4:19 p.m.
There's an old saying that "its calmest before the storm."

I can't help but think of that phrase as I sit here courtside and watch Marshall's practice. Second-year Thundering Herd head coach Tom Herrion stands calmly at center court watching his players shoot at both ends of the floor not saying a word. But, at this time tomorrow, the fury will be unleashed. If you are in the FedExForum on Wednesday afternoon (and why wouldn't you be?) you MUST watch Coach Herrion's sideline demeanor during the Herd's 2:30 p.m. matchup with SMU. Take a good look at the jacket that Herrion is wearing when the game starts. Chances are, you won't see it very long after tip-off. Few coaches coach with the energy level that Herrion exudes during a game. For the fan, it is entertaining and even exhausting to watch.

By the way, Marshall has never lost to SMU, going 7-0 all-time. The most dramatic of those wins came four years ago in Huntington on a long buzzer-beater by Markell Humphrey. "It was 74 feet, one inch," according to Marshall play by play announcer Steve Cotton.

RDA

3:33 p.m.
The Rice Owls have taken to the practice floor at FedExForum and that means Mr. Double-Double is in the house.

Rice junior forward Arsalan Kazemi is one of two players in C-USA to average a double-double this season and heads into this week's conference tournament averaging 12.5 points and 10.3 rebounds.

Last week, Kazemi set a Conference USA career double-double record with a 12-point, 11-rebound performance in the Owls' 68-61 road win at UTEP. With his 43rd career double-double, he broke the former record established by Memphis' Kelly Wise (1998-2002).

His 16 double-doubles this season place him in the top 10 of all Division I players and all of those double-doubles have helped the Owls post their largest total of league wins as a member of C-USA and their highest overall win total since 2004-05.

RDA

2:22 p.m.
UTEP is on the floor scrimmaging in what has been the fastest-paced practice so far today. Head coach Tim Floyd has been very vocal in leading the team in its final preparations for Houston.

The Miners are a much different team than the one that played in last year's Tournament Championship Game. Seven freshmen and two JUCO transfers help compile the UTEP roster.

UTEP has enjoyed success in the FedExForum lately, winning its last two meetings against the home-standing Memphis Tigers, including a 60-58 victory on Feb. 18. Another win on this floor tomorrow and the Miners will get an opportunity to make it three in a row vs. the Tigers on Thursday.

RDA

1:29 p.m.
Who is the only school to defeat Memphis in the Conference USA Championship in the last six years? The Houston Cougars, who are on the floor now practicing. The Coogs upset the Tigers in the quarterfinals in 2010 in Tulsa, en route to Houston's surprising tournament championship as the No. 7 seed.

Houston may get the opportunity to make it two in a row over Memphis at the C-USA Championship, but first they will have to get past the UTEP Miners, a team it has now faced in four of the last five C-USA Tournaments. In fact, the Miners are the team that the Coogs defeated in the 2010 Championship game to earn an NCAA bid. But, UTEP downed Houston last year in El Paso.

The Cougars enter the tournament as a No. 9 seed for the first time ever, as a member of C-USA or even in its old Southwest Conference days. More importantly for Houston fans, the Coogs come in having won four of their last five and playing some of its best basketball this season.

RDA

11:33 a.m.
Greetings from Memphis! We are back in the Bluff City for the eighth time in Conference USA's 17 years for the men's basketball championship.

Currently, the second practice of the day is underway and the SMU Mustangs are on the floor preparing for their game against Marshall tomorrow.

We will have some entries on the blog today, but we will really get going when the games start tomorrow. We encourage you to follow along with the blog all week long. Veteran C-USA correspondent Cary Estes will be doing the majority of the reporting, but I will also be adding some thoughts and perhaps even some insight along the way. I'm excited to get it it going...for the 17th year in a row.

Russell Anderson (RDA)