In Conference USA volleyball, there is Louisville and everyone else. It's up to the Tigers and the rest of the conference tournament field to figure out just how to beat them.
The Cardinals (24-2, 13-0) enter this weekend's C-USA tournament as the clear favorite to repeat as champion. So far this season, the Cardinals are perfect in C-USA games and have the added advantage of playing the tournament on their home floor. But head coach Carrie Yerty has a sneaking suspicion that UL is vulnerable and that her Tigers are a team capable of driving the point home.
"I think this team is capable of doing it," Yerty said. "Louisville is just waiting for someone to beat them."
While the Cardinals are expected to win the tourney and the automatic NCAA tourney bid that accompanies it, there are a number of other teams that have proven their mettle.
Three other teams, Cincinnati, Marquette and TCU, had just three conference losses. Memphis (25-9, 9-4) lost just four.
But the Tigers lost two of their final three conference games, which dropped them into fifth position this weekend. The stumble kept Memphis from claiming the first round bye reserved for the top four seeds.
"If we would have beaten TCU, we'd have been the No. 2 seed," Yerty said. "We screwed up, we didn't get it done. And that's OK. I think it made us hungry. It made us understand the importance of every team that we play."
Memphis will whet their appetite with No. 12 seed DePaul (12-18, 5-8) at 3 p.m. on Friday. The Tigers handled the Blue Demons earlier this season, winning 3-0 (30-25, 30-26, 30-27).
Even with that earlier success, the Tigers say they aren't taking them lightly.
"They're a good team and we have to go in knowing they're a good team and not underestimate them, because when you do that, you lose," said senior outside hitter Tiarra Gilkey.
Coach Yerty added another reason to fear DePaul.
"DePaul just beat TCU, who we lost to, so we know we've got to come to play."
A victory would send Memphis into a rematch with No. 4 TCU (21-8, 10-3). The Horned Frogs took a tight 3-2 decision over them last week. It was the Tigers second home loss of the season.
If Memphis can fend off TCU, it sets up a potential semifinal rematch with Louisville, a tall task for any team.
Back in October, UL pounded Memphis 3-0 (30-19, 30-21, 30-16). It was one of the Tigers poorest outings of the year.
"We were making mistakes and trying to look around someone to step up and no one was," said junior middle hitter Fehi Tuivai."
Louisville also holds a large 23-10 advantage in the overall series.The two teams met in last season's C-USA tournament final, with Louisville prevailing 3-0 (31-29, 30-22, 30-13).
It's a score line UL foes know all to well.
"The Cardinals really come in there and know they're going to win. They're about business every time they play. The Cardinals don't ever seem to think about the possibility of losing."
That confident attitude is one that Memphis has adopted this weekend. "I think (everyone) needs to watch out for us," Gilkey said. "I don't care if it's Louisville or TCU or DePaul. We're a bad team and we're coming for them. They just need to know that."
