C-USA is getting stronger

[leopold]

With Marshall's win over West Virginia (RPI #9 going into the game) last night, there is only one remaining non-conference opponent for a C-USA team (Memphis @ Gonzaga on 02/05). C-USA as a whole is now 100-46 (.685) against non-conference opponents this season and is sitting solidly at #8 in the RPI, right behind the SEC. Only the Mountain West (RPI #4) is having a better year among the non-"big 6" conferences.


Here are a few examples of how C-USA is outdoing all previous seasons since realignment.

Conference USA RPI since realignment
2005-06: #13 (0.5015)
2006-07: #11 (0.5088)
2007-08: #10 (0.5178)
2008-09: #10 (0.5206)
2009-10: #11 (0.5170)
2010-11: #8 (0.5331)

2010-11 is far and away the best season for C-USA in the RPI since realignment. If you compare 2010-11 to several of the seasons before realignment, it holds up pretty well also. This season is very close to the same level as 1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02 and 2004-05 and it is doing a good bit better than 2000-01 (Calipari's first season as Memphis head coach).

Conference USA RPI prior to realignment
1995-96: #5 (0.5624)
1996-97: #9 (0.5341)
1997-98: #8 (0.5355)
1998-99: #6 (0.5452)
1999-00: #5 (0.5583)
2000-01: #10 (0.5259)
2001-02: #8 (0.5388)
2002-03: #8 (0.5447)
2003-04: #5 (0.5490)
2004-05: #9 (0.5336)


Here are two other ways to show the progress of the conference this season:

Conference USA vs. "big 6" opponents (regular season games only) since realignment
2005-06: 13-23 (.361)...not including Memphis: 7-21 (.250)
2006-07: 10-25 (.286)...not including Memphis: 6-22 (.214)
2007-08: 16-25 (.390)...not including Memphis: 10-24 (.294)
2008-09: 10-31 (.244)...not including Memphis: 8-29 (.216)
2009-10: 9-28 (.243)...not including Memphis: 9-25 (.265)
2010-11: 13-19 (.406)...not including Memphis: 11-16 (.407)

Number of C-USA men's basketball teams finishing in the RPI top 100 since realignment
2005-06: 4 (#4 Memphis, #32 UAB, #54 Houston, #76 UTEP)
2006-07: 2 (#8 Memphis, #83 Houston)
2007-08: 4 (#3 Memphis, #56 UAB, #81 Houston, #93 Tulsa)
2008-09: 5 (#7 Memphis, #46 UAB, #53 Tulsa, #85 UTEP, #86 Houston)
2009-10: 5 (#38 UTEP, #45 UAB, #53 Memphis, #67 Marshall, #68 Tulsa)
2010-11 (so far): 6 (#38 UCF, #46 Marshall, #50 UAB, #58 Memphis, #68 Southern Miss, #69 UTEP)

I think we are getting better at the time the conference is getting better. Frankly, there is a lot of potential for this conference considering some of the locations, history, and the fact that it takes a lot less to be competive in basketball than it does in football - If flippin' Butler can make it, anybody can.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

Glad to see Marshall get one back from WVA on the court. That football loss last year must have been devastating to the Marshall faithful.

[PonyDoh]

CUSA is recruiting quite well, so I think the future could be very competitive on the court. Memphis has obviously stepped back, but the rest are stepping up. Feeling more like a guaranteed 2 bid league all the time, some years 3

[ponyte]

And I hope we are amount those recruiting better.

As I have admitted, I am not a BB expert. But I feel our team hustles, plays [deleted] both ends of the court and has a solid scheme to execute. I think the voluminous turnovers are more a symptom of overall talent and not incredibly boneheaded play (of course that happens to all at times). We make some inside shots and we have a slightly different season working. Kids working hard in a solid scheme can only get better.

I see hope for the future.

[tristatecoog]

Great analysis.

What's Marshall's secret?

With #38 UCF, #46 Marshall, #50 UAB, we're still too close to a one bid league. We need a couple of teams to distance themselves or for one to do so and another to win the conference title. Mike Davis has done a great job at UAB, and tonight they host Memphis on ESPN2.

[PonyDoh]

Great analysis.

What's Marshall's secret?

With #38 UCF, #46 Marshall, #50 UAB, we're still too close to a one bid league. We need a couple of teams to distance themselves or for one to do so and another to win the conference title. Mike Davis has done a great job at UAB, and tonight they host Memphis on ESPN2.

I don't love the league mandate to schedule down. Helps the overall record, but its sorta fools gold. We definitely need a few teams to run away w/this, and still have the reg season champ lose in the tourney. Make it tough on the committee w/some weak power conferences etc.

As for Marshall, I'm not really sure how they are developing their roster, but I do know they have Justin Coleman propped this year, and he may be the highest rated kid in the entire conference out of high school, short of a few Memphis kids.

[ponykeg]

Is C-USA going to have any NCAA tournament teams this year? It is nice that they are improving on the whole, but without Memphis as a marquee team, I wonder how much national attention they will get?

[PonyDoh]

Is C-USA going to have any NCAA tournament teams this year? It is nice that they are improving on the whole, but without Memphis as a marquee team, I wonder how much national attention they will get?

at least one, maybe two. Several blue blood conferences are down as well see the ACC.

[Mitch McConnell]

Disappointing for the conference is that UCF, the darlings of December, have fallen flat on their face to start the conference season.

I'm not as confident this league is good enough to get two. Memphis should be OK if the team grows up a little bit.

I think UTEP has a lot of work to do -- like win the CUSA regular season -- to be in the picture. But the Miners did play a non-conference schedule that I hope that SMU will be playing in the near future.

But don't count out those fighting Dohertys....