Memphis men again the favorite in C-USA

HUNTINGTON -- It's Memphis, again. The Tigers are a heavy favorite to win the Conference USA men's championship for the fourth consecutive year.

But, most C-USA coaches agree the league shapes up stronger from top to bottom this season than it has been since the 2005 split when Louisville, Charlotte, Cincinnati, DePaul, TCU, Marquette, St. Louis and South Florida departed.

"This league will be by far the deepest and most competitive this league has been in our years here," UCF head coach Kirk Speraw said.

Following is a preseason look at the teams by order of last season's finish:

Memphis (38-2, 16-0)

The Tigers have been ranked for 58 consecutive weeks in the national polls, and there's no sign of anything changing.

Seniors Antonio Anderson and Robert Dozier are about to join the Memphis 1,000-point club. Anderson, a 6-foot-6 guard, and the 6-9 Dozier both scored about eight points a game. Dozier also pulled 7.1 rebounds.

Junior guard Doneal Mack also scored eight points per game.

Six-foot-10 junior Shawn Taggart (6.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg) plugs the middle.

Freshman guard Tyreke Evans is a blue-chip recruit.

UAB (23-11, 12-4)

Senior guard Robert Vaden was picked as the preseason C-USA player of the year. Vaden declared for the NBA Draft after last season and later withdrew.

As a junior he scored 21.1 points a game. He ranked second nationally in 3-point baskets with 142.

Having senior guard Paul Delaney III back from a knee injury is a plus. He averaged 15.5 points in 2007.

Lawrence Kinnard, a 6-8 senior, and senior guard Channing Toney were double-figure scorers.

Houston (24-10, 11-5)

Junior guard Kelvin Lewis and senior guard DaShaun Williams are featured on the Houston media guide cover. Lewis (10.2 ppg) was an 82.4 percent free throw shooter last season while Williams averaged 5.8 points.

Center Marcus Cousin the only other senior. Cousin, 6-11 and 250 pounds, averaged 4.4 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Six-foot-eight junior Sean Coleman began his career at Tulsa before going to junior college.

UCF (16-15, 9-7)

Head coach Kirk Speraw considers 6-4 senior guard Jermaine Taylor to be one of the elite players in the nation. Taylor (20.8 ppg) made the preseason all-conference team.

Kenrick Zondervan (4.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg) is a 6-9 senior returning starter.

The Knights have eight freshmen and some will have to play significant time.

Southern Miss (19-14, 9-7)

The Golden Eagles lost only two players and have their top seven scorers back, led by junior guard Jeremy Wise with an 18.7 average.

Wise is the second-fastest player in school history to reach 1,000 career points. The fastest? Former NBA player Clarence Weatherspoon.

Senior guard Courtney Beasley (10.5 ppg) is about to join the 1,000-point club. Guard R.L. Horton (11.9 ppg) was on the C-USA All-Freshman Team.

UTEP (19-14, 8-8)

A team loaded with guards now has a big man, too. Kareem Cooper, a 7-0, 290-pound junior transfer from Memphis adds a presence in the middle.

Senior guard Stefon Jackson (23.6 ppg) could challenge for the conference player of the year award.

Sophomore guard Randy Culpepper (12.8 ppg) and 6-8 senior Tavaris Watts (6.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg) also return.

Tulsa (25-14, 8-8)

Jerome Jordan and Ben Uzoh are the stars. The 7-0 Jordan, a junior, averaged 14.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots. The Jamaican was a member of the preseason all-conference team. Uzoh (15.6 ppg) is a junior guard who made the All-CUSA second team last season.

Head coach Doug Wojcik, however, said the performance of 6-5 senior Ray Reese (7.7 ppg) changed the season when he joined the starting five.

Marshall (16-14, 8-8)

Markel Humphrey (13.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg) is a 6-6 senior who made the All-CUSA third team the last two seasons. Six-foot-six forward Tirrell Baines (11.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) was part of the conference all-freshman team. Tyler Wilkerson, a 6-8 junior, posted 9.2 points and 5.9 rebounds a game.

Head coach Donnie Jones is counting on transfers Chris Lutz (Purdue), Brandon Powell (Florida) and Tay Spann (Georgetown) to make a major impact.

The Herd's freshman class -- Damier Pitts, Dago Pena, Kore White, Shaquille Johnson -- is a good one.

Sophomore newcomer Marcus Goode is 6-10, 315 pounds.

Tulane (17-15, 6-10)

Junior guard Kevin Sims was a God-send for the Green Wave, head coach Dave Dickerson said. Sims averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 assists. He has two seasons with more than 100 assists.

Six-foot-seven, 260-pound Robinson Louisme (9.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg) was a 60.2 percent shooter.

Often overlooked 6-7 senior Daniel Puckett scored 5.1 points a game. Kris Richard is a rising 6-5 sophomore guard.

East Carolina (11-19, 5-11)

Head coach Mack McCarthy is on the job full-time after an interim season. Of his 10 scholarship players, eight are freshmen and sophomores.

Senior guard Sam Hinnant (11.0 ppg) shot 40.4 percent from the 3-point line. Guard James Legan (7.3 ppg) is the other senior.

The Pirates have some size with 6-10, 250-pound redshirt sophomore Chad Wynn and three freshman -- Darrius Morrow, Derek O'Bryan and Matt Steele -- who are all 6-8.

SMU (10-20, 4-12)

The Mustangs are in the fourth season of head coach Matt Doherty's building project with 11 of the 14 players either freshmen or sophomores.

Bamba Fall (7-1, 210, Sr.) and Papa Dia (6-9, 250, So.) are nice building blocks. Fall (11.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and Dia (9.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) accounted for almost half of SMU's scoring.

Mouhammad Faye is a 6-9 transfer from Georgia Tech.

Rice (3-27, 0-16)

There's no place like home for the Owls, who move back on campus into refurbished Tudor Fieldhouse after playing their home games last season at three Houston-area venues.

The only building being done this season is by new head coach Ben Braun, who came over from the University of California. Braun has 552 career wins in 31 seasons at Cal and Eastern Michigan. He has coached seven NCAA tournament teams.

Senior guard Rodney Foster averaged 11.2 points last season.