Note: The following piece was prepared by Dean Keener, who provides commentary on Southern Conference men’s basketball broadcasts.
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
The Dean’s List
March 2, 2016
I. Inside the SoCon
For college basketball fans, there is nothing better that March Madness. No doubt conference tournaments begin a wild and wonderful four weeks and the best time of the year for hoop fans. With the regular season now complete, it’s time to look to the post-season tournament in Asheville, N.C. In a league like the Southern Conference, there’s nothing better, as so much is riding on every possession in every game that it simply makes it a thrilling weekend for fans and everyone involved in the tournament.
With their eye on the prize this weekend in Asheville, each of the ten Southern Conference teams will vie for the automatic bid – the ticket if you will – that allows the winner to enter the NCAA tournament. While Chattanooga enters as the regular season champion, make no mistake that I believe five or six teams have the capability to win the 96th SoCon Tournament. Equally important to note is that all ten have a chance to win one or more games and that could add additional pressure as early as Friday. Personally, I don’t know who will win the tournament, but I am sure there will be multiple upsets due to the competitive balance of the league this year.
II. Celebrating “The Best of Everything”
It’s been a great regular season, but before we get to the tournament, let’s take a minute and celebrate those that deserve recognition.
In what has become an annual list, the following are my 2015-2016 Dean’s List post-season award winners:
Best starting five – Chattanooga
• The Mocs have a nice blend of talent, experience and size in their starting five. But Furman may have a real argument here
Best bench – Chattanooga
• Matt McCall does not play a freshman or sophomore relevant minutes. That is a winning combination
Best backcourt – Wofford
• Lots to choose from in the league, but the Terriers backcourt is very dangerous, especially from behind the arc. And they’re probably the toughest collection in the league as well
Best frontcourt – UNCG and Chattanooga
• When RJ White and Kayel Locke are focused, this is a very dangerous duo. For Chattanooga, Justin Tuoyo leads the way, but with the emergence of Chuck Ester along Duke Etheridge the Mocs are also solid up front. And at times, Tre’McLean has been a tough matchup at the #4. These groups proved they can compete with anyone
Best freshman – Fletcher Magee (Wofford)
• This was a tough call as there were several really good freshmen in the league this season, but Magee was simply the best freshman in a very good class. He led the SoCon in three-point field goal percentage and the nation in free throw percentage (ironically, VMI’s QJ Peterson is second)! Other talented freshmen include Wyatt Walker (Samford), Matt Rose (Samford), Matt Rafferty (Furman), Elijah Pugsley (Western Carolina) and Francis Alonso (UNCG). All have a chance to be really good players in this league
Best sophomore – Stephon Jelks (Mercer)
• Numbers simply don’t lie and Jelks is a big time difference maker. He led the league in rebounding, but also was scored in double figures. There is a lot of Paul Millsap in this kid!
Best junior – Tre’ McLean (Chattanooga)
• This race was really close as there are several top-notch players in the junior class. Teammates Justin Tuoyo and Greg Pryor (Chattanooga) were outstanding during league play. T.J. Cromer (ETSU), QJ Peterson (VMI), RJ White (UNCG) and Diante Baldwin (UNCG) also rank as some of the top juniors in the Southern Conference
Best senior – Spencer Collins (Wofford)
• This was my toughest call as Ge’Lawn Guyn (ETSU), Stephen Croone (Furman) and Mike Brown (Western Carolina) also had really good final campaigns. But while Collins isn’t always flashy, but he does everything well and is a winner on and off the court!
Best 6th man – Geoff Beans (Furman) and Ryan Sawvell (Wofford)
• Beans started just one game for the Paladins, Sawvell was the first post off the bench for the Terriers, but both played a big part in their team’s success
Best newcomer – Ge’Lawn Guyn (ETSU)
• The University of Cincinnati transfer was fantastic right out of the gate for the Bucs. I wish he had another year in Johnson City. My guess is Steve Forbes and staff do as well!
