Note: The following piece was prepared by Dean Keener, who provides commentary on Southern Conference men’s basketball broadcasts. This is the first of a three-part series previewing the 2014-15 season in the Southern Conference. Part II will run Oct. 30, with Part III set for Nov. 13.
Keener played collegiately at Davidson before embarking on a successful 20-year coaching career. He served as head coach at James Madison from 2004-08. You can follow him on twitter: @DeanKeener1
Inside SoCon Basketball: Best Bets for 2014-2015
This is the final installment of a three-part series on SoCon Men’s Basketball
Even with the loss of some really good players – and teams - there will be no shortage of potential stars and highlights in the coming months in Southern Conference. It’s always exciting to watch new stars blossom as it makes for lots of fun for the fans and creates great storylines along the way.
We’ve talked our way through a lot of things in this pre-season series, but as the new hoops season approaches, one of the fun parts for me are the predictions. Remember, a season is not just about the regular season or tournament champion. It’s also about the buzzer-beating games, the upsets, and the crazy storylines that develop along the way as well as the new stars that emerge.
Listed below are predications that are sure to cause some serious discussion among SoCon fans. Nothing is perfect and with three new members, there is a lot of uncertainty, but here are my “Best Bets” for the upcoming year:
Best non-conference games
· November 18: Iona @ Wofford
- How do you not excited about a nationally televised game (ESPN2) at 7:00am???
· December 2: Georgia @ Chattanooga
- UGA has a talented backcourt, but for my money I’m taking the Mocs against this SEC opponent
· December 18: Wright State @ Western Carolina
- This is one of those games the Southern Conference needs to win in order to help its conference RPI
· December 20 Elon @ UNCG
- No longer conference foes; the battle for local bragging rights will make this a war
· December 22: Wofford @ West Virginia
- The students will be gone in Morgantown and the Mountaineers could be looking toward the holiday break. That would be a huge mistake
· December 22: UAB @ Chattanooga
- Another opportunity for Will Wade’s group to capture a quality win in the Roundhouse! Oh, by the way, UAB assistant Turner Battle just left UTC on September 19. Think he will be assigned to do the scouting report?
· December 31 : ETSU @ Tennessee
- Huge opportunity for the Bucs against a SEC foe. What a way to celebrate New Year’s
· January 31: North Carolina Central @ ETSU
- Sneaky good game in the middle of conference play that only hoop junkies will get excited about. The Eagles won 28 games last season!
· February 17: Cleveland State @ Western Carolina
- Another one of those 50-50 games the league needs to get late in the season to help its RPI. Cleveland State is always one of the top teams in the Horizon League and is a great home game for the Catamounts – I hope the fans in Cullowhee recognize that and pack the Ramsey Center
Best conference games
· December 6: VMI @ Mercer
- First league game for both as members of the Southern Conference makes this early December game a “win” both would like to get
· January 8: VMI @ Wofford
- Great backcourts. Check. Two talented coaches. Got it. Two contrasting styles of play. Absolutely, and that’s what makes the first match-up between the league favorite and the high-scoring Keydets so interesting
· February 12: Chattanooga @ Wofford
- By this point in the season, both the Mocs and Terriers figure to be battling for SoCon supremacy. This figures to be a war
· February 21: ETSU at Chattanooga
- Late season game that could have lots at stake for these teams from the Volunteer state
· February 28: ETSU @ Mercer
- Senior Day at Hawkins Arena is always difficult for the opponent. Expect a sellout crowd and high emotions
· February 28: Wofford @ Furman
- Furman only has one senior (Aaron O’Neill), so I’m not sure emotions will be running high in their final home game of the season. But these two rivals dislike each other, so there will be other emotions on the court in this contest
· February 28: Chattanooga @ UNCG
- The Spartans end the regular season with three in a row at home. Their final game could have huge implications for both teams
The Best…
· Best perimeter scorer
- Karl Cochran – Wofford
· Best low post scorers
- Lee Skinner – Wofford
- Kayel Locke - UINCG
· Best passer
- Marshall Harris III – The Citadel
· Best shooters
- Eric Garcia – Wofford
- Ashton Moore – The Citadel
- Rashawn Rembert - ETSU
· Best rebounder
- Lee Skinner – Wofford
· Best shot blocker
- Justin Tuoyo – Chattanooga
· Best defender
- Brian Brown - VMI
· Most versatile
- A.J. Merriweather – ETSU
· Most efficient
- Casey Jones - Chattanooga
· Best in the clutch
- Karl Cochran - Wofford
· Best speed (baseline-to-baseline the quickest player)
- Stephen Croone – Furman
· Best motor
- A.J. Merriweather - ETSU
· Best Frontcourt
- UNCG
· Best Backcourt
- East Tennessee State
Player most likely to…
· Lead the league in scoring
- Rashawn Rembert – ETSU
· Lead the league in rebounding
- Lee Skinner – Wofford
· Lead the league in assists
- Marshall Harris III – The Citadel
· Lead the league in shots per minute
- Karl Cochran – Wofford
· Have a breakout year
- RJ White - UNCG
· Record a triple double
- Casey Jones - Chattanooga
· Score 40 points in a game
- Stephen Croone – Furman
SoCon “Super 7”
The league lost several good players from a year ago, but don’t worry there is always the next wave of talent and this is year is no different in the SoCon. At first glance, it looks like the league will be dominated by guards.
