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 the SoCon

The Southern Conference continues to move toward a complete regular season. It’s been a challenging, yet exciting year with some great games among all 10 members. Hats off to the league office for continuing to make adjustments and reschedule games. This has been a full-time job for conference officials.
 
The key for everyone now is to attempt to stay healthy and keep some momentum. Basketball can be a rhythm game, especially during the later stages of the regular season, thus no team wants to pause and miss games and interrupt the flow of practice, individual workouts or remaining regular-season games. More importantly, no one wants to miss (or have missing players during) the SoCon tournament!
 
So, who will have the momentum – mentally and physically – to win multiple games at the Ingles SoCon Championship presented by General Shale in Asheville? I believe there are five, maybe six teams that can win the tournament, and while most would consider UNCG, Wofford, Furman, and maybe ETSU the current favorites, all 10 teams can win games, and that’s what makes things very interesting. In particular, Chattanooga has won five in a row and proven it can win close games. The Mocs will be a real factor in the conference tournament.
 
No question, this will be a very different tournament, but because of the competitive balance, I believe this will be one of the most exciting SoCon tournaments in recent memory.

II. Did You Know

• Matt Halvorsen recently became Western Carolina’s career 3-point leader with his 279th. He is 12th in SoCon history
• UNCG’s Isaiah Miller is currently eighth in the nation in steals at 2.5 per game
• Miller has an outside chance to become the all-time leader in steals in SoCon history. He currently has 291 and needs 44 to pass Keith “Mister” Jennings of ETSU (1988-91)
• The Citadel’s Hayden Brown is currently tied for sixth in the nation in double doubles with 11. That is third all-time in a single season at The Citadel
• The Southern Conference has three teams (UNCG, Furman, ETSU) in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Wofford is an unofficial 26th in the most recent poll

III. Top storylines this season in the Southern Conference

1. COVID-19 – Postponements, pauses, limited fans and no off-campus recruiting. The global pandemic is by far the biggest story in SoCon (and college) basketball. Enough said!
2. Success at the military academies – The Citadel and VMI have surpassed expectations. Both programs are headed in the right direction
3. Chattanooga starts 9-0 – The Mocs were the first team in the country to 9-0. The nine straight wins to start the season were a school record, breaking the mark first set in 1973-74
4. Western Carolina – The Catamounts have simply not been able to find a consistent rhythm. That said, I think they will be the surprise of the SoCon tournament
5. Samford beating Belmont – This has flown under the radar. Belmont is currently 22-1! Their only loss came to Samford on Dec. 5

IV. Being Evaluated
 
Even though college coaches have not been allowed to recruit “off-campus” for almost a year, they are still: (a) watching a ton of film, including live streaming of high school games as well as VOD – Video on Demand, (b) calling high school and travel coaches to gain intel on players and (c) speaking with all the ancillary people that can help them in their quest to find the best student-athletes. These include personal trainers, assistant coaches and guidance counselors. No doubt talent and skill level are key, but coaches are also conscious of on-court / off-court red flags that can cause them heartburn during the recruiting process.

Listed below are a few things that coaches often look for. Keep in mind, no one is perfect, and emotions can run high in a competitive game, but I’ve put a few actions that I think are really important. As a former college coach, I know that not adhering to these doesn’t sit well with a coach trying to decide whether to extend a scholarship offer:

1. Warm up like you mean it – Get yourself mentally and physically ready to play regardless of the circumstances (this is difficult for coaches to evaluate in the current climate, but a player should still get himself ready every night out)
2. Play like you want to make someone’s team – Work hard, run the floor and play like every possession is your last (Coaches notice effort!)
3. Play for your team, not anyone in the stands – Remember, you are part of a team and you owe it to your coaches and teammates to play within the system (Don’t change just because a recruiter may be watching in person or online)
4. Don’t worry what position you play – A good college coach will be able to evaluate regardless of whether you are playing the position you think you will play at the next level (Just play hard and smart)
5. Be positive in your communication – Talk with your teammates and coaches. Let your play bring attention to you, not verbal outbursts, or emotional flare ups (High school and travel coaches will tell college coaches if you are positive with teammates in practice, in the locker room and during games)
6. Body language is key – Run off the court; remain positive even if something happens that you don’t agree with (Body language screams, it does not whisper)
7. Don’t take bad shots – Coaches evaluate the “total player.” Don’t feel like you need to score a ton of points to make a good impression with a college coach or scout (Always do what you do best to help your team be successful)
8. Show your basketball IQ – Show that you understand the game (Can you read screens? Do you talk on defense? Are you generally in the right position?)
9. Get to the next play – Regardless of whether you are involved in a great play or a turnover, get to the next play. Contrary to what the younger generation likes to do by “self-promoting,” coaches will be able to see if you hit a 3 or made a nice pass. (There is absolutely no need to bring attention to yourself)

