Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

rick heberly, coeur d'Alene, ID — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:33:03 GMT

Memphis, like Gonzaga, play in the pits of college basketball. Put either in a legit conference and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

nero — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:23:11 GMT

rick heberly .... quit your complaining. uab had an rpi of something in the mid-30's to mid-40's ... providence, who beat pittsburgh, had an rpi of 77 ...

exactly. 'nuff said.

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

Gary Mason, San Diego, CA — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:29:18 GMT

How can you say that? Memphis is 11-3 in the ncaa tournament the last 3 years. Last years team would have run through the big east or any other league. I understand that they would have a 55 game conference winning streak if they were in the big east or acc, but they are a top team and would be in any league.

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

jay — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:46:58 GMT

interesting, ricky, for you to make that absurd arguement. the issue isn't that the Tigers are the best team in the conference by a wide margin, it is that they have not lost in THREE years to a conference team.

but while we have not, the following BCS teams have ALL lost to CUSA competition in that same time frame.

Kentucky, Arizona, Texas A&M, NC State, LSU, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, Georgia, Auburn, Minnesota, Penn State, South Florida, Depaul, and Colorado.

food for thought.

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

Ray, Memphis, TN — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:12:00 GMT

Who was the best team in the Big 10 last year? Was it the one we had down 30 at half time in the Sweet 16? Best of the Big East? Beat them by 14. What about the Pac-10's best? Didn't we beat them by 15 in the Final Four? Top 2 teams in the Big 12? Beat one by 18 and lost in overtime to the other one, who just happened to be the best team in the country. What "legit" conference was it you were thinking about anyway, rick?

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

Bo Bell, Los Olivos, CA — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:50:42 GMT

Rick, that's the point: Memphis is so good, and their conference competition so weak, that they rule the conference handily. They wouldn't rule a top conference because the competition would be better. They'd win most games, lose a couple, and get the #1 seed that they deserve. As is, they have learned to play as a unit, make the most of what they have, win all remaining games and get a 2 or 3 seed.

Their losses, early in the season, were against teams playing well at the time when Memphis was young and disorganized and playing poorly. Contrast that against top teams who, 20+ games in, are fully formed yet are now losing to far lesser teams like Providence, Texas, and Maryland.

But again, we can talk all day but will see what's really up come tourney time, a place the Tigers consistently excel. Bring it!

(p.s. before you reply, consider: pretty much everyone in the country has been using the same tired "weak conference" argument that you just repeated for the past 4 years. Now let's see...forget the RPI and SOS, which can be inflated by conference scheduling and polls. It's head-to-head, the NCAA tourney, that is the ultimate test of a team's skill. Memphis has been to 3 consecutive elite 8s. In the most recent, they WHOOPED teams from the SEC (MSU), Big Ten (a different MSU), and Big 12 (Texas) to make the final 4, where they MANHANDLED the golden boys of the Pac-10 (UCLA) before losing the National Championship game in overtime. So, yeha, I like their chances against pretty much anybody.)

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

James Tubbs, Memphis, TN — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:07:58 GMT

Memphis is 11-3 in the NCAA Tournament the last three years. That is two Elite 8's and one made free throw away from a National Championship. Whether Memphis plays conference games in C-USA or in the Big East doesn't matter. Good is good. By the way, C-USA is currently rated the #9 conference in the RPI. That is 9 out of 31 leagues. That is not the "pits".

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

David Sutton Hiram Maine — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:08:12 GMT

OK Rick Heberly, what u need to do is write the administrators of these legit conferences to let us in, Memphis has done everthing possible to get in the SECand the BIG EAST, when the BIG EAST expanded it took 6 CUSA teams but left Memphis behind. I assume the BIG EAST was scared we would do it there too. Memphis has no choice what conference they play in. Let me ask you this. Does your team want to play Memphis in the NCAA tournament? I didn't think so

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

Marko White, Memphis, TN — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:27:45 GMT

Memphis has made it to at least the eliet eight the past 3 years playing and beating schools from "legit conferences". Talent speaks for itself and Calipari is known for recruiting top talent year after year.

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

Atlanta, GA — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:08:24 GMT

I won't disagree that they wouldn't have such a gaudy record if they were in a conference like the Big East, but anyone who thinks that because their conference isn't that great means they aren't great is insane. They are a tremendously talented team, one of the true national powers.

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

Dale, Anderson IN — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:42:59 GMT

I am a Purdue fan first since I live in Indiana and I also like Butler which happens to be another good small conference team.
I do pull for Memphis somewhat just because they are a small conference team playing consistently with the big schools.

To those that say Memphis is not great because they play in the C-USA would have to say that UNC would also not be great with the same coach and team if they too played in the C-USA.

Sure, they would not have the same record in the Big Ten or the ACC that they have now but they do deserve a top ranking hands down.

Memphis rules C-USA with an iron fist

Dan S, Memphis TN — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:42:45 GMT

Our Tigers would benefit from playing in a higher-powered league. We lost to Okla St and Ohio St a few years ago partly because we were unaccustomed to such a level of play. We now can't get top-10 schools to play us, they don't want any losses. We'd like CUSA to catch up; we're not the best in football or baseball. May not be enough talent in the country for it to happen.