Conference Review and Preview: Southern

For the third year in a row, Davidson either won their division or topped the league standings outright, and last year they did it in convincing fashion, losing just one conference game, to Elon in overtime. They were stunned in overtime in the conference tournament semifinals by Western Carolina, and Wofford continued its stranglehold on the league.

Wofford will likely only strengthen their grasp on an autobid over the next few years as conference realignment has come to the SoCon. Davidson is off to the Atlantic 10, and another strong contender, Elon, will head to the CAA. Georgia Southern and Appalachian State are off to the Sun Belt. Replacing them will be East Tennessee State, Mercer, and VMI.

Wofford returns basically everybody from last year’s NCAA tournament entrant, and after holding Michigan to a point per possession, the Terriers should be a trendy upset pick if they can make it back to the Dance.

By virtue of beating Duke in last season’s NCAA tournament, Mercer will be the school on everyone’s lips, but they lose 5 Seniors, including Langston Hall who was the best player in the Atlantic Sun last season.

VMI, who has been top 10 nationally in tempo in every season since 2007, will be a fan favorite, and no doubt will speed up a middle of the pack SoCon.

Projected order of finish:

1. Wofford

2. Chattanooga

3. VMI

4. Mercer

5. Western Carolina

6. Samford

7. ETSU

8. UNC Greensboro

9. The Citadel

10. Furman

Preseason All-Conference team:

1. Karl Cochran, Wofford

2. Lee Skinner, Wofford

3. Casey Jones, Chattanooga

4. QJ Peterson, VMI

5. Kyle Cain, UNC Greensboro

POY: Cochran

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