Top matchups to watch for in the SoCon, ASUN alliance this season

A number of conferences play non-conference collection towards each other every year, and beginning within the 2024-25 season, the Southern Convention and the Atlantic Solar are set to matchup with one another. Listed below are 5 intriguing matchups.

Samford at North Alabama (Nov. 15, 2024)

A pair of groups from the state of Alabama presents an intriguing matchup as one of many headliners. That has partly to do with the truth that Bucky McMillan’s Samford Bulldogs are recent off a 29-win season, which additionally included this system’s first NCAA Event look in 24 years. The truth is, the one different two NCAA Event appearances that Samford boasts as part of its NCAA Division I Basketball program got here throughout its membership within the Atlantic Solar (1999 and 2000).

North Alabama is a program attempting to ascertain itself as a daily contender amongst its Atlantic Solar brethren. The Lions are coming off a 2023-24 season, which noticed them end 15-17 general, together with 8-8 in league play, which was adequate to tie Florida Gulf-Coast for sixth place within the last regular-season standings. North Alabama is below the path of Tony Pujol. He was as soon as a coach within the Southern Convention as an assistant on Houston Fancher’s employees at Appalachian State from 2004-06.

The Bulldogs and Lions will probably be assembly for the thirty first time when the 2 sq. off with Samford holding the slender 16-14 collection edge.

In some ways, North Alabama is looking for to do what Samford has been capable of do below Bucky McMillan. The Bulldogs must be within the combine for a SoCon title as soon as once more this season and have arguably the highest addition within the league coming from the portal (Tulane switch wing Colin Holloway).

Japanese Kentucky at East Tennessee State (Nov. 8, 2024)

One other intriguing matchup is Japanese Kentucky’s journey to East Tennessee State. The Colonels are a program trying to construct one thing particular below head coach A.W. Hamilton, who helped them to the 2023-24 Atlantic Solar common season title earlier than being surprised within the Atlantic Solar Event by No. 10 seed Jacksonville.

This sport would be the 52nd all-time conflict between the 2 applications and the primary assembly between the 2 since Dec. 18, 2015, when the Bucs captured an 87-81 victory inside Freedom Corridor. The Colonels maintain a slender 28-23 lead within the all-time collection between the 2.

Underneath Hamilton, the Colonels have put collectively consecutive robust seasons, successful 24 video games a few seasons in the past and making all of it the way in which to the Faculty Basketball Invitational earlier than shedding within the championship sport to Charlotte.

Thrice this millennium the Colonels have gained their solution to the NCAA Event, successful the OVC title in 2005, ‘07, and ‘14, and now look to construct again to that sort of success below Hamilton, who enters his seventh season on the helm. Final season’s regular-season Atlantic Solar Convention was this system’s first regular-season convention title in 45 years.

So what ought to Bucs followers count on out of EKU’s crew? Nicely, will probably be a crew that will probably be trying to change its two prime scorers: Isaiah Cozart (15.6 PPG, 10.0 RPG) and Leland Walker (16.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG). It’s a crew that must be picked extremely within the preseason Atlantic Solar polls as soon as once more in 2024-25.

EKU’s prime returning scoring risk is 6-foot-6 wing DeVontae Blanton (14.0 PPG), who will possible be a preseason All-Atlantic Solar performer.

Underneath second-year head coach Brooks Savage, East Tennessee State is placing the items again collectively of being a dominant program within the higher echelon of the Southern Convention. Savage, who was an assistant and proper hand man for head coach Steve Forbes in his 5 seasons in Johnson Metropolis, helped the Bucs make an thrilling run all the way in which to the SoCon Event title sport final March earlier than falling to prime seeded Samford, 79-76, within the championship sport.

ETSU’s journey to the title sport of the Southern Convention Event final season marked the thirteenth all-time look within the SoCon title sport, because the Bucs gained three video games in three days to make the magical run to the title sport.

The Bucs return a stable nucleus of gamers for the 2024-25 season, together with Jaden Seymour, who enters within the working for Southern Convention Participant of the 12 months. Seymour was the second-leading scorer for ETSU final season, averaging 14.7 PPG and rating third on the membership in rebounds-per-game with 6.1.

