Who: Samford (15-2, 4-0 SoCon) at Western Carolina (15-2, 4-0 SoCon)
When and The place: Jan. 16, 2024 / Cullowhee, N.C. / Liston B. Ramsey Exercise Heart (7,826)
Coaches: Samford — Bucky McMillan (63-37, fourth season) / Western Carolina — Justin Grey (44-39, third season)
Collection: thirty first assembly / Samford leads 16-14 / Samford gained each conferences final season (74-65 in Birmingham and 85-77 in Cullowhee)
The place To Watch: CBS Sports activities Community, 6 p.m. ET
When the digicam lights come on for CBS Sports activities Community on Tuesday evening and Western Carolina (15-2, 4-0 SoCon) and Samford (15-2, 4-0 SoCon) do battle to determine the highest workforce within the Southern Convention standings, it has the potential for being among the finest regular-season video games that mid-major hoops might witness in the course of the 2023-24 season.
These two applications are distinctive, and have been on the rise the previous couple of seasons below younger, energetic head coaches.
Each Samford’s Bucky McMillan and Western Carolina’s Justin Grey have taken applications that function considerably pedestrian basketball histories in latest occasions and have elevated them within the SoCon hoops hierarchy in a brief period of time.
A take a look at the Catamounts:
The 2022-23 season for Western Carolina basketball program was considerably of a breakthrough season, because the Catamounts closed out the marketing campaign with an 18-16 report. They completed fourth within the league’s ultimate standings and had been one among two groups within the SoCon to make a postseason look, because the Catamounts took half within the Faculty Basketball Invitational (CBI).
The Catamounts noticed their NCAA Match hopes come to a heartbreaking finish within the semifinals of the Southern Convention Match, with an 83-80 additional time loss to Furman after preventing arduous to get again into the sport.
The Catamounts took the bitter tastes of their collective mouths from that loss that took away their alternative to make simply the varsity’s second NCAA Match look (1996), and that has fueled a robust begin to the 2023-24 season.
In contrast to the one workforce make the NCAA Match in program historical past, the Catamounts gained 15 of their first 17 video games to open the season, whereas that ‘96 workforce bought off to a 1-7 begin and completed the regular-season with simply 14 wins.
In an period the place the switch portal is so prevalent, Grey satisfied his backcourt — arguably one of the best within the SoCon and possibly one of many prime collections of expertise in all of mid-major basketball — to stay round for one more season. WCU returns Vonterius Woolbright, Tre Jackson, DJ Campbell and Russell Jones Jr. The one participant that ended up departing off that WCU workforce from a yr in the past was Tyzhan Claude, who determined to proceed his profession at Georgia Tech and was the Catamounts’ prime huge man a yr in the past.
Woolbright (20.6 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 5.4 APG) was the SoCon Preseason Participant of the Yr. Campbell (12.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG), Jackson (13.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG) Jones (11.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG) are additionally in double figures. That is pretty much as good of a bunch because the Catamounts have ever had at one time, and that features when this system featured two of one of the best scorers in all of school basketball within the 1994-95 season in Frankie King and Anquell McCollum.
Ought to Woolbright have the ability to preserve these astounding averages in all three classes, he’d be the primary participant in school basketball historical past to take action. Woolbright was not too long ago named Southern Convention Participant of the Week for the sixth time this season. His 14 double-doubles in 17 video games leads the nation.
Woolbright is a novel discover, as he is among the most versatile gamers in all of school basketball. At 6-foot-6 and with large ball-handling expertise, slashing skill and general athleticism, he’s a matchup nightmare for anybody. His 12.6 rebounds-per-game rank him second within the nation in general rebounding common. His 20.6 PPG ranks him tied for 14th nationally in scoring common with Tyon Grant-Foster from Grand Canyon.
His skill as a slasher this season has made him practically unstoppable, and it normally ends in Woolbright both scoring a layup or dunk, or if he doesn’t do this, he’s in a position to attract a foul and get to the free throw line.
Whereas Woolbright is the star, he’s a part of a bunch of guards that basically makes the Catamounts go and makes them so versatile. Jackson can get factors in a rush, as evidenced by his 47-point barrage he delivered in an additional time win at Wofford final season. Jackson can be the workforce’s prime perimeter risk this season, having knocked down a team-best 52 triples this season, and is taking pictures them at a 36.6% (52-of-142) clip this season.
Jones Jr. ranks second on the workforce in three-pointers made this season with 39 trifectas, and he sports activities a powerful 41.1% (39-of-95) from 3-point land this season. All instructed this season, the Catamounts are taking pictures the ball at a 35.4% (135-of-381) from long-range this season, whereas as a workforce the Purple and Gold is connecting on 7.9 three-pointers made-per-game to rank sixth within the league.
Campbell has form of been the x-factor for the Catamount backcourt this season. His scoring for WCU this season has been a revelation, and he’s given the backcourt one more scoring choice to be accounted for defensively.
Rounding out the beginning 5 might be Faculty of Charleston switch Charles Lampten (2.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG). At 6-foot-11, has supplied the required rim safety the Catamounts have wanted on the defensive finish of the ground this season. LSU switch Cornelious Williams (3.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG), 6-foot-9 ahead Colin Granger (2.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG) and 6-foot-8 Catawba switch Bernard Pelote (7.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG) have added the depth beneath off the bench for the Catamounts. If there have been an award for sixth man of the yr within the SoCon, it ought to in all probability be Pelote who would win it. He has large athleticism and is a participant that may present a scoring punch from the perimeter as nicely.
As a workforce, the Catamounts are averaging 77.1 PPG, which ranks sixth within the SoCon, whereas permitting simply 65.5 PPG, which leads the league. Western Carolina ranks second within the league in each workforce subject purpose proportion (47.0%) and subject purpose proportion protection (39.1%).
