: Southern Miss @ Houston (October 31^st)

The Golden Eagles have done quite well against the Cougars, winning seven of the last nine games in the series. The two haven’t met since 2006 when they split two meetings (Southern Miss winning the latter for the conference title), and they could very well meet twice in 2009. Both teams are expected to be a part of the conference title hunt, with the Cougars looking to improve defensively while the Golden Eagles will look to become even better offensively. Unlike East Carolina, who won’t have to play Houston, the Golden Eagles drew both Houston and Tulsa and that fact makes this an even bigger game for Southern Miss.

Other Games Considered: UAB @ UTEP (10/31), Tulane @ LSU (10/31)

Week 10: Houston @ Tulsa (November 7^th)

Their meeting last season provided arguably the most shocking result of the Conference USA season. The Cougars forced five turnovers on their way to a 70-30 beating in a game that featured fifty-nine combined first downs and more than 1,100 yards of total offense. Case Keenum threw for 402 yards and six touchdowns, and the Cougars raced out to a 42-17 halftime lead. The last two meetings have been blowouts, with the Golden Hurricane kicking things off with a 56-7 beating in 2007. Hopefully this time they go down to the wire, with the winner likely leaving with the inside track to the Conference USA Championship Game.

Other Games Considered: Rice @ SMU (11/7), UTEP @ Tulane (11/7)

Week 11: East Carolina @ Tulsa (November 15^th)

Another meeting that could take place again on December 5^th, and it’s also a rematch of last year’s title game. The Pirates picked off David Johnson five times in the 27-24 win, making up for a yardage difference of 121 yards and an ECU offense that was just 2-13 on third downs. Tulsa finished the game with seven turnovers and in Tulsa’s three losses last season they averaged five turnovers per game. If the Pirates are to duplicate last season’s win they’ll need to get more out of their passing game; ECU had just 122 yards through the air, but when you win the turnover margin by six that deficiency can be overcome. Will there be more of the same in the rematch? We’ll find out.

Other Games Considered: Houston @ UCF (11/14), UTEP @ SMU (11/14)

Week 12: UTEP @ Rice (November 21^st)

The Owls have won the last three meetings in the series, including a 49-44 thriller last season in which the teams combined for more than one thousand yards and fifty-three first downs. Unfortunately for David Bailiff he won’t have QB Chase Clement, TE James Casey or WR Jarrett Dillard since both have run out of eligibility so those weapons won’t be on the field. However, do not doubt Rice’s ability to put points on the board; their offensive system gets the ball in the air often and puts points on the board in a hurry. The same goes for UTEP, which had more of an issue defensively in 2008 than the Owls. High-scoring games have been the norm in this series so nothing less should be expected.

Other Games Considered: Tulsa @ Southern Miss (11/21), Memphis @ Houston (11/21)

Week 13: Rice @ Houston (November 28^th)

The “Bayou Bucket” will be on the line, and the Cougars will be looking for some revenge after a loss to the Owls cost them a berth in last year’s conference championship game. The schools are separated by just five miles and don’t care too much for each other, which makes this an appealing game to take in on the final day of the regular season. James Casey had an outstanding day for the Owls, accounting for five touchdowns (three receiving, one passing and one rushing) and 203 all-purpose yards. He’s out of eligibility, but don’t think that Coach Bailiff won’t have some offensive wrinkles to throw at the Cougars.

Other Game Considered: Memphis @ Tulsa (11/27)

Week 14: Conference USA Championship Game (December 5^th)

The pick here is that Houston will end East Carolina’s reign as Conference USA champion, beating the Pirates in the championship game.

Conference USA Football Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:53:34 -0700

Offense sells tickets…does it win titles?

By Raphielle Johnson

A familiar theme within Conference USA was the explosive offensive capabilities of many teams. But for all the fireworks that came from the likes of Houston and Tulsa it was the league’s best defensive team that won the title. East Carolina survived a mid-season letdown that followed huge non-conference wins over Virginia Tech and West Virginia, clinching a title game berth opposite the Golden Hurricane. ECU’s 27-24 win, which included five Pirate interceptions, meant the first conference title of any kind for the program since 1976.