Jacksonville at Furman (Nov. 11, 2024)

The Dolphins will journey to the Paladins on the Bon Secours Enviornment in downtown Greenville. Very similar to the Dolphins, who used to play a few of their video games at Veterans Memorial Enviornment—a much bigger downtown Jacksonville area versus its on-campus dwelling, which is named Jacksonville’s on-campus facility, the Paladins will probably be benefiting from their greater downtown venue (Bon Secours Wellness Enviornment) for all the 2024-25 marketing campaign, as Timmons Enviornment will probably be getting a 40-million greenback improve.

There’s a historic hyperlink that exists between these two applications: the late legendary head coach Joe Williams, who helped lead each applications to some success throughout totally different eras as a head basketball coach.

Williams, who handed away within the spring of 2022, helped lead the Dolphins program from 1964-70 earlier than taking up as the top coach at Furman, the place he would go on main the Paladin hoops program to unprecedented success earlier than ending out his profession as the top coach at Florida State from 1978-86.

Williams would after all lead Jacksonville to its best second as a hoops program, taking the Artis Gilmore-led Dolphins all the way in which to the 1970 nationwide championship sport towards John Picket and UCLA.

In 1970, Williams would take over the helm of the Paladin basketball program, and likewise, led it to a few of its most memorable moments in an eight-year span. Williams led the Paladins to 5 of its seven NCAA Event appearances, as he took the Paladins to the 1971, ‘73, ‘74, ‘75 and ‘78 NCAA Tournaments. The Paladins made the Southern Convention championship sport seven occasions in his eight seasons.

He helped recruit arguably two of the best gamers to ever swimsuit up at each applications, in Gilmore at Jacksonville and Clyde Mayes with the Paladins. Williams helped lead Furman to its first of two NCAA Event wins, which got here in a 75-67 win over South Carolina on March 9, 1974 in Raleigh.

As for the collection between the 2 applications, Furman and Jacksonville will probably be assembly for the Sixteenth time. The Dolphins maintain a slender 8-7 all-time lead within the collection, which included successful the primary six conferences. Underneath the path of Williams, the Paladins captured their first all-time win within the collection with a 71-64 choice on Feb. 23, 1974, at Furman’s then downtown dwelling—Greenville Memorial Auditorium.

Since breaking via with that win throughout the 1973-74 marketing campaign in Greenville, the Paladins have since gained six of the final eight conferences between the 2. The Dolphins claimed victory within the most-recent assembly between the 2, posting a 65-53 win on Dec. 22, 2012 when present Paladin head coach Bob Richey was in his second season as an assistant coach on the Paladin employees.

Since taking up as the top coach in 2017, Richey has posted essentially the most profitable run of any Furman head basketball coach in any period, posting a 166-70 general file in his time on the helm, in addition to an 88-35 file in Southern Convention play in seven seasons because the Paladin basketball head coach. For the reason that begin of the 2015-16 season, Furman has 198 complete wins, which is tied with UNC Greensboro for essentially the most wins within the league throughout that span.

The Paladins, who below Richey returned to the NCAA Event for the primary time after a 43-year absence in 2023, gained its first NCAA Event in 49 years, equaling the feat initially established by Joe Williams in 1974, because the Paladins knocked off Virginia, 68-67, at Amway Enviornment in Orlando on March 16, 2023.

In its first season defending a Southern Convention title final season, issues wouldn’t go as effectively for Richey and the Paladins, which noticed the preseason favorites end with its worst mark below Richey (17-16) and lowest end on the finish of a season within the Southern Convention standings (fifth) in 9 years.

The Paladins return three starters from final season, however Richey had rather a lot to switch within the low season, shedding his three prime scorers to the switch portal. The Paladins do return a stable nucleus, which incorporates large males Garrett Hien, Tyrese Hughey and PJay Smith, who averaged in double figures final season and will probably be a candidate to garner preseason All-SoCon accolades.