Finally, due to the current environment I would recommend that when parents and players are putting together a highlight tape, they show a variety of moves/actions at both ends of the floor. Also, do not just create a tape from one game – coaches want to see you doing things against multiple opponents.
 
V. Director of Operations
 
Head coaches generally get the accolades when things go right as well as most of the blame when things don’t go well. But we also know one person can’t do it alone. There are three full time assistants on a basketball staff each with several responsibilities, but recruiting is at the top of their job description each day. Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program.
 
In the current environment, I’ve heard from many coaches that the hardest-working staff member is the director of operations. With all the postponements, rescheduling of games and other issues brough on by the pandemic, the “ops guy” is critical to the success of the program.
 
So, what exactly does this person do? While he is a full member of the coaching staff, a large amount of his job is administrative work. The director of operations generally deals with the head coach on a daily basis as it relates to the team travel, equipment, future scheduling and other administrative roles.
 
More than ever, the director of operations is playing a critical role in the success of a program. That person must be highly organized and willing to work long hours to help the head coach and staff to see success!

VI. The SoCon Ladder
 
For the third consecutive year, the final Ladder is accompanied by the song that I believe best describes each team.

Broken down in tiers, here is the final SoCon Ladder of the 2020-21 regular season:
 
Tier I

• UNCG (“Ain't No Stoppin’ Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead)
  • On the road to success, it's natural to encounter some ups and downs. This 1979 song is a classic and really defines the Spartans when they are playing well

• Wofford (“Life Is Good” – Future ft. Drake)
  • The Terriers have proven they can win at home and on the road. This is a rock-solid program and has proven over time that it can win big games

• Furman (“Don’t Stop Believin’” – Journey)
  • Bob Richey’s Paladins can beat you in so many ways. This is a motivated bunch that can win it all in Asheville! Don’t stop believing in what they can/will do

• Chattanooga (“Hit Me with Your Best Shot” – Pat Benatar)
  • Chattanooga is the most tradition-rich program in the Southern Conference, yet even after starting the season 9-0, the Mocs are flying somewhat under the radar. The gutsy lyrics of this 80s rock song speaks to how the Mocs just keep fighting – and winning – regardless of whether anyone is paying attention

• ETSU (“Confident” – Demi Lovato)
  • The Bucs are talented. Jason Shay and staff are good. Don’t let these guys get on a streak and become just a little bit more confident as we arrive in Asheville!

 Tier II

• Mercer (“On & On – Erykah Badu)
  • The Bears started off the season by beating in-state rivals Georgia Tech, Georgia State and Georgia Southern. That should not go unnoticed. But the Bears have found some ups and downs in conference play. This 90s classic suggests life goes on and things will be alright

• VMI (“Shooting Star” – Bad Company)
  • The Keydets are one tough out! They are experienced, well-coached and can really shoot. They are currently No. 1 in the SoCon in 3-point field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage. You can win games when you can shoot it!

• The Citadel (“Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” – Phil Collins)
  • Duggar Baucom is an outstanding basketball coach, but for the past two decades he has worked at two of the most difficult jobs in Division I basketball. Well, just when you think his time is up in Charleston, he has put together a very good team

Tier III

• Samford (“Looking Up” – JAYBAnDSOmE)
  • While the record doesn’t show it, things are looking up for the Bulldogs program

• Western Carolina (“Cruel Summer” – Taylor Swift)
  • Actually, it’s been a cruel winter for the Catamounts, who have not been able to string together wins. But there is still time left to right things as we head toward March

Until the next “Dean’s List” on March 3, follow me on Twitter: @DeanKeener1