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
 
I. Inside SoCon Hoops
We are just 30 days from the start of the 100th SoCon tournament. But before we get to Asheville, there is still a lot of basketball to be played. The Southern Conference continues to be one of the top mid-major leagues in the country. As of Feb. 1, only two leagues in Division I basketball had three teams with at least 17 wins. The ACC and the Southern Conference! And there is an outside chance that six programs could finish the regular season with 20 wins. Things would have to fall right, but that is an amazing thought!

Unlike last season, when Wofford ran the table with a perfect 18-0 regular season conference record, every team currently has at least two conference loses. With that, it looks like there are seven teams vying for the top six spots. Remember, this is key as teams do no want to play in the first round on Friday night in Asheville. It’s hard enough to win three in a row, let alone four. 

That said, I still believe that Samford, VMI and The Citadel will help determine the final seedings. All three have the capability to beat anyone in the league at home as well as on the road.


II. Did You Know?
• ETSU continues to lead the league is attendance (4,506/game)
• UNCG’s seniors become the winningest class in school history with a 70-63 victory over Samford on Jan. 25. That was their 97th win in the past four years
• Josh Sharkey had seven assists against Wofford on Feb. 1. His seven assists give him 701 in his career, making him the first player in Samford history to go over 700 assists in a career
• Nathan Hoover (Wofford) leads the nation in free throw percentage at 95.4 percent. He’s currently 62-for-65 on the season
• Alex Hunter (Furman) continues to have ball security. He’s eighth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.21
• Carlos Dotson (Western Carolina) leads the SoCon with 12 double doubles!
• Mercer leads the league in free-throw shooting at 73.4 percent. No wonder they are winning games
• The DI Men’s Basketball Committee will share its in-season Top 16 on Feb. 8 at 12:30 p.m. on CBS


III. Most Improved
Every year I love writing about the most improved players in the Southern Conference. There are several reasons why it takes some longer to develop and/or break into a rotation. 

For most, it’s nothing more than adjusting to the speed and physicality of the college game. In other instances, a player may be stuck behind an older or more talented player and merely needs to wait his time. Therefore, it’s always fun to see players grow and improve throughout their careers, especially in a league like the Southern Conference where there aren’t one-and-done players going to the professional ranks. 

Coaches talk about player development in recruiting, but not all of them invest the time and energy that’s needed to help players improve. Fans needs to understand that player development at the college level emanates in many different forms. It’s not just time spent on the court developing the fundamentals. It’s time spent in the weight room getting stronger and quicker as well as time in the film room. It’s also learning about proper nutrition and diet. 

I think each staff in the Southern Conference does a nice job of developing their players as soon as they step on campus. Therefore, let’s take a quick look at those players that have shown a jump in their game this year:

• Djordje Dimitrijevic (Mercer) – Quite possibly the most improved player in the SoCon, he was terrific during the month of January 
- Senior numbers: 18.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 41% 3FG
- Junior numbers: 9.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 27% 3FG

• Chevez Goodwin (Wofford) – He’s blossomed after the graduation and departure of several players
- Junior numbers: 11.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 62.8 FG%
- Sophomore numbers: 4.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 58.5 FG%

• Noah Gurley (Furman) – He has steadily improved each year on campus and continues to have a very high ceiling
- Sophomore numbers: 14.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 55.6 FG%
- Freshman numbers: 8.8 ppg. 3.6 rpg, 45.8 FG%

• David Jean-Baptiste (Chattanooga) – Jean-Baptiste has been asked to play multiple positions during his career and he’s done so with a great work ethic for the Mocs
- Junior numbers: 13.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.3 apg
- Sophomore numbers: 9.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.0 apg
- Freshman numbers: 6.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.9 apg


IV. Student Managers
Although a successful playing career in college or the NBA can have its benefits, it is far from an absolute necessity to become a collegiate head coach. Yes, coaches work long hours and the players have demanding schedules, but the toughest job in a college basketball program may be those of the team managers. These students can work long hours, all behind the scenes for little glory, except for the occasional shout-out by the head coach. Some receive books and potentially some tuition as they gain upper-class status, but many are volunteers that do it because they love basketball and being part of something bigger than themselves.

Student managers do a little bit of everything. They help in a variety of ways during practice. In fact, they are usually the first ones there and the last ones to leave. Between classes they can spend time in the basketball office doing things to help the program. Yes, they fill water bottles, wipe the floor during practice and many times help with laundry, but many student managers are a key piece of the overall puzzle for the basketball program. They can help with filming and creating edits so the coaching staff has access very quickly.

For some that want to coach, this experience provides an up-close look at how to run a program. Will Wade (LSU), Dustin Kearns (Appalachian State), Dusty May (Florida Atlantic), Steve Prohm (Iowa State), James Whitford (Ball State) and Rob Senderoff (Kent State) are just a few of the current Division I head coaches who did not play in college and served in student manager and student assistant roles.

Regardless if managers want to coach, the experience of how to be around a successful organization can led to success later in life. Developing a skill set that helps understand the importance of culture and chemistry in the workplace is invaluable. In addition, learning about a fierce work ethic, self-discipline and time management, which are necessary to be a good manager, help those young people as they become adults.

I applaud the student managers of the Southern Conference!


V. SoCon Ladder
The Ladder is starting to become a bit more solidified and while there is still a lot of regular-season basketball to be played, here is the lineup as of Feb. 5: 

1. ETSU – The loss at home to Mercer hurt their chance for an at-large bid, but the win at LSU has staying power and they continue to be mentioned in the Bracketology conversation. That said, Bucs still have a chance at 27 regular-season wins. Can you say consistent competitive excellence?
2. UNCG – The Spartans just completed a stretch of five of six on the road. They went 5-1! With the next three at home, the team with as much talent as anyone in the SoCon should remain at the top off the Ladder
3. Wofford – They are 7-3 in their last 10 and with three of their next four at Richardson Indoor Stadium, they have a chance to continue building some real momentum
4. Furman – The Paladins have not made the NCAA tournament since 1980. While they’ve had some good teams the past 40 years, this may be their best team – and best chance. This team shoots it well and takes care of the ball. That’s a winning combination, especially in February and March
5. Western Carolina – This group continues to show they are for real. The win at Chattanooga last Saturday confirmed when they are healthy, they are capable of beating anyone in the league
6. Mercer – The Bears are the hottest team in the league! Currently riding a six-game winning streak, they’ve learned to play with the grit and toughness Greg Gary demands. Even though they lost to UTC in early January, they are deserving of being above the Mocs on the Ladder
7. Chattanooga – The Mocs are just 2-3 in their last five, but there is no doubt Lamont Paris has this program headed in the right direction. The final step is winning at the highest level.
8. Samford – The Bulldogs simply can’t get over the hump. But, if they can cut down on turnovers, they have a chance to affect the league standings
9. VMI – You don’t take Furman to overtime without an inner strength and talent. This team is well-coached and it really shares the ball (the Keydets lead the SoCon in assists per game) and should start closing out some games down the stretch
10. The Citadel – Injuries have decimated the Bulldogs roster (they are practicing with just seven scholarship players), but they continue to play hard and with a sense of purpose. I firmly believe this group is going to turn the corner very soon


Until the next “Dean’s List” on Feb. 19, follow me on Twitter: @DeanKeener1