Conference Tournament Preview: Conference USA

Where: BOK Center, Tulsa, OK

When: March 10th-13th

Final: 11:30 am CBS




Favorite: UTEP Miners

The Miners were never really considered the favorite to win this league until Dec. 13th when Derrick Caracter first suited up. Despite the baggage, Caracter is still a very good player at this level, averaging 14.3 ppg and 8.9 rpg. While adding that kind of production to a lineup is going to help any team, Caracter's addition was about more than just then numbers. He added the missing piece to this team.

6'0" point guards aren't supposed to be able to do that.
(photo credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre)

UTEP is a talented squad. You won't find a higher-flying, more dynamic scoring guard anywhere in the country than Randy Culpepper. Julyan Stone is an excellent creator at the point forward spot. Christian Polk and Jeremy Williams are capable complimentary scorers. Arnett Moultrie provides size in the middle. But until Caracter was thrown in the mix, the Miners didn't have a bruiser inside. With him, this team is complete.


And if they lose?: Memphis Tigers

When John Calipari left, a lot of folks wrote of the Tigers this season. They lost their recruiting class, they lost guys to the pros, they lost guys to injury. Josh Pastner was walking into a pretty bare cupboard. But he's done a great job with this team, getting them to the precipice of the NCAA tournament by winning seven of their last eight (including two wins over Tulsa and a win over UAB), with the chance to earn an at-large bid with a good performance in the C-USA tourney.

Elliot Williams has turned into a star with the Tigers.
(photo credit: ESPN)

The Tigers best player is Elliot Williams, but that was expected. He played great at Duke last season when he got the chance, so it only made sense that he would thrive as the focal point in a weaker league. Wesley Witherspoon's development, however, has been a pleasant surprise. Roburt Sallie and Doneal Mack have been their usual selves. But the key to this team is going to be the play of Will Coleman and Angel Garcia. Memphis lacks a lot of size, especially with Pierre Henderson-Niles gone. If those two can rebound and be productive inside, the Tigers have a real shot at winning this thing.


Don't count out: UAB Blazers and Tulsa Golden Hurricanes

UAB started out the season great, picking up non-conference wins over Cincinnati, Butler, Georgia, and Arkansas. But a mid-season stumble in which they lost three of four, and losing their last two, left the Blazers with five losses against the top of the league and a longshot to earn an at-large. But the Blazers are a good team, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Elijah Millsap is one of the best players in the league. When they shoot well from the perimeter, they are a tough team to beat.

Tulsa, on the other hand, had a ton of preseason expectations. But that's what happens when you have Ben Uzoh and Jerome Jordan on your roster. Tulsa has simply been disappointing. The win against Oklahoma State is nice, but they lost to Missouri State, Nebraska, and Nevada, and only notched a one win against the teams above them in the league - a home game against Marshall. Tulsa has talent, but it will be interesting to see if they can win against quality competition.


Sleeper: Marshall Thundering Herd

Marshall is a tough team to gauge. Their only quality win is against UAB, but of their five losses in league play only one came by more than four points. Marshall may have the best front line in the conference with Tyler Wilkerson and Hassan Whiteside. The key is going to be the play of their back court of Shaquille Johnson, Damier Pitts, and Chris Lutz. When those three are scoring, Marshall is a dangerous team.


Names you need to know:

• Aubrey Coleman, Houston: Coleman is the leading scorer in the country at 26.0 ppg. He has the ability to go for 40 on any given night. The problem for Houston is that in order to win, they need about 40 from him a night.


• Hassan Whiteside, Marshall: Whiteside burst onto the national scene this season. An unheralded recruit out of The Patterson School, Whiteside has loads of potential, and will likely end up a lottery pick, and possibly a top five pick, when he finally goes pro. Whiteside is a fantastic athlete and does most of his damage by taking advantage of those tools - blocking shots, catch-and-dunks, rebounding. He has shown flashes of a back to the basket game as well. Tulsa and Marshall are on track for a quarterfinal matchup, which would pit Jerome Jordan and Marshall for the third time this season.


• Wesley Witherspoon, Memphis: Witherspoon is the x-factor for the Tigers. He has all the tools to be a dominant player at this level, but it is rare for him to put it all together. Memphis needs him to be the Witherspoon to be a dominant second scorer. If he is, the Tigers will have the best perimeter in this tournament.