South Region Second Round Recap

South Second Round Recap

by Jon Gonzalez

No.2 Alabama vs. No.10 Kent State
“I thought they were going to be a tougher team.”

Those were the post-game words of a player who participated in the game between 10th-seeded Kent State and second-seeded Alabama. Without knowing the outcome, you probably would think the person uttering those words was on the second-seeded team.

Wrong.

The words belong to Kent State guard Trevor Huffman and the victory belongs to the Golden Flashes.

For the second straight game, Kent State came out playing with the poise and intensity of a team seeded higher than 10. In all honesty, if you take the their 10 seed and knock off the 0, that’s the number the Golden Flashes have resembled. At least that’s what Alabama must be thinking, as Kent State decked the second-seeded Tide 71-58.

Kent State controlled the game from the outset and never relinquished their strangle hold on the game. The Flashes came out hitting shots early while the Crimson Tide couldn’t throw a penny into the ocean. Alabama made only three of their first 12 shots en route to shooting 30.6 percent for the half. The Tide was down 12 at the break.

An advantage Alabama figured to have against Kent State was the strength of their frontcourt. But the Golden Flashes negated that strength by holding its own against the much larger Alabama post-men.

After the break, Alabama found itself down by a score of 58-34 after Kent State went on a 20-10 surge during the first nine minutes of the second half. The Crimson Tide would then dig deep to go on a 14-4 run and cut the lead back to 12. But just went you thought the Tide (27-8) would finally make some noise, Kent State (29-5) silenced them. Huffman, who scored 20 points, and Antonio Gates, who added 18 points, hit timely shots to snuff out any signs of a major ‘Bama rally.

Ron Grizzard, who scored 17 points, and SEC player of the year Erwin Dudley, who had 12 points and 10 boards, led Alabama. Mo Williams, who poured in 33 points in round one, scored 12 points.

The win was the Flashes nation’s best 20th in a row as Kent State becomes the first MAC team since Miami (Ohio) in 1999 to reach the sweet sixteen.

No.3 Pittsburgh vs. No. 6 California
Nine and a half minutes. That’s the amount of time the Pitt Panthers held the California Golden Bears scoreless. It was also the stretch in the Bear’s game against Pitt on Sunday that did Cal in.

Pittsburgh overcame an offensive quandary that saw the Panthers shoot 43 percent from the field and 46 percent from the foul line to defeat California 63-50.

Defense was the name of the game for the Panthers as Pittsburgh shut down California in the second half of their second round match-up in Pittsburgh. The Panthers forced Cal into 16 turnovers and held Cal to a 31 percent field goal percentage. The clincher for Pitt was the nine and a half minute drought in which the Panthers outscored Cal 16-0. Overall, Cal could only muster six buckets in the final 16:40 of play.

Solomon Page led the Panthers (27-5) with 17 points while freshman Chevy Troutman chipped in with 11 points. Point guard Brandin Knight also scored 11 points and again supplied the Panthers with excellent court leadership.

Shantay Legans and Joe Shipp led the way for the Golden Bears (22-8), scoring 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Next up for the Panthers, the upstart Kent State Golden Flashes as Pitt tries to go 2-0 against teams with nicknames including the term “golden”.

South Region Recap

South Region Recap

by Jon Gonzalez

No.6 California 82, No.11 Pennsylvania 75
Not even the quasi home court advantage of playing in Pittsburgh could save the Quakers. Joe Shipp poured in 20 points as the Golden Bears upended Ivy League champion Penn 82-75.

Both teams played well, but it was Cal (23-8) who hit key shots when they needed to and proved to be more than Penn (25-7) could handle. Brian Wethers added 19 for the sixth-seeded Golden Bears.

Ivy League player of the year Ugonna Onyekwe and Koko Archibong led the Quakers with 16 points apiece.

No.3 Pittsburgh 71, No.14 Central Connecticut State 54
The Blue Devils came out on all cylinders for their first round match-up with Pitt Friday, but in the end, Brandin Knight and the Panthers were too much.

Knight, showing no effects of the quadriceps injury he suffered against Connecticut in the Big East Championship, scored 17 points and displayed great floor leadership in the Panthers 71-54 victory. The Big East co-player of the year also garnered nine assists and picked up five steals despite a sore right little finger.

“I call him the Einstein of point guards,” Pittsburgh coach Ben Howland said of Knight.

Early on it looked as if CCSU was the favorite as the Blue Devils (27-5) took an early lead and looked to wear the Panthers (28-5) down. But sloppy ball handling and the excellence of Knight did the Devils in. The loss snapped CCSU’s 19-game win streak and left the Northeast Conference winless in NCAA tourney play.

Next up for the Panthers, who won their first tournament game in 11 years, sixth-seeded Cal.

Sub-Region Day 2 MVP: Joe Shipp, Cal

Sub-Region Day 2 Best Name That Describes His Team’s Outcome: Koko Archibong, Penn. You guessed it, the KO in Koko must stand for a Knock Out, which Cal handed Penn.

More Random Thoughts

More Random Thoughts

by Jon Gonzalez

“He’s tying his shoes, that’s definitely a sign of fatigue.”
Those were the words of CBS analyst Bob Wentzel as Boston College guard Troy Bell bent over to tie his shoes during CBS’s telecast of Boston College/Texas. Those words echoed through my mind last night and caused me to lose at least three hours of sleep. I couldn’t stop thinking about it: untied shoes equaling tiredness? Is there a direct correlation? I thought about all the times I had ever tied my own shoes and how tired I must have been. Maybe my current use of slip-on Nikes is a reflection of how fed up I am with my habit of drowsily tying my sneakers. Or did he mean that tying sneakers is an action that causes fatigue? If so, I must be in good shape due to my current energy saving tactic. No lace Nikes; that must be the reason why I have an extra bounce in my step. “He’s tying his shoes, that’s definitely a sign of fatigue.” There they go again, those dubious words, still ringing in my head. I may never be able to watch college hoops again due to this crackpot observation. Here I thought Bell was simply tying his shoe laces that came undone, I mean, it’s what anyone would have done in his situation, right? But no, he was tired, or the tying made him tired or . . .AHHH . . .I don’t know . . .

Another thing I want to mention about that Texas/BC game is TJ Ford. Wow, isn’t that guy awesome? If you’ve never seen this kid play, tune in Sunday when the ‘Horns take on Mississippi State. The guy plays the point like no one I have seen this year. I am serious. He’s not the best freshman in the land for nothing . . .

