There was a time not so long ago that Conference USA translated into one word: Memphis. Not only was the conference tournament a formality, but the regular season schedule seemed like it inevitably meant that Memphis was just going to mow down the rest of the conference. That changed when John Calipari and his recruiting class left for Kentucky. Now, Conference USA is wide open and much more interesting. Memphis still looms, but they are not dominant ,and they don't even host the tournament this year. Tulsa is this year's host.
Schedule (All times Central)
Wednesday, March 10
G1 - #7 Houston vs. #10 East Carolina - Noon
G2 - #6 Southern Miss vs. #11 Tulane - 2:30 p.m.
G3 - #5 Tulsa vs. #12 Rice - 6:00 p.m.
G4 - #8 SMU vs. #9 UCF - 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 11
G5 - #2 Memphis vs. Houston/East Carolina winner - Noon
G6 - #3 UAB vs. Southern Miss/Tulane winner - 2:30 p.m.
G7 - #4 Marshall vs. Tulsa/Rice winner - 6:30 p.m.
G8 - #1 UTEP vs. SMU/Rice winner - 9:00 p.m.
Friday, March 12
G9 - Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 - 3 p.m.
G10 - Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 8 - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 13
Conference USA Championship Game - 7 p.m.
Sleeper: Marshall Thundering Herd
No team among the 12 screams out as a sleeper (and I guess a sleeper wouldn't really scream), but the Thundering Herd are the hottest team in the conference and possess one of the most dynamic frontcourts in the nation. Freshman Hassan Whiteside is in the upper echelon of shot blockers, and his partner Tyler Wilkerson is not too shabby. The 6-foot-8 senior is averaging a team-leading 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds. He has had four double-doubles in his last seven games. In the backcourt, the Herd are led by sophomore Damier Pitts (10.1 points, 4.7 assists) and Shaquille Johnson (9.7 points).
Bust: Tulsa Golden Hurricane
It may seem like a bad idea to put the host of the tournament as a bust team. I did the same thing in the Mountain West. I have nothing against the Golden Hurricane, but they are not playing their best as the season concludes. Tulsa lost five of their last seven games including home games against Memphis and UTEP to prove that they might not up to their seeding (which at five is not exorbitant). They still posses one of the better one-two combinations in the conference with center Jerome Jordan (15.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks) and guard Ben Uzoh (15.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists). The senior duo was supposed to lift the team to untold heights, but it just hasn't happened. Justin Hurtt has become a solid third option at 13.4 points, including a recent 34-point outburst against East Carolina.
Players to Watch
Hassan Whiteside, F, Marshall Thundering Herd
I play in a league that leans heavily on blocked shots and the lucky owner who picked up Whiteside went from also ran to champion on the back of his 6-foot-11 freshman. Whiteside has amazing defensive instincts for a freshman. He can block shots as an on-ball and weak side defender, and his 5.4 blocks led the nation (even ahead of Jarvis Varnado). Whiteside had three triple-doubles during the season that featured 10+ blocks. His offensive game is somewhat raw, but he provided four straight double-doubles to finish the season. Tulsa will make for an interesting potential first game because Jerome Jordan was once the "it" player in Conference USA, but he has been eclipsed by Whiteside.
Elliot Williams, G, Memphis Tigers
One can only imagine where Memphis would be if Williams had not moved north from Duke to be closer to his ailing mother. The 6-foot-4 guard solidified the Tiger backcourt and proved to be a go-to scorer with 18.8 points. Williams faded a bit against Conference USA competition, but he managed to lead the team to seven wins in their last eight games (and a possible sleeper note if they weren't already seeded second). Williams did not fare well against Houston with just eight points per game in the two games (which the two teams split). He provided 19 points per game against UAB, Memphis' prospective semifinal opponent.
Elijah Millsap, G, UAB Blazers
Speaking of UAB, there wouldn't be much to say if it weren't for Millsap who transferred in after 2007-08. He spent two years in Lafayette, Louisiana but blossomed under the tutelage of Mike Davis. The 6-foot-6 junior provided 16 points and 9.4 rebounds, including 15 double-doubles in 29 games. Millsap was not a good three-point shooter and made just 26% of his threes. When he got closer to the basket, he became much more dangerous. If Southern Miss can beat Tulane, they will face Millsap who provided 13 points and eight rebounds against the Golden Eagles in two meetings.
Randy Culpepper, G, UTEP Miners
As the top seed and winners of 14 games in a row, the Miners have a number of interesting fantasy prospects: from the resurgent Derrick Caracter (14.3 points, 8.4 rebounds) to jack-of-all-trades point guard Julyan Stone (6.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists). Yet, it is the six-foot junior who stirs the drink. Culpepper led the Miners with 18.1 points and busted out for 39 points (vs. UCF), 45 points (vs. East Carolina), and 32 points (vs. Marshall) during the Conference USA schedule. He does his biggest damage when his long range shot is flowing and opponents will likely key on him.
Aubrey Coleman, G, Houston Cougars
Coleman was arguably the top choice for fantasy leagues coming into the season. He was a scoring guard who could rebound and steal. Nothing during his senior year has caused debate in any of the preceding statements. Coleman led the nation in scoring at 26.0 points and provided 7.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals. He scored 30 or more points nine times and was generally able to overpower opponents. Against East Carolina, Houston's first round opponent, Coleman powered his way to 25 points and 11 rebounds in the teams' only meeting (won by Houston).