SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE
-----

Slam Dunks No. 2 Friday, January 13, 2006 By Denny O'Brien

League cakewalk not what Memphis needs

©2006 Bonesville.net

Strength of schedule is one of the primary factors used for seeding teams in the NCAA Tournament. So, it’s a good thing Memphis tackled a demanding docket of non-conference foes.

If the Tigers land one of the four No. 1 seeds, rest assured that it won’t be on the merits of their roar through the Conference USA gauntlet.

Though conference play is typically the barometer by which a team’s postseason prospects are measured, C-USA won’t provide much of a measuring stick for Memphis. At least it shouldn’t.

Games against UCLA, Duke, Cincinnati, Gonzaga, and Texas, however, should prove a much better gauge — but it looks like East Carolina missed the memo on that.

The No. 5 Tigers’ C-USA opener against the Pirates on the road proved bumpier than anyone anticipated. Overmatched ECU unexpectedly hung with mighty Memphis for 39 minutes, despite what Tigers coach John Calipari said was a solid performance by his club.

Is that reason for panic in the City of Elvis?

Not at all. In fact, consider it a blessing for a team many expected to dine happily on its light conference fare.

And the hostile surroundings in Williams Arena couldn’t have provided a better midseason test for a young team with Final Four aspirations.

“That’s a basketball environment,” Calipari said. “That’s what this league should be about.

“This was basketball. This was what it is supposed to be. This is what Conference USA should be every game we play, in every building. We’ve got to get all of the other teams to think in these terms.”

That would certainly prepare Memphis for the postseason better than the alternative. While neither talent nor depth should be an issue in March, mental toughness remains a question mark for the Tigers, given their youth.

March is more a test of survival than it is anything else. If C-USA can provide a few more road tests like the one Memphis faced in Greenville, the Tigers will be better equipped to dance deep into the NCAA Tournament.

No time for tea

Al Skinner might want to rethink his initial analysis of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Prior to the season, the Boston College coach labeled his new conference a finesse league with a style of play unlike the bruising battles in the Big East. After a 0-3 league start, the Eagles are nursing much more than their black and blue egos.

N.C. State banged all-star forward Craig Smith all night in a 78-60 win Tuesday, limiting him to only 14 points on 6-of-18 shooting. His frontline partner, Jared Dudley, didn’t fair much better, hitting only five of his 16 attempts from the floor.

Figured by most to finish among the top three in the ACC, BC has dug itself a sizable hole. Whether or not the Eagles can climb out will depend largely on Skinner’s ability to rally his team mentally and prepare them for a tougher grind than he obviously expected.

First BC was shipped to Boise in football. Now a winless start in hoops.

Must be some tea party they're throwing in Boston.

The toast of Champaign

While Roy Williams’ rebuilding efforts at North Carolina this season have been well-noted, the work of his counterpart in last year’s title game has somehow fallen below the radar.

Also losing the bulk of his scoring from last year, Illinois coach Bruce Weber faced perhaps a bigger retooling job this year — one that didn’t include a class of frosh as highly touted as Williams’ bunch in Chapel Hill.

Yes, Weber did retain superstar guard Dee Brown and underappreciated center James Augustine. And true, Illinois hasn’t faced the most lethal non-conference schedule.

But give Weber credit for steering the Illini back to where few thought they belonged this season — firmly inside the Top 10.

The bigger challenge will be keeping Illinois there as it pushes deeper into the Big Ten schedule, which may be second only to the Big East in terms of toughness and depth. If the Illini finish in the top three, Weber’s name will be worthy of mention with the best in the business.

Texas Triple Crown

Can Texas two-step its way to national titles on both the gridiron and hardwood? It certainly isn’t out of the question.

When you examine the Longhorns’ prospects in hoops, you have to label them among the favorites to make it to Indianapolis.

The Horns have size, versatility, and a solid backcourt. They also have two key elements that are a must for any championship run: strong play at the point — Daniel Gibson — and a star player who can shoulder the load when needed — P.J. Tucker.

If Texas races into victory lane at Indy, don’t be surprised if the Horns stampede to a Triple Crown. Baseball America has them as its preseason No.1.

And the Longhorns are rarely cooked in Omaha.

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

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

02/23/2007 02:02:46 AM