Big South Preview: Rankings
Big South Hoops Hub Official Big South Preseason Rankings
Big South Preseason Rankings:
Preface: Ranking these teams is NEARLY impossible in my opinion, if you feel slighted by your teams ranking.
Don’t. I’ve probably had that team higher and lower throughout this offseason and likely will throughout the rest of this offseason, just releasing this as a baseline.
Rankings will go from 9 to 1.
9. Presbyterian
Reasons I am high on Presbyterian:
Kory Mincy is one of the best guards in the Big South
Khalon Hudson was an amazing JUCO player and has D1 level talent
Reasons I am low on Presbyterian:
Non Transfer Portal additions
Lack of size (tallest player being 6-9 and two others above 6-6)
Historically bad free throw shooting
Official Record Prediction: 9-22 (3-13)
8. Gardner Webb
Reasons I am high on Gardner Webb:
Finished 3rd last season in Big South play
Hired a long time Gardner Webb assistant
Brought back Big South returners in Anthony Selden and Jamaine Mann
Reasons I am lower on Gardner Webb:
Don’t love the non-conference guantlet to start the year
Very unfavorable conference game splits
Didn’t add as much as other teams via the portal
No really elite big man
Offical Record Prediction: 11-18 (5-11)
7. USC Upstate
Reasons I am high on Upstate:
Marty Richter has won everywhere he has been.
Marty brought former Top 100 player Chico Johnson from Drake
Has one of the top JUCO guards in Karmani Gregory and Top D2 guards in Britian Harris along with solid Freshman Carmelo Adkins
Reasons I am low on Upstate
Complete rebuild with a first time Division 1 HC
Only one D1 transfer (Kanye Jones)
Very small outside of Helterhoff (6-10)
Official Record Prediction: 12-19 (5-11)
6. Charleston Southern
Reasons I am high on Charleston Southern:
Keeping Sumler, Johnson, Kelly, and Patrick
Brought in Lamar Oden Jr
Reasons I am low on Charleston Southern:
New HC and one with little experience
Outside of Kelly, front court lacks depth
Offical Record Prediction: 15-16 (7-9)
5. UNC Asheville
Reasons I am high on UNC Asheville:
Brought in productive guards and forwards via the portal
Kept Fletcher Abee and Josh Banks
Brought in Sage Tolentino from Cincinnati
Reasons I am low on UNC Asheville:
Uncertainty about home games this season
Abee and his DQ problem (3 in 2 years)
Official Record Prediction: 19-11 (8-8)
4. Radford
Reasons I am high on Radford:
Brought in Chace Davis, Tony Felder, and David Early all major contributors at their last school
Added much needed height with Jonas Sirtataus and Xavier Foster
Much needed depth additions with Maclin, Walker, Gaines and more.
Reason I am low on Radford:
Some of the transfers have seen very little playing time (Foster and Gaines)
Very tough non-conference schedule
Official Record Prediction: 17-14 (8-8)
3. Winthrop
Reasons I am high on Winthrop:
Added proven non D1 scorers in Tommy Kamarad and Ryan Jolly
Has one of the top guards in Kasen Harrison
One of the highest returning minutes with Telford, Doucet, Harrison and Johnson coming back from last season
Reasons I am low on Winthrop:
Wilson coming off missing lots of time injury
Duncomb also coming off missing last season
Lack of size compared to teams like Radford and High Point
Official Record Prediction: 22-10 (10-6)
2. Longwood
Reasons I am high on Longwood
Has one of the best coaches in Griff Aldrich
Brought back Christmas from last year’s team
Added D2 stud KJ McClurg
Reasons I am low on Longwood
One of the smaller teams in the Big South
Little returning production outside of Christmas and Tucker
Official Record Prediction: 22-9 (11-5)
1. High Point
Reasons I am high on High Point:
Most talented roster maybe in Big South history
Alan Huss turned this around in Year One and make them a top MM school
Added much needed shooting, and interior presence
Reasons I am low on High Point:
Reminds me of the Kobe, Nash Laker Teams with how deep they are, maybe “too much” depth
Kezza and Pettiford will split time and I don’t know if that helps that team