The Paladins welcome in some excellent expertise from the switch portal, together with level guard Jalen Sullinger from Kent State, who averaged 15.3 PPG final season and was the 2023 Sixth Man of the 12 months within the MAC. He has one 12 months of eligibility remaining.

Richey additionally retooled his teaching employees throughout the low season, shedding a pair of prime assistants, in Jeremy Growe and Tim Johnson. Growe, who was the affiliate head coach, just lately joined Chris Mack’s employees at Faculty of Charleston, and Johnson joined the Indiana State employees.

Jacksonville is coming off a 16-17 season in 2023-24 below the management of Jordan Mincy, who heads into his fourth season as the top coach. He has posted a 45-49 file in his three earlier seasons. The Dolphins posted a 5-11 mark within the Atlantic Solar final season, which was adequate for a Tenth-place end within the league.

Because the No. 10 seed, the Dolphins knocked off Kennesaw State (W, 92-86) and regular-season champion Japanese Kentucky (W, 67-65) earlier than shedding to eventual champ Stetson, 88-87, within the semifinals. The Jacksonville Dolphins have made 5 NCAA Event appearances, with the final one coming 39 years in the past.

Chattanooga at Austin Peay (Nov. 11, 2024)

Dan Earl’s Chattanooga Mocs will more likely to be the Southern Convention preseason favourite. They gained 21 video games and completed third within the Southern Convention standings final season.

The Mocs noticed their bid to win an unprecedented thirteenth Southern Convention Event crown was ended by East Tennessee State within the semifinals of the 2024 event, 85-84, in a traditional.

Austin Peay is a program that additionally figures to be in competitors for a convention title this coming season, because the Governors are coming off season with a 19-16 general and 10-6 league mark. That was adequate for a fourth-place end within the league’s standings.

The 2023-24 marketing campaign was a particular one for Governors basketball, as they performed their first season in a model new area, finishing the season one in F&M Financial institution Enviornment with a 14-3 general mark, together with a 9-1 mark towards league foes.

The Mocs and Governors will probably be assembly for simply the nineteenth time in historical past, with the Mocs holding the slender 10-8 all-time collection edge. The primary assembly on the hardwood between the 2 got here on Jan. 18, 1960, with the Governors capturing what was an 83-69 win over the Mocs in Clarksville. The Mocs misplaced the primary three video games within the collection and can enter the 2024-25 conflict having misplaced every of the previous two conferences with the Governors.

The final time the 2 met on the hardwood was on Jan. 3, 2011, with the Governors routing the Mocs, 89-57, in Clarksville. The Mocs shot simply 23.7% (14-of-59) from the ground, which marked its worst capturing evening in 14 years. The 32-point win by the Governors represents the biggest margin of victory by both crew within the 18 earlier conferences between the 2 applications.

Austin Peay will probably be in its second season below head coach Corey Gipson, who’s an alum and performed for legendary Governors head coach Dave Loos from 2012-15.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Governors welcome the return of six gamers off final season’s crew, whereas welcoming in six veterans from the switch portal and two freshmen.

The main returnee is Atlantic Solar Sixth Man of the 12 months Sai Witt, who averaged 12.8 PPG and 5.6 RPG after transferring in from Lincoln Memorial. The 270-pound energy ahead posted a team-best 5 double-doubles final season. All instructed, the Govs return 32.0% of their scoring from a 12 months in the past.

Chattanooga could have arguably the SoCon’s prime backcourt returning for the 2024-25 season as each Honor Huff and Trey Bonham are each again and can each possible be within the combine for league participant of the 12 months plaudits in 2024-25.

The Mocs introduced in a number of potential game-changers from the switch portal, with the perfect of these being 6-foot-7 ahead Frank Champion from North Georgia Faculty.

Final season, Champion ended up averaging 17.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG and posted a powerful 4.6 APG en path to garnering NABC NCAA Division II All-America honors final season and was a finalist for the Bevo Francis nationwide Division II Participant of the 12 months award.

Mercer at Stetson (Dec. 8, 2024)

One of many extra shocking matchups of the 5 to observe can be the one between Mercer and Stetson. Mercer must be an up-and-coming program within the Southern Convention this coming season, whereas Stetson will head into the season because the defending champion within the Atlantic Solar.