Skip Holtz’s team could very well find itself back in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl with seventeen starters back in Greenville. QB Patrick Pinkney threw for more than 2,600 yards last season, and RB Dominique Lindsay returns after missing all of 2008 due to injury. But the Pirates’ calling card is a tough defense led by safety Van Eskridge and middle linebacker Nick Johnson. The key for the Pirates will be navigating a treacherous non-conference schedule (West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia Tech). Outside of a mid-November trip to Tulsa the Pirates’ toughest conference games will be at home.

As for who can challenge ECU within the East Division, look no further than Larry Fedora’s Southern Miss Golden Eagles. Southern Miss got off to a slow start in 2008, losing six of their first eight contests. But the Golden Eagles finished with a flourish, winning their last five games with no single-digit margins until the 30-27 overtime win in the New Orleans Bowl (versus Troy).

RB Damion Fletcher is back for one more run through the conference, and there’s a very good chance that he could once again lead the league in rushing. But the health of WR DeAndre Brown, who suffered a broken leg in the bowl game, will be important. When 100%, Brown gives the Southern Miss a vertical threat that cannot be ignored by opponents.

As for another challenger, Tommy West’s Memphis Tigers may be the team best equipped to push its way into the top two. WR Duke Calhoun has caught at least one pass in each of the thirty-seven games he’s played in, and Carlos Singleton led the Tigers in receiving last season. But the development of RB Curtis Steele helped the Tigers immensely on offense.

The junior college import ran for more that 1,200 yards in 2008, taking some of the pressure off of QB Arkelon Hall. However, Memphis will need to find answers in regards to line play, both offensively and defensively, if they want to compete with East Carolina and Southern Miss. Those lines will receive a significant test in the season opener, when the Tigers host Ole Miss in front of a national television audience (ESPN).

As for the rest of the East, both Mark Snyder (Marshall) and George O’Leary (UCF) have very important seasons ahead of them in regards to the state of their programs. Snyder simply hasn’t won enough to appease a fan base used to bowl games and national titles (at the now FCS level). O’Leary’s case is a little less cut and dry, with the program coming under fire from some circles following the death of Erick Plancher a couple of seasons ago. Combine this with the fact that the reigning conference champions going into 2008 finished 4-8 (3-5 C-USA). Ten starters are back on offense for UCF, which will hope that its quarterbacks can complete a higher percentage of their passes in 2009 (42.9%).

The Thundering Herd return eight starters each on offense and defense, including all four defensive linemen and offensive threats Cody Slate and Darius Marshall. How Marshall makes up for the loss of WR Darius Passmore remains to be seen, but they will need someone to step up on the outside. Coach Snyder brought in Rick Minter, who has experience at Cincinnati and Notre Dame, to run a defense that finished 2008 eighth in Conference USA in total defense.

Neil Calloway’s UAB Blazers are also looking to make a move within the East Division, and with eighteen starters back (including all eleven on offense) they could do just that. QB Joe Webb shouldered much of the load last season, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark on the ground while throwing for more than 2,600 yards. The burden of being essentially the lone offensive playmaker may have shown itself in his sixteen interceptions to ten touchdown passes. If Rashaud Slaughter and Justin Brooks can step up in the backfield and receivers such as Frantrell Forrest and Mark Ferrell can help in the air UAB could separate from the other teams that finished 3-5 in 2008.

As for the West, offense reigned supreme in 2008 and it’s expected to be the same in 2009. Tulsa, Houston and Rice were the conference’s most explosive offensive teams, and more of the same is to be expected. Houston QB Case Keenum led Conference USA in total offense, averaging more than 400 yards per game. The next two in that category, Chase Clement (Rice) and David Johnson (Tulsa), have both moved on and that fact gives the Cougars the edge in the division race. Running back Bryce Beall also returns for the Cougars, along with three returning starters each at receiver and on the offensive line.

There is a negative for Houston; six starters need to be replaced on a defense that was seventh in Conference USA in both total and scoring defense. If head coach Kevin Sumlin and company can find some answers on that side of the football Houston has a change to pass Tulsa as division champ.

