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Pirate Notebook No. 59
Monday, March 18, 2002

By Denny O'Brien
Staff Writer and Columnist

League's Quick Tourney Exit No Reason to Panic

©2002 Bonesville.net

Coaches Steering C-USA in Right Direction

By week's end, all three of Conference USA's NCAA tournament teams were ousted from the Big Dance. That's subpar, even for a league ranked eighth best by most computer polls.

Early exits by Marquette and Charlotte weren't earth-shattering, considering their matchups. The Golden Eagles fell victim to tournament-tested Tulsa, which has become a fixture in March. Charlotte simply lacked the horses to match Notre Dame, which under the direction of former Blue Devils assistant Mike Brey has transformed the Irish into a poor man's Duke.

Cincinnati, by far C-USA's best product, did little to boost the league's reputation. After Steve Logan's scoring barrage in a first round route over Boston U., the senior All-America was held in check against UCLA, hitting just six of 19 shots in a four-point, double-overtime loss to the Pac 10's sixth-place outfit.

The Steel City shocker left the league a dismal 1-3 in tournament play, suggesting it doesn't deserve a whisper when discussing the Division-I power conferences.

"Once you get into tournament play," says Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, "that's where you build your reputation."

With the damage now done, C-USA must now focus on mending its shattered image. Proving its place among the nation's elite will require a major statement next March, something the league has failed to do since it aligned seven years ago.

But be that as it may, there is reason to believe C-USA will regroup and become the hardwood juggernaut experts once envisioned. Heavily in its favor is a wealth of tradition-steeped programs, not to mention the best concentration of roundball coaches in the land.

Going into the season, C-USA boasted five of the 35 winningest coaches, tying it with the Pac 10 as tops in that category. In fact, Rick Pitino and Bob Huggins ranked sixth and ninth respectively, making C-USA the only league with two coaches among the top ten.

Huggins' recipe for success has been a mixture of physical play and tenacious defense, which this season more than any, offset glaring deficiencies in offensive skill. With just one dependable scorer and a couple of capable shooters, the Bearcats vastly overachieved this season, in what was arguably Huggins' best coaching job to date.

Next year, the league's elder statesman must replace the C-USA Player-of-the-Year -- Logan -- something he seems to do successfully on an annual basis.

Pitino, quite possibly the game's most recognizable figure, should soon have his Cardinals soaring high. He certainly knows the landscape in the Bluegrass State, having directed Kentucky to a a national title before heading to Beantown.

Pitino wasted little time making his imprint on the national scene, taking a rag-tag bunch to the NIT and beating a top-five team along the way. That's no small feat when you factor the Cards performed much of the season without a true point guard and a scoring presence in the post.

Not far behind is John Calipari, who has a reputation for resurrecting floundering programs. It wasn't long ago that he made UMass into a national contender, which, in the process, catapulted the Atlantic 10 into a premiere conference.

Relentless with his approach and charming in the living room, Calipari is one of the very best suitors. Since his return to the college scene, Coach C has inked signatures from the nation's number one recruit two years in a row.

But outside of the league's heavyweights, few coaches get much press. Charlotte's Bobby Lutz, for example, is rarely mentioned among college basketball's best architects, which is largely due to his proximity in ACC Land.

Nonetheless, Lutz has won consistently at his alma mater when no one else could. Jeff Mullins gave it a shot, but couldn't get it done. Melvin Watkins showed promise, but jumped ship the first chance he got.

Tom Crean is quickly becoming a household name, especially among college administrators. With each major opening, Crean's name surfaces, which means keeping the former Chippewa in Milwaukee could cost Marquette some serious bucks.

If Crean and All-C-USA guard Dwyane Wade hang around next season, the Eagles have a legitimate shot at the C-USA crown. Although Marquette must replace steady point guard Cordell Henry, Crean has developed a program deep with young talent.

Developing this year's youth will be paramount to next year's success for Bill Herrion, whose reputation prior to arriving at East Carolina was among the nation's best. The move to Greenville was questioned by most, but the third-year Pirates coach had an affinity for Tobacco Road.

"When I took this job two years ago, I said to myself, 'If they can win in football, they can win in basketball,'" Herrion said. "Everybody has always told me that North Carolina is a great state for basketball, so why can't we win in basketball. I think there are enough good players to go around in this state."

Passionate and intense, Herrion is determined to mold the Pirates into a consistent winner. The program certainly made strides this season, as victories over Rutgers, Northwestern, Louisville, and Marquette would attest.

Now, Herrion and his constituents must aim for new levels, which seem attainable when you factor in their credentials. C-USA's head coaches are among the nation's most respected when it comes to Xs and Os, and aren't too shabby at recruiting, either.

"I know what Tom Crean, Billy Herrion, John Calipari, Bob Huggins, and Bobby Lutz can do from a recruiting standpoint," Pitino said. "That's what is going to separate this league from the rest."

And if C-USA continues to cultivate its coaching continuity, there's no reason to think it can't become one of, if not the best.

Send an e-mail message to Denny O'Brien.

Click here to dig into Denny O'Brien's Bonesville archives.

02/23/2007 01:46:16 AM
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