After all, the sport between Mercer and Stetson may also signify an previous Atlantic Solar rivalry, which dates again to the time through which the 2 shared the Trans America Athletic Convention.

The Bears made the transfer to the Southern Convention following the magical win over Duke within the 2014 NCAA Event. The Bears have but to recapture that sort of magic within the Southern Convention.

When the 2 sq. off, it’ll mark the 126th assembly between the 2, with the Hatters holding the 69-56 all-time collection edge. Mercer has performed no opponent extra typically in its historical past than it has the Hatters. The 2 haven’t confronted one another for the reason that 2013-14 season when the Bears gained 73-52 in Deland.

In that win over the Hatters a decade in the past, the Bears had been capable of get a 26-2 run within the second half to interrupt the sport large open. It was a balanced offensive effort was led by Langston Corridor’s 16 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

The Hatters had a magical 2023-24 season, as their breakthrough marketing campaign within the Atlantic Solar got here this previous season and certified for the NCAA Event for the primary time in program historical past. After ending second within the regular-season with an 11-5 convention mark, the Hatters knocked off Queens (W, 83-71), Jacksonville (W, 88-87) and Austin Peay (W, 94-91) within the championship sport.

The reward for the Hatters making the first-ever NCAA Event look for the Hatters? A date with reigning nationwide champion and future nationwide champion and prime general seed UConn. The Huskies took down the Sixteenth-seeded Hatters, 91-52 within the opening spherical of the event.

So how a lot of that expertise did head coach Donnie Jones retain off that 22-win championship crew of a 12 months in the past, as he heads into his sixth season on the helm?

Nicely, six complete gamers from the 2023-24 roster are again, however like most applications round mid-major basketball, the Hatters had been hit laborious by the portal, with essentially the most notable of these being main scorer and dynamic guard Jalen Blackmon, who joined the College of Miami. Blackmon averaged 21.5 PPG final season to guide the Hatters.

The Hatters should change 4 starters and their prime 5 scorers from final season, however there’s sufficient additions constituted of the switch portal to assist make sure the Hatters must be within the combine for the Atlantic Solar crown but once more this season. Seven-foot heart Treyton Thompson is again after averaging 4.5 PPG and 4.0 RPG final season.

As you would possibly count on, the Hatters added a number of gamers from the switch portal. They added 6-foot-6 sophomore Abramo Canka, who noticed motion in 15 video games for Wake Forest final season. Previous to his time in Winston-Salem, he spent his first season at UCLA.

When he got here out of highschool, he was ranked because the No. 1 participant in Italy, based on 247Sports and performed as a member of the U20 Italian Nationwide Crew in the summertime of 2022 within the European Championships. He averaged 9.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 1.4 APG in seven video games within the event.

Mercer will probably be below the path of first-year head coach Ryan Ridder and will probably be trying to break again into the highest half of the Southern Convention hierarchy. With many of the roster overhauled now and with one of many higher signing lessons from the switch portal within the SoCon, there’s motive to consider the Bears could make that return to the higher echelon of the league sooner reasonably than later.

One of the crucial spectacular additions from the portal is 6-foot-9 Marcus Overstreet from College of South Carolina Beaufort.

Holdover heart Alex Holt will give the Bears a formidable group of massive males. In his first season following transferring in from Excessive Level, Holt averaged 7.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG and began 17 of 32 video games for the Bears final season.

Here’s a have a look at all of the matchups for the SoCon-ASUN alliance.

Spherical 1:

Nov. 4 – FGCU @ UNCG

Nov. 8 – Japanese Kentucky @ ETSU

Nov. 8 – Western Carolina @ Queens

Nov. 9 – VMI @ Bellarmine

Nov. 9 – Wofford @ Lipscomb

Nov. 11 – Stetson @ The Citadel

Nov. 11 – Jacksonville @ Furman

Nov. 11 – Chattanooga @ Austin Peay

Nov. 15 – Samford @ North Alabama

Dec. 4 – West Georgia @ Mercer