Todd Graham’s Golden Hurricane return six starters on offense (but lose Johnson and RB Tarion Adams), but the biggest loss could be that of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. A trio of receivers with the same last name (Damaris, Trae and Ricky Johnson) will lead a receiving corps that could once again light up scoreboards throughout the conference.

Defensively Tulsa should be in decent shape with MLB Mike Bryan (how was he only an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection?) being one of eight returning starters on the unit. Tulsa actually finished fifth in the conference in total defense, but they struggled against the pass (ninth in pass efficiency defense). The three-game stretch that will go a long way in determining the fate of the Golden Hurricane is in November, with Houston, East Carolina and Southern Miss all in a row. Outside of those three games the conference schedule is manageable for the Golden Hurricane, so some good fortune there could give them another shot at the conference title.

As for David Bailiff’s Owls, they’ll be going through the unenviable task of replacing one of the most productive combinations in college history. QB Chase Clement and WR Jarrett Dillard have moved on, leaving large holes to fill in their wake. Do-it-all offensive (and sometimes defensive) standout James Casey is also gone, as is RB C.J. Ugokwe, and with just four starters back on offense the defense may have to do some heavy lifting in the early going. Early-season games against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State will test a unit that returns eight starters, including leading tackler FS Andrew Sendejo and KAT Travis Bradshaw.

The team that may need to improve for the sake of its head coach is UTEP, which has struggled of late under Mike Price since he hit the ground running upon his arrival is 2004. After two consecutive bowl appearances to start off his tenure, Coach Price has a record of 14-22 over the last three seasons. QB Trevor Vittatoe’s return will go a long way in getting the Miners back into contention for a bowl berth, but truth be told if the defense isn’t up to par (11^th in C-USA in total defense last season) it may not matter what the offense puts on the board. The linebackers will need some polish, and two of the team’s top three tacklers from 2008 are gone, but the seven returning starters should help lead the improvement.

SMU and Tulane round out the division, with the hope in Dallas being that the Mustangs can make significant strides in their second season under June Jones. Coach Jones had to go with a true freshman at quarterback in Bo Levi Mitchell, and to say that there were some growing pains in the 1-11 campaign would be an understatement. But to be honest, the lack of playmakers around Mitchell had just as much to do with his struggles as his youth. A season under Mitchell’s belt should help with his progression as a quarterback, as should the return of seven other offensive starters and eight defensive starters.

As for the Green Wave, head coach Bob Toledo drew a rough two games to start the season: Tulsa and BYU. At least both games will be at the Louisiana Superdome…which will probably ensure that droves of Golden Hurricane and Cougar fans make the trip to cheer on their respective teams. Tulane also wasn’t done any favors in the three-game stretch of Houston, Southern Miss and LSU in October.

RB Andre Anderson was the most productive member of the Tulane offense in 2008, rushing for more than 800 yards. Eight starters return to an offense that ranked ninth in total offense and tenth in rushing offense, while six starters return on defense. There is room for growth, but just how much Tulane progresses could be stunted by a tough schedule.

Storyline: Offense sells tickets but defense wins championships. If anyone’s to challenge defending champion East Carolina they’ll need to play solid defense, not just outscore people.

Players of the Year: QB Case Keenum (Houston) and FS Van Eskridge (East Carolina)

How they’ll finish

East 1. East Carolina West 1. Houston

2. Southern Miss 2. Tulsa

3. Memphis 3. UTEP

4. UCF 4. Rice

5. UAB 5. SMU

6. Marshall 6. Tulane

Next: Conference USA East and West ultimate schedules

Charleston Classic to Feature Miami, South Carolina, Penn St

Press Release — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:01:55 -0700

La Salle is the latest team invited to participate in the second annual Charleston Classic held November 19-22 at the Carolina First Arena in Charleston, SC.

The event, which is owned by ESPN Regional Television and hosted by the Southern Conference, features eight teams competing in 12 games over three days.

Joining La Salle in the Charleston Classic will be Miami (Fla.), UNC Wilmington, Penn State, South Carolina, South Florida and Tulane and a team yet to be named.

Further information including the eighth team, tournament parings and television coverage will be announced at a later date.