Memphis and the 13 Dwarfs?

For most of Conference USA's "rebirthed existence" Memphis played big time basketball. The rest of the conference didn't. Why sugarcoat the reality that Conference USA in the blink of an eye transformed from a conference on par with the Big East, Big 12 and maybe even the ACC to a mere one-bid league; a league that was fodder for the Memphis Tigers much the same way that the WCC fed Gonzaga or the old Big West existed seemingly only to fatten the Jerry Tarkanian-bred UNLV calves.

Consider this. Prior to last season Memphis had gone more than three years without dropping a single conference game. The rest of the league were just Idahos to Calipari's Boise State.

A year ago, in a domino of circumstances, Calipari left for the greener pastures of the blue-er grass (Kentucky, not Boise State's smurf turf), the nation's best recruiting class evaporated right before 32-year old rookie head coach Josh Pastner's eyes, four or five schools boasted junior and senior dominated quality rosters. Suddenly Conference USA was living up to the first part of their name, a "conference" once again.

The stars were beginning to align for C-USA. If not "stars", at least 3 and 4-star recruits and programs led by NCAA Tournament experienced coaches. UTEP and Derrick Carachter gave Butler a tough game in the opening round of the NCAA tourney. Houston, buoyed by Aubrey Coleman and their surprising conference tourney run vaulted a second team into the Big Dance. The conference was full of solid ball clubs. While Memphis had their "down year" they still were a bubble team through most of February and headed to the NIT along with solid Tulsa and UAB teams. Even the lower portion of the league was beginning to blossom. UCF looked to be a program on the rise, not just in notoriety with the arrival of both MJ progeny, but also in ability of play. Marshall boasted 7-foot freshman sensation Hassan Whiteside and played eventual Final Four participant WVU to within a bucket in their own gym. Seven or eight teams could be considered legitimate postseason possibilities.

In short, C-USA was making a case (though clearly still behind the A-10) to be the best "non-BCS" league in the country.

Flash forward to the opening weekend of the 2010-2011 season and the shine is already beginning to tarnish. Sadly, for a league that appeared to be on the cusp of a breakthrough, it might be closer to slipping back to "Memphis AND...." territory.

Three of the better non-Memphis teams stumbled mightily out of the gate. Houston needed OT to eek out a 1-point win over Nicholls State. And they were the bright spot.

UTEP, considered to be among the conference's leading contenders for "multiple bid" status lost at home... to Pacific. Tulsa answered the question of "how will they fare losing Jerome Jordan and Ben Uzoh" with a resounding "ouch", dropping a home game to Appalachian State.

In the spirit of fairness, there were a few bright spots. UCF looks like a team that continues to move towards viability with a new arena, a new coach, and two of the best classes in school history with their sophomores and this year's incoming freshman class. Southern Miss and Coach Eustachey (yes, the same guy who took Iowa State to within a game of the Final Four) took his Golden Eagles to Tampa and knocked off BEast also ran South Florida.

Only time will tell if the conference can continue to emerge or if it fades back into the insignificance that has plagued it for most of the latter half of the decade. Fortunatly, unlike it's football counterpart, first impressions are simply that in the world of college hoops. That said, C-USA's first impression in 2010 is one the "13 dwarfs" would sure prefer to do over.

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