Best long range shooter – Eric Robertson (Chattanooga)
• Repeat winner. The league was loaded with long range bombers this season, but Robertson gets the nod again. That said, Wofford freshman Fletcher Magee is a rising star and can knock down threes with the best of them
Best dunker – Justin Gordon (Wofford) and Deuce Bello (ETSU)
• Actually, there are a lot of really good athletes in the Southern Conference, but I don’t believe there are a lot of great dunkers. These are two of the best the league has to offer
Best athlete – Phillip Anglade (VMI)
• Repeat winner. Speaking of athletes, Anglade is listed at 6’5”, but is a beast for the Keydets inside and plays much bigger
Best defender – Justin Tuoyo (Chattanooga)
• Repeat winner. Blocks 2.3 shots per game and alters several more. Enough said
Best glue guy – Rhett Harrelson (Western Carolina)
• Harrelson is one of the best long-range bombers in the league, but he is much more than that. He’s learned to run a team from the point guard slot. Most importantly, he will do anything to help his team win
Best in the clutch – Stephen Croone (Furman)
• Croone has evolved into a complete player in his four years on the Furman campus, but he is still the go-to guy when the Paladins need something to happen
Best versatility – Diante Baldwin (UNCG)
• Baldwin was asked to do so much for the Spartans. He maned the point guard position, scored in double figures, was second in the league in assists and fourth in steals. He also grabbed more than five rebounds per game! I say this guy is pretty versatile
Best player(s) who may not get an award by the media or coaches – Greg Pryor (Chattanooga) and Justin Browning (Western Carolina)
• Both are vital to their team’s success, but neither may win an award by the league coaches or media. That said, I didn’t forget them!
Best table setter – Phillip Leonard (Mercer) and P.J. Boutte (The Citadel)
• This was too close to call. They can both run their teams and find the open man
Best in transition – Stephen Croone (Furman)
• Repeat winner. Croone has to be considered one of college basketball’s fastest players with the ball in the open court
Best off the bounce – Ge’Lawn Guyn (ETSU)
• The UC transfer is really dangerous with the ball, but his athleticism allows him to elevate over most defenders in this league
Best lungs – Mike Brown (Western Carolina)
• The Ironman of the Southern Conference, Brown simply did not come out in league play this season
Best toughness – Eric Garcia (Wofford)
• Repeat winner, although Rhett Harrelson (Western Carolina) is also tough as nails and will do anything to help his team win
Best charge taker - Alex Peters (Samford)
• If you watch SoCon games on a regular basis, is there any other choice? Peters will give up his body at every opportunity
Best place to watch a game – Mercer
• Repeat winner. There are several nice venues in the league, but for my money Mercer has the nicest facility and a really loyal fan base. By the way, they finished the season with five consecutive sellouts at Hawkins Arena (and I mean standing room only). Jim Cole must have a really good relationship with the Bibb County Fire Marshall!
Best SoCon moment – QJ Peterson (VMI) being a stat sheet stuffer
• QJ Peterson broke the VMI single-game scoring record by scoring 46 points to lead the VMI Keydets over the Mercer Bears, 91-82 on Thursday, February 25. It’s crazy to think he broke a VMI scoring record and wasn’t playing for former VMI coach Duggar Baucom or against The Citadel where the pace is ultra-fast! Oh by the way, he was 17 of 18 from the free throw line and had nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. That’s a pretty good night
Best name – Ge’Lawn Guyn (ETSU)
• In a league with an RJ, QJ, TJ and PJ, I still like Ge’Lawn best
Best coach – Larry Hunter (Western Carolina)
• In a league with really good coaches, Hunter gets the nod this season. He simply did more with less fighting through a ton of injuries to keep the Catamounts competitive. That said no disrespect to Matt McCall, Steve Forbes or Niko Medved who all did terrific jobs this season!
Best surprise – CJ Neumann (Wofford)
• I’m not sure this a surprise to Terrier fans as Neumann has been solid since stepping on campus, but he averaged almost eight rebounds per game in league play this season
Best value – Jordan Strawberry (Mercer)
• Repeat winner. Non-scholarship player (walk-on) who provided valuable minutes for the Bears this season
Best individual improvement – Demetre Rivers (Mercer)
• Rivers scored all of six points as a freshman and then exploded on the seen in this, his sophomore year. He has a very bright future in Macon
Best team improvement - UNCG
• The Spartans enter the tournament red-hot and very confident having won five in a row to end the regular season. ETSU and Western Carolina are also playing good basketball, but no one is hotter than Wes Miller’s group right now. This is a team to watch this weekend
III. Seems like just yesterday, sort of…
While Wofford participated in the NCAA Tournament last year for the second consecutive season, for some, it’s been far too long since they last danced. Here’s offering a little luck to every team in the 2016 Southern Conference Tournament.
Team (last time they participated in the NCAA Tournament)
Wofford – 2015
Mercer – 2014 (as member of the Atlantic Sun Conference)
ETSU – 2010 (as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference)
Chattanooga – 2009
UNCG - 2001
Samford – 2000 (as a member of the Trans America Athletic Conference)
Western Carolina – 1996
Furman – 1980
VMI - 1977
The Citadel – never participated
IV. “Thanks” to the league office
Thanks to Commissioner Iamarino and his staff for allowing me to report on Southern Conference Men’s Basketball again this season through The Dean’s List. I love SoCon basketball and hope that you’ve enjoyed the articles as much as I have enjoyed putting them together.
I look forward to seeing everyone in Asheville for a great Southern Conference Tournament!
Follow me on Twitter: @DeanKeener1