One more thing about that Texas/BC game I want to mention is Boston College. Yes, that game against Texas was reason No. 105 why the Eagles should not have made the big dance. I am just wondering how they didn’t lose more games than they won . . .

The Wolfpack have come a long way, baby. Finally, after 150 years of NCAA tourney inactivity, NC State is back on the map with a victory. And folks, it’s no fluke that the Pack beat the Spartans of Michigan State. When NC State plays its game, the Pack can be awfully hard to beat. Without Anthony Gundy, who was sitting with foul trouble, State mounted a terrific comeback led by super frosh Julius Hodge. If Hodge continues to play with the same poise as he did against Michigan State, the 2002 version of the cardiac kids have Cinderella written all over them . . .

Isn’t Steve Merfeld a great coach to watch? I wanted the Hampton Pirates to beat UCONN yesterday just for the sole reason of maybe having the chance to see Merfeld flung into the air again by one of his players like he was last year after Hampton beat Iowa State . . .

What is it with Bobby Knight and bland, boring, ugly uniforms? He had them at IU and he has them again at Texas Tech. Are bad uniforms a requirement for all of his teams? I could just see him when he arrived at Tech: “Ok guys, were gonna change some things around here. We’re gonna play harder, have more discipline and oh yeah, switch over to some disgusting new duds.” That’s why Tech lost to Southern Illinois Friday, well that and because their play resembled their uniforms: boring and ugly . . .

Nothing really shocking happened on Friday. The only thing that was close to stunning was that UCLA finally played up to their potential. And of course that shoe/fatigue comment. No, I expected Creighton to beat Florida, so that doesn’t count . . .

Anyway, I better go wash my car, later.

South Region Recap

NCAA South Region Recap

by Jon Gonzalez

No.10 Kent State vs. No.7 Oklahoma State
Ok, who was the higher seed here? Actually, what happened in the tournament’s first game should have come as a surprise to no one. The odds makers had Kent winning, and the Flashes did just that. Trevor Huffman dropped 18 points while Demertic Shaw scored 21 points as Kent State dumped Oklahoma State 69-61. From the opening tip, it looked as if OSU had no idea what they were in for.

Kent (28-5) gained confidence with every early bucket they connected on and after falling behind by 15 points early, you had the sense the Cowboys (23-9) were doomed. Shoddy guard play didn’t help matters either for the ‘Boys as the OSU backcourt shot horribly and committed a ton of turnovers. In the second half, the Cowboys mounted a frantic rally, but as they did the whole game, the Flashes hit key shots to snuff out any sign of a Cowboy threat. The win extended Kent State’s winning streak to 19 games.

No.15 Florida Atlantic vs. No.2 Alabama
The Owls of Florida Atlantic gave Alabama all they could handle, but in the end, Mo Williams and the Crimson Tide were too much. Williams, a freshman, scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed 10 boards as the ‘Tide survived FAU 86-78. The Owls (19-12) came out smoking early and may have reminded many of Hampton, last years 15 seed upset winner.

The Atlantic Sun Tournament champions matched Alabama (27-7) bucket for bucket for nearly 34 minutes and had the crowd in Greenville, S.C. behind them. But with the score tied at 64-64, the sleeping Crimson giants finally woke up and went on a 10-0 run that sealed the deal for Alabama. The Tide avoids the shocker and FAU makes like a spring breaker and heads back to Florida. Hey, Owls, it could be worse. Next up for Alabama, a second round date with the Golden Flashes of Kent State.

Sub-Region Round 1 MVP: Mo Williams, Alabama

Sub-Region Round 1 Best Name That Describes Their Team’s Play: Earnest Crumbley, FAU

Sub-Region Round 1 Luckiest Loser: Florida Atlantic. Like I said, at least they get to go back to Florida.

Random Thoughts

Random Thoughts – Day 1

by Jon Gonzalez

You know what? Thank God for digital cable. Thanks to digital cable, I am able to watch every single NCAA tournament game. The game that I am most grateful for having the chance to watch was Wyoming/Gonzaga. I knew the Cowboys would win it and I am so glad the ‘Zags got bounced.

“Hey, we should have been a higher seed, hey we’re the ‘Zags, hey, give us respect,” cry the Bulldogs. Ha. You play in the West Coast Conference with the likes of St.Mary’s, San Diego and Loyal Marymount. Just because you’ve had a little success in past NCAA Tournaments doesn’t mean the committee should throw you a 2-seed.

The only difference between you and say, Holy Cross, is that you have won a few more games in the big dance. And for those who said they should have been a higher seed because of their rank: polls and tournament seeds are two different things, people. So for all of you who picked Gonzaga to waltz through the West, serves you right . . .

Did anyone see that UNCW/USC game? How in the world did UNCW win that game? They had the Trojans flat on their backs and proceeded to crumble like a cookie. It seemed like they turned the ball over every single possession after USC decided to play ball. USC would score, the Seahawks would turn it over. If there was a bad pass to be made, UNCW made it. For the last eight minutes of that game, I thought I was watching USC vs. UNCW-middle school, it was that bad.

There was one guy in particular for UNCW that when he decided to dribble, a Trojan defender would knock the ball away. It looked like me dribbling out there. You think the guy would have tried not to put the ball on the floor after the first three times he got stripped. When USC was down by three with seconds left I knew the Trojans would go down the court and tie the game, which they did.

At that point I realized that this was the biggest tank job that I had seen out of any basketball team, ever. The Seahawks must have realized they were beating Southern Cal by 19 points and decided to play like a normal Colonial Athletic Conference team because they flat out quit playing with 10 minutes left in that game. It came to the point where UNCW players spent more time looking at the clock, praying for it to tick down, then at the ball.

But just when I had thought I had witnessed the biggest choke job of all time, then came OT. The USC Trojans need to take a hard, long look into the mirror. Before the extra frame began, the USC players stood in their huddle with smiles on their faces. They might as well had been rolling around on the ground in laughter because after outplaying UNCW for the last 8 minutes and change and forcing a tie, they had all the momentum in the world and looked primed to rout the Seahawks in the extra period. The Trojans then proceeded to miss a few easy lay-ups, thus giving UNCW life, and eventually lost the game.

I don’t think I have ever been more dumfounded after watching a basketball game. But hey, two chokes for the price of one, can’t beat that. By the way, why did the Seahawks have on gold uniforms? Last time I checked, gold wasn’t part of their color scheme . . .

More Thoughts
Just to make things fair, I think the NCAA should have let Winthrop use 8 players on the court at once. That way, the Eagles might have lost by 20 instead of 47 points . . .