While it’s not easy selecting players for a pre-season all-conference team, these guys are simply some of the best the Southern Conference has to offer.
Karl Cochran (Wofford) – 6’3” 185 Guard Senior
Midway through last season, a light went on and Karl Cochran learned how to play basketball the right way. Thus his field goal percentage went up, his assists went up and his turnovers went way down. He has the ability to carry his team for stretches and has also become a solid defender!
The Terriers have lots of talent on their roster, but no one is a good as Cochran when he is playing within the team concept.
Stephen Croone (Furman) – 6’2” 185 Guard Junior
One of the quickest players in college basketball, Croone can get baseline to baseline as fast as anyone. He is the leading returning scorer in the league and while he will probably score at a good clip again this season, his value may lie in his ability to distribute the ball now that he has a solid supporting cast.
Look for Croone to have a terrific year, although I’m not sure his numbers will look any better. That’s a good thing for the Paladins as he has more help this go around.
Casey Jones (Chattanooga) – 6’5” 200 Forward Junior
Jones is the most efficient player in the league. He also possesses as much talent as anyone in the Southern Conference. Last season, Jones averaged over 12 points and 6 rebounds per game while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor. He is also self-aware of his game, taking only two 3-pointers all season.
He is the perfect swingman in Will Wade’s system and should be the “go-to” guy on a team loaded with talent.
Ashton Moore (The Citadel) – 6’0” 172 Guard Senior
It could be argued that Moore was the hottest player in the Southern Conference last year from mid-January on. Overall, in league play, he averaged 16.8 points per game, shot 46.2 percent from beyond the arc, 80 percent from the free throw line and finished fifth in league play in assists with 3.6 per game. He was also the ironman of the league playing a conference-leading 36.7 minutes per game.
Word out of Charleston is that Moore is in great physical shape and better than ever offensively. Already at 858 career points, he should become the 31st 1,000 point scorer in Citadel history by the time the calendar turns to 2015.
Rashawn Rembert (ETSU) – 6’3” 195 Guard Senior
One of the great stories in college basketball. Rembert is the epitome of a self-made player through hard work and sheer determination. After a solid prep career, he scored just 28 points as a freshman, and then averaged 8.9 ppg as a sophomore. Last season was a breakout year as he led the A-Sun in scoring at 16.8 ppg. He also ranked as one of the top 3-point shooters in the country both for makes (18th with 3.1 per game) and percentage (20th at 43 percent) in 2013-14.
SoCon fans are going to enjoy watching Rembert play. I’m not sure opposing coaches will say the same thing!
Tevon Saddler (UNCG) – 6’4”” 207 Guard Sophomore
Saddler is the best young talent in the league. Last season, he was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year when he averaged 12.5 points (first among freshman) and 3.8 rebounds per game. He also got to the free throw line 216 times – an average of 7 attempts per game. That said, he certainly has lots to improve. Most importantly, he must learn to value the ball. He turned it over a league high 120 times – averaging over 6.5 per 40 minutes played.
If Saddler can cut down on his turnovers and make just enough jump shots to keep defenses honest, he has a chance to be a special player.
Lee Skinner (Wofford) – 6’6” 220 Forward Senior
Skinner is a throwback kind of player. He just gets things done the old fashioned way; through hard work and determination. And that suits Mike Young just fine as he has always done more with less. But that’s not to say Skinner isn’t talented. He averaged 11.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last season while shooting 48 percent from the field. But when you dive further into his stats you recognize that he averaged three offensive rebounds per game and took charges at key times.
Skinner is the consummate teammate and perfect player in the Wofford system. He works hard, does all the little things that help his team win, but he’s also very talented. No wonder the Terriers are the reigning champs!
