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Conference USA Preview
UAB Blazers 16-4 (6-1) @ UTEP Miners 13-6 (6-1) - Wednesday, February 8th - 10:00 pm ET, CSTV
| Quick Links: | Other C-USA Observations | C-USA Awards |
With the conference season winding down, it looks as if Memphis is going to run away with the league title. However, contrary to popular belief, it is not as if the Tigers are going to win the conference by a huge gap. There are two teams tied for second, UAB and UTEP—both one game behind Memphis. If either of these teams can run the table and pull off an upset of Memphis, there will be a split-conference title. Unfortunately, only the winner of this game has a chance to reach that potential goal. UAB is 16-4 overall, 6-1 in the conference. They have won 13 of their last 14 games, including wins over Old Dominion, Virginia Commonwealth, Oklahoma State, and Houston. The lone defeat was to Memphis, by seven on the road. On the other hand, UTEP is 13-6, 6-1 overall. They have won six of seven, with the only loss on the road to Houston by six. They don’t really own any quality wins, so the only chance they have of reaching the NCAA Tournament is by winning the conference tournament. A win here, though, would look impressive no matter what. It would hurt UAB’s at-large chances, however.
UAB is an extremely athletic team that uses their stable of versatile athletes to create turnovers via their press. When their defensive intensity is at its peak and they have momentum, the Blazers are very tough to beat. Their offense and defense starts with point guard Cardell “Squeaky” Johnson. He is one of the most underrated lead guards in the country, and his importance does not really show up in the box score—except for the fact that he is averaging 6.1 assists and 3.1 steals per game. Johnson has had 5 or more assists in 17 of the 20 games this season and at least 1 steal in 19 of 20 games. Backcourt partner Marvett McDonald is the go-to-guy on offense for the Blazers. He is an excellent shooter and a superb scorer. Also producing on the perimeter are Wen Mukubu and Paul Delaney. They both come off the bench to provide scoring and athleticism. Derrick Broom has earned two straight starts, and is averaging 16 points per game in those two contests. Frank Holmes has been a solid performer inside all season, while freshman Lawrence Kinnard has really come on lately. Brandon Tobias provides depth. He is an excellent defender and a solid scorer and rebounder.
UTEP is a defense-oriented group that has lost to nearly every remotely quality opponent this season. That does not bode well for the Miners against UAB. However, they do the type of personnel that can match-up favorably with the Blazers. The frontcourt duo of John Tofi and Jason Williams is one of the better combos in the league. Tofi is an excellent post player who overpowers defenders. He has 7 double-doubles this season. Williams is mired in a slump lately, and needs to snap out of it if UTEP is to win this game. He is an athletic and versatile swingman that can play both inside and outside. With guard Miguel Ayala out, the perimeter trio of Edgar Moreno, Stefon Jackson, and Kevin Henderson have had to carry the load in the backcourt. Moreno is a consistent source of scoring and has stepped up lately. He is also a solid distributor. Jackson is not likely to have a breakout game offensively, as he has only scored in double figures in 3 games this season. However, he is a decent rebounder for his size and can defend. Henderson might be the best all-around player on the perimeter. He is a good scorer capable of having a big night; a solid rebounder; and an excellent passer who also racks up two steals per night. Off the bench, frontcourt players Brent Murphy, Will Kimble, and Maurice Thomas all see minutes. Neither of them is highly productive, and Kimble’s numbers have really fallen off recently.
This will be game between two teams that don’t have a lot of frontcourt players, but get production both on the interior and on the perimeter. The key will be UAB stopping John Tofi. If they can slow him down, the Blazers will win this game. However, it will be interesting to see how much of a factor Tofi has on the game. The fast pace that UAB likes to play at does not really allow big men to settle in the post and get baskets with their back to the hoop. In addition, Jason Williams needs to break out of his slump. UTEP is somewhat prone to turning the ball over, and that is not a good thing against a pressure-filled team like UAB. The Blazers have a huge edge on the perimeter, and I think that they will slow down Tofi enough down low to win the game. If the Miners don’t turn the ball over excessively, and Tofi can dominate in the post, they have a chance. It won’t happen, though.
Prediction: UAB 76, UTEP 70
Other Conference USA Observations:
- Anybody notice how well Tulane is playing lately? They have three straight conference wins, and added a non-league win tonight over Loyola New Orleans (impressive, obviously). No one expected them to do this well after they started the season 4-11, including losses to New Orleans, St. Edwards (NAIA team), Southern Mississippi, and Fairfield. However, now they are in 5th place in the conference.
- Central Florida continues to boggle my mind. They are far better than their record indicates. They hung with Memphis for awhile before getting blown out and nearly upset UAB. In addition, they came within 2 points of upsetting Kentucky on the road. However, they have lost to South Dakota State, Birmingham Southern, and Marshall—at home—as well as Sam Houston State and Florida Atlantic. Consistency, anyone?
- Would UAB be a lock if the season ended today? They have a solid RPI of 44, but their SOS (129) is nothing too impressive. In addition, their best wins are over Colonial also-rans Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth, fellow bubble team Nebraska, Oklahoma State, and Houston. None of those wins are going to truly “wow” the committee. Moreover, they have bad losses to Minnesota and DePaul. If they can upset Memphis at home on March 4th, consider them in. Right now, though, I’m not so sure.
- Let’s look at one week in the life of Rice. Saturday, January 28th: lost to Tulane at home by 17. Saturday, February 4th: nearly upset Memphis but fell short. How do you get dominated by Tulane and then almost knock off one of the top teams in the country? I wish Conference-USA was predictable.
- I’ve noticed Marshall really built off their win over West Virginia. Most recently, they lost to Tulane by 25. Way to keep up the good work, Thundering Herd.
- Will anyone from outside Memphis, UAB, UTEP, or Houston make the all-conference team? Doubtful. Can a random college basketball fan name another team in Conference-USA outside of those four? Doubtful, as well.
Conference USA Awards (up to this point):
Player of the Year: Rodney Carney, Memphis
Newcomer of the Year: Shawne Williams, Memphis
Coach of the Year: Mike Anderson, UAB
All-Conference Team:
G- Cardell Johnson, UAB
G- Darius Washington, Memphis
F- Rodney Carney, Memphis
F- Shawne Williams, Memphis
C- John Tofi, UTEP
Is there any question as to why Memphis is far and away the best team in the league?
Last Week's Prediction: UAB 82 - UCF 72 Actual Score: UAB 75 - UCF 68 C-USA Basketball Season Results: 3-0 By Jeff Borzello, CUSA-fans Lead Basketball Writer |
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