I think the biggest seeding error of the whole tournament was seen yesterday in the Miami/Missouri game. Prior to the game I had heard that Miami was having a hard time adjusting to the New Mexico altitude and many players were throwing up after pre-game practices. How come the Mizzou players looked more than comfortable playing at The Pit?
I guess Miami should have been paying more attention to the Tigers and less attention to the beach. Mizzou hardly looked like a 12-seed as they dismantled the Hurricanes . . .

So, I see the edifice in Saint Louis is now called the Edward Jones Dome, hmm . . . catchy . . .

Is it me, or does every low-seeded team that has a chance to pull an upset manage to miss easy shots that wind up costing them the game? It happens EVERY SINGLE TIME, EVERY SINGLE YEAR. Little team A has big time team B on the ropes, and proceeds to miss 1-foot bunnies, wide open three pointers that the shooter had approximately 20 seconds to shoot and free throws. It breaks my heart. It has already happened to Holy Cross, Davidson and Santa Barbara. Note to lower seeded teams: If you want to pull the shocker, relax and make the easiest shots in all of basketball, geez.

Anyway, I am out.

NCAA South Region 2

NCAA South Region 2 Preview

by Jonathan Gonzalez

Batten down the hatches and put the kids to bed because it’s Tourney time, baby (sounds like something Dicky V would say, huh?). After all the pre-season tournaments, league seasons, and conference championships, the Big Dance is finally here, and what a Dance it’s shaping up to be. Let me tell you, say what you want about seeding, questionable bids being handed out or whatever. The fact of the matter is this field looks great, period. With all the parody in college basketball, low seeds in this tournament should do so some damage, and that should make for more drama than an ESPN original movie.

Hoopville is bringing you extensive tournament coverage by previewing each Region. In this sub-region preview we take a look at the bottom half of the South Region. The lucky survivor of this draw will be rewarded for their troubles by playing none other than, you guessed it, Duke. Unfortunately for these teams, the team that will beat Duke will not come out of this part of the bracket.

Without further ado, here are your participants:

No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Florida Atlantic:
How will the Tide respond to such a high seed? This could be the million-dollar tournament question. ‘Bama has never been in such a prime position under coach Mark Gottfried and inexperience could be a factor. With the exception of Oregon, they are the most unheralded two-seed in the Dance. Rod Grizzard and Co. are looking to prove they’re worthy of their seed and Florida Atlantic looks to be first on their victim list. The Owls, coached by former NBA hoopster Sidney Green, are making their first ever NCAA appearance. FAU earned that right after beating favorite Georgia State in the Atlantic Sun Championship. The Owls, who were a combined 9-52 in their two previous seasons, look to complete their remarkable turnaround by stunning the ‘Tide. Owls’ Forward Rahiem Brown is a threat in the paint and could give Alabama problems.

Upset Potential: 4 on 10 scale.

No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 Kent State:
You know, if the Cowboys don’t watch it, Kent State may flash right by them (ok, bad pun). But if Kent State does win, it wouldn’t be that much of an upset. The MAC is probably the toughest mid-major in all of college basketball, so the Golden Flashes are used to tough competition. KSU guard Trevor Huffman can light it up and forward Antonio Gates is tough inside. Kent can beat you a couple of ways, and trust me, Eddie Sutton knows his Cowboys are vulnerable. If OSU guard Maurice Baker takes control, the ‘Boys should be ok. The key for OSU is to the have the team that beat Oklahoma and Cincinnati show up, and leave the team that lost to Kansas State and Fresno State in Stillwater.

Upset Potential: 7 on 10 scale.

No. 3 Pittsburgh vs. No. 14 Central Connecticut State:
Despite all their regular season success, Pittsburgh draws the Blue Devils in the first round! That’s not fair. Wait a minute, oh, that’s the CCSU Blue Devils, never mind – or actually, maybe you should mind, Pitt. They may not be from Durham, but these Devils are still dangerous. Howie Dickenman’s troops are riding the nations longest winning streak at 19 games and want nothing short of extending that streak to 20. They might play in the Northeast Conference, but 27 wins for any team is still quite impressive.

CCSU’s chances of winning may rest on the knee if Pittsburgh star guard Brandin Knight. The Big East Co-Player of the year injured his knee in the closing seconds of the Big East Championship game against Connecticut. If Knight cannot handle the point, guard Julius Page would likely step in. With or without Knight, the Panthers will hit CCSU with a heavy dose of Page’s slashing to the tin, forward Dontaes Zavackas’ shooting and big man Ontario Lett’s muscle. Lett came up big for the Panthers in the Big East Championship scoring 17 points. Pittsburgh, like Alabama, is not accustomed to such a high seed and will also have something to prove.

Upset Potential: 2 on 10 scale.

No. 6 California vs. No. 11 Pennsylvania:
One of the top private schools in America (Penn) goes up against one of the top public schools (California), something has to give. The Quakers reached the Field of 65 by virtue of winning an unprecedented Ivy League playoff, the first of its kind in Ivy League history and further proof that 3 team playoffs are just flat out fun. Penn hopes to give Cal a large serving of hot Koko, as in forward Koko Archibong. Archibong teams with forward Ugonna Onyekwe ( I love these names) to pose a formidable frontcourt threat. Coach Fran Dunphy also has a three-point ace in guard Andy Toole. Dunphy will need all the muscle and shooting he can get against Cal. Coach Ben Braun’s Bears have the talent to beat anyone on any given night. They played well in the super tough Pac-10 so pressure shouldn’t be anything the Bears can’t handle. Cal has a good backcourt and forward Joe Shipp is a load inside. The Bears look to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 1960.

Upset Potential: 5 on 10 scale.

Sub- Region Dark horse: Kent State
Going Sweet: Pitt and Alabama

*Upset Potential meter: 1 (no chance of upset)-10 (another Gonzaga in the making)

Southern Notebook

Southern Notebook

Top ‘Cats
Although Davidson was upset at home by Western Carolina on January 26th, the Wildcats have still won seven of their last eight games after being throttled by Duke in Charlotte back in early January. The ‘Cats latest win came at the hands of Wofford on January 30th. Davidson turned back the Terriers 72-61 after a furious second-half rally. The Wildcats’ (14-6, 7-2) success can attributed to the play of big man Emeka Erege, who is averaging 13.6 points per game, and Michael Bree, whose scoring average (11.3 points per game) is preceded only by his leadership ability.

The Wildcats’ are atop the North division with the second place UNCG Spartans breathing down their necks. Davidson has a favorable seven game stretch remaining with games against conference bottom feeders VMI and Appalachian State, whom they play twice. However, the ‘Cats also have one more tilt with UNCG and a showdown with the South Division leading College of Charleston Cougars.