Others considered: Spencer Collins (Wofford), Ike Nwamu (Mercer), QJ Peterson (VMI), James Sinclair (Western Carolina), Jalen Riley (ETSU)
SoCon "Off-Broadway"
I love compiling this annual list of the top 5 most indispensable players in the Southern Conference.
Please note that these are not necessarily the best players in the league. And generally these guys don’t get a lot of the headlines, but they are vitally important to the success of their team.
Kendrec Ferrara (Furman) – 6’6” 212 Forward Junior
Kendrec Ferrara has shown flashes of brilliance, but with his best off-season yet, he may just become an all-league performer. He has dedicated himself to weight loss though work in the weight room and a better diet. This should help him over the course of a long season. The Paladins need a strong season from the junior to make the jump into the top tier and may just get it.
Spencer Collins (Wofford) – 6’4” 195 Forward Junior
Collins abilities sometimes go unnoticed due to the talent on Wofford’s roster, but make no mistake, Collins is a player! He averaged 12.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game last season while shooting 44 percent from the floor. He does everything in an unassuming way, never seems to get rattled and is a big reason for the Terriers’ success.
Brian White (The Citadel) – 6’8” 218 Forward Sophomore
White made an immediate impact last year, his first year at The Citadel. White scored in double digits in seven league games and was named to the All-freshman team. If he can continue to blossom at both ends of the floor, the Bulldogs may very well surprise a lot of people in the Southern Conference.
Petey McClain (ETSU) – 6’0” 185 Guard Junior
He may not be the most talented point guard in the league. Actually, he may not be the best on his team (see Jalen Riley), but without him the Bucs are just an average team. McClain is a true point guard with good speed and court vision. He led the team in assists last season with 3.4 per game and will need to duplicate that and more in order to help the Bucs as they transition into the SoCon.
Brian Brown (VMI) – 5’11” 185 Guard Senior
Brown has always been counted on for his production beyond the three-point arc, but what’s not always known is his 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He is a fine offensive player, but most important is his ability to take on tough defensive assignments. No doubt, in a league filled with terrific guards, he will be counted on to stop the opponent’s best scorer.
Seniors that need to step up
This is not necessarily a list of the best seniors or even the most indispensable. This is simply a list of seniors that possess everything necessary to make an impact this year. However, if they don’t excel, it could put major pressure on others in order for their respective programs to do well.
Nicholas Paulus (UNCG) – 6’7” 185 Guard Senior
To understand Paulus’ game all you need to do is look at his career stats. During the first three years of his career, 80 percent of his shots (456 of 571) have come behind the arc. To further confirm he is a long range shooter, he has only been to the free throw line 50 times in 92 career games.
He has sung backup vocals for the last three years, but he now gets his chance to be a lead singer (with Saddler and Locke). If he can expand his offensive game just a bit and be a solid position defender, it would go a long way in helping the Spartans get over the hump.
Marshall Harris III (The Citadel) – 6’1” 180 Guard Senior
One of the finest passers in the country, Harris is coming of his second consecutive season with over 130 assists. He has also improved his overall game each season and will again play a critical role for the Bulldogs. He and fellow senior guard Ashton Moore form one of the best backcourts in the Southern Conference and might very well help Citadel surprise a lot of people this season.
Kenneth Hall (Western Carolina) – 6’7” 210 Forward Senior
With Tawaski King and others gone, Hall needs to assert himself in the Catamounts frontcourt. He has always been a terrific shot blocker (in fact, he’s the leading returning shot blocker in the league), but with 90 career games under his belt, he needs to do more.
Alex Bates (ETSU) – 6’9” 235 Forward Senior
With Hunter Harris and Kinard Gadsden-Gilliard gone, Bates needs to step up in his only season on campus. The well-traveled big man graduated from Tennessee State in order to gain eligibility this year. He is a true center and loves to mix it up down low which is a rarity these days in college basketball. If the Bucs are going to have a good year, he needs to do all the little things (defend, rebound, effect shots) that help a team win.
TJ Hallice (Mercer) – 6’9” 205 Forward Senior
The senior from Weddington, N.C., has played key minutes throughout his time at Mercer and he looks ready to step out of Daniel Coursey’s shadow. Hallice has played in 110 career games, although never in a starting role. He is a career 51.4 percent shooter and will play an important role in the Bears success this season.
I hope this series has filled your need for all things SoCon basketball. It’s been fun putting this together, but now it’s time for the real action to start. I can’t wait for a new era in Southern Conference basketball to begin!
I look forward to seeing everyone on the road during a Southern Conference game soon. Be sure to check back throughout the season for additional editions of the Dean's List. My first in-season update will be December 17. Follow me throughout the year on twitter: @DeanKeener1.
- Dean Keener