MBB: USA South Conference

[JRitt]

Basketball is almost here!! Got to love this time of the year. Football in full swing and basketball around the corner. I really enjoy message boards. My son plays on one of the conference teams but until he performs I will not boast as a proud parent!!jk

Looks like the league has taken form and will have some quality teams come in from the GSAC conference. A much improved Lagrange who looks to have everyone back from last years team and a solid recruiting class.A player to look out for seems to be the Anderson kid. Had a great year in 2011. Piedmont has a new coach and we all know what that can do to a program, it can be very good or very bad. Lastly Maryville, the powerhouse of the GSAC. I was astonished at the amount of tournament appearances by the Scots. A total of (18)! Very refreshing to see a Coach be at one school for so long and attain so much success. Reading some of the articles and roster it looks like Maryville has a very talented  but young team. I also noticed they have a Div I transfer. That certainly helps.

Now to our USA south teams!! Ferrum lost a lot from last years team. Graduated 5 seniors. NC Wesleyan also graduated some very good players, but never underestimate good coaching! Methodist and Greensboro seem to have most of their team back and from seeing these teams play last year they are contenders.Watch out for Greensboro Lastly the beasts of Christopher Newport. Also a very impressive program! Went undefeated in league play last year but graduated their best player. Traditionally always seem to reload and never rebuild.
  With the additions of two other teams in 2013 the conference seems to be taking a turn for the better.  Any predictions??
Here are my predictions:
1- Christopher Newport
2- Maryville
3- Greensboro
4- Methodist
5- NC Wesleyan
6- Lagrange
7-Ferrum
8- Piedmont

[scottiedoug]

Maryville has the talent, depth, and size to be really good, but as JRitt notes, much of that talent is first and second year players.  Lots of travel is required for the league schedule this year and it will be a challenge especially for the freshmen.  So will figuring out which players work best together.

I would not be surprised if LaGrange exceeds JRitt's prediction.

Maryville is glad to be in a conference that allows the Scots to build a balanced schedule and compete for an automatic qualification to the NCAA tournament.

[USA South Dad]

I also have a son but will stay anonymous for his sake. We are excited about the start of the season!

Predictions:
1 - Christopher Newport - dominant last year and will be dominant again this year.  The CNU and Maryville games should be classic.  I think they lose only once (to Maryville) in the conference this year and play in the NCAA Tournament again.  Two USA South teams in the field of 64?  Yes!
2- Maryville - Coach Lambert has them in the NCAA Tournament year after year.  I think both CNU and Maryville will play in March Madness again this year.  Tons of talent.  Young talent but outstanding. I see 2 losses in league play for Maryville but still make the NCAA Tournament. 
3 - NC Wesleyan.  I am putting them here simply based on coaching.  Graduated some outstanding players but have more in the wings waiting for their chance this year. This team always seems to be good.
4 - Greensboro - return 2 of their top 3 scorers from an 18 win season.  Look for The Pride to be very good this year.
5 - Methodist - a lot of returning talent and they are big, strong, and athletic. However, that talent only won 9 games last year.  They have to take a big step this year to get in the top half of the league.
6 - LaGrange - The Panthers have 5 transfers and 8 freshmen added to their team that went 6-2 in the Great South last year.  They could make some noise and challenge for the top half of the league.
7 - Ferrum - the Panthers went 13-13 a year ago and have the ability to surprise some of the teams picked 3 through 6 in league play.  They dont seem to have enough depth and talent to compete at the top of the league this year.
8 - Piedmont - an easy pick for the cellar.  The Lions have a new coach.  Piedmont had very little talent on a team that won only 7 games last year.  It will be worse this year. I see the Lions winning no more than 2 conference games, if they are lucky. 

[Ralph Turner]

Welcome to the boards, USA South Dad.

[USA South Dad]

I only ranked the teams JRitt listed.  I missed Averett.  Do over.

I also have a son but will stay anonymous for his sake. We are excited about the start of the season!

