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
Jan. 8, 2020

I.    Inside the SoCon
Now that it’s January, conference play is in full swing. The league had several quality nonconference wins and has placed itself very well in the NET ranking. The SoCon is unofficially ranked 13th among 32 Division I conferences (according to WarrenNolan.com; the NCAA only ranks individual teams, not conferences). In fact, there are three teams (Furman, ETSU and UNCG) in the top 100 with Western Carolina just outside.

There is great competitive balance in the league and the next two months of conference play should be as exciting as we’ve seen in several years. What I like best about league play is that the SoCon continues to play a full round schedule. That is, all members play each other home and away, thus you have a true regular-season champion prior to the postseason tournament in Asheville.

I’m not sure we will see anyone run the table like Wofford did last year, but it might take 15 or 16 wins to secure the regular-season title. Regardless, every game will be a war. No doubt taking care of home court will be critical as will managing rosters with injuries. While there may be two tiers among league members, there is very little overall separation and all 10 members have the ability to win on any given night, so it’s certainly going to be fun.

SoCon fans need to hang on for what should be a wide ride. Heck, on the first full Saturday of games (Jan. 4), we saw three road teams win and a double-OT game at Wofford! Great players and great coaches have helped to make the Southern Conference one of the most talked-about leagues in the country during the past 12 months and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon. It’s way too early to talk about a regular-season champion, so just sit back and enjoy all that Southern Conference men’s basketball has to offer.


II.    Did You Know
•    Southern Conference teams combined to go 79-48 in nonconference play, including 12-4 against the Big South, 7-1 against the ASUN, 8-3 against the Sun Belt, 6-3 against the OVC and 3-0 against the Horizon League
•    ETSU, who is 9-0 at home on the season, has been nearly untouchable at Freedom Hall. Only Wofford has given them any stress on their home court
•    Furman’s Jordan Lyons’ stats through three SoCon games (all wins): 26.3 points per game, 24-for-42 from the field (57.1 percent), 17-for-28 from 3-point range (60.7 percemt), 14-for-15 in free throws (93.3 percent)
•    Western Carolina has already surpassed its win total from last year. In fact, the Catamounts are off to their best start in their first 13 games since 2009-10
•    Through the first 16 games of the season, VMI is getting 47 percent of its scoring from four true freshman. The future is bright!
•    Samford point guard Josh Sharkey continues to lead the NCAA in assists at 9.2/game AND steals at 3.46/game. Pretty impressive
•    Wofford junior Storm Murphy is 1st in the country in 3-point field-goal percentage


III.    Having Patience
Athletics directors in the Southern Conference have generally been patient when it comes to their men’s basketball coaches. That’s important, because in this age of instant gratification, ADs across the country are constantly under pressure by the university president and/or boosters and alumni when a coach does not produce the desired results in a quick manner. At the mid-major level, success by Gonzaga (I don’t believe they are “mid major” any longer), VCU and Butler helped create a frenzy during the past decade that suggested it was possible for any mid-level program to compete at a high level. There are many variables that go into being successful, including facilities, admission standards, budgets and overall commitment by the administration. But nothing is more important than having an athletics director that understands it takes time.

Mike Young spent 17 seasons as the head coach at Wofford, but it was not until his seventh season that he produced a wining record. His record (Division I games only) during that time was 54-103 (.343). Starting in 2008-09, the Terriers went 16-14, and the rest is history as he took the Terriers to five NCAA tournaments during the next 10 seasons. Deservedly, he was named the head coach of Virginia Tech last April 7. Ask anyone in the profession and they will tell you that Mike will be ultra-successful in the ACC. Thanks to Richard Johnson, the former head coach and current AD, the Terriers are now a brand name in college basketball with a state-of-the-art facility.

For UNCG coach Wes Miller, it took six years to have a winning season. He was 49-92 against Division I competition for a .347 winning percentage before having a winning season in year six. Thanks to the patience of Director of Athletics Kim Record, the Spartans have been to two NITs and one NCAA tournament during the past three seasons and will no doubt play in the postseason again this year. Wes Miller has proven he can coach with anyone in college basketball.

There are other examples within the SoCon as well as in other leagues across Division I, including Bob McKillop at Davidson (five seasons before a winning record). That said, the current collection of coaches in the SoCon are as good as ever. I think I can say that about the athletics directors as well!


