USF brings back a core of players that lost to LSU in the 1st round of the NIT. They suffered a big loss when PG Avery Holmes transferred, but they countered that with a big win when they signed 3 Star PG Devin Watson, who had offers from high caliber basketball schools UConn and Texas A&M.

He also had a bunch of offers from schools like Oregon State and Boise State. This was a big recruiting coup for Rex Walters.

USF also brings back 2nd year player Matt Glover (a former Penn State player who will be a Senior for the Dons), and the most productive 6th man in the WCC in hot shooting guard Tim Derksen. Another solid starter returning from last years squad is 6'9 forward Mark Tollefson. Although thin at 200 lbs, he is a productive rebounder and at 53% shooting from the field he's a nice scoring option.

I won't be surprised if USF is in the bubble discussion a time or 2 this season. Probably an NIT level team again, but with some of the players they return, they could make a push for the NCAA bubble--if they can avoid too many bad losses.