WKU picked atop C-USA
Predicted order of finish, as selected by C-USA coaches:
Expected to be a one-and-done college player, center Charles Bassey returns to a roster loaded with talent that sometimes struggled to mesh last year.
Guards Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace are the top scoring duo in the conference, combining for 43 ppg last season.
The Bulldogs are an experienced crew led by preseason All-CUSA point guard DaQuan Bracey.
Second-year coach Rodney Terry has turned things around quickly in El Paso, adding several transfers to go with a talented sophomore class led by guards Nigel Hawkins and Jordan Lathon and forward Efe Odigie.
The defending league champs are talented but young, and will look to 2019 C-USA tournament MVP Xavier Green to carry the scoring load while other players learn on the fly.
Dynamic guard Zack Bryant and forward Makhtar Gueye are the top returners from a 20-win team.
Guard Umoja Gibson and forward Zachary Simmons are the familiar faces on a team that added eight new players and saw point guard Ryan Woolridge transfer to Gonzaga and guard Roosevelt Smart suspended indefinitely following a DUI charge.
Four starters are back, led by guard Antonio Green (17.9 ppg) and forward Reggie Scurry (11.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg).
Coming off their first winning season since 2010-11, the Owls appear headed in the right direction under second-year coach Dusty May.
Another program on the rise, the Panthers went 20-14 last year under first-year coach Jeremy Ballard, collecting the second-most victories in school history and just the second winning season since 2001.
It’s a rebuilding year for the Herd, which lost C-USA all-time scoring and assist leader Jon Elmore but will continue to play at a frenetic pace under coach Dan D’Antoni.
The 49ers went 8-21 in coach Ron Sanchez’s first season and will have more depth after adding six new players, but no obvious go-to scorer after losing guard Jon Davis.
The Owls nearly doubled their win total, from seven in 2017-18 to 13 last year, and finally have some roster stability with the return of its top three scorers.
Coach Doc Sadler did more with less than anyone in the league, but after a 20-win season he left to become an assistant at Nebraska and the Golden Eagles are starting over under new coach Jay Ladner.