A take a look at the Bulldogs:
Bucky McMillan’s Samford Bulldogs are in considerably acquainted territory, as they’re as soon as once more off to a quick begin within the Southern Convention. Final season, the Bulldogs bought off to an 8-0 begin earlier than dropping back-to-back video games at Furman and Wofford. They completed 15-3 and tied for the regular-season Southern Convention regular-season crown.
The Bulldogs misplaced because the No. 2 seed to seventh-seeded Chattanooga, making their time in Asheville final March a brief one within the Southern Convention Match.
Like Western Carolina, it’s been arduous for the Bulldogs to scratch out any form of significant basketball custom previous to the arrival of McMillan again in the course of the 2020-21 season. With that stated, the Bulldogs struggled in that first season below their new head coach, posting a 6-13 report within the COVID-19 shortened season. Nonetheless, since then McMillan has strung collectively back-to-back 21-win seasons and has put the Bulldogs in place to win a second-straight regular-season title but once more this season.
The Bulldogs, who’re tied with No. 20 Utah State for the nation’s longest successful streak at 15, have recorded 12 of these 15 within the pleasant confines of the Pete Hanna Heart, which has turn out to be one of many hardest locations to play in mid-major basketball.
The 15-straight wins are a college report. The Bulldogs will discover out rather a lot about who they’re as a basketball workforce starting tonight, as three of their subsequent 4 are on the SoCon highway.
After internet hosting Mercer on Saturday, they’ve back-to-back highway journeys at two of the hardest venues to win within the league, going through off towards defending champion Furman at Timmons Enviornment, after which head to Freedom Corridor to face an ETSU workforce that has gained 10 of its final 11 on its dwelling flooring.
The Bulldogs arrive in Cullowhee with the nation’s prime scoring offense, pacing the nation with a scoring common of 91.5 PPG. The Bulldogs posted a Division I program report 134 factors final day trip towards VMI.
Fueling that high-octane offense is a tenacious, urgent protection designed to create live-ball turnovers and simple scoring alternatives. The Bulldogs lead the convention in scoring common (91.5 PPG), subject purpose proportion (49.9%), 3-pointer subject purpose proportion (40.8%), and 3-pointers made (185). The Bulldogs additionally lead all of school basketball in bench factors per sport (39.65).
The Bulldogs at present rank twelfth nationally in general workforce subject purpose proportion, whereas rating third in 3-point subject purpose proportion.
That top vitality type employed by McMillan and workers requires loads of gamers to get minutes, and a type of gamers that has not been concerned of late is preseason All-SoCon guard Jermaine Marshall, who’s sidelined for some time with a decrease physique harm. Thankfully for the Bulldogs, others have stepped up in sturdy vogue. The Bulldogs use that urgent type to generate extra scoring alternatives, and that’s mirrored in the truth that the Bulldogs additionally rank sixth in all of school basketball in turnovers pressured per sport (18.29).
The Bulldogs have probably the most improved gamers within the nation, in 6-foot-9 junior ahead Achor Achor (15.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG), and he’s discovered his approach into double figures in 14 of 17 video games to start out the season for the Bulldogs. He has scored 20 or extra factors in 4 video games this season, together with a career-high 26 factors in a win over North Carolina A&T.
Like WCU, the Bulldogs make use of a four-guard lineup, with Achor Achor left to go it alone within the paint. AJ Staton-McCray (13.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG), Jaden Campbell (9.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG), Dallas Graziani (4.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG) and Rylan Jones (7.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG) comprise the backcourt for the Bulldogs.
One of many extra fascinating storylines is between the 5-foot-7 Graziani and WCU’s Jones, who’s 5-foot-8. You may primarily have two of the smallest guards in school hoops going up towards one another.
The true shock this season has not solely been the play of Achor but additionally that of Staton-McCray, who has progressed into an all-conference performer this season after averaging a strong 10.3 PPG a yr in the past. In Samford’s SoCon opening win over Chattanooga, Staton-McCray dropped a career-high 29. It should probably be Staton-McCray that attracts the unlucky project of attempting to gradual WCU’s Woolbright on the defensive finish. Staton-McCray is taking pictures a blistering 47.2% from lengthy vary this season, having knocked down 25 triples.
Extremely, the 3-point subject targets distribution on Samford’s roster is fairly spectacular. The Bulldogs have knocked down a league-high 185 treys this season. 4 gamers have knocked down 20 or extra: Staton-McCray (25), Chandler Leopard (24), Rylan Jones (24), Jaden Campbell (22). That quartet is taking pictures a mixed 45.5% (95-of-209) from lengthy vary this season.
Off the bench, the Bulldogs clearly have a robust supporting solid in each the backcourt and frontcourt. Main the best way in backcourt is Garrett Hicks—a switch from Alabama A&M—and has given McMillan some good scoring help off the bench within the backcourt, as has freshman Josh Holloway (5.2 PPG, 1.4 RPG).
Within the entrance court docket, Riley Allenspach (6.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG) is making his case for SoCon Freshman of the Yr. Nathan Johnson (4.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG) has additionally been previous dependable off the bench for the Bulldogs, flourishing in that function final season, as he cut up his time beginning and coming off the bench final season, beginning 16 of the 32 outings for the Bulldogs a yr in the past.
Prediction:
Each of those groups play nicely at dwelling, and Western Carolina is available in with a 10-game successful streak of its personal. With that stated, I’m wondering how this one dynamic will play out tonight…Will Samford have the ability to afford to press Western Carolina’s skilled backcourt like they usually would different opponents? I’m not positive that might be potential with among the finest downhill guards in mid-major hoops in Vonterius Woolbright. That’s why I’m choosing the Catamounts on this one.
Western Carolina 79, Samford 74