College Basketball Conference Preview #4 - Southern Conference

The 2023-24 College Basketball Season will be one to remember for each team in the Southern Conference. Look for Western Carolina to set the pace and finish in 1st place in the Conference. Western Carolina will lean on three returning starters in senior guards Vonterious Woolbright, Tre Jackson, and Russell Jones Jr. The Catamounts hope senior forward Marlow Gilmore continues to provide immediate production off the bench. Head Coach Justin Gray hopes a pair of transfers - senior forward Charles Lampten (College of Charleston transfer) and senior guard Kamar Robertson (Mercer transfer) - will make an immediate impact as well. Furman welcomes back three starters and will need its backcourt of senior guard Marcus Foster and junior guard JP Pegues to play lights out for the Paladins to have a chance to win the Southern Conference in 2023-24. The Paladins are still on an emotional high from their win over Virginia in the 2023 NCAA Tournament that saw the Paladins advance to the Round of 32. Senior forward Garrett Hien - the final returning starter - is a solid rebounder but will need help in the paint from several returnees - most notably junior forward Alex Williams and sophomore forward Ben VanderWal. I predict Furman to finish in 2nd place in the final Conference Standings. East Tennessee State brings back two starters in junior guard Justice Smith and junior forward Jaden Seymour. New Head Coach Brooks Savage should also benefit from getting three solid incoming transfers in senior guard Ebby Asamoah (Delaware transfer), junior guard Tyler Rice (William & Mary transfer), and junior forward Jadyn Parker (North Florida transfer). I predict East Tennessee State to finish in 3rd place this season. Samford brings back four starters including senior forward Jermaine Marshall and junior guard A.J. Staton-McCray. The Bulldogs also return senior guard Jaden Campbell and junior forward Achor Achor. Head Coach Bucky McMillen enters his 4th season with high expectations after the Bulldogs tied Furman for the Southern Conference Regular Season Title - their first regular- season banner since 1999. UNC Greensboro may take a step back this season with only one starter returning in senior guard Keyshaun Langley. Look for senior guard Kobe Langley (Keyshaun's twin brother) and senior forward Mikeal Brown-Jones to provide much needed scoring and rebounding along with depth. I predict UNC Greensboro to finish in 5th place this season.

Wofford only returns two starters in junior guards Corey Tripp and Jackson Sivills. The Terriers were hit hard by the transfer portal but do haver senior center Kyler Filewich and junior guard Tauris Watson returning as key reserves. New Head Coach Dwight Perry will have a tough time getting Wofford to challenge for an NCAA bid this season but the Terriers should be able to finish in the upper half of the final Southern Conference standings if everything breaks right. I predict Wofford to finish in 6th place this season. Chattanooga only returns one starter in senior forward Demetrius Davis. 2nd Year Head Coach Dan Earl continues to have some big shoes to fill after former Head Coach Lamont Paris guided the team to the Southern Conference Tournament Championship in 2022 and a close loss to Illinois in the NCAA Tournament. Look for senior forward Jan Zidek (Pepperdine transfer) and senior guard Trey Bonham (Florida transfer) to make immediate impacts as well. I predict Chattanooga to finish in 7th place in the final Conference Standings. Mercer welcomes back one starter in senior forward Jalyn McCreary. Look for sophomore guard Jah Quinones, senior guard Jalen Cobb (Fordham transfer), and senior guard Robby Carmody (Notre Dame transfer) to provide additional production for the Bears. I predict Mercer to finish in 8th place in the final Conference Standings. The Citadel will go as far as their returning backcourt can take them. Senior guard Elijah Morgan and sophomore guard Madison Durr are the Bulldogs only returning starters. Look for senior forwards Winston Hill (Presbyterian transfer) and Quentin Millora-Brown (Vanderbilt transfer) to make an immediate impact. Ed Conroy enters his 2nd season at the Citadel in his 2nd stint as Head Coach of the Bulldogs and has his work cut out for him. The last 20 win season for the program was in 2008-09. I predict the Bulldogs to finish in 9th place in the final Conference Standings. VMI loses several key players and doesn't bring back any starters from last season's team. The Keydets do bring back several experienced returnees including senior guard Devin Butler, senior center DJ Nussbaum, and sophomore guard Taeshaud Jackson II. Head Coach Andrew Wilson who was a former James Madison Assistant knows he has an uphill climb in front of him. I predict VMI to finish in 10th place this season. Regardless of which team wins the Conference Tournament it will be a great season in the Southern Conference. Enjoy all of the games!

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