Why we are leaving C-USA

49ers Basketball Forum 🏀
1

Got my hands on an NCAA tournament record book. Lots of facts and figures, but this really stood out:

Charlotte NCAA appearances since 96-97: Six (97, 98, 99, 01, 02, 04)

New C-USA lite appearances by ALL members COMBINED since 96-97: Eight

Tulsa (4)
UAB (2)
Memphis (2)

Other members (last appearance)

Central Florida (9 years ago)
Tulane (10 years ago)
SMU (12 years ago)
East Carolina (12 years ago)
UTEP (13 years ago)
Houston (13 years ago)
Southern Miss (14 years ago)
Marshall (18 years ago)
Rice (35 years ago)

In contrast, EVERY team (with the exception of USF), that is leaving C-USA (Cincinnati, Louisville, Charlotte, Saint Louis, DePaul, Marquette, TCU) has appeared in at LEAST one NCAA tournament during this same time period. Cincinnati has appeared in every tournament over this eight year time frame.

2

I would think the only thing that pop up is the good old mighty dollar comes to mind. It is a shameful thing that CUSA is getting stronger every year, too.

3

UTEP was in the Big Dance last season, losing a close first-round game to Maryland, 86-83. The Miners finished 24-8 and UTEP coach Billy Gillispie was hired by Texas A&M after former Niner head coach Melvin Watkins was ousted by the Aggies. All indications are that UTEP could be heading to the Big Dance again this season as they are 19-6 and in 2nd place in the WAC behind leader Nevada (also a 2004 NCAA tourney participant).

UCF has been to the NCAA tourney 3 times in the last 11 years, including last season when the Golden Knights lost in the opening round to Pittsburgh 53-44.

The reality is that with the defections of Cincy, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, and South Florida to the Big East, coupled with Charlotte and Saint Louis heading to the A-10, Conference USA is no longer going to the hoops conference it had finally become the past couple of seasons.

4

UCF went to the NCAA last season only as the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament winner. C-USA right now should only be a race between, UAB, Memphis, UTEP and perhaps Tulsa.

5

HP, I’d throw in Houston and Rice into that mix as well. Eustachy may be able to get things turned around at Southern Miss, but it sure won’t be this year as Penders has done at UH. Oh well, what could have been…

6

Not that bad of situation if we would of stayed, if you look at it, we could of made a difference.

Tulsa, Memphis, Charlotte with UAB in the same conference is not bad. UTEP is also good. The history of Houston and Tulane.

With us staying it would of been a 2 or 3 bid conference, similar to the A-10 without us.

7

The A10 is gonna be a much better confrence than C-USA next year. I mean Memphis is still there. UTEP (the only other pick-axe wielding 1A school I can think of) is gonna be pretty good, but their 2000 miles away!!! Do you really want to be play games in West Texas/S. New Mexico? I did live their for about a year and Juarez Mexico is a crazy-fun border town. The A10 is all about hoops now and the have a lot of good rivals in the BE. Believe me C-USA is a bigger geographic Mess than before! The A10 was the right move habds down? B)

8
[i]Originally posted by UMass13[/i]@Feb 15 2005, 02:05 PM [b] The A10 is gonna be a much better confrence than C-USA next year. I mean Memphis is still there. UTEP (the only other pick-axe wielding 1A school I can think of) is gonna be pretty good, but their 2000 miles away!!! Do you really want to be play games in West Texas/S. New Mexico? I did live their for about a year and Juarez Mexico is a crazy-fun border town. The A10 is all about hoops now and the have a lot of good rivals in the BE. Believe me C-USA is a bigger geographic Mess than before! The A10 was the right move habds down? B) [/b]
You are correct, sir!
9

You are right on UTEP last year. My book was through 02-03. Thought I caught all of the ones that made it last year. Thanks.

10
[i]Originally posted by run49er[/i]@Feb 15 2005, 08:59 AM [b] Conference USA is no longer going to the hoops conference it had finally become the past couple of seasons. [/b]
Last couple seasons? It's always been a hoops conference. In fact the highest RPI the conference has ever had was about 5 years ago with a #3 ranking I believe. It sure as hell isn't a football conference...and never will be for that matter. :lmao:
11

EJ, I agree that the conference has seen better days RPI-wise. But as far as being the “power” hoops group that would vie for national championships, Sweet 16s, Elite 8s, etc., C-USA has really been somewhat of a bust. I would argue that not until last year when we sent 6 teams to the Big Dance and what should be another 5-6 this season, the conference hasn’t lived up to what many of us envisioned when it was created 10 years ago.

If not for the improbable run by Marquette to the Final Four in 2003, the conference really wouldn’t have anything to brag about. Yes, C-USA was in good shape to pick up an NC with the K-Mart Cincy team, but when he went out with the broken leg against SLU in the conference tourney, that pretty much took care of that. Now that C-USA is finally proven it belongs in the category of “power” conference, realignment is killing what could have been a very good thing.

Yes, C-USA may never be a major player in football unless something is done about the BCS monster, but that’s the direction the conference wants to take and we’re heading to the A-10 because of it. Initially and ironically, the strength of the “new” C-USA will probably be in baseball. Afterall, Tulane is the #1 team on the diamond this week. Hmmm…

12

Memphis should have been the team to jump to the Big East, not South Florida. The only reason the Big East took USF was strictly to keep a football recruiting presence in Florida.