This Week in Big South Men's Basketball (2/17)
Bret McCormick recently wrote in the Rock Hill (South Carolina) Herald about the parity in the Big South Conference. One look around the conference standings at the moment reveals this parity to be obvious, as only three teams are truly out of the conference race. Let us also remember Liberty’s run in the 2013 tournament, as the 20-loss Flames marched through the competition in Conway. Anyone could win this tournament -- as always -- and the final few weeks of conference play will set up another exciting run to March Madness.
If The Season Ended Today
2014 VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Championships First Round:
#4 South Winthrop (14-11, 7-5) vs. #5 North Liberty (9-18, 3-9)
#3 North Radford (17-10, 7-5) vs. #6 South Presbyterian (6-21, 2-10)
#4 North Campbell (12-15, 6-6) vs. #5 South Charleston Southern (11-13, 5-6)
#3 South Gardner-Webb (14-13, 7-5) vs. #6 North Longwood (8-19, 3-9)
Quarterfinals:
#1 North VMI (15-10, 8-4) vs. UNCA/LU winner
#2 South UNC Asheville (13-13, 7-5 BSC) vs. RU/PC winner
#1 South Coastal Carolina (16-10, 9-3) vs. CU/CSU winner
#2 North High Point (11-13, 7-4) vs. GWU/LW winner
Game of the Week
Presbyterian 72, UNC Asheville 71: This has not been the best season for the Blue Hose, but a three-point dagger from Reggie Dillard with just under 20 seconds to play gave Presbyterian a gigantic victory over the visiting Bulldogs in the Templeton Center. PC sharpshooter Jordan Downing played the entire 40 minutes in the contest, contributing 31 points on 12-of-29 shooting. Downing was joined in double figures by Dillard and forward Will Truss with 12 each, with guard Markus Terry adding 11. Asheville received a stellar night from big man D.J. Cunningham, who poured in 23 on 11-of-15 shooting. UNCA guards Jaron Lane and Andrew Rowsey added 16 and 14, respectively.
Player of the Week
John Brown, High Point: The Panthers lost a game to Gardner-Webb and a game to snow this week, but Brown had a tremendous two games in the past seven days. His 19-point, 10-rebound effort against the Bulldogs kept the outcome in doubt until the final seconds of the 80-76 Gardner-Webb victory, while his 34 points and 12 boards carried the Panthers to a 72-65 victory at Radford on Saturday. Brown hit 10-of-15 shots from the floor and all 14 of his free throw attempts in the contest. The Panthers played the game without star guard Adam Weary, who suffered a leg injury in the loss to Gardner-Webb.
Last Week’s Results
Saturday, February 8
VMI 92, Charleston Southern 84
Coastal Carolina 67, Longwood 58
UNC Asheville 75, Liberty 72
Radford 83, Presbyterian 66
Winthrop 88, Campbell 62
Gardner-Webb 80, High Point 76
Tuesday, February 11
Gardner-Webb 68, Liberty 52
Wednesday, February 12
Winthrop 76, Longwood 59
Campbell 77, Presbyterian 66
Coastal Carolina 83, VMI 78
Thursday, February 13
Charleston Southern at High Point (ppd., snow)
Radford 102, UNC Asheville 92
Saturday, February 15
High Point 72, Radford 65
Charleston Southern 84, Winthrop 64
Longwood 76, Campbell 53
Coastal Carolina 75, Gardner-Webb 60
VMI 77, Liberty 70
Presbyterian 72, UNC Asheville 71
This Week’s Schedule (all times Eastern)
Monday, February 17, 2014
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at High Point
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
7:00 PM Coastal Carolina at Winthrop
7:00 PM Radford at Longwood
7:00 PM Liberty at High Point
7:00 PM Presbyterian at Gardner-Webb
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at UNC Asheville
7:00 PM Campbell at VMI
Saturday, February 22, 2014
1:00 PM Radford at VMI
2:00 PM Coastal Carolina at UNC Asheville
4:00 PM Liberty at Campbell
5:00 PM High Point at Longwood
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at Presbyterian
7:00 PM Winthrop at Gardner-Webb
