Conference USA isn’t unique when it comes to leagues a tick or two down from college basketball’s elite.

The fight is always for respect, and a higher seed for whoever wins the league’s tournament and an NCAA bid.

C-USA has something to build on in that regard. North Texas continued the league’s recent surge by knocking off Purdue in a Round of 64 game a year ago. The Mean Green were a No. 13 seed and added to C-USA’S recent run of success that includes NCAA Tournament wins in five of the last six years it has been played.

The league will be a threat to build on that run this season behind a host of talented players and coaches. UNT head coach Grant Mccasland is back. Joe Golding was one of last season’s NCAA Tournament coaching darlings after leading Abilene Christian to a win over Texas. He landed at UTEP.

There are plenty of top players returning as well, including Louisiana Tech forward Kenneth Lofton Jr.

They will all continue C-USA’S fight for respect — and another NCAA Tournament win — this season. EAST

1. WKU (21–8, 11–3) The Hilltoppers always seem to be in the championship hunt down to the bitter end in C-USA. Last season was no exception. WKU won the league’s East Division and had a five-point lead with just over a minute left in the conference tournament title game against North Texas before the Mean Green stormed back to win in overtime. The Hilltoppers lost their two best players in Charles Bassey and Taveion

Hollingsworth but will have a talented team once again. Guard Josh Anderson will be back for a fifth season, and he will be joined by Depaul transfer forward Jaylen Butz and point guard Zion Harmon, a top-100 recruit in the class of 2021. Guard Dayvion Mcknight was an All-freshman Team selection in C-USA and should see his role grow following the departure of Hollingsworth. The pressure will be on WKU coach Rick Stansbury to deliver this season after losses in three straight C-USA Tournament finals.

2. MARSHALL (15–7, 9–5) The Thundering Herd feature Taevion Kinsey, who might be the best NBA prospect in the league. The 6'5" guard has elite athleticism and is one of just two returning first-team ALL-C-USA selections in the league. The Ohio native averaged 19.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season. The Thundering Herd play at a quick tempo and will need to find someone to replace Jarrod West. The guard transferred to Louisville after averaging 12.5 points and 6.0 assists per game. Marshall could contend if coach Dan D’antoni can replace West and find a few key pieces to add to his rotation.

3. OLD DOMINION (15–8, 11–5) The Monarchs entered the final game of the regular season with a chance to win C-USA’S East Division. ODU fell to WKU and ended its year on a two-game losing streak after falling to North Texas in the C-USA tournament quarterfinals. The Monarchs’ chances of bouncing back took a hit when leading scorer Malik Curry transferred to West Virginia after averaging 15.7 points per game. ODU needs a big season from guard Kalu Ezikpe and to have its newcomers contribute to contend. Ezikpe is the Monarchs’ lone returning double-figure scorer at 10.3 points per game.

4. FLORIDA ATLANTIC (13–10, 7–5) The Owls endured a tough season in 2020-21, when they had six games in an eight-game span in C-USA play canceled due to COVID-19 issues. FAU took advantage of the opportunities it had, winning five straight games down the stretch. That run culminated with a win over UTEP in the conference tournament before the Owls fell to Louisiana Tech. FAU lost guard Jailyn Ingram, who helped spark that run, when he transferred to Georgia. Michael Forrest is among three returning FAU players who averaged double figures last season and will look to fill the void.

5. CHARLOTTE (9–16, 5–11) The 49ers were on an upward swing under Ron Sanchez before taking a step back last year. The former Virginia assistant took a team coming off a 6–23 campaign ahead of the 2018-19 season and guided Charlotte to an 8–21 finish in his debut season. The 49ers posted a 16–13 record in 2019-20 before stumbling

to 9–16 last year. Charlotte could make a significant jump this year. Junior guard Jahmir Young is one of just two returning first-team ALL-C-USA selections after averaging 18.0 points per game last season. He will be joined by a host of highly regarded transfers, including Robert Braswell (Syracuse) and Clyde Trapp (Clemson). The 49ers could quickly move up the pecking order in C-USA if those players pan out.

6. FIU (9–17, 2–15) The Panthers lost their last seven games and 14 of their final 15 last season. FIU’S only win in that late-season slump came against Florida Memorial, an NAIA team. The season represented a significant step back for FIU under coach Jeremy Ballard, who won a combined 39 games in his previous two seasons with the Panthers. FIU could have a hard time bouncing back without Antonio Daye Jr., who transferred to Fordham after averaging 17.1 points per game. The Panthers need transfers Clevon Brown (Vanderbilt) and Aquan Smart (Maryland) to contribute immediately.

