Photo. University of Memphis

Last year (Dime #28) we debuted the “Player’s Ball” college hoops preview, where we went to some of the NCAA’s best players and had them preview their own conferences. This year we did it again (Dime #37), but since we didn’t have room in the mag for some of the mid-majors, we’re dropping them on DimeMag.com along with the big boys. Today, Memphis guard Chris Douglas-Roberts breaks down Conference USA:

THE EXPERT: Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis, Jr., SG
One of the most efficient scoring guards in the nation, Douglas-Roberts contributed more than 15 points per contest on 54 percent shooting from the field last year. But CDR does more than give buckets to C-USA competition. He’s the engine on a fierce Memphis team that expects to drive deep into the tourney yet again. In

EXPERT OPINION: “It’s pretty much a bulls-eye on our back in our conference. If we don’t win it this year, honestly it will be a disappointment. I feel like we’ve got to win the C-USA if we’re going to be considered at the top of the country.

“We’ve got a really talented class coming in with two tough and athletic freshmen, Derrick Rose (PG) and Jeff Robinson (SF). This is a real team – anybody can be ‘The Man’ on a given night: Robert Dozier (F, 9.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg), Antonio Anderson (SG, 8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.6 spg), Joey Dorsey (PF, 8.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 1.4 spg), even Doneal Mack (SG, 7.1 ppg) off the bench. Joey is the intimidator – everyone knows that. He’s gonna block shots, lock you down and dunk on you. We call him the Glass Man.

“If you look around the conference, there are some guys who can really play. UAB is a tough team that runs a run-and-jump press. They’ve got a good coach over there with Mike Davis, who will get some help from Robert Vaden (SG/SF), the transfer from Indiana who’s eligible to play now. I also like Rob McKiver (SG, 19.2 ppg) from Houston. He’s a guard who can really score. He put up 27 on us the first time we played and then came back with 32 more. I like the swagger that he’s got about him.”

Player’s Ball archive
11/12 – Pac-10 (Kyle Weaver, Washington State)
11/12 – Atlantic 10 (Ahmad Nivins, St. Joe’s)
11/9 – Big Ten (Drew Neitzel, Michigan State)
11/9 – WAC (Jaycee Carroll, Utah State)
11/8 – SEC (Ronald Steele, Alabama)
11/7 – Missouri Valley (Daniel Ruffin & Jeremy Crouch, Bradley)
11/6 – ACC (DeMarcus Nelson, Duke)
11/5 – Mountain West (Brandon Ewing, Wyoming)
11/2 – Big 12 (A.J. Abrams, Texas)