HUNTINGTON -- Memphis is still the Conference USA men's basketball heavyweight, but several coaches seem to think the pack is closing in.
Head coach John Calipari has the Tigers at 13-0 and No. 2 in the nation entering league play Wednesday with a home game against East Carolina. Houston (11-2), Tulane (10-4), UTEP (9-4), UAB (10-5), Marshall (8-4), Tulsa (7-4) and Southern Miss (8-6) also posted winning non-conference records.
UCF and Southern Miss tip off the league season tonight in Hattiesburg, Miss. UCF broke even against a non-conference lineup of schools that included Villanova, Kansas State, Penn State, Ole Miss, Connecticut, Sam Houston State and Nevada.
"Getting in the league it's going to be the same battle every night," said UCF head coach Kirk Speraw. "There's not much difference in teams that we've played and teams we're going to play."
Southern Miss head coach Larry Eustachy also said the league is better this season and teams will be harder to beat.
Tulane has wins against Southeastern Conference foes Auburn, Georgia and LSU.
"The most important part of the season starts Wednesday night for us," said Tulane head coach Dave Dickerson.
Here is a look at each team in C-USA, listed in order of non-conference records.
1. Memphis
The Tigers delivered against a non-conference schedule coach John Calipari said was the toughest in the nation, beating Oklahoma, Connecticut, Southern Cal, Cincinnati, Georgetown and Arizona. They lead C-USA in scoring (82.5), scoring margin (plus-19.8), field goal percentage (47.9), field goal percentage defense (38.3), assists (17.85), blocked shots (6.85) and steals (9.23).
Chris Douglas-Roberts (17.2), freshman Derrick Rose (14.0) and Robert Dozier (10.9) lead a really deep team in scoring.
Memphis has won 40 consecutive home games.
2. Houston
The Cougars were on a hot streak, winning 10 in a row before falling at Massachusetts in their last outing.
Senior guard Robert McIver is challenging for the C-USA lead with 20.8 points a game. Dion Dowell is ranked in the top rebounders with 8.2 a game.
Marcus Cousin, a 6-foot-11 junior, is coming back from a foot injury.
"For us to get better it's just a matter of playing," head coach Tom Penders said.
3. Tulane
Beating LSU was a big deal, but the Green Wave also has some other big wins.
"We hadn't beaten those guys in 20-some odd years," head coach Dave Dickerson said.
Senior forward David Gomez received C-USA player of the week honors for a double-double performance against LSU. He averages 13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds and is shooting 51.9 percent from the field.
Kevin Sims (12.8) and Robinson Louisme (10.8) also score in double figures. Sims leads the conference with 1.86 steals per game.
4. UTEP
Stefon Jackson's 23.6 scoring average leads a high-scoring team (79.3), but the Miners are giving up too many points. They are last in C-USA scoring defense, allowing 70.7 per game.
Jackson, a junior guard, has three 30-point performances.
The Miners have a potent backcourt with Jackson, Marvin Kilgore (13.3) and Randy Culpepper (12.7). Also part of that group is freshman Julyan Stone who leads the conference in assist/turnover ratio.
5. UAB
Indiana transfer Robert Vaden was slowed early because of an ankle injury, but has come on strong. Vaden, a 6-5 junior, averages 20.7 points a game. He has helped ease the loss of all-conference guard Paul Delaney III who was lost for the season because of a knee injury.
Channing Toney, a junior guard transfer from Georgia, becomes eligible Jan. 16.
"Barring more injuries we will be at full strength for at least 15 of our conference games," head coach Mike Davis said.
6. Marshall
The Thundering Herd is getting good leadership from veterans Markel Humphrey and Mark Dorris on a squad with several newcomers. Freshmen Tirrell Baines and Matt Walls are getting ample playing time.
Humphrey is having an all-conference season with averages of 15.2 points and 6.3 rebounds. Dorris is scoring 13 points per game. Baines, a 6-6 forward, is contributing 13.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Walls is a 6-2 guard scoring 8.7 points.
Marshall is seeking its first road victory.
7. Tulsa
Head coach Doug Wojcik said his team was in a tailspin before finding its shooting touch and stringing together a five-game win streak entering Monday's contest at Colorado.
Sophomore guard Ben Uzoh leads in scoring with 16.1 per game. The 6-3 Uzoh also averages 6.2 rebounds.
Calvin Walls, a 6-7 senior averaging 9.1 rebounds, has played at a high level for the past month, Wojcik said.
Seven-footer Jerome Jordan is becoming a force, the coach said.
8. Southern Miss
The Golden Eagles are on a three-game skid, including a loss at Savannah State.
"Our team is at a low point and struggling," head coach Larry Eustachy said. "There is a lot of character testing right now for a lot of guys."
All-conference guard Jeremy Wise has an 18.9 scoring average.
Freshman guard R.L. Horton (13.6 ppg) has the potential to be the best guard ever for the Golden Eagles, Eustachy said.
9. UCF
Head coach Kirk Speraw said the Knights are to establish a homecourt advantage in the new 10,000-seat UCF Arena. They're off to a good start with a 6-2 record at home.
Jermaine Taylor is the main man offensively with 19.9 points a game and 39.4 percent three-point shooting.
"He's elevated his game to become more of a leader on this team" Speraw said of Taylor, a 6-4 junior.
UCF is also getting 10 points a game from senior guard Mike O'Donnell.
10. East Carolina
Mack McCarthy said he hasn't discussed his interim head coach status with anyone.
"I don't know if I am on the longest interview process ever or where I am," the former Chattanooga head coach said. "We're just trying to win the next game."
ECU has one big win under McCarthy's watch, a Dec. 8 upset of N.C. State. The Pirates also lost a game to NAIA school Lee College.
Junior guard Sam Hinnant (11.8 ppg) has been the most consistent scorer.
McCarthy coaches his 500th career game Wednesday at Memphis.
11. SMU
Bamba Fall, a 7-1 junior center, averages 10.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots for a very young team of Mustangs.
"We're trying to win ball games this year while also looking to the future," said head coach Matt Doherty.
The building will take place in a new $13 million practice facility. Doherty said players have 24-hour access to the building.
12. Rice
Autry Court renovations forced Rice to play its home games at three different Houston-area venues, with the majority of games at Reliant Arena south of campus.
The injury-riddled Owls have no bench, Wilson said.
Six-foot-nine senior Paulius Packevicius, the only player to start every game, leads C-USA with 9.9 rebounds a game while averaging 10.5 points.
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