The most exciting team in the Big South, VMI, is leaving the league this year, but with some of the other smaller leagues getting weaker in realignment, perhaps the Big South can get out of the 16 seed rut the league has been in the last few years. Defending tournament champion Coastal Carolina almost pulled off the first ever 16 over 1 upset over Virginia, leading by 10 in the first half before ultimately losing by 11.
With no divisions this year, Coastal and High Point look to be the overwhelming favorites for the regular season crown, but the rest of the league looks to be fairly wide open and I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of a number of teams representing the league in the 2015 NCAA tournament.
Winthrop, who made the conference title game last season, could have as many as four Senior starters, and Radford, despite going 10-6 in league play last season, might have the best player in the league in Javonte Green.
Predicted order of finish:
1. Coastal Carolina
2. High Point
3. Winthrop
4. Radford
5. UNC Asheville
6. Campbell
7. Gardner Webb
8. Liberty
9. Charleston Southern
10. Longwood
11. Presbyterian
All-Conference team:
Javonte Green, Radford
John Brown, High Point
Andrew Rowsey, UNC Asheville
Jerome Hill, Gardner Webb
Warren Gillis, Coastal Carolina
