C-USA Tourney Preview

At the FedExForum (Memphis, Tenn.)
FIRST ROUND
Wednesday, March 11
Game 1: No. 7 Marshall vs. No. 10 Rice, 1 p.m.
Game 2: No. 6 UCF vs. No. 11 Southern Miss, 3:30 p.m.
Game 3: No. 8 Tulane vs. No. 9 East Carolina, 7 p.m.
Game 4: No. 5 Houston vs. No. 12 SMU, 9:30 p.m.

QUARTERFINALS
Thursday, March 12
Game 5: No. 2 Tulsa vs. Game 1 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 6: No. 3 UAB vs. Game 2 winner, 3:30 p.m.
Game 7: No. 1 Memphis vs. Game 3 winner, 7 p.m.
Game 8: No. 4 UTEP vs. Game 4 winner, 9:30 p.m.

SEMIFINALS
Friday, March 13
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 6:30 p.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, March 14
Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 11:35 a.m.


Team to watch: Oh, I don't know...maybe the team that hasn't lost a conference game in 25 years, the Memphis Tigers. Okay, it hasn't been that long, but the last conference loss was March 2, 2005. Memphis is not as deep this year as last, but they still have great players and can put together another final four run.

Player to watch: Jermaine Taylor. The senior guard from Central Florida led the conference in scoring and ranks third nationally. Taylor was named first team all-conference and led the Knights in scoring every game but one this year.

Upset watch: UAB. The last team to beat Memphis in conference play. UAB is fighting for an at-large birth into the tournament and if they could knock off Memphis, that would easily get them into the field of 65.

Tourney watch: Memphis should roll through this tournament again. They have a chance to get a number one seed and once again prove their team is no fluke. UAB and Tulsa both have a chance to get into the dance and if one of them can make it to the conference championship, they could get a birth.