Scanning the SoCon- Week Fifteen

Scanning the SoCon gathers bloggers and fans from around the conference to vote on things and answer questions. This is the third year of Scanning the SoCon and hopefully will be our best year yet.

SCHEDULE

Monday

Furman at Western Carolina

Tuesday

Hiwassee at Wofford

Wednesday

Davidson at The Citadel
UNCG at Georgia Southern
Elon at Furman

Thursday

Western Carolina at Chattanooga
Samford at Appalachian State

Saturday

Davidson at Georgia Southern
The Citadel at Furman
Wofford at Appalachian State
Samford at Elon

Sunday

Western Carolina at UNCG

POWER RANKINGS

1)      Davidson 88 (8)

2)      Chattanooga 79

3)      Elon 67

4)      Wofford 64

5)      Western Carolina 62

6)      Samford 44

7)      Georgia Southern 40

8)      UNCG 34

9)      Appalachian State 26

10)  Furman 16

11)  The Citadel 8

 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Tim Williams, Samford- 4 votes

Others Receiving Votes- Karl Cochran, Wofford (2 votes), Tyler Kalinoski, Davidson (1), Ryley Beaumont, Elon (1)

GAME OF THE WEEK

Western Carolina at Chattanooga- 4 votes

Others Receiving Votes- Samford at Elon (2 votes), Davidson at Georgia Southern (1), Western Carolina at UNCG (1)

QUESTIONS

Sum up your team.

 

Appalachian State- Trudging along. The team did show signs of life two weeks ago when they knocked off GSU and then Citadel. However then a week off later, the team blew and 18-point second-half lead at UNCG to lose. The loss carried into the weekend where they lost to Elon. An ugly win over The Citadel followed, then a WCU loss where they got hopes up again only to fail at the end. This team won't get a first-round bye and it's seven regular season games left of Capel. We can get better in Capel's mind to his hearts content, but it's over.

Chattanooga- The Mocs have lost three out of four, but still are in reasonably good shape to get a bye in the SoCon Tournament. They have lost two tough road games, but have their next two at home, including an important one this week against Western Carolina. The Mocs then have Saturday off before playing Georgia Southern the following Thursday at home. This is a critical time for the Mocs. We’ll see how it goes.

Elon- Elon (14-11, 7-3) extended its winning-streak to four with home victories over UNC Greensboro and Georgia Southern this weekend. Senior forward Ryley Beaumont paced the Phoenix with 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one block in Elon’s 72-66 win over UNC Greensboro on Thursday night. Beaumont became the fourth member of the current Phoenix squad to score over 1,000 career points, joining teammates Jack Isenbarger, Lucas Troutman and Sebastian Koch in eclipsing the century mark in scoring for Elon. Elon is now one of just two NCAA Division I basketball programs to feature four players with over 1,000 points scored. Elon seemed to be in complete control of this contest after entering the intermission with a ten point lead, surrendering just 25 first-half points to the visiting Spartans. However, Elon entered a lengthy cold streak from the floor, scoring just nine points in the first nine minutes of the second half. As a result, the Spartans were able to storm back to take the lead, using an 11-1 run to capture a 44-41 lead with under 11 minutes remaining. However, Elon came right back with a 9-0 run of their own to regain a lead they ultimately never relinquished. Elon won the game in spite of its dreadful shooting from outside, connecting on just two of 20 three-point attempts. The Phoenix has now defeated the Spartans nine consecutive times. Elon seized its most thrilling victory over the season over Georgia Southern on Saturday night. The Phoenix defeated the Eagles, 60-59, as senior guard Jack Isenbarger hit a game-winning three pointer with .2 remaining in regulation. Beaumont led the Phoenix in points (14), rebounds (13) and steals (2), but Isenbarger stole the show with his clutch three-pointer from well behind the arc. With the win, Elon remained undefeated at home in Southern Conference play.

Western Carolina- After a 9 day break, the second such long break since conference play started , the Cats played App State on Saturday and will then play Furman on Monday, Chattanooga on Thursday, and UNCG on the following Sunday. Who makes these schedules? In my opinion, this schedule has made it difficult this season for the team to develop a good rhythm. Western won in overtime (84-75) Saturday night over a very determined Appalachian State team, in what may have been the Mountaineers best game of the season. The Cats are now 2-1 in their last three games, and hope to extend the wins on Monday night in the Ramsey Center, before traveling for a showdown with UTC in Chattanooga on Thursday.

