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USF Men Still Face Uphill Climb

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 22, 2008

TAMPA - For the fourth consecutive year, coaches and players from all 16 Big East men's basketball schools converge at Madison Square Garden today for the league's annual media days.

For the first time, though, all 16 teams will return in March as the league expanded its postseason tournament from 12 teams to 16. That means the University of South Florida, the only school in the history of the Big East Tournament never to have qualified for the tournament, is guaranteed to return.

The top eight teams receive a first-round bye, while the bottom eight must play on the tournament's opening night and must win five games in five nights to win the tournament title.

"Trying to play five days in a row and win would be a huge challenge for anybody," USF coach Stan Heath said. "We would like to avoid that first day."

Chances are they won't. At least the Syracuse Post-Standard's annual preseason poll doesn't give the Bulls much of a chance.

USF was picked to finish last in the Post-Standard's Big East media poll, which has one beat writer vote from each school. The Bulls received 11 last-place votes, four 15th-place votes and one 14th.

UConn, with eight first-place votes, was the media's choice to win the league, followed by Louisville (five first-place votes), Pittsburgh (two) and Notre Dame (one). Marquette was picked fifth, with Syracuse, Villanova, Georgetown, West Virginia and Providence rounding out the top 10.

Cincinnati was 11th, followed by Rutgers, Seton Hall, DePaul, St. John's and USF.

The media's five-player All-Big East team consisted of Notre Dame's Luke Harangody, Pittsburgh's Sam Young, UConn's Hasheem Thabeet and A.J. Price, Louisville's Earl Clark and Syracuse's Jonny Flynn. Clark, Price and Flynn tied for the final two spots.

Harangody received 11 of 16 votes as the media's preseason player of the year. Louisville's Samardo Samuels received 10 of 16 votes for rookie of the year.

The Big East coaches' preseason poll and all-league team will be released today.

ODDS AND ENDS: George Selvie was named a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, signifying the nation's top lineman. ... For the fifth time in his career and third time this season, QB Matt Grothe was named the Big East's Offensive Player of the Week. ... DE Jarrett Buie disputed allegations by Syracuse RB Curtis Brinkley that the Bulls played "dirty." "I think we played a fair game," Buie said. "Maybe we were overaggressive, but that's just football. Maybe he's not used to Southern football that we have. That's probably what it is."

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