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
 
College basketball is well underway, and the season has already been a bit of a roller coaster. There have already been some terrific highlights and that includes teams within the Southern Conference. Since the tip off on Nov. 9, there have been upsets, buzzer-beaters and other high points that confirm why college basketball is among the greatest sports we have.
 
SoCon teams have flexed their muscles in a variety of ways. In the past six weeks, The Citadel won at Pittsburgh, Samford beat Oregon State and Furman beat Louisville at the Yum Center just to name a few of the big wins. All 10 SoCon teams are currently above .500 and since Dec. 3, SoCon teams are 20-9! Equally, teams are taking care of business at home where they are a collective 40-6.
 
While there have been non-Division I games (SoCon teams are 19-0), the league has shown its strength against the Sun Belt (5-2), Ohio Valley (5-2), and Big South (13-9). The SoCon is now ranked ninth among all Division I conferences in the RPI, 11^th in the NET rankings and 13th among all conference’s according to KenPom. The hottest team in the league right now appears to be Mercer, who has won five in a row entering exam week. This includes their last three games against Sun Belt opponents (Georgia State, Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern).
 
Speaking of hot, Bucky McMillan has his Samford Bulldogs playing well. In his first season, the Bulldogs were just 6-13 with several starts and stops due to injuries and covid protocols. Currently, they are 8-2 and playing some good basketball. Also worth mentioning is the play of VMI. The Keydets continue to be among the nation’s leaders in 3-point field goals made per game, but Dan Earl has the Keydets defending as well. They currently sit at 7-5 and will be a very difficult out in league play, especially inside Cameron Hall.
 
With just two weeks before conference play kicks off, the league looks to be as competitive as any in recent memory. Teams still have an opportunity to help themselves as well as the league with some key nonconference matchups. But regardless of what happens later in December, I think we’ve come to understand this is going to be a very fun Southern Conference season. It’s anyone’s guess how things will play out.
 

II.  Did you know?
 

• Jalen Slawson recorded the first-ever triple in Furman history on Dec. 7 at Winthrop. Slawson finished with 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, 12 assists and 10 rebounds
• Furman and ETSU continue to boast some of the best home-court advantages in all of college basketball. Since the beginning of the 2015-16 campaign, Furman sports a 78-13 record at Timmons Arena while ETSU is 81-17 inside Freedom Hall during the same period
• Chattanooga has won 11 straight nonconference road games
• ETSU (.808) and VMI (.806) rank fourth and sixth nationally, respectively, in team free-throw percentage
• UNCG is ninth in the country in rebound margin at +11.1
• Current VMI Superintendent Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ('85), scored Cameron Hall's first point with a free throw against Virginia in the inaugural game on Dec. 5, 1981

III.  Five observations thus far
 

1. Even with three non-Division I wins, Samford looks to be much improved. Bucky McMillan and staff have infused the roster with talent and the Bulldogs no longer look like a pushover
2. Jalen Slawson (Furman), Felipe Haase (Mercer), Hayden Brown (The Citadel), Malachi Smith (Chattanooga), Ques Glover (Samford) and Jake Stephens (VMI) are playing at a very high level
3. B.J. Mack has really stepped up his game, which has helped Wofford minimize the loss of Messiah Jones
4. It’s always a bit difficult to use stats this early in the season as there is such a discrepancy in the competition. I don’t think we will really see individual and team stats that matter until the conference season kicks in
5. I guess coaches don’t like wearing suits after all. Most coaches I’ve seen are now in casual pants, polos and sweaters. For the most part, suits and ties are out on the sidelines

IV.  The state of college basketball
 
College basketball has changed dramatically in the last two years and I’m not even talking about how covid has – and continues – to impact the game. The dynamic between a player and head coach has always been delicate. They’re not peers, and many times they are not really friends. That said, they need to have strong ties, especially when considering a point guard and head coach relationship.
 
But with players now allowed to transfer from school to school without having to sit out, coaches must continue to “coach their players hard” without pushing too much for fear of losing them. In addition, assistant coach relationships with players are more critical than ever. Previously, student-athletes had to use a redshirt year and spend one year in residency at the new institution after transfering. Players are now allowed to transfer from school to school without having to sit out a season.
 
