Bulls Ready For Fresh Start

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Picked in the preseason by the league's coaches to finish last in Conference USA, South Florida wasn't even supposed to be here.

The coaches predicted USF would be one of two teams not to qualify for the C-USA Tournament. They were wrong.

The Bulls (12-15) earned the 11th seed and meet sixth-seeded Houston (18-12) in a first- round contest tonight at 9:30 from the FedExForum.

``With the start of the conference tournament, everyone's slate is wiped clean,'' USF coach Robert McCullum said. ``To advance, you have to beat good teams. But the good thing about it is you get a second chance.

``Once you get to the conference tournament, anything can happen. The teams [seeded] above us may play not to lose, instead of to win.''

The Bulls are coming off their biggest victory in McCullum's two seasons - Saturday's upset of then-No. 18 Charlotte. The win, ending a 35-game, 13-year losing streak to Associated Press-ranked opponents, should give the Bulls a boost after a season of close calls and numerous frustrating losses.

``You could tell by their body language [Sunday] and some of their comments that they really, really feel good [about the win],'' McCullum said. ``I reassured them that they did it.

``It was the same guys that played against TCU [in a 70-53 loss March 2]. But our mind- set, focus and confidence was totally different.''

The Bulls regain the services of freshman guard Collin Dennis, who missed the Charlotte win with a dislocated toe. However, reserve senior forward Brandon Brigman, who sprained his left knee, is out for the rest of the season.

While the league coaches were wrong about USF this season, they were really wrong about Houston. The Cougars were pegged for 13th, yet finished as the sixth seed. In Tom Penders' rookie season with the Cougars, UH doubled last year's total (9-18).

Despite getting swept this season and being 0-4 the past two seasons against Houston, McCullum said the Cougars were one of the teams he wanted to play.

``Given our choice, Houston was one of the teams we preferred playing, as weird as that may sound,'' McCullum said. ``They beat us both times, especially at their place [68-50]. That left a sour taste in our mouths.

``No one expected this team to get here. This is another opportunity to extend the season and the career of our seniors.''

With Brigman out, the Bulls are down to three seniors - forwards Terrence Leather and Marlyn Bryant and point guard Brian Swift.

Joining USF's senior trio in the starting lineup tonight will be sophomore guard Marius Prekevicius and either junior Solomon Jones or sophomore Konimba Diarra at center.

 

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A trick up his sleeve

Houston coach Tom Penders likes to surprise opponents, so what's in store for C-USA?


MEMPHIS, TENN. - There was a time when Tom Penders was a baseball star, a pitcher with a fair fastball and a wicked curveball.

Penders latched on to basketball ? or, more correctly, basketball grabbed him ? but he still is the master of the curveball. Just when you think you have a Penders team figured out ? boom ? here comes the bender, a subtle change or wrinkle he throws at foes.

It's just Penders being Penders, the eccentric genius tinkering in his lab. Tonight, that lab is the FedEx Forum, where his Houston Cougars (18-12) will take on South Florida (12-15) in the first round of the Conference USA tournament.

And even though it will be the third time the Cougars and Bulls have met this season, with UH taking both regular-season games, South Florida will no doubt see something tonight it hasn't witnessed.

What will that be? Only Penders, his players and coaches know. After Tuesday's media session at the Forum, Penders whisked his players off to a junior college to tinker.

"My philosophy has always been that if you're playing a team twice, have something new the second time. And if you're playing a team for the third time, show them something else," Penders said. "Try and keep (opponents) off-balance. Don't be predictable."

It's that philosophy that has allowed Penders to come up with some of the inspired lineups he springs on opponents. Such as last week, when he happened upon a small lineup that had 6-7 Ramon Dyer at center, 6-4 Cedrick Hensley at power forward and 6-3 Chris Lawson at small forward, with 6-3 Lanny Smith and 6-4 Andre Owens in the backcourt.

Lineup juggling
It was just a little something different, a wrinkle, but it was enough to help the Cougars pull out a key win at East Carolina. And that's why Penders' teams have for the most part been successful in tournament play.

In 1988, he took Rhode Island to the Sweet 16. He took Texas to the Sweet 16 in 1997 and to the Elite Eight in 1990.

That year, with Lance Blanks, Travis Mays and Joey Wright leading the way, Penders' Longhorns, a 10th seed, beat No. 7 seed Georgia (100-88), No. 2 seed Purdue (73-72) and No. 6 seed Xavier (102-89) before falling to Arkansas (88-85) in the Midwest final.

Coming four points short of the Final Four was memorable, but Penders recalls his first NCAA trip with the Horns. That came in 1989, when his "show-'em-something-different" approach helped Texas pull off one of that year's first upsets. Texas, the 11th seed, clipped No. 6 seed Georgia Tech 76-70 in the opening round of the Midwest Regional before falling to Missouri in the second round. Because of the curveball he threw that game, Penders remembers that day, and he's certain the Yellow Jackets recall that game.

"We pressed all year long, using a 1-2-1-1 zone press," he said. "We faced Georgia Tech in the opening round, and they had (future NBA players) Tommy Hammonds, Dennis Scott and Duane Ferrell. So we played straight man-to-man for 40 minutes and beat them.

"(Former Georgia Tech coach) Bobby Cremins is a good friend of mine, and after the game he was stunned because we did something different. But that's the way we play. We'll have some new twists in the games, whoever we play."

Will Penders' approach pay off in an NCAA Tournament bid for the Cougars, which would be their first since 1992? Should the Cougars win tonight, they would advance to play Cincinnati, a team that beat them 87-68 this season.

Cougars benefit
But Penders will make sure the Cougars have a different look should they again play the Bearcats. It's an approach that not only keeps opponents off-balance but also keeps things fresh for the Cougars.

"Yeah, I think it does," Penders said. "It gives them confidence, like 'We're ready for anything, and this will really screw them up.' They know I like to do that, and I talk to them that way ? 'This will really bother this team.'

"In some cases it's maybe not a major (change), but that's what I believe. I believe you have to do that (make changes) at tournament time. If you're predictable and teams know what you're doing, then they can prepare for you.

"You have to do that, unless you're the favorite, and then it's like, 'OK, try and stop us.' But we're not in that position."