Power of the Sword
UNCG may be the second best team in the SoCo North, but on January 29th they proved they may the second-best team in the entire conference, beating South division leaders College of Charleston. It’s a win that has the Spartans feeling pretty good about themselves.

“In the past three years they’ve pretty much been the giant in the Southern Conference,” UNCG senior point guard Courtney Eldridge said. “Finally, we slayed the giant tonight.”

And slayed they did. The Spartans played defense as if they were boa constrictors, squeezing the life out of C of C, forcing the Cougars into shooting 33.9 percent from the field. The Cougars (76th in the RPI) are the highest ranked RPI team the Spartans have ever beaten since the mathematical ratings formula came into existence back during the 1993-94 season. It’s the Spartans second win after a heart-wrenching one-point loss to Davidson on January 30th. UNCG could be peaking at the right time with tourney time right around the corner.

Giant Killers
Western Carolina may barely be over .500 (11-9, 5-4) and in third place in the SoCo North, but the Catamounts have wins over the top two teams in the conference. The first came against UNCG back in early January. That win was keyed by the Catamounts’ stifling defense. The Catamounts latest victims are the Davidson Wildcats. Western defeated Davidson 70-67 in an overtime thriller at Davidson on January 26th. The win snapped the Wildcats 12-game home winning streak at Belk Arena, which was the 15th such longest streak in college basketball. It was also the Catamounts first overtime win of the season in three tries.

WCU guard Kevin Martin sent the game into overtime after hitting a 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds left in regulation. The victory left Western Carolina head coach Steve Shurina in shock.

“I still do not know how we won the game,” said Shurina. “This is the first time we did not have our good stuff and still won.”

WCU has a chance at another upset when the Catamounts travel to Greensboro to play UNCG on February 2nd. And if WCU wins that game, it might not even be considered an upset as they would be tied with UNCG for second place in the division.

Clutch Keydet
Like I said in my Southern Conference Preview, keep an eye on Jason Conley. Don’t look now (and I know most of the country hasn’t anyway), but the VMI freshman is leading the country in scoring with a 29.0 point per game average. In fact, in 19 of the Keydets’ 20 games, Conley has been the leading scorer. So why has the freshman been so successful?
First of all, he plays on a lousy team. When everyone else is garbage, the best player can’t help but get a good share of touches throughout a game. But with that being said, Conley is immensely talented as well.

The redshirt freshman is shooting at a close to 50 percent clip and has a free throw shooting percentage of 85 percent. If Conley holds on to his national scoring lead, he will be the first ever freshman to do so. As the season draws to a close for VMI (7-13, 2-7), Conley continues to be the team’s lone bright spot. And oh yeah, I forgot to mention that Conley also leads the team in rebounding too. Look for more on Conley in future Hoopville articles.

Meltdown
College of Charleston fought hard in 63-52 loss to UNCG on January 29th. Too bad for C of C, most of the fighting was among fellow Cougar players. In short, John Kresse’s team nearly imploded. Down 12 points in the second half, the Cougars failed to convert on yet another offensive possession and forward Leighton Bowie and guard Tony Mitchell decided to have a profanity laced discussion about it. The “talk” resulted in several Cougar players having to hold Bowie back from charging at Mitchell.

The loss to UNCG sent the C of C into a first place tie with The Citadel, Georgia Southern and Chattanooga. Although the Cougars have the best overall record (15-5) in the conference, they have struggled in conference play (5-4) losing four of nine games. Conference struggles do not bode well for C of C, who have a history of finishing with high win totals only to flop in conference play and miss the NCAA tournament. The team’s latest debacle wont help matters either.

Hats off
While there is not anything too special to say about any of these teams at this time, I would like to congratulate The Citadel, Georgia Southern and Chattanooga for being tied for first place in the SoCo South this late in the year. If they keep it up, any of these could be a dark horse come conference tourney time.

Upcoming Game to Watch:
Western Carolina at UNCG. The upstart Catamounts can climb into a second place tie with UNCG in the North division with a win.

Get your Brackets!

It’s Never too early for Brackets

by Jonathan Gonzalez

During my normal perusing of various sports websites (don’t tell my editor), I have noticed March Madness has started early. That’s right, it’s only January and the NCAA prognostications have already begun. This team will win the Horizon, those teams will duel in the play-in game, that team will be a number one seed.

C’mon people, it’s early winter, let some of these teams play a couple of conference games before you start dishing out seeds. If you ask me, it’s all quite ridiculous. So if you expect me to sit here and tell you who I think will be number eleven in the south . . .you’re darn right I will. It’s like they say, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. So here is my take on what will really go down in March:

East
Play-in game: *Army vs. *Winthrop
1) *Duke vs. 16) Play-in game winner
2) *Cincinnati vs. 15) *IUPUI
3) #Oklahoma State vs. 14) *Weber State
4) #Iowa vs. 13) *Manhattan
5) #Oregon vs. 12) #Fresno State
6) #Arkansas vs. 11) #BYU
7) #California vs. 10) *Western Kentucky
8) #Missouri vs. 9) #South Carolina

West
1) *Southern Cal vs. 16) *Jacksonville
2) #Maryland vs. 15) *UMBC
3) #Georgia vs. 14) *Hampton
4) #Indiana vs. 13) *Southern Illinois
5) *Gonzaga vs. 12) #Clemson
6) #Connecticut vs. 11) #Marquette
7) *Utah vs. 10) #Minnesota
8) #Texas Tech vs. 9) *Hawaii

Midwest
1) *Texas vs. 16) *Alabama State
2) *Illinois vs. 15) *McNeese State
3) #Arizona vs. 14) *Santa Barbara
4) *Syracuse vs. 13) *UNCW
5) #Kentucky vs. 12) #Ball State
6) #Alabama vs. 11) #Pittsburgh
7) *Xavier vs. 10) #NC State
8) #Virginia vs. 9) #Stanford

South
1) *Florida vs. 16) *Yale
2) #Kansas vs. 15) *UNCG
3) #Wake Forest vs. 14) *Eastern Illinois
4) #UCLA vs. 13) *Vermont
5) #Oklahoma vs. 12) #South Florida
6) #Ohio State vs. 11) *Butler
7) #Miami vs. 10) *Bowling Green
8) #Saint Johns vs. 9) #Michigan State

Bubble Bursts: Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Seton Hall, Georgetown,
Villanova, Louisville, Memphis, Charlotte, Temple, Pepperdine, Saint Joseph’s, Utah State, George Washington

# Denotes At-Large Bid
* Denotes Conference Winner

Big South Preview

2001-02 Big South Conference Preview

by Jon Gonzalez

For 2001-02, the Big South might as well be called the big four because that’s how many teams have a realistic chance of winning the conference. Winthrop, Radford, UNC-Asheville and Coastal Carolina will all butt heads in their quest for Big South supremacy. All four squads are evenly matched, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in the end. Winthrop will be led by senior high-flyer Greg Lewis and coach Gregg Marshall, who is one of the top young coaching prospects in the country. Defending regular season champion Radford welcomes back 7-0 center Andrey Savtchenko and may be the best defensive team in the Big South. UNC-Asheville will miss leading scorer Brett Carey but remains dangerous due to the return of guard Andre Smith. The Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina feature Big South Player of the Year Torrey Butler, who alone is good enough to keep CC in championship contention.

