NCAA Basketball: The Rise, The Downfall, and the Rise Again of Conference USA

In 2023, 9-seeded FAU’s miraculous Final Four run was the biggest run by a Conference USA team since John Calipari’s Memphis squad led by Derrick Rose lost to Kansas in the national championship. Additionally, on top of FAU’s Cinderella run, conference mates North Texas and UAB met each other in the NIT championship, while Charlotte won the CBI. However, after one of the most successful seasons for Conference USA in recent memory, there was a gray cloud hanging over the conference, as six of the conference’s eleven teams were set to leave the conference for the American Athletic Conference.

Starting on July 1, 2023, the four aforementioned teams in addition to Rice and UTSA were set to leave the conference. To replace these six teams, C-USA was set to add Liberty, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, and Jacksonville State, bringing the conference to nine total teams. 

In the 2023-24 season, after the Conference USA makeover, only two teams had an in-conference winning record, newcomer Sam Houston State as well as Louisiana Tech. However, Western Kentucky (8-8; 22-12) was the team to get the conference autobid after winning the conference tournament. Despite having a 7-point lead over 2-seeded Marquette, Western Kentucky was outscored 51-26 in the second half and eventually fell 87-69. Suddenly, after coming off the best year the conference has had this decade, the future of Conference USA was looking bleak. 

This upcoming season, former Atlantic Sun program, Kennesaw State is set to become the tenth program in this newfound Conference USA. Additionally, in November 2023, the conference announced Delaware and Missouri State will be joining the conference on July 1, 2025. While the conference is working on rebuilding an identity after losing six teams, this upcoming season should go a long way towards that.

Of the 15 players who made an All-Conference USA team last year, six of those players are returning, including three of the five first-teamers and two of the five second-teamers. Additionally, the conference is also returning last year’s Freshman of the Year, UTEP’s David Terrell, as well as Newcomer of the Year, Louisiana Tech’s Daniel Batcho (who also made First Team last season). Of the five players who are not returning who made first or second team last season, only one transferred while the other four graduated. For a conference like C-USA, staying power is important.

Another key aspect to C-USA’s continuity is that all five All-Freshman team players are returning. Nearly every C-USA team should have internal growth. Sam Houston State is returning five of their top eight in minutes from last year, including All-CUSA first teamer, Lamar Wilkerson. Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech returns likely CUSA Preseason Player of the Year and potentially Defensive Player of the Year in Daniel Batcho as well as point guard Sean Newman Jr. Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, and Sam Houston State each have multiple power five players who transferred into the program. Middle Tennessee, who should also be atop the standings, is returning four players who played at least 26 minutes per game last year.

For Liberty, they’re returning three starters including conference first teamer, Zach Cleveland. Western Kentucky brings back six of last season’s top eight, including first teamer Tom McHenry and adding two players who missed the 2023-24 season in Terrion Murdix and Blaise Keita. UTEP brings back three starters and three players who made the conference all-freshman team.

While Jacksonville State lost Kyky Tandy to the portal, they’ve added Jao Ituka from Wake Forest/Marist, Jaron Pierre from Grambling/Wichita State, and Marcus Fitzgerald from Tennessee State, among others. Even New Mexico State, who brings back just three players who played more than one game last season, has a competitive roster. Florida International, the conference’s last placed team a season ago, brings back seven players from last season. Finally, the newcomers, Kennesaw State, who has a primarily freshman heavy roster, brings back four rotation players from last year’s team. 

With this said, the internal growth of the conference should be vastly improved from last season's down year. While Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, and Sam Houston State should be the teams to beat, the overall conference should be far more competitive. The darkhorse in this conference is UTEP, who not only have continuity, but also should anticipate their sophomores to make further improvements. Overall, this conference seemed to have been forgotten about in terms of being a high level mid-major last year. This season should be the season that this conference reminds us of their ability.