TicketsUC Men Cagers Picked No. 1 in C-USA
Maxiell named to preseason all-league team.
Contact: Tom Hathaway
10/30/2002
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Despite having only one returning starter, Cincinnati has been installed as the team to beat in this year's Conference USA men's basketball race.
The Bearcats, who last year won both the regular season and tournament titles, are favored to clinch their eighth straight regular season title, according to a poll of the league's 14 coaches. The coaches also voted Bearcat sophomore Jason Maxiell to the C-USA preseason all-league team.
Marquette junior Dwyane Wade was named C-USA preseason Player of the Year. Also named to the C-USA preseason all-league team were Louisville senior Reece Gaines, Saint Louis senior Marque Perry and DePaul junior Andre Brown.
Maxiell, a 6-7 sophomore from Carrollton, Texas, averaged 8.1 points and 6.8 rebounds last season while earning the C-USA Sixth Man of the Year award. He also was named to the C-USA all-freshmen team.
Cincinnati, the favorite for the overall league title, was voted first in the American Division, followed by Marquette, Louisville, Charlotte, Saint Louis, East Carolina and DePaul. Memphis was picked first in the National Division, followed by Tulane, Houston, TCU, South Florida, Southern Mississippi and UAB.
Cincinnati is the only regular season champion in the conference's seven-year history. The Bearcats have been the nation's second-winningest program over the past five years with a 139-30 record (.822). UC is 90-18 in Conference USA play over the past seven years.