And now for the teams who don’t have such a good chance of winning the Big South: High Point, Elon, Liberty, Charleston Southern, and Birmingham Southern. High Point’s best bet at avoiding the conference cellar rests in the hands of brothers Dustin and Derek Van Weerdhuizen. Elon has one of the best guards in the conference in Brendon Rowell, but not much else. Charleston Southern lost 19 games last year and may lose even more in 2001-02 after the loss of three starters. Liberty will need a lot of help from its newcomers to stay competitive after the loss of four starters. Birmingham-Southern, who will not be officially part of the Big South until 2003-2004, went 17-9 last year but face a tougher schedule in 2001-02.

1. Winthrop: The last time the Eagles were on the outside looking into the NCAA Tournament Bill Clinton was president and the Spice Girls were on the top ten charts. After three straight trips to the big dance, Winthrop may have what it takes to extend the streak to four. This year, however, the Eagles will have two tourney goals: making the thing and then winning the play-in game if need be, something they couldn’t do last year. Leading the charge in 2001-02 is head coach Gregg Marshall, who deserves a little more respect for the job he has done in three years at Winthrop.

Marshall lost only one starter, guard Roger Toxey, and has Marcus (don’t call me Martha) Stewart, Derrick Knox, Eyo Effiong, Greg Lewis and Tywan Harris all back for their senior seasons. Stewart and Effiong are the team’s best post players while guards Knox and Harris are very solid in the backcourt. The best player of the group could be forward Greg Lewis, who has more ups than a spaceship. Not to be outdone is junior guard Pierre Wooten, who has quietly become one of the best point guards in the conference. The incumbents will be joined by an impressive group of newcomers highlighted by guard Alex English Jr. English, son of NBA great Alex English, is trying to rebound from two injury plagued seasons at William & Mary. If the Eagles can stay healthy and score in the paint, look out.

2. Radford: The Highlanders have this little quirk that’s kind of a problem for them: they win regular season championships, but lose in the conference tournament. Case in point last season when Radford went 12-2 and then lost in the tourney final to Winthrop. Coach Ron Bradley hopes to buck this current trend with an older, more experienced Andrey Savtchenko. The 7-0 senior averaged 15.4 points a game last season and his NBA-size and strength could be the factors that determine if Radford can get back to the big dance. Savtchenko could have some company on the blocks in the form of fellow seven-footer Jason Bees. If the freshman can acclimate himself to the college game quickly, Savtchenko and Bees could form a tandem that will give opposing Big South coaches nightmares.

Also inside is the wiry Corry Watkins, a 6-7 tweener whose size can create match-up problems. Junior Raymond “Peanut” Arrington becomes the main man in the backcourt with the departure of leading scorer Jason Williams. Arrington has a killer first step and has proven he can be a dependable jump shooter. If Arrington can pick up Williams’ slack and the frontcourt produces, Radford will be tough.

3. Coastal Carolina: You can’t stop Torrey Butler, you can only hope to . . . yeah, you know the rest. The 6-3 guard/forward was butter-smooth in 2000-01, averaging 19.4 points per game and shooting 47 percent from three-point land. Oh and by the way, Butler is the reigning Big South Player of the Year. However, coach Pete Strickland’s team is more than just one player. The Chanticleers also feature one of the conferences’ best playmakers, sophomore point guard Alvin Green. Green has a knack for finding the open man, and since Butler draws most of the opposition’s attention, many a Chanticleer will benefit from Green’s unselfishness.

One Chant who needs to convert on passes he receives is junior Antonio Darden. The 6-3 forward is the most talented player in the Coastal Carolina frontcourt, which was the Chants’ Achilles heel last season. He and fellow forward junior Clint Reed must produce to take the pressure off of the backcourt. If the frontcourt cannot step up, Coastal Carolina must depend on its athleticism, depth (the Chants return nine of their ten top players) and guard play. But if the frontcourt plays decently and Butler continues to be magnificent, Strickland may finally see a glimmer of success after three abysmal years.

4. UNC-Asheville: Filling in the gaps; that will be the goal of UNC-A head coach Eddie Biedenbach as he leads his Bulldogs into 2001-02. Biedenbach lost 20.4 points a game with the departures of guard Brett Carey (13.3 points per game) and center Adam Earnhardt (7.1 points per game). So who will be the plugs in UNC-A’s proverbial leaking dam? There are several candidates. Junior Andre Smith showed great potential last season scoring 10.4 points per game and figures to be much improved. Likewise with veteran forwards Colin Shaw and Robby Joyner, who must provide stability in the paint.
Other key returning post players include sophomore forward Alan Lovett and junior center Ben McGonagil, both of whom have tremendous upsides.

It may be the newcomers, however, that will determine if UNC-A can fill its biggest void: the blank space that sits in the number of NCAA Tournament appearances made column in the UNC-A record book. Junior transfer Alex Kragel will step in and replace the departed Carey. Kragel has good height for a guard and can shoot the lights out. Freshman swingmen Bryan McCullough and Julian Capel, cousin of Jason and Jeff, will both be called upon to do what they did best in high school, score. 6-10 freshman center Jon Higginbotham may be too big not to be worked into the Bulldog’s rotation. No matter who plays, the Bulldogs must raise their field goal percentage to win.

5. Elon: The team formerly known as the Fighting Christians is looking for one thing in 2001-02: respectability. Elon was atrocious last year, finishing 9-20 and 4-10 in conference. This year, however, the Phoenix may not be all that bad. Three starters are back for coach Mark Simmons’ club including guard Brendon Rowell, one of the most unheralded players in the conference. Rowell was nothing short of fantastic last year, averaging 18.8 points per game. He is a legitimate contender for Big South Player of the Year in 2001-02. As good as Rowell was last season, he could have been better if he had some help around him. Simmons is hoping other players besides Rowell step up and make major contributions.