Wofford is playing Hiwassee this week. Chattanooga played Eastern Kentucky last week. What do you think of playing a non-conference game in the middle of the conference schedule?

Appalachian State- If you have a hole in your schedule due to a odd number of teams in your conference, it is perfectly fine. UMass and Elon each had a hole on the same weekend and made a great decision. App recently went a Saturday without any game and that took away a lot of momentum built up from winning two in a row.

Chattanooga- I don’t particularly mind the non-conference game, though I have to question Wofford’s rationale for playing Hiwassee. Why play a game like that? It’s just risking injury in the middle of SoCon play with nothing to gain. This one makes no sense.

Elon- Playing a non-conference game in the middle of the SoCon schedule is usually a good chance to improve a team’s résumé. In the case of Wofford, it makes little sense, considering Hiwassee is not a Division I program. I feel it is futile to schedule a contest against a non-Division I squad at this point of the season. Chattanooga, meanwhile, lost to a formidable club in Eastern Kentucky (17-7, 7-3). It was worth it for Chattanooga because it gave them a chance to improve their RPI, which for seeding come NCAA tournament time.

Western Carolina- I prefer to see the non-conference games played prior to the start of the conference season, however that is not always possible. I have no problem with playing a HOME out of conference game, but, I'd try to avoid away OCC games once conference play is underway.

Chattanooga's Lady Mocs are unbeaten. The Citadel Bulldogs are winless on the men's side. Is it more likely that the Mocs lose first or the Bulldogs win first?

 

Appalachian State- Citadel wins first. the Lady Mocs look untouchable this year in the
league and The Citadel does have enough good players to surprise someone.

Chattanooga- I hate to put a curse on anyone, but it would be a shock if the Lady Mocs lost before the SoCon Tournament. It would not be a shock if The Citadel comes up with a SoCon win before Asheville. The Lady Mocs are just that good.

Davidson- It is much more likely that the Bulldogs will win than that the Lady Mocs lose. The Bulldogs have been close and they are capable of winning a game. It would take a huge upset for the Lady Mocs to lose. They are significantly better than any of the other teams in the conference. And they have a Hall of Fame coach. They aren't going to lose a conference game this season.

Western Carolina- In reviewing the Lady Mocs schedule, I don't see a loss in their remaining games. The Citadel certainly has the potential (ie the players and talent) to win any of their remaining games, with Furman being their best target of opportunity. So I go with the Bulldogs winning, before the Lady Mocs lose.

Dean Keener discusses the important roles of assistant coaches here. Do you have an assistant coach on your team that you think is particularly good or would make a good head coach? Who?

 

Appalachian State- Bobby Kummer has been a long-time assistant under both Capel and Bobby Lutz at Charlotte. I don't see anyone taking a chance on him just yet. He has to prove himself good with a winner. Both Justin Gainey and Kellen Sampson are too young and inexperienced, but Sampson has shown good fire. Ten years down the road I can see him being a head coach.

Chattanooga- The most likely next head coach on the Mocs bench is Wes Long. Long was the head coach at Queens University and successful there. He left there to come be an assistant at Chattanooga. He’ll eventually get a head coaching job again somewhere and will probably do very well for himself.

UNCG- I believe UNCG assistant coach Duane Simpkins should find himself with quite a few offers to move up the bench a spot this offseason. So far, he has proven that he can go into the DMV area and get good players to come to UNCG. Recruiting is a vital skill to all college coaches and Simpkins seems to have that skill.

Western Carolina- I think that most Catamount fans think (and want) Anquell McCollum as the next Catamount head coach. Anquell has been on the Catamount staff for the past nine seasons (under two different coaches), and as a product of Western Carolina, is one of the Catamounts most celebrated basketball players. McCollum's career got off to an impressive start as he was named to the SoCon All-Freshman team in the 92-93 season. As a senior, McCollum made it three straight SoCon Player of the Year honors, and was tabbed the league's top player after leading the league and ranking fifth nationally, scoring 25.0 ppg, he also ranked 16th nationally in 3-pointers and he earned the 1996 SoCon Tournament MVP. After his career at WCU ('92-'96), McCollum spent four season playing basketball professionally.