IV.    Impact of Transfers
These days, transfers come in lots of different forms. They come from four-year institutions as well as from junior colleges and as graduate transfers who are eligible immediately and generally have one year to play. Regardless of where they come from, transfers have become a way of life in college basketball. This year there are several transfers making a big splash in the Southern Conference. In no particular order, here are the top transfers in the SoCon thus far: 

1.    Mason Faulkner (Western Carolina) – The Northern Kentucky University transfer has been nothing short of fantastic for the Catamounts. He’s been in double figures in all but one game while playing at an all-conference level
2.    Tyson Batiste (The Citadel) – The Central Connecticut State grad transfer is playing major minutes for the Bulldogs. While not a pure shooter, he can really dish the rock. Batiste is currently second in the league in assists at 6.3 per game
3.    Jeff Gary (Mercer) – Gary became eligible in mid-December and has made an immediate impact on the Bears’ program
4.    Jalen Dupree (Samford) – He has started every game for the Bulldogs. The transfer from Murray State is averaging 12.2 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game
5.    Donte Tatum (Samford) – The 6-1 transfer from Cape Fear CC (N.C.) has been solid off the bench
6.    Vonnie Patterson (ETSU) – His numbers are modest, but the John Logan College (Ill.) transfer is good. He’s just playing behind some really talented players
7.    Matt Ryan (Chattanooga) – A grad transfer after spending two seasons at Notre Dame and last year at Vanderbilt has found a home in the Scenic City. He is a skilled offensive player


V.    Young Guns
Similar to previous years, most Southern Conference members rely on upperclassmen, but there is some good, young talent in the league. Here are a few of the best freshmen to track during the next few months:

1.    Fletcher Abee (The Citadel) – One of the top freshman scorers in the SoCon, Abee is shooting 39.1 percent from behind the arc
2.    Isaiah Bigelow (Wofford) – After redshirting last season, Bigelow is now firmly in the Terrier rotation. He can play multiple positions
3.    Xavier Cork (Western Carolina) – He’s still finding his way with regards to the speed and physicality of Division I basketball, but he works hard and just gets better and better 
4.    Kamdyn Curfman (VMI) – This kid can flat shoot the basketball. He hit at least one 3-pointer in the first 14 games of his career and leads the SoCon in 3s made with 47
5.    Travis Evee (VMI) – Evee leads all SoCon freshmen in scoring, assists and steals and is second in 3-point field-goal percentage
6.    Rudy Fitzgibbons III (The Citadel) – He’s averaging 9.2 ppg in 20 minutes per game
7.    Messiah Jones (Wofford) – He is currently shooting 63.4 percent from the field. He is also grabbing 4.0 rebounds per game
8.    Keyshaun Langley (UNCG) – A terrific player for the Spartans with a high ceiling. Currently shooting 37 percent from 3
9.    Bas Leyte (UNCG) – The 6-10 forward from the Netherlands has received limited minutes on a talented team, but mark my word, he is going to be really good in time


VI.    The SoCon Ladder
We’ve completed the nonconference slate and are fully into conference play, so it’s time to begin the annual SoCon Ladder. No doubt, this will cause debate, but fans need to be patient as it’s going to be a very competitive race all season. With that said …

1.    Furman – The Paladins are riding a six-game winning streak. More importantly, they are 3-0 in league play. Bob Richey has a talented group that simply knows how to win
2.    ETSU – The Bucs were rolling until the holiday break. In two league games, their offense stalled just a bit, but don’t worry, Bucs fans, this team has all the ingredients that should sustain excellence, including depth and coaching
3.    Wofford – Jay McAuley was familiar with the league prior to becoming the Terriers’ head coach. That said, nothing can prepare you for an opening at ETSU and then coming home to play a really good UNCG team. They proved they will be a factor in the league race
4.    UNCG – The Spartans are really good. I’m most impressed with how Wes Miller has become a really good defensive coach. That will only help them moving forward in league play
5.    Western Carolina – You have to love everything about this Catamount team. They play hard and are well-coached. Mason Faulkner and Carlos Dotson are playing at all-conference levels. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but that Jan. 15 date at Furman looms large
6.    Chattanooga – No longer a “sleeper”, the Mocs have proven they can win. Their next three games are at home (Furman, Samford, Wofford) and will tell us a lot about this group
7.    Samford – This is the toughest team to slot. I like their talent and Scott Padgett does a nice job, yet to date they really have not beaten anyone of note. My guess is this group will pull some big wins very soon
8.    The Citadel – The Bulldogs are getting better and that’s what counts. I like the development of upperclassmen Kaiden Rice and Kaelon Harris, which suggests good coaching/player development, yet they need to get over the hump
9.    Mercer – I think the Bears are better than this, but until they secure a few quality wins in conference play, this is where they are slotted
10.    VMI – The scheduling gods have not done the Keydets any favors. Their lone league game in November was UNCG, then they opened the new year with Furman and Samford. Their next two games? At ETSU and at Mercer. Nothing easy for this young group

Follow me throughout the year on Twitter: @DeanKeener1

The next Dean’s List will be released Jan. 22, 2020