It is up to players like senior David Hall and junior Shamar Johnson, both returning starters, to buck the conception that Elon is more than just a one-man team. Likewise, junior guard Drew Kusterman has to provide scoring off the bench and become a dependable sixth man. Rowell’s real help may come in the form of two JuCo transfers recruited by Simmons. Guard Carlos Moreira can spot up and drain the open jumper while fellow guard Quinton McCleod is as quick as any one in the Big South. The Phoenix lost 20 games last year, 14 of which were on the road, so they proved they could at least be decent at home. It’s winning away from Alumni Gym that will define Elon in 2001-02.

6. High Point: Break up the Panthers. Heading into 2001-02, High Point returns all of its starters, all of whom are either juniors or seniors. The Van Weerdhuizen brothers, Dustin and Derek, are back and so is Jermaine Wallace. Junior Dustin, the better of the two brothers, proved last season he is a player to be reckoned with in the Big South, scoring 11.8 points per game. His brother, Derek, wasn’t too shabby either, averaging 7.6 points per game. Wallace, who can play forward and center, gives the Panthers a legitimate inside threat. Although he is still raw, Wallace is aggressive and has an uncanny ability to find great offensive position in the paint. Joining Wallace in the frontcourt is forward Valdas Kaukenas who has great power but has the tendency to play out-of-control at times.

The key to the Panthers’ success could be the play of senior point guard Doug Alves. Alves played below his potential during most of last season but has the skills to be a solid playmaker. Another player head coach Jerry Steele is counting on is 6-3 senior guard Mantas Ignatavicius. Ignatavicius is not afraid to take the three-ball, but needs to knock the shot down more consistently. With five returning starters and potential on the bench, High Point should be in good shape. But if only the Panthers could make their shots. High Point shot 39.3 percent from the field last season, one of the worst percentages in the conference. Steele’s players would be well advised to stick around after practices and work on jump shooting drills. If High Point can inflate its shooting percentage and Alves can provide consistent play at the point, the Panthers just may have a shot to at least nip at the heels of the conference’s elite.

7. Liberty: Oh, to be a rookie on the Liberty University basketball team. If freshmen on the Flames roster came to Liberty with dreams of playing immediately, well, they will get their wish sooner than later. Thanks to the loss of four, count ‘em four starters, headman Mel Hankinson is faced with a major rebuilding project. Even though he lost four players who collectively averaged 42 points per game last season, Hankinson can take solace in having one experienced holdover and a talented core of newcomers. Senior Chris Caldwell is back for one more year of being the focal point of the Flames offense. The 6-1 guard averaged 16.7 points per game last season despite drawing constant attention from opposing defenses. This season, Caldwell will be expected to lead not only in the scoring column, but in the locker room as well.

Help in the veteran leadership department will also be expected from junior forward Rob Attaway, who may see more minutes in 2001-02. The incoming class of freshmen features two potential game breakers who will be called upon to contribute immediately. 6-6 forward Torin Beeler and 6-2 guard Travis Eisentrout highlight an extremely touted freshmen class. Beeler is a slasher with a nice medium range jumper while Eisentrout has great court awareness and will probably start at the point. Inside, JuCo transfer Jason Sarchet gives the Flames an instant presence in the paint. The 6-10 sophomore has the tools to establish himself as one of the premiere post players in the Big South. If the newcomers can compliment Caldwell, Liberty’s flame may not flicker out as quickly as expected.

8. Charleston Southern: Head coach Jim Platt’s team proved it could play with the Big South’s best last year, defeating Winthrop and Radford down the stretch. The wins were part of an 8-6 finish after the Bucs began the year 2-12. Unfortunately for Platt, the club’s strong finish was keyed by three players he doesn’t have anymore. Forwards O.J. Linney, Nick Mitchell and Ivica Perica are all gone to graduation leaving CSU a little empty in the middle. The exodus in the frontcourt has paved the way for Platt to insert a player he is very high on, freshman center Kevin Warzynski. Platt is so high on the 6-8 Warzynski that he plans for the youngster to be the cornerstone of the CSU program for years to come.

But Warzynski may be a year or two away from reaching his potential, so 6-9 senior Nikola Pejovic will have to be the main man in the middle for the Bucs. Pejovic, as well as freshman Nathan Ball, will be counted on to pick up the rebounding slack for CSU, an area that the team did well in last year. The only unit on the team without any question marks is the backcourt. Point guard Ed O’Neil has great quickness and will be counted on to integrate the inexperienced frontcourt players into the offense. Next to O’Neil, CSU has a pair of junior shooting guards that took great strides in 2000-01, Gene Granger and James Seegars. Both Granger and Seegars bring a vast amount of athleticism to the table, but neither has exceptional shooting ability. If O’Neil can create and Granger and Seegars can hit shots thus taking pressure off of the frontcourt, CSU may be able to avoid the conference cellar.

9. Birmingham-Southern: The Panthers won’t receive full Big South accreditation until 2003-04, yet, they may be better than a handful of teams in the conference. Last season, BSC finished 17-9 as a D-1 independent with one of those wins coming at the expense of Big South power Winthrop. This season, the Panthers play 14 games against Big South opponents and could improve upon its 2000-01 record with the return of three starters. While head coach Duane Reboul will sorely miss forward Neal Broome and center Adrian Pryor, Reboul will enjoy having three solid guards return for their senior seasons. Point guard Rashard Willie is quicker than a hiccup and can penetrate with the best of them. Corey Watkins and T.R. Reed have decent shooting range and both could be due for breakout senior campaigns.

6-11 sophomore Michael Bilostinnyi is raw, but should improve drastically as the season progresses by having the chance to start in the middle. Joining Bilostinnyi inside will be freshmen Shema Mbyirukira and Josiah James. Reboul did a wonderful job coaching this group last season and if his guards can excel in 2001-02, the Panthers may wind up with a winning record against Big South opposition. BSC could be the surprise team of a conference there not even officially part of yet.

