Southern: Balanced league a tough one to pick

Opening tip

Last season's conference race ended with three teams tied atop both SoCon divisions.

Despite an offseason that had its share of changes, the balance of power will remain, well, balanced.

North Division co-winners Davidson, UNC Greensboro and East Tennessee State all lost their leading scorers, although each returns a healthy portion of its roster.

VMI returns the nation's top scorer, sophomore Jason Conley, as well as its four other starters from a year ago, making it a major player in this year's divisional race. Western Carolina also returns its stud sophomore, swingman Kevin Martin.

In the South, where first place was separated from fifth place by just two games last season, the biggest change will be the absence of legendary College of Charleston coach John Kresse, who retired.

Tom Herrion, formerly an assistant at Virginia, inherits a program that has won 20 games in each of the past nine seasons, but could face a down year with go-to guys Jeff Bolton and Leighton Bowie gone.

The Cougars shared the South title with Georgia Southern, which loses two of its top three scorers, and Chattanooga, which lost four key starters but gained a new coach in rising star Jeff Lebo, formerly at Tennessee Tech.

The team to watch in the South is perennial doormat Furman, which surprised its way to the league tournament title game last year, earning its first winning season in nine years in the process.

North

East Tennessee State

Pluses: Fs Jerald Fields and Zakee Wadood form one of the SoCon's top rebounding tandems. Swingman Tyras Wade is a walking matchup problem. The sophomore should emerge as the team's top scorer, helping fill the void left by Dimeco Childress (17.5 ppg).

Minuses: Childress ran the show for the Bucs, but senior Ryan Lawson and heralded freshman Timothy Smith may be able to handle the playmaking duties. Depth is never a concern for ETSU, which fields the deepest roster in the league.

Parting shot: Wade has the opportunity to join Conley and Martin in the SoCon's sterling sophomore class. If he succeeds, it's hard to see the Bucs not distancing themselves from the pack. Coach Ed DeChelis has it all at his disposal, which could mean an end to the decade-long drought between NCAA appearances in Johnson City.

UNC Greensboro

Pluses: Seniors James Maye and Luke Boythe form an impressive frontcourt. Three-point shooter Jay Joseph adds another dimension to the attack.

Minuses: All-everything PG Courtney Eldridge is gone, and the reins will likely be turned over to freshman Ray Bristow. Versatile F David Schuck, the hero of the team's run to the 2001 NCAA Tournament, is also gone, forcing sophomores Josh Gross and Tizzo Johnson into greater roles.

Parting shot: The Spartans' chances will likely hinge on the effectiveness of Bristow, a highly regarded recruit who was an SEC target. If he can keep the loss of Eldridge from weighing significantly, UNCG has enough back to make a run. Expect Fran McCaffery's team to be a tough out late in the season.

VMI

Pluses: Conley was brilliant last season, coming out of nowhere to average 29.3 points per game, becoming the first freshman ever to lead the nation in scoring. He's one of those rare players who can't be defended, and he'll only improve.

Minuses: Conley needs help. Second-leading scorer Radee Skipworth is also a slasher, so it would really help the Keydets if big men Zach Batte and Tim Allmond do more than just block shots. Freshman C Tadas Manekevicius could be a factor.

Parting shot: Conley had a screw inserted into his foot this offseason, but is expected to be 100 percent when the season begins. That alone makes the Keydets worth watching. If he can get some scoring help and continues to evolve, VMI will be a factor.

Western Carolina

Pluses: Martin averaged over 22 points per game as a freshman and is often as explosive as VMI's Conley. He could get help from a pair of highly touted recruits, C David Berghoefer and Canadian swingman Corey Muirhead.

Minuses: Unless Berghoefer hits the ground running, WCU will be thin inside. Only 195-pound Rans Brempong returns from last year's frontcourt. Playmaker Casey Rogers is also gone, although the point could be in capable hands with senior Kori Hatcher back.

Parting shot: The Catamounts are an awful lot like VMI. They will center their attack around the improving Martin, but will require others to step up if they're going to contend. Credit third-year coach Steve Shurina with some excellent recruiting, but his team might still be a year away.

Davidson

Pluses: PG Wayne Bernard is a gutty leader and terrific defender. SG Peter Anderer, the SoCon's top 3-point shooter, came off the bench last year but will likely start with Michael Bree gone. F Nick Booker can defend anybody.

Minuses: C Martin Ides and PF Chris Pearson are both gone, taking about 25 points and 15 rebounds of production with them. Sophomore Conor Grace will fill one of those slots, while a host of newcomers will compete for the other.

Parting shot: The Wildcats used veteran savvy to capture the tournament last season, emerging as the last one standing in last year's packed race. Some quality pieces return, but the team's losses inside should prove costly.

