South Florida looks to make an impact in first yea

[ChiTownBull]

http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/stories/102805aas.html

Oct. 28, 2005

By Elliot Olshansky

Assistant Editor, CSTV.com

There's no doubt that the sixteen-team Big East will be the toughest conference in the country to play in this winter.  Adding the proud basketball traditions of programs like Louisville, Marquette and Cincinnati to those of Syracuse, Connecticut, Georgetown, St. John's and the rest of the existing Big East programs makes for a conference that's every bit as competitive as the hype has made it out to be.  

And still, there's a temptation to look at the banners of the member schools that hang in every Big East gym and softly sing, "One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong."

That "one" would be South Florida, the only Big East program never to reach a Final Four, or even win an NCAA Tournament game, for that matter. USF was picked to finish last in the conference, garnering only 23 points in the preseason coaches' poll, and some might suggest that the Bulls' relatively low status in the basketball world means that the "Sweet 16" proclaimed on the Madison Square Garden marquee at Media Day on October 26 is really a "Sweet 15 Plus One."

Not so, said Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese.  He's heard it all before, and his work with the league proves - to him, at least - that the naysayers are wrong, and that the future for South Florida can be a bright one among the basketball behemoths that populate the Big East.  

"In 1985, the year we had three teams in the Final Four [Georgetown, St. John's and Villanova], Dave Gavitt and I were coming back on the plane, and we were going through Hartford," Tranghese recalled.  "There was a column in a Connecticut paper that day that said, `Connecticut can never win in the Big East, they ought to leave.  Providence can never win, and Seton Hall will never win.' Dave's theory was that if they associate with other programs that are successful, and they hire good coaches, they will win.  

"Providence hired Rick Pitino, Seton Hall hired P.J. [Carlesimo], and Connecticut hired Jimmy Calhoun.  Two years later, Providence was in the Final Four. Two years later, Seton Hall was in the Final Four, and a year later, UConn lost in the Eastern regional final to [Duke's] Christian Laettner."

Clearly, programs can grow under the right guidance and conditions, even in a conference of powerhouses. Still, South Florida, a program that has yet to win an NCAA tournament game, has a tougher road ahead of it.  However, head coach Robert McCullum is ready for the challenge ahead.  

"I'm sure it's not easy," McCullum said.  "If it were easy, more people would do it.  Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, but what gets us excited and what enables us to be optimistic is that it's been done before, and it's been done against the odds before."

It's even been done "against the odds" in the Big East, as Tranghese happily remembers. "We brought Miami into this league in 1990," Tranghese said, "a basketball team that didn't have a facility, hadn't played, and had no tradition.  Now I go to South Florida.  They've got a good coach, a great facility [the Sun Dome], and they're in one of the biggest TV markets in the country.  I saw what Leonard Hamilton did at Miami. South Florida is so far ahead of where Miami started."

The comparison to Miami is appropriate, as McCullum refers to Hamilton as "a personal friend and mentor," and has some idea, from his friendship with Hamilton, of what to expect in the Big East.

"I had conversations with him in terms of things that he did," McCullum said of Hamilton's advice on the Bulls' maiden voyage in the Big East, "or how he would have done differently, and what enabled him to turn the corner when they eventually did, but just in terms of how physical the league is, or how well the league defends, or the difficulties of the travel, those kinds of things."

What McCullum hasn't heard is anything that will change the way he, his staff, and his team prepare for games, even as they rise to a higher level of competition than ever before in the program's history."

"Just the fact that we're in the Big East hasn't really affected how we approach the season," McCullum said. "Our goal is the same: to do everything we can as a staff to help our guys get better every day; to work extremely hard; to play well together.  If we can get healthy and stay healthy, and do those things, we like our chances to surprise some people. If we can do that, the other things will take care of themselves."

One player who McCullum certainly hopes to keep healthy is senior center Solomon Jones, who made a major impact for the Bulls in his first season after coming to Tampa as a junior college transfer.  Jones averaged 6.2 rebounds and two blocked shots in 26 minutes last season, and figures to build on that production in 2005-06.

"He's bigger, he's stronger, he's more experienced, and if I were a betting man, I'd chalk him in and say he's going to block 70 or 75 shots for us.  I'd say he's capable of giving us 13 points a game, giving us eight, nine rebounds a game easily.  We're thrilled to have him back at the center spot, and defensively, he can make a difference.  He runs the floor as well as any big man in the country, and when you've got a guy like that anchoring you defensively inside, it gives you a chance."

Like his coach, Jones isn't letting the move to the Big East affect any of his preparations or expectations.  "We were picked last [in Conference USA] last year, too.  There's no pressure upon us.  We just come out and play as hard as we can.  That's the only thing we can do."

Teammate Melvin Buckley, who redshirted last season after two years at Purdue, isn't letting the move affect his expectations, either.  "Any basketball player's `reasonable expectation' is to win any game they line up to play," Buckley said.

Still, both players recognize the importance of this season.  

"If we do well, it'll start a great thing down in Tampa," Jones said. "We're looking for our freshmen to step up and play like upperclassmen instead of freshmen, get into the groove of things, play hard and be mentally tough."

"In January, we'll be 50 years old as a university," Buckley said. "Some of these programs have played basketball for 50 years. To know that in 1971-72 is when we started playing basketball, to see the program where it is today speaks volumes of the people in Tampa and at the University of South Florida."

But from listening to Buckley, Jones, and McCullum, it's apparent that the Bulls are anxious to do their "speaking" on the court.

[Velcro]

Good article.

I love Buckley... what a great addition.  How many players in the past had any clue (at least during their playing days) of the history of our school and program?  I can't imagine that many players cared enough to find out.  This kid LOVES our school.

[Bull Matrix]

velcro,

You can bet that Coach McCullum has been telling a lot of our players about the tradition and history of our school. McCullum was well aware of USF during the SUN BELT and Metro conference years. It is no wonder that McCullen loves to organize reunions from past USF players during select USF games. McCullum has been good for USF IMO.

[Velcro]

I think Buckley learned most or all of this on his own.   I mean, if he is a member of the student bulls club... that alone says a ton about his commitment.

[Guest S.  Bien]

I think Buckley learned most or all of this on his own.   I mean, if he is a member of the student bulls club... that alone says a ton about his commitment.

He probably did, but I still believe that McCullum makes sure the players that come to USF are coming here to respect the program, school and themselves.  As much as I am sure Buckley's a great leader and figured much of that out on his own, I am sure McCullum makes sure the rest of the players respect the history and tradition of McCullum.  Be sure, once Coach Mac gets this ship righted, and seeing the recruits that are on the way I am now confident he will get this thing turned around, he will run this program the way it is suppose to be run.  There will be many more players like Buckley under Coach Mac, and it will make it easier to cheer for them knowing they have the same passion and understanding of USF as the common fans.

[bulls96go]

we will suprise a few people