Name, image and likeness (NIL) provisions have increased player empowerment, as well. In addition, new advancements in stats and analytics have rewarded coaches with open minds willing to play a bit untraditionally.
 
With the turbulence of the pandemic as well as all the changes in college basketball, success now favors those who can rapidly build culture while developing skill and toughness in their players. 

V.  Changes that need to be considered
 
By definition, a kicked ball is a violation. But I have a really hard time with a reset of the shot clock to 20 seconds after a defensive kicked ball. Regardless of whether the kick is intentional or not, this punishes the defense, especially in a late-game situation.
 
Already this season, I’ve seen it happen more than once where there are approximately 45 seconds on the game clock in a one-point game and the defense chooses to play things out only to kick the ball with just seconds to go on the shot clock. The official signals for a reset (or in this example the shot clock is turned off) and it changes the entire strategy for the defense. They now must foul after playing good defense for 30-plus seconds.
 
While not a game rule, I’ve said for years that a pregame handshake would avoid the possibility of a possible “flare-up” between players or coaches after an emotional game. Coaches, players as well as fans are emotional after a loss. This routine would prevent much of the headache that campus administrators deal with postgame. I’m not sure why the NCAA would not mandate such a simple protocol that involves sportsmanship!
 
 
VI.  New Year’s Resolutions
 
It’s hard to believe, but 2022 is just a few weeks away and therefore our annual New Year’s Resolutions list is back. I hope I’ve found some realistic goals for each program as we enter the new year – and conference play:
 
The Citadel – Fans in the stands. This is a good Bulldogs teams. Period. They have talent and are fun to watch. They need the cadets as well as those in greater Charleston to support them
 
ETSU – Take care of the rock. New coach Desmond Oliver has the Bucs playing well, but they are turning the ball over a bit too much. They’ve been better lately which is a good sign
 
Furman – Understand they are the hunted. Even though Furman has not won a SoCon title under Bob Richey, the Paladins have been good. Once again, they have all the ingredients for success but need to know that league members circle their games against the Paladins
 
Mercer – Find a reliable bench. The Bears are one of the hottest teams in the league, but Greg Gary and staff are still looking for one or two more players that can come off the bench and keep the music playing at a high level
 
UNCG – Take care of home. The transition to Mike Jones looks to be a smooth one. No surprise as Jones was outstanding for a decade at Radford and knows how to coach. The Spartans have taken care of home thus far and will need to continue to do so if they want to be a factor in the league race
 
Samford – Stay focused on the process. Second-year coach Bucky McMillian has the Bulldogs playing well. Equally, he is creating his culture and a style of play that he wants to employ. There has been an infusion of talent in the program as well as the addition of associate head coach Mitch Cole and the Bulldogs are no longer a pushover. It would also help if they could stay healthy – the Bulldogs have really been hit with the injury bug
 
Chattanooga – Don’t change a thing. Lamont Paris and staff have blended the old with the new. There is a lot of talent in this proud program and the backcourt of Malachi Smith and David Jean-Baptiste is as good as any in the league
 
VMI – Keep defending! The Keydets have guys that can score, the key is can they continue to defend. Yes, there are three non-Division I wins included in their team stats, but they are holding teams to 37-percent field-goal shooting. If this continues, they will be a factor in the league race
 
Western Carolina – Practice free throws. The Catamounts have surprised many in the early going. But if they are going to win conference games, especially in the road, they will need to shoot free throws better
 
Wofford – Understand that everyone needs to step up. The loss of Messiah Jones was huge for the Terriers. But they have the talent and coaching to overcome this if everyone will do just a little bit more. B.J. Mack has already started doing his part
 
 
We will start the SoCon Ladder as well as talk about current happenings in the Southern Conference and college basketball in our next edition of “The Dean’s List” on Jan. 5, 2022. Happy Holidays to all. Be safe.
 
 
Follow me on Twitter: @DeanKeener1