Big South Superlatives

Regular Season Champ: Winthrop
Tourney Champ: Coastal Carolina
Bubble Burst: Winthrop
Sleeper: High Point
Player of the Year: Brendon Rowell, Elon
Newcomer of the Year: Torin Beeler, Liberty
Coach of the Year: Pete Strickland, Coastal Carolina
Best Name: Peanut Arrington, Radford
Best Shooter: Chris Caldwell, Liberty
Best Defender: Greg Lewis, Winthrop

Southern Preview

2001-02 Southern Conference Preview

by Jon Gonzalez

All roads to the North Charleston Coliseum (site of this years SoCo Tournament) and the Southern Conference championship will once again run through the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The defending conference champion Spartans enjoy the luxury of having four returning starters, including sharp shooting senior point guard Courtney Eldridge. Hot on UNCG’s heels in the SoCo North Division will be a trio of North Carolina schools: Davidson, Appalachian State and Western Carolina. All three schools struggled last season, but have experience on their side and look to be much improved. Defending division champion East Tennessee State could also be a factor, while VMI’s main objective will be escaping the conference cellar.

As far as the South Division goes, the College of Charleston will once again be the team to beat. John Kresse’s team has never finished lower than first in the division and with four returning starters, history may well indeed repeat itself. Giving close chase to the Cougars will be Chattanooga, who was only seconds away from reaching the NCAA Tournament last season. Furman and Georgia Southern will sneak up on people in 2001-02 and could wind up being serious conference contenders. The Citadel is another team that schools cannot afford to overlook. Wofford is rebuilding and a double-digit number in the win column would be nothing short of an accomplishment.

North Division

1. UNC Greensboro: As Courtney Eldridge goes, so go the Spartans. The little big man (he stands 5-10) was pivotal in the success of the conference champion Spartans last season averaging 14.6 points per game, and looks to pace UNCG again this year. Besides Eldridge, the Spartans are powered by the return of four starters. However, the biggest return for UNCG could be that of head coach Fran McCaffery. McCaffery was courted by several schools after guiding UNCG to the NCAA Tournament in 2000-01, but opted to stay in Greensboro.

Although he only averaged an anemic 1.7 points per game last season, 7-2 sophomore center Nathan Popp could be key to the Spartans staying atop the Southern Conference. If he plays up to his potential, UNCG should control the paint in every game they play. Not to be outdone is 6-7 forward Ronnie Burrell, who has the tools to be the best freshman in the league.

2. Davidson: Don’t look now, but head coach Bob McKillop’s Wildcats are back with all their starters and a strong supporting cast. Senior guard Michael Bree, junior guard Peter Anderer and sophomore guard Nick Booker, who started 23 games last season, are the main components of a bench that will help win many games for the Wildcats in 2001-02.

But while the backups are good, let us not forget about what starts things off for Davidson. Starting guards Wayne Bernard and Fernando Tonella work well together and 6-9 junior forward Chris Pearson left many opponents with a feeling of rejection last season with 51 blocks. The cornerstone of the frontcourt is 7-2 senior center Martin Ides, who is due for a breakout season. The Czech Republic native worked hard in the off-season to improve his game and has something to prove.

3. Appalachian State: What a difference two seasons can make. Back in 2000, the Buzz Peterson led Mountaineers were celebrating an NCAA Tournament berth. A year later, first-year head coach Houston Fancher suffered through an 11-20 season. Now Fancher and ASU are back with five starters, including junior stud Josh Shehan. The 6-9 center averaged 11.3 points per game last year and showed significant improvement during the off-season.

A cast of transfers will also help the Mountaineers try to get back to the NCAAs. Juniors Shawn Hall, Graham Bunn, Nate Carson and Ahmad Smith all have prior college playing experience and could see significant playing time. Add in the incoming freshman and you have a team where playing time will be at a premium. With so many able bodies at his disposal, Fancher could look to employ more of an up-tempo game in 2001-02.

4. Western Carolina: After winning only six games last season, the Catamounts have nowhere to go but up. Luckily for them, ascension got a little easier when JuCo star Lamont Speaks decided to transfer to Western Carolina. Speaks is big (6-9, 285) and he will immediately improve Western’s horrid rebounding margin, which was last in the league last season. Joining Speaks in the paint will be 6-7 sophomore Rans Brempong, who registered 93 blocks in 2000-01. Brempong, a native of Ontario, Canada, played in the 2001 World University Games over the summer as a member of the Canadian national team.

If Western Carolina can control the paint, and veteran backcourt aces Casey Rogers and Kori Hatcher can control tempo, fans in Cullowhee, NC could have a lot to smile about. The addition of Division II transfer Kelvin Wylie, who shot 65 percent from the field two seasons ago at Gardner-Webb, will also help. Wylie practiced with the team last season, but was ineligible to play due to NCAA transfer rules.

5. East Tennessee State: The defending division winners will undoubtedly be hurt by the loss of forwards Adrian Meeks and Renaldo Johnson to graduation. The team is left with a trifecta of veteran guards that will have to carry the Buccaneers on their backs. Dimeco Childress, Cliff Decoster and Ryan Lawson will carry the bulk of ETSU’s scoring responsibilities while the inside game takes shape. Sophomore forward/center Cory Seels leads a relatively young group of post-men who will try to make opponents pay attention to the paint, and not just the perimeter.

If the ETSU front line can’t account for at least 25 points per game, it will be a long year in Johnson City. Reigning SoCo coach of the year Ed DeChellis was awarded a two-year contract extension, a sign that the ETSU brass believe DeChellis is the man that will take the Bucs back to the NCAAs, a place they haven’t been since 1992. Unfortunately for DeChellis, ETSU may not have enough inside to seriously contend for a conference championship.

6. Virginia Military Institute: There is one positive thing that can be said for the Keydets, they have a bright future. With eleven of the team’s players either freshmen or sophomores, VMI can only get better as the season progresses. At least that’s what coach Bart Bellairs is hoping for. Bellairs has been at VMI for seven seasons and has an 81-113 record to show for it. If things don’t get better soon in Lexington, it could be curtains for Bellairs.

To win for their coach, the Keydets must play to their strengths, speed and athleticism. VMI will look to utilize those strengths by pushing the ball up and down the court and playing pressure defense. Swingman Radee Skipworth is the team’s best returning player but needs to become more consistent from the field for VMI to stand a chance. Freshman forward Jason Conley has tremendous range and could emerge as one of VMI’s best players.

South Division

1. College of Charleston: Coach John Kresse’s biggest challenge in the new season will be figuring out a way to replace center Jody Lumpkin and his 17.1 points per game. Lumpkin was an absolute beast and the main reason why the Cougars posted a record of 22-7. While the loss of Lumpkin is huge, C of C fans should fear not because a man by the name of Jeff Bolton is still in town. Bolton, who averaged 16.1 points per game in 2000-01, was nothing short of scintillating at times last season and looks to carry over his superb play into this campaign.