7. MIDDLE TENNESSEE (5–18, 3–13) The Blue Raiders were once the predominant power in C-USA. MTSU won NCAA Tournament games in 2016 and 2017 under Kermit Davis. The Blue Raiders haven’t been the same since Davis left for Ole Miss and was replaced by former UNC Asheville coach Nick Mcdevitt ahead of the 2018-19 season. MTSU has gone 24–62 in Mcdevitt’s three years, including a 5–18 record last season when the Blue Raiders lost their final seven games. MTSU lost its top two scorers in Dontrell Shuler and Jordan Davis, who averaged 12.5 and 11.0 points per game, respectively. MTSU will need its newcomers to play well from the jump to turn the corner.

WEST

1. UAB (22–7, 13–5) The Blazers made a splash before last season when they hired former Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy. The move paid immediate dividends. UAB went from a .500 team in C-USA play to finishing with the third-best winning percentage in the league. The Blazers return their top three scorers, including second-team all-league pick Tavin Lovan. UAB added plenty of talent to its core. Kennedy landed a host of transfers, including KJ Buffen (Ole Miss), Josh Leblanc (LSU) and Justin Brown (South Florida). That mix of talent and experience will make the Blazers one of the favorites in the league race, especially if Kennedy can help the group develop chemistry early.

2. LOUISIANA TECH (24–8, 12–4) The departure of Charles Bassey for the NBA left Louisiana Tech with a good argument that it has the best big man in the league heading into the 2021-22 season in Kenneth Lofton Jr. The 6'7" bruiser was a thirdteam ALL-C-USA selection last year, when he averaged 12.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The Bulldogs have some solid pieces to go with Lofton, including forward Isaiah Crawford and guard Amorie Archibald. Crawford averaged 11.8 points per game and was also a third-team all-league selection. Archibald added 10.0 points per outing. The question is whether the Bulldogs have enough around that core to get over the top and win the league title.

3. NORTH TEXAS (18–10, 9–5) The Mean Green made a remarkable run in the postseason, winning four games in four days in the C-USA Tournament before going on to beat Purdue. UNT lost three starters in guard James Reese, forward Zachary Simmons and point guard Javion Hamlet, the MVP of the conference tournament. The Mean Green have some talented players returning, including shooting guard Mardrez Mcbride, and a promising group of newcomers. UNT’S hope is that it can re-create the magic it found in the postseason a year ago. Hameir Wright averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds while starting 25 games at Washington last season and could be one of C-USA’S top newcomers. UNT has established itself as one of the powers in the league and will look to take the next step as a program by becoming a consistent NCAA Tournament team.

4. UTEP (12–12, 8–8) Joe Golding takes over a program with a long basketball tradition and a few talented players returning to build around. Guard Souley Boum and forward Bryson Williams were among the best inside-outside duos in C-USA last season. UTEP lost Williams, who transferred to Texas Tech, but returns Boum.

The 6'3" junior averaged 18.8 points per game last season. Georgetown transfer Jamari Sibley is among UTEP’S newcomers who could contribute right away. Golding built a winner in a much tougher situation at Abilene Christian and will look to repeat that feat in El Paso.

5. RICE (15–13, 6–10) The Owls return several of the key players who sparked a threegame winning streak that lasted through the first two rounds of the C-USA tournament last season. Guard Quincy Olivari averaged 16.3 points per game to lead four returning Rice players who averaged double figures in scoring last season. Olivari was a third-team all-league selection. The Owls made 10.2 shots per game from 3-point range last season (35.8 percent) and will live and die by the 3 again this year.

6. UTSA (15–11, 9–7) The Roadrunners featured one of the country’s most dynamic backcourts for the last several seasons with Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace. That era came to an end last season as both decided to turn pro. Jackson scored 2,551 points, a total that ranks 52nd in NCAA history and first among Latin-born players. Wallace averaged 16.8 points per game last season on his way to earning second-team all-league honors. Center Jacob Germany is UTSA’S only other returning player to average double figures at 10.3 points per game and will have to carry more of the load this season.

7. SOUTHERN MISS (8–17, 4–13) The Golden Eagles have yet to hit their stride under head coach Jay Ladner, a Southern Miss graduate and former player. Southern Miss finished 9–22 in his debut campaign and followed up with an 8–17 season that saw the Golden Eagles lose 11 of their last 12 games. They will look to bounce back behind Tyler Stevenson. The 6'8" forward averaged 14.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game last season.