Big South primer

A team-by-team glance at the Big South heading into the 2007-08 season.

Charleston Southern

Strengths: The Bucs have their health and they have depth. Third-year coach Barclay Radebaugh has a deep roster that will allow him to come after people on the defensive end. And he'll be better able to survive any injuries that might come along.

Weaknesses: Because of injuries and depth, the Bucs haven't been able to defend the way Radebaugh would like. Until they prove they can get out on the perimeter and keep people from making jumpers, defense is going to be the thing that keeps the Bucs from challenging in the league.

Scouting the newcomers: Keep an eye on 6-foot-1 point guard Tovi Bailey, who averaged 24 points and was a first-team all-state pick at Villa Rica High in Georgia. Radebaugh is calling him the team's best athlete, and he could take some pressure off Moore. The other key guy is 6-9 Quinton Goods, a transfer from East Carolina. The question for Goods is getting his game back after sitting out two seasons. Omar Carter, a 6-5 swingman who was a two-time all-starter at Charlotte Christian, adds depth and athleticism.

Coastal Carolina

Strengths: The backcourt is solid with Jack Leasure, Joshua Mack and Everage Richardson as starters, plus Steve Sexton and Mario Sisinni, both of whom have started, coming off the bench. If Leasure regains his shooting eye, the Chants will be difficult to defend at the arc.

Weaknesses: There's still no man in the middle and even though coach Chiff Ellis has 6-11 Derek Gillam, 6-10 Jon Pack and 6-8 Bryant Wallace coming in, he can't count on any of them to be the presence in the middle the team needs to win the league.

Scouting the newcomers: Anthony Breeze, a 6-5 freshman, is the player to watch. He led Greenville, S.C. High to back-to-back state titles and brings some leaping ability to the front line. He also has strength. Don't be surprised if Ellis pairs Harris and Breeze in the frontcourt, two undersized guys with lots of heart. The Chants have four newcomers but Breeze is likely to be the only one to get significant playing time. Jon Pack, a 6-10 freshman, could start, but he's not the answer in the middle.

High Point

Strengths: Having Arizona Reid is a big plus, because no one other than VMI's Reggie Williams causes more of a matchup problem. Reid, Mike Jefferson and Eugene Harris give the Panthers an outstanding perimeter game.

Weaknesses: The Panthers never seem to play with the right passion and togetherness when it matters. They've lost in the conference tournament semifinals for three straight years, which says something about how they handle pressure. They need to player harder and smarter when it matters most.

Scouting the newcomers: The player to watch is 6-5 freshman Earnest Bridges, who was somewhat overlooked after missing his junior season at Wake Forest-Rolesville (N.C.) High School with a broken foot. He could be the understudy to Reid this season. Ibrahim Appiah, a 6-4 shooting guard, could also see plenty of time.

Liberty

Strengths: The backcourt, despite losing Larry Blair, the league's all-time leading scorer, is good enough to win in the Big South. T.J. Banister, the Virginia transfer, could have started at New Mexico, according to coach Ritchie McKay, and Smith is a tenacious defender. B.J. Jenkins off the bench gives the Flames a three-pronged attack. Guards win games late in the season and these three are good news for McKay.

Weaknesses: The Flames lack depth to take some of the pressure of Alex McLean and Rell Porter up front, and McKay didn't do a good job of recruiting any help. McLean could be on of the league's best, but he can't do it alone.

Scouting the newcomers: There's really only one to watch, 5-11 T.J. Banister, the transfer from Virginia. He's the program's first true point guard since 2003-04, the last year the Flames won the league. But he's got to score, something he didn't do at Virginia. Don't look for 6-4 Jeremy Anderson, 6-0 Johnny Stephene or 6-7 Ozren Bjelogrlic to contribute this season.

NC-Asheville

Strengths: In 7-7 Kenny George, the Bulldogs have the biggest player in Division I and the one player in the Big South who can change a game. When he played late last year, the Bulldogs were pretty good. His problem is stamina. But there is no denying he's the key player. If he can play more than the 10 minutes he logged a year ago, the Bulldogs can pose some serious problems for the league.