Bolton will be joined by a solid supporting cast, which includes guards Troy Wheless and A.J. Harris and forward Leighton Bowie. Bowie is a 6-6 junior with soft hands and decent shooting range who has a chance to fill the inside void Lumpkin’s departure created. Florida transfer Orloff Civil is a sleeper who is looking to make good on his move to Charleston from Gainesville. The Cougars will have home court advantage during the SoCo Tournament, as the championship will be held at the North Charleston Coliseum.

2. Chattanooga: With only seconds left in the Southern Conference Championship game, the Mocs were up on UNCG and staring a trip to the NCAA tournament dead in the eye. Then the unthinkable happened. The Spartans went the length of the court, scored and sent the Mocs home with thoughts of what could have been. The ending of that game was a microcosm of Chattanooga’s entire season, riding high one second, nursing the sting of defeat the next. In 2001-02, coach Henry Dickerson’s biggest challenge will be helping his schizophrenic team find its identity. Hopefully for Dickerson, the Mocs will play with a purpose every game, not every other game.

An influx of junior college talent will be the main reason to whether or not the Mocs can get over the hump. 6-9 junior transfer Aaron Morgan comes in and immediately fills the void left by the departure of center Oliver Morton. Fellow transfer Petie Spaulding is a 6-0 guard with a sweet stroke and will see significant minutes. The newcomers, transfers and freshmen alike, join an already solid core of current Chattanooga players. Senior Toot Young is a tremendous shooter and the guy the Mocs go to when they need a bucket. Young scored 12.5 points per game last season and was the catalyst to Chattanooga’s high scoring offense. If the Mocs could find a defense to match their offense, the conference could be theirs.

3. Georgia Southern: Fourteen games into the 2000-01 season the Georgia Southern Eagles were 4-10 and looking at a long year. Then head coach Jeff Price’s offense kicked in. The Eagles rode their coach’s wide open, run it up the floor philosophy to a 13-3 finish that included second place in the South Division. GSU looks to carry over the momentum from last season and they certainly have the bodies to do so. Back are all five starters and a solid core of bench players comprised mostly of seniors.

Leading the team that turns most games into track meets is the inside-outside all-conference tandem of guard Julius Jenkins and forward Kashien Latham. Jenkins is ultra-smooth and scored 16.7 points per game last season while Latham is a bruiser who can board with the best of them. Sophomore forward Frank Bennett is a big body who can rebound and another reason why the Eagles were the best rebounding team in the SoCo last season. Underrated guard Sean Peterson is another shooter with great range, and when given the chance to, can light it up. Freshman guard Terry Williams averaged 29.5 points per game in his senior year of high school and will be given a chance to shine in Price’s offense. Overall, GSU has the offense to win the conference, but has one problem that could hold them back (see Chattanooga).

4. Furman: Two words: Karim Souchu; and that’s all you need to know. Souchu, a junior, averaged 18.9 points per game last season and is one of the best players in the SoCo, if not the best. He can shoot, he can dunk, he can do it all. Getting Souchu the ball will be the job of point guard Guilherme Da Luz, whose size (6-3, 205) allows him to bully and post-up smaller guards. Junior forward Anthony Thomas quietly had a great 2000-01 campaign and must be ready to execute when opposing defenses double Souchu.

Another player who is due for a big year is sophomore center Marijan Pojatina. Pojatina play sparingly last season but showed flashes of brilliance in the times that he did play. Freshman forward Paco Gonzalez is 6-7 and showed during the off-season that he may be capable of being a factor. The keys for the Paladins to be successful come down to their coach, Larry Davis, and every player other than Souchu. Davis lost his team last season after Furman started quickly and faded just as fast. He must rally his squad and be a stable force if the Paladins should struggle in 2001-02. As far as Souchu, if he doesn’t get any help, the team goes nowhere.

5. The Citadel: The cardiac kids of the Southern Conference (they won six games by two points or less) return with one objective in mind: get The Citadel into the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever. Coach Pat Dennis’ squad faces a tough challenge playing in the talent laden South Division, but his Bulldogs are tough and have great chemistry. Also in the Bulldogs’ favor is the fact that the team only lost one key player, albeit a great one, in point guard Mike Roy. The loss of Roy will be alleviated by the progress of junior Kenny Milford, who has more quickness than Roy.

Seniors Travis Cantrell and Alan Puckett (40.3 percent from three-point range last season) love the three-ball and can fill it up from long range. All-name team candidate Max Mombollet is more than just four syllables, he can block shots too. Mombollet registered 22 blocks last season and will have a chance to double that number with extended playing time. Mombollet and 6-7 senior center Michael Washburn could combine to form a solid inside duo for the Bulldogs. If the Bulldogs can play together, as they did last season, and the frontcourt finds it’s identity, they at least have a punchers chance of winning the Southern Conference.

6. Wofford: Graduation day last spring at Wofford was a time of celebration for many people, except those affiliated with the Terrier basketball program. On that fateful day last spring, Wofford lost one of the best players in their history, guard Ian Chadwick. Chadwick was all-conference three times, the league’s top scorer last year (20.4 points per game) and career three-point leader. Not to mention he was a leader on and off the court and an honor student. So where does a team that, even with Chadwick, finished with a losing record go? Coach Richard Johnson might shudder to think.

For the Terriers to be halfway competitive, guards Lee Nixon and Mike Lenzly have to pick up the scoring slack. Nixon averaged 10.1 points per game last season while Lenzly shot at a 47.3 percent clip. Inside, center Kenny Hastie must improve his play from last season and junior center Edvin Masic has to react positively to increased minutes. The two also have to rebound better than they did last year and give the Terriers an inside presence. The wildcard on this team could be sophomore guard Edmond Davis. Davis, a transfer from LSU, is short (5-10), but has great speed and quick feet. For Wofford to have a chance at a .500 season Johnson has to find someone to replace at least half of the departed Chadwick’s scoring and the team must survive a tough non-conference schedule, which includes NC State, Georgia Tech and Clemson.

SoCo Superlatives

North Division Champ: UNCG
South Division Champ: College of Charleston
Tourney Champ: UNCG
Bubble Burst: Georgia Southern
Sleeper: Furman
Player of the Year: Jeff Bolton, College of Charleston
Newcomer of the Year: Lamont Speaks, Western Carolina
Coach of the Year: Bob McKillop, Davidson
Coach on the Hot Seat: Bart Bellairs, VMI
Best Name: Max Mombollet, The Citadel
Best Shooter: Alan Puckett, The Citadel
Best Defender: Cliff Decoster, ETSU