Okay, Memphis has created an incredible basketball program.

Let's say C-USA East stayed together. C-USA East (Marquette, DePaul, Cincinnati, Louisville, UNC-Charlotte, ECU)

Let's assume that Huggins remained at Cincinnati.
Let's assume Pitino and Crean kept building top programs.
Let's assume that Charlotte kept winning.
Let's assume that Herrion was able to keep players at ECU to build a program.

It is a lot of assumptions... but if all this remained...

Would Memphis be favored to win the assumptive C-USA this year?

I'll start the answer thread...

Huggins built such an incredible run at Cincinnati. I would assume that Cincinnati would still be at the top of C-USA and the team to beat.

chess Wrote:I'll start the answer thread...

Huggins built such an incredible run at Cincinnati. I would assume that Cincinnati would still be at the top of C-USA and the team to beat.

In the last years of CUSA it was UL that was the team to beat, or at least neck and neck with Cincy. The last 4 CUSA champs before the 3 schools left were: UC - 2002, 2004 and UL - 2003, 2005. And UL did make the Final Four in 2005. It would still definitely be a top bball conference, no doubt. Memphis didn't start winning the champ until after the teams left, though they were knocking on the door before then. With the changes Cali made with the Tigers, it would be one rough conference today.

With the team Memphis has this year, yes they would absolutely be favored to win the conference. We certainly would lose some games here and there; but we should win that conference.

Chess, didn't ECU just lose to an NAIA team at home? Ugly!!!

Agreed Tig!

Did ECU lose such a game? Holy Crap--if so. Wow, re-lace those sneakers ECU and get after it, c'mon now!

HollywoodTig Wrote:With the team Memphis has this year, yes they would absolutely be favored to win the conference. We certainly would lose some games here and there; but we should win that conference.

Chess, didn't ECU just lose to an NAIA team at home? Ugly!!!

I do agree that Memphis would "be the team to beat" in any conference this year. That said, Huggins had such an incredible run at Cincinnati. I feel they would have continued to recruit and win at the high expected level. Louisville, which always seems so close, would be about the same as they are today.

ECU and Herrion just couldn't keep players.

mommy what if the sky was red.. and clouds were made of marshmellos...

Don't forget that Huggins was in tight with OJ Mayo and Bill Walker and they would have gone to UC if he was still here. Those two plus Devan Downey and I'll say we would have been favored to win the conference this year.

RealDeal Wrote:Don't forget that Huggins was in tight with OJ Mayo and Bill Walker and they would have gone to UC if he was still here. Those two plus Devan Downey and I'll say we would have been favored to win the conference this year.

The same OJ Mayo we beat a few weeks ago?



Yeah, ok. Huggins and Pitino are GODS and Memphis is just lucky
you guys left so we could finally get some shine.

Bambu Wrote:Yeah, ok. Huggins and Pitino are GODS and Memphis is just lucky
you guys left so we could finally get some shine.

You took it the wrong way, I was just saying UC would have been terrific. We knew when CUSA broke up that Cal was just starting to hit full stride at Memphis. You guys would be just as good if us and UL were still in CUSA. I think you guys are awesome and if a BE team doesn't win the national title I hope you guys do.

RealDeal Wrote:

Bambu Wrote:Yeah, ok. Huggins and Pitino are GODS and Memphis is just lucky
you guys left so we could finally get some shine.

You took it the wrong way, I was just saying UC would have been terrific. We knew when CUSA broke up that Cal was just starting to hit full stride at Memphis. You guys would be just as good if us and UL were still in CUSA. I think you guys are awesome and if a BE team doesn't win the national title I hope you guys do.

Just yanking your chain a li'l. But I do think most basketball fans seriously
underestimate our depth right now.