Weaknesses: Yes, George is a big factor, but the Bulldogs have to seriously adjust their style when he's on the floor, because he simply can't play any kind of running game. They seemed to sputter last year when he was in and out of the game and forcing to much of a style change. Coach Eddie Biedenbach has to figure a way to play that doesn't change dramatically when George isn't on the floor.

Scouting the newcomers: When George isn't on the floor, the center spot could be filled by 6-7, 250-pound Andrew Lomond, a junior out of State Fair (Mo.) Community College. He's not a great scorer, but he doesn't have to be. He just needs to fill space, defend and rebound. Another key will be 6-4 John Williams, a 6-4 redshirt freshman who had to sit out because of academic issues. Because he's a solid defender, he could start.

Radford

Strengths: Coach Brad Greenberg needs a point guard with skills to run his up-tempo game and Amir Johnson, who made the all-freshman team last year, fits the mold. He's quick, can push the ball and can score off the dribble. He'll be much more of a factor this season, as will be 6-8 Joey Lynch-Flohr who will get more minutes and more shots.

Weaknesses: The Highlanders were not a good ball handling team last year, averaging almost 18 turnovers a game. They were sloppy with the ball at times, and that must improve. With a coach more willing to jerk some chains when mistakes are made, look for the ball handling to improve dramatically. It will still be a key to their success.

Scouting the newcomers: Look for 6-7 Nick McFarlin to make an immediate impact. A 225-pounder from Iowa, McFarlin was one of only two players in that basketball hungry state to average a double-double last year (15 points, 13 rebounds). Chris McEachin, a 6-4 guard from Norfolk, Va., will get some minutes because he can score in a variety of ways and played against tough high school competition.

VMI

Strengths: Expect senior Reggie Williams, who briefly flirted with the NBA Draft, to come back with a vengeance this year. Not being picked league player of the year although he led the nation in scoring and average over eight rebounds per game, stuck with him. Only High Point's Arizona Reid causes the same kind of matchup problems, but Williams is a better perimeter shooter and often plays harder, especially when the game is on the line.

Weaknesses: The Keydets still have no size, which makes the line between winning and losing even finer. They can't rebound well enough to win with a conventional style, thus coach Duggar Baucom has had to do something out of the ordinary with his offense. Until the Keydets get a big body inside, they'll have to keep playing this way. And that means the style may be here to stay, because VMI just doesn't get big men.

Scouting the newcomers: If the Keydets had a glaring weakness last year, it was an inability to get points from the point guard slot. Adam Lonon was urged to get better in that regard in the off season. If he didn't, that opens the door for Austin Kenan, a 5-11 freshman, who averaged 17 points and shot 41 percent on 3-pointers as a senior at First Colonial High in Virginia Beach, Va. The Keydets desperately need 6-7 Quinn Brownfield, 6-6 Hunter Houston or 6-6 Travis Moseley, all freshman, to give some help to replace graduated Matt Murrer.

Winthrop

Strengths: The Eagles still have the best starting backcourt in the league in Chris Gaynor and Michael Jenkins, and that's always a plus. They'll continue to play defense, which has always been the reason Winthrop has dominated the Big South. They also have a little psychological edge in not being picked to win the league.

Weaknesses: There are concerns in the middle, where junior college center Andy Buechert or freshman George Valentine must produce. And without De'Andre Adams there is no proven backup to Gaynor at the point.

Scouting the newcomers: Andy Buechert, a 6-9, 235-pound center from Tallahassee Community College, appears to be the heir apparent at the center spot, but the native of Trier, Germany has been soft in early season workouts. He has good size and low post moves, but doesn't understand how hard he has to work. Freshmen Charles Corbin, 6-7, and George Valentine, 6-8, will get some time. Marc-David Vil, a skilled 6-4 combo guard, will be a key in the backcourt, as will redshirt freshman Byron Faison. Vil will be a surprisingly good defender for a first-year player.