Big South Tournament Preview and Prediction
As the regular season has come to a close, we are now headed to Johnson City, Tennessee (which I still dislike by the way) for the Big South tournament.
So because we have hit the next chapter of the season, I figured I would give everyone a preview of all 9 teams, and their path and likelyhood of winning the Big South Auto Bid.
(Italics in Key Win/Losses indicates Neutral Court)
9 Seed: USC Upstate
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: at WCU (74-68), vs Presbyterian (77-67)
Key Losses: at Coastal Carolina (73-51), at Presbyterian (75-64)
Record vs Gardner Webb: 0-2
Team Profile: While being at the bottom of the league, DO NOT sleep on USC Upstate. They have played almost every team in this league VERY CLOSE and is always just a seconds from winning many of their losses.
Led by freshman forward, Mister Dean, USC Upstate is never too far out of a game due to their amazing press and very fast tempo of play. While Upstate is the 9 seed, and has only won 2 games in conference. Everyone starts the tournament 0-0.
Player to Watch: Mister Dean
8 Seed: Gardner Webb
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: vs Elon (80-79), at East Carolina (84-79), vs Winthrop (89-83)
Key Losses: vs NC Central (78-77), at Charleston Southern (72-63)
Record vs USC Upstate: 2-0
Team Profile: After starting conference play 4-4, GWU has only won one out their last eight games, which placed them in 8th with a 5-11 record, but this team is much better than that record shows. Depth has slowly become an issue for GWU only playing 8 players in their last 2 games.
Led by Darryl “Buddy” Simmons, GWU runs a very strong but somewhat sloppy offense, one of the best shooting and offensive rebounding teams in the Big South, but just can’t seem to keep the turnovers down. GWU had success in this tournament before and it could happen again.
Player to Watch: Darryl Simmons
7 Seed: Charleston Southern
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: at Miami (83-79), vs Radford (58-54), vs Longwood (89-85)
Key Losses: vs VMI (80-69), vs USC Upstate (79-69)
Record vs UNC Asheville: 0-2
Team Profile: In a season that looked like it was over before it truly got started with the losses of Alahn Sumler and DJ Patrick early in the season. Saah Nimley has keep trucking on and has avoiding the 1st round.
Taje Kelly has been having a Player of the Year kind of season along with being surrounded by solid guard play from returning star RJ Johnson and transfer Daylen Berry. Taje and Saah probably have their best chance to make the big dance at Charleston Southern.
Player to Watch: Taje Kelly
6 Seed: Longwood
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: vs Milwaukee (76-62), vs UAB (89-81), vs High Point (82-80)
Key Losses: vs NC Central (77-70), at Charleston Southern (89-85)
Record vs Winthrop: 0-2
Team Profile: After starting 5-2 in conference, just like Gardner Webb. Longwood has sense stumbled finishing 7-9 in conference mostly due in part to on and off injuries to Johan Nziemi, Emmanuel Richards among others.
There is not one clear leader for this Longwood bunch, they have a rotation of around 3-5 players who step up game in and game out, everyone knows this conference tournament is when Longwood seems to put it on, Longwood has the talent to make a run and pull off some March Magic.
Player to Watch: Colby Garland
5 Seed: Presbyterian
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: vs Wofford (71-68), at Radford (80-73), at Longwood (77-68)
Key Losses: at USC Upstate (77-67), at Florida A&M (66-63)
Record vs Radford: 1-1
Team Profile: Despite starting conference play 2-7, Presbyterian is now entering the tournament with their best seeding in Presbyterian history, due in part to catching fire at the end of the season including wins on the road vs UNC Asheville and Radford and a home win vs Gardner Webb to clinch their spot in this position.
Despite losing one of their main pieces, Johan Pierce to a hip injury. Presbyterian has been looking very good behind their two headed monster down low with Kobe Stewart and Kaleb Scott. If you want to beat PC, you will need to bring your best down low, while also having to contain Kory Mincy.
Player to Watch: Kobe Stewart
4. Radford
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: vs Purdue Fort Wayne (69-56), vs Winthrop (87-67)
Key Losses: at Charleston Southern (58-54), vs Presbyterian (80-73)
Record vs Presbyterian: 1-1
Team Profile: One of the most deep teams in the conference, Radford has been lucky enough to stay very healthy entering the Big South tournament. The teams also a lot of players who truly play multiple positions having 7 players do so in their last 5 games including their budding senior, David Early.
Early, whom transferred in from Tennessee Tech this season played very little in the early part of the season, including missing 4 games, has been a budding star in conference play but especially in the last 3 games scoring 22 points, 14 points and 11 points in those 3 games. While being surrounded by Jarvis Moss, Truth and Josiah Harris and Brandon Maclin, Radford might be the hardest out in the tournament, outside of the favorite.
Player to Watch: David Early
3. Winthrop
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: vs Radford (78-74), vs UNC Asheville (103-90)
Key Losses: at Gardner Webb (89-83), vs Georgia Southern (89-87)
Record vs Longwood: 2-0
Team Profile: One of the most entertaining teams to watch this year, Winthrop seems to back closer to their glory days, led by their high tempo, rim running offense, mixed with very good spacing. Led by the returning duo of KJ Doucet and Kelton Talford, in the preseason Talford said Winthrop was here to hang banners.
The two headed monster of Doucet and Talford down low, coupled with the shooting of Kasen Harrison, Bryce Baker makes them a hard out in the tournament. If they want to hang that banner, this will be one of their best chances in the Mark Prosser era.
Player to Watch: Kelton Talford
2. UNC Asheville
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: vs High Point (103-99), at North Florida (89-75), vs SEMO (72-64)
Key Losses: at Central Arkansas (92-83 2OT), at Ohio (82-76)
Record vs Charleston Southern: 2-0
Team Profile: After Drew Pember left the program, many thought “How will Asheville look without Pember?” I think we know the answer, still very good. After a very rough start to their season due to Hurricane Helene, Mike Morrell and UNC Asheville enter the Big South tournament with big hopes.
Led by Jordan Marsh, who time and time again seems to be the best guard in MM basketball and Toyaz Solomon a very strong post presence, not to mention their star seniors in Josh Banks and Flethcer Abee. Asheville has probably the 2nd best offense, and in a conference where defense is optional, Asheville might have the fire power to win the whole thing.
Player to Watch: Jordan Marsh
1. High Point
Projected Lineup:
Season Review:
Key Wins: vs North Texas (76-71), vs App State (65-59), vs UAB (68-65)
Key Losses: vs Missouri State (71-61), at UNC Asheville (103-99)
Team Profile: The preseason favorites, the “deepest Big South team”, the regular season champs, but all that now means nothing (outside of getting the #1 seed). High Point has gotten all these titles, but now their eyes are set on ONE THING, Make the NCAA Tournament.
Led by… really no one, this team has 9 or so players who can take over at any time and be the spark for the team, whether that be Kezza Giffa, Bobby Pettiford, Chase Johnston, Kimani, D’Maurian Williams, even Juslin Bodo Bodo. This team might not just be the best team in the Big South, but the best team in Low Major/Mid Major basketball and will be the TOUGHEST out of the tournament.
Big South Tournament Prediction:
