Monday, March 04, 2002
C-USA: Pick UC and Logan, but be wary of Memphis
By Michael Perry
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A preview of the Conference USA men's basketball tournament, which begins Wednesday at Firstar Center:
TEAM TO BEAT:
Cincinnati is certainly beatable in the tournament — it hasn't won since 1998 when the event was held at Shoemaker Center — but the top-seeded Bearcats would have to be considered the favorite after completing a 14-2 conference season, with both losses coming on visiting courts. Plus, UC knows it's playing for a No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, so there is something on the line.
DARK HORSE:
Can third-seeded Memphis be considered a sleeper? Anyone who left Shoemaker Center on Sunday or watched the game against UC on TV won't need to be convinced of the Tigers' wealth of talent. Memphis wants to play well this week to eliminate any Selection Sunday anxiety.
MOST TO PROVE:
Charlotte has lost four of its last seven, including its regular-season finale at Louisville. The 49ers are only 17-10, though they have beaten Memphis and Marquette (once) and have an RPI of 37, third-best in the league. The big question: Who deserves an NCAA bid more: Charlotte or Memphis?
TOUGHEST DRAW:
Marquette plays the Louisville-TCU winner in the quarterfinals. Louisville (65 RPI) has won two straight. TCU leads C-USA in scoring (85.3 ppg). After that, the Golden Eagles would likely have to face Memphis in the semifinals. That matchup never took place in the regular season.
WEAKEST DRAW:
UC has the best route to the final, playing the winner of South Florida-UAB first, then Charlotte in the semifinals if the seeding holds. UC has defeated Charlotte twice this season, by 13 and 19 points. The Bearcats will no doubt remember that the 49ers beat them in last year's tournament final.
MOST LIKELY MVP:
How can you not pick Steve Logan? If UC is to win the tournament, the senior guard will be the MVP. He is almost certainly going to be named the league's Player of the Year this week for the second straight time. Other candidates: Memphis freshman Dajuan Wagner and Marquette sophomore Dwyane Wade, both first-year players.
PLAYER ON THE SPOT:
Memphis senior Kelly Wise hasn't been totally healthy and was ineffective Sunday against UC, finishing with two points and six rebounds in 36 minutes. He will need to play well for the Tigers to reach the final.
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C-USA: Pick UC and Logan, but be wary of Memphis