Appalachian State

Pluses: F/C Josh Shehan is a huge presence down low who can bang with anyone in the league. Fellow senior Nate Carson is also adept in the paint. SG Graham Bunn hit 53 percent of his 3-point attempts last season.

Minuses: JC transfer Eric Williams, brother of former UNC standout Shammond, could give the Mountaineers the go-to scorer they need. The loss of Jonathan Butler will force them to go with a point-guard-by-committee approach.

Parting shot: Appalachian State brought up the rear in the North last year and seems to have made the least strides of any of the teams. The struggles should continue for the Mountaineers, who are only three years removed from their last NCAA appearance.

South

Furman

Pluses: Guilherme Da Luz is easily the league's top playmaker. If his shooting improves, he's an all-league caliber guard. Frenchman Karim Souchu was the top sixth man in the SoCon a year ago, but should move back into the lineup.

Minuses: The Paladins' frontcourt is undersized, although Kenny Zigler doesn't let it affect him on the boards. If Maleye Ndoye and Paco Gonzalez keep improving, interior play won't be a concern. Jason Patterson, a redshirt freshman, is being counted on to add perimeter punch.

Parting shot: Furman has been down for a long time, but last year's surprising run in the conference tournament provides hope. This will be the most talented team assembled in Greenville in quite some time. The senior-laden bunch knows this is their best (and last) chance, so expect them to be hungry.

Georgia Southern

Pluses: Julius Jenkins keys a prolific backcourt that should score a ton. He gets it done with quickness, defense and the savvy that comes with starting nearly every game of his career. JC import Prentice Mobley was one of the top scorers in that classification last year and will be given the green light here. Ditto for Terry Williams, who averaged nearly 10 points as a freshman.

Minuses: PG Sean Peterson is gone, and although there is obviously plenty of firepower remaining, one of the guards will have to run the offense. Given his experience, it will likely be Jenkins. There's very little frontcourt depth behind steady junior Frank Bennett.

Parting shot: The Eagles will run teams ragged. Their perimeter depth is unmatched in the SoCon and should give them an advantage every time out. If Bennett manages to hold down the fort inside, Georgia Southern could defend its division title. At the very least, they will be a tough out in the tournament.

Chattanooga

Pluses: Sturdy F Nick Benson is the Mocs' lone returning starter, but he's a good one to build around. Swingman Tim Parker is a versatile threat whose role should expand. Lebo brought in a heralded recruiting class paced by JC standout Ashley Champion.

Minuses: Four starters are gone, including the team's backcourt. While Parker should become entrenched at off guard, someone will have to emerge at the point and in the post.

Parting shot: Lebo has proven himself to be an excellent coach, but meshing so many new faces together while teaching a new system will lend itself to growing pains. Still, Lebo is too good to let the Mocs fall too far down the standings, especially if his signees produce immediately.

Charleston

Pluses: Mike Benton and Rudy Rothseiden, a pair of 250-pounders, give the Cougars considerable bulk inside. JC transfer Zeke Johnson could emerge as a strong low-post scorer.

Minuses: Bolton did a little bit of everything for the Cougars, including keying their stifling defense. JC transfer Marcus Johnson and freshman Robert Swain have huge roles to fill.

Parting shot: Herrion had decent talent around for his first season, but lacks the go-to guy Kresse had seemingly every year for the past decade. The Cougars were known for their defense and excellent execution under Kresse. What will they be known for under Herrion? The new guy's job won't be easy. Having to coach in a building named after your predecessor never is.

The Citadel

Pluses: Even though center Cliff Washburn graduated, the Bulldogs retain one of the more impressive frontcourts in the league. Seniors Michael Joseph, Romas Krywonis and Gregg Jones will team with athletic junior Max Mombollet to give teams trouble inside.

Minuses: Travis Cantrell and Alan Puckett combined to hit 156 3-pointers a year ago. Freshmen Kevin Hammack and Matt Davis may start in the backcourt as a result, although senior PG Kenny Milford could give the team some stability if he takes over the ball handling duties.

Parting shot: The Bulldogs have notched winning seasons in consecutive years, and although the loss of three 1,000-point scorers will hurt, all isn't lost. Pat Dennis' recruiting class will learn on the job, relying on the sturdy frontcourt to carry the load. Another winning season will be tough to attain, but not impossible.

Wofford

Pluses: PG Mike Lenzly keys a veteran backcourt filled with fellow double-digit scorers Lee Nixon and Justin Stephens. There's an unbelievable amount of depth there too.

Minuses: An already undermanned frontcourt lost standout rebounder Kenny Hastie. Senior Grant Sterley is sturdy, but unless sophomore C Sam Daniels improves, opponents will have their way with the Terriers inside.

Parting shot: Mike Young has spent 13 years as an assistant at Wofford and now gets his shot at the helm. In Lenzly he has a dependable leader, but that alone won't get it done on the boards and in the paint. The Terriers won't reach their first NCAA Tournament this year.