The 3-2-1 | Who is the favorite in C-USA after non-conference play? - BleedTechBlue: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Football & Basketball Recruiting

Conference action will start this weekend across Conference USA. The race for the top spot in the league is sure to be hotly contested over the next nine weeks.

Three Things We Learned in the Non-Conference

1 -- The favorites are living up to expectations

UAB, Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky were picked to finish in the top three spots in the preseason poll by the coaches. All three programs are off to really strong starts. UAB is 10-3, LA Tech is 9-3 and WKU is off to an 8-5 start that includes wins over Ole Miss and Louisville. The trio has proven that they are the teams to beat.

2 -- FIU and Middle Tennessee are much improved

Jeremy Ballard and Nick McDevitt entered the 2021-2022 season needing a good finish within the league standings. The two appear to be on track, and that's after being picked to finish 13th & 14th, respectively, in the preseason conference standings. FIU holds non-conference wins over Ball State, UNC-Greensboro and Florida Gulf Coast, while MTSU holds an impressive win over Winthrop. Are these two legit championship contenders? We'll find out.

3 -- Grant McCasland is Grant McCasland

North Texas went to the NCAA Tournament following the 2020-2021 season and knocked off 4th-seeded Purdue in the first round. The Mean Green were predicted to finish 6th in the preseason poll following the departure of star guard, Javion Hamlet. 6th?!!! Not happening. Not with Grant McCasland leading the program. The Mean Green have defeated Drake, UMass and Wichita State in the non-conference and look poised to make another run in 2021-2022.

Two Questions Going Forward

1 -- Can anyone slow down Kenneth Lofton Jr.?

If Louisiana Tech is going to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1991, it will ride Kenneth Lofton Jr. throughout. The Port Arthur, TX native is off to a monster start averaging 18.1 points and 10.2 rebounds in 25.1 minutes per game. Lofton Jr. went for 36 points and 18 rebounds in a loss to NC State in early November that remains one of the top performances in all of college basketball this season. If opponents can't slow down Lofton Jr., Louisiana Tech might be the favorite at this point simply because they'll have the best player on the floor every night.

2 -- Will Jeff Jones survive at Old Dominion?

Jeff Jones is 173-102 during his tenure in Norfolk with one NCAA Tournament appearance back in 2018-2019. However, the non-conference performances of the Monarchs were head scratching to say the least. Jones's squad scored only 36 points in a loss to Indiana State, lost to Penn and beat Longwood by only 1. For a team that was picked to finish 5th in the preseason, ODU is going to need to step it up in conference play or Jones may find his seat extremely hot come March.

One Prediction for Next Week

A 13-5 conference record will win the regular season conference championship. Outside of Southern Miss, any team can win any night within the league and that depth will show up over the next nine weeks.

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