South Florida's Stan Heath knows how difficult it is transform a perennial loser into a consistent winner in one of college basketball's toughest leagues, so he's hardly discouraged by his program's slow trudge toward respectability in the powerful Big East.
The Bulls took what they felt was a significant step forward with a 20-win season and school-best .500 conference finish two years ago. It hasn't been easy to build on that success, however Heath remains confident that USF is headed in the right direction and will be competitive this winter.
''On paper, it looks good,'' the coach said, noting the team returns most of its key players from a year ago, along with a recruiting class he thinks will help the Bulls become better right away.
USF is coming off a 10-23 record, including a 3-15 mark in Big East play. Two of the three conference wins were over last-place DePaul, yet Heath felt the team improved as the season progressed and will benefit from the struggles.
''I really feel like now the guys have an idea of what this league is all about. They can really help the new guys come along,'' the coach said. ''I feel much more comfortable and optimistic.''
Part of Heath's confidence is rooted in the fact that top scorer Augustus Gilchrist, leading rebounder Ron Anderson Jr., and the Bulls' best defender, 6-foot-6 guard Hugh Robertson, are back. Heath also feels the Bulls have a chance to be much better at point guard with freshman Anthony Collins and sophomore junior college transfer Blake Nash joining the mix.
Jawanza Poland, an athletic guard who was the team's second-leading scorer last season, is expected to be sidelined until at least early December with a back injury, but the addition of Victor Rudd, a 6-7 shooting guard who sat last season after transferring from Arizona State, has a chance to make the Bulls a much better offensive team.
''He can really score. He's as dynamic of a player as I think you're going to find in our league,'' Heath said, adding that Rudd in a versatile player with the potential to become the go-to guy that the Bulls have missed since Dominique Jones entered the NBA draft after leading the Big East in scoring two years ago.
The coach also is counting on getting a big year out of Gilchrist, a 6-foot-10 transfer from Maryland who averaged 13.4 points and six rebounds for USF as a junior.
''I think we all know when he's ready to go, he's as good as anybody - not only in the league, but in the country,'' Heath said. ''He's had games of 30 and 20 against some of the best competition in the country.''
Anderson, a transfer from Kansas State, averaged seven points and a team-leading 6.4 rebounds in his first season with the Bulls. He, along with another returning forward, Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, give USF the type of big, physical frontcourt presence that's essential to being competitive in the Big East.
''I feel like we have a little bit of identity. We know who we are from last season,'' Heath said, adding another key this winter will be getting more consistent play from the point guard position.
That means improved communication on the floor, cutting down on turnovers. hitting open shots and having the composure to run the offense in any situation.
In turn, Heath hopes that will produce more victories.
