With four starters gone and so many question marks, UC basketball coach Bob Huggins was surprised the league's coaches picked the Bearcats to win C-USA's regular-season title for the eighth consecutive year.

Memphis was picked to win the National Division.

"Somebody knows something I don't," Huggins said. "I guess if you win it every year, they just keep picking you until you don't win it. We're going to have to have a lot of things go right.

"Who did I pick to win? I think the two best teams in the league are Louisville and Marquette. I think Memphis' record is going to be really good."

UC's Jason Maxiell was picked to the preseason all-conference team.

Conference USA Preseason Coaches Poll
American Division
1. Cincinnati
2. Marquette
3. Louisville
4. Charlotte
5. Saint Louis
6. East Carolina
7. DePaul

National Division
1. Memphis
2. Tulane
3. Houston
4. TCU
5. South Florida
6. Southern Miss
7. UAB

Preseason all-league team
Dwyane Wade* (Marquette), Reece Gaines (Louisville), Jason Maxiell (Cincinnati), Marque Perry (Saint Louis), Andre Brown (DePaul)
* Preseason Player of the Year