The Conference USA basketball tournament begins this Tuesday out in Frisco, Texas. With an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament on the line, C-USA heavyweights will battle it out to see who’s truly the conference’s best team.
While North Texas (23-5, 16-2), the reigning C-USA tournament champion and champion of the 2021-2022 regular season, comes in as the favorite, plenty of teams will have the chance to go on a run and make a push towards the big dance.
Prediction
The East has two well-balanced teams in Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee, but expect a team from the West to walk out of Frisco with the tournament championship.
North Texas should be predicted to win this tournament, as their stifling defense and efficient offense have proven to be too much for most of C-USA this season.
Right there with North Texas are the UAB Blazers (24-7, 14-4). They have the winning formula — a stout defense and the C-USA player of the year, Jordan Walker — needed to win meaningful games in the tournament. If UAB is going to make a run, that identity must remain the same.
No matter the outcome, the tournament champion will probably have to win at least two close games, as the tournament tends to put even the best teams on the ropes.
Despite a plethora of capable teams, expect North Texas to win the conference tournament and advance to the NCAA tournament later this month.
Playmakers to Watch
Souley Boum, UTEP
Boum leads the UTEP Miners (18-12, 11-7) and the conference in scoring this season, but his energy on both ends of the court has propelled him to become one of the league’s best players.
The Miners go as Boum goes, so if the Miners expect to make a run, Boum will have to play a huge role in doing so.
Tylor Perry, North Texas
Perhaps the best player on the best team in the conference, Perry lacks the scoring numbers of the other players on this list, ranking just 18th in the league in scoring.
Perry has proven in his games against quality opponents, like UAB, that when the game comes down to the wire, the ball should be in his hands. He will look to play a big part in the Mean Green’s success in the tournament, just as he did in their success in the regular season.
Jordan Walker, UAB
Walker has showed why he is C-USA’s player of the year time and time again this season, with some of his best performances coming against the best teams in the league.
Averaging over 19 points a game, Walker already set a career high and school record by scoring 42 points against a good Middle Tennessee State team earlier this season.
If Walker can get hot from the three-point line, expect the Blazers to make a deep run in the tournament.
Dark Horse Pick
Florida Atlantic
The Owls (18-13, 11-7) have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the league, but their ability to go on a run here in March should not go unnoticed.
With wins over Western Kentucky and LA Tech in addition to close games against North Texas and Middle Tennessee this season, FAU has proven it can play well against quality opponents.
Top scorer Michael Forrest has proven to be a threat from behind the arc. He boasts one of the best three-point shooting percentages in the conference.
While FAU has proven itself to be a worthy opponent, their lack of success against mediocre teams cannot be ignored. If FAU can make it out of the tournament’s early rounds, look for the Owls to make some noise.
How to Watch
The Conference USA men’s basketball tournament tips off on Tuesday, Mar. 8. Southern Miss will face UTSA, and FIU will battle Marshall in the opening round. UAB will play their first game against either Southern Miss, UTSA or Florida Atlantic on Thursday.
The first two rounds will be streamed on ESPN+. Stadium will broadcast the quarterfinals, and CBS Sports Network will broadcast the semifinal and final rounds of the C-USA tournament.