Predictions:
1 - Christopher Newport - dominant last year and will be dominant again this year.  The CNU and Maryville games should be classic.  I think they lose only once (to Maryville) in the conference this year and play in the NCAA Tournament again.  Two USA South teams in the field of 64?  Yes!
2- Maryville - Coach Lambert has them in the NCAA Tournament year after year.  I think both CNU and Maryville will play in March Madness again this year.  Tons of talent.  Young talent but outstanding. I see 2 losses in league play for Maryville but still make the NCAA Tournament. 
3 - NC Wesleyan.  I am putting them here simply based on coaching.  Graduated some outstanding players but have more in the wings waiting for their chance this year. This team always seems to be good.
4 - Greensboro - return 2 of their top 3 scorers from an 18 win season.  Look for The Pride to be very good this year.
5 - Methodist - a lot of returning talent and they are big, strong, and athletic. However, that talent only won 9 games last year.  They have to take a big step this year to get in the top half of the league.
6 - LaGrange - The Panthers have 5 transfers and 8 freshmen added to their team that went 6-2 in the Great South last year.  They could make some noise and challenge for the top half of the league.
7 - Ferrum - the Panthers went 13-13 a year ago and have the ability to surprise some of the teams picked 3 through 6 in league play.  They dont seem to have enough depth and talent to compete at the top of the league this year.
8 - Averett - a tough year last year but they will be improved this year.  They are very similar to LaGrange and Ferrum and could work their way up to 6th in the league if all goes well. 
9 - Piedmont - an easy pick for the cellar.  The Lions have a new coach.  Piedmont had very little talent on a team that won only 7 games last year.  It will be worse this year. I see the Lions winning no more than 2 conference games, if they are lucky.

[JRitt]

USA South Dad,
I apologize for leaving out Averett. I pretty much agree with your assessment of all the teams. Greensboro is a team to look out for! This should be a very competitive league.. Any anticipation on seeing any of these teams ranked in the pre-season Top 25??

[scottiedoug]

This league has a way to go to get national respectability.  Not many USASouth teams have made an impact.  Maryville has been to the tournament many times but not won more than it has lost, and it has gotten into the tournament as a "B," which many national fans (probably accurately) think of as weak.  So, this would be a great time to start a different story line, beginning with getting two USASouth teams into the tournament.

[JRitt]

I agree with that statement. Just read where CNU will leave the conference next year. They have replaced CNU with Huntingdon and Covenant. I still believe it will be an interesting conference. Competitive from top to bottom.

When does D3hoops come out with the Top 25?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

No specific time on the Pre-Season poll. Usually in the later half of October...

[JRitt]

Appreciate the information~
D-Mac any predictions?

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Ha... the preseason poll has got to be one of the toughest to put together for all the voters and probably where you see the most parity/disagreement amoungst the voters.

However, I will say I suspect the ODAC will have two teams in the poll with VA Wesleyan maybe in the Top 5; I don't think the defending champions or three of the four finalists will NOT be in the Top 5 or even the Top 10; where MIT gets slotted will really be interesting (they return a LOT from last year's squad); I think a few newcomers make appearances; I suspect teams that finished very high in the final poll will be further down or out of the poll; I don't know if any USA South schools garner any votes (without looking into the details of Chris. Newport or the rest); and the Mid-Atlantic maybe the surprise region with a few teams getting Top 25 love from voters.

[the rock]

I also am new to the board. Look forward to good conversation and a convenient way to keep up with all USA South teams. I am excited to see the "new look" with the addition of the new schools. Looking forward to Oct. 15th and the start of practice.

[JRitt]

Here are some links to the 2012-2013 recruiting efforts, of the conference teams:
Thought some of you might like this.

LaGrange: http://www.lagrangepanthers.com/sports/mbkb/2012-13/releases/20120809cgafom

Maryville: http://www.thedailytimes.com/Sports_News/story/Fresh-faces-key-as-MC-hoops-enters-new-era-id-024824

Averett: http://www.averettcougars.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball&

CNU: http://www.cnusports.com/news/2012/7/20/MBB_0720122836.aspx?path=mbball


Methodist, Piedmont, Greensboro, NC Wesleyan and Ferrum have not posted any news or rosters for this upcoming season.

Will be posting up schedules shortly for each team, Would like to know who has toughest schedule?

[JRitt]

Schedules in the USA South:

NC Wesleyan:http://www.ncwcsports.com/sports/mbkb/2012-13/schedule

Piedmont:http://www.piedmontlions.com/schedule.aspx?tab=schedule2&path=mbball

LaGrange:http://www.lagrangepanthers.com/sports/mbkb/2012-13/schedule

Maryville:http://mcscots.com/sports/mbkb/2012-13/schedule

CNU:http://www.cnusports.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball&

Ferrum:http://www.ferrumpanthers.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball&

Averett:http://www.averettcougars.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball&

Greensboro: http://www.greensborocollegesports.com/sports/mbkb/2012-13/schedule

Methodist: http://www.mumonarchs.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

What are your thoughts on the SOS for each team?

[FanJacket]

Regarding SOS...one has to admire CNU's out of conference schedule...starting with RMC and Eastern Mennonite early and then Virginia Weslyan in Feb...along with St Mary's...also could get nice match ups in their tournaments.