2015 Big South Tournament Edition

tj 2015 Big South Tournament Edition

Men’s Basketball Can Eagles recapture March magic?

Women’s Basketball Winthrop defends the crown against strong competition.

INSIDE Brackets, analysis and more!

#1. Charleston Southern (19-10, 13-5 Big South) The Bucs enter in as the regular season champions, and having a senior class led by Big South Player of the Year Saah Nimley has helped them become one of the conference’s most active scoring threats. #2 High Point (22-8, 13-5 Big South) The Panthers lost their chance to repeat as regular season champions, but still have one of the most dynamic, playmaking rosters led by John Brown. #3 Coastal Carolina (21-9, 12-6 Big South) The defending tournament champions hope that home-court advantage, a balanced attack led

by Warren Gillis and a hot Feburary will lift them through the tournament. #4 Radford (21-10, 12-6 Big South) The Highlanders are coming off their secondstraight 20-win season led by Defensive Player of the Year Javonte Green and the scoring of R.J. Price

Flying High

Eagles enter tournament having won six of the last eight behind veteran guards and young backcourt It’s been five years since the Winthrop Eagles were last in the NCAA Tournament, and the last they claimed a conference title.

After coming so close last year, falling to rival Coastal Carolina in the championship game, Pat Kelsey’s team is hungry for that elusive trip to the big dance.

One Moore Chance Redshirt senior Keon Moore has had a prolific year for the Eagles. Coming close to the 1,000 career point mark in just two years as an Eagle, he was also a first-team All-Big South selection. That’s the first time an Eagle has had that distinction since the 2006-07 season.

Averaging 18.7 points per game, he’ll be the catalyst for the Eagle offense. If not him, then Winthrop will look to fellow senior Andre Smith or speedy sophomore Keon Johnson.

One of Winthrop’s biggest advantages is their depth and their ability to score in multiple areas of the floor, and they’ll look to continue that in the tournament.

Forever Young?

The Eagles also have seen growth in a young frontcourt this season, primarily run by freshmen Xavier Cooks and Duby Okeke.

Cooks, an all-freshman team selection, provides an explosiveness on offense while Okeke can bring the hammer down with blocks on defense, provided he doesn’t find himself in foul trouble.

Winthrop also has depth on that end, with valuable post player Tevin Prescott and other weapons like freshman Joseph Lopez and sophomore Josh Davenport coming off the bench.

#6 UNC Asheville (14-15, 10-8 Big South) Sophomore sniper Andrew Rowsey is a constant scoring threat on this Bulldogs team, combined with 7’0” center Jaleel Roberts and freshman standout Kevin Vannatta. #7 Gardner-Webb (18-13, 10-8 Big South) A sleeper pick of many, the Runnin’ Bulldogs contain one of best lockdown defenses in the conferences led by Jerome Hill. #8 Presbyterian (10-21, 6-12 Big South) The Blue Hose may be a pick to play a feisty spoiler.

Look out for Freshman of the Year DeSean Murray as well as seniors Jordan Downing and 6’8” center William Truss to make an impact. #9 Longwood (9-22, 5-13 Big South) A year of incoming transfers couldn’t keep the Lancers from the bottom of the standings, but with Quincy Taylor dictating the pace, they could be diffi cult to stop once they get rolling. #10 Campbell (10-21, 4-14 Big South) The Camels have been hot and cold from long-range this season, but have the potential to light it up with Andrew Ryan and/or Curtis Phillips.

#11 Liberty (8-23, 2-16 Big South) Saying the Flames had a tough year is putting it lightly.

Plagued by key injuries, the Flames’ Andrew Smith is still averaging over 15 points and 10 boards per game.

#1. Liberty (23-6, 19-1 Big South) The Flames have been outstanding all year long, wrapping up the regular season title in the middle of Feburary. Their only conference loss? At Winthrop. #2 Radford (17-12, 14-6 Big South) The Highlanders have been a pleasant surprise this season, having gone 14-4 since the middle of December led by All-Conference selections Ayana Avery and Alisha Foy.

#3 High Point (18-11, 14-6 Big South) The Panthers remain one of the top cats in the Big South, as Player of the Year Stacia Robertson leads a cast that includes last year’s Player of the Year, Kaylah Keys. #5 Campbell (18-11, 14-6 Big South) Amanda Coffer and Kiera Gaines leads this Camels squad that ranks third in the conference in scoring defense (61.1 ppg). They split the season series with Winthrop (61-59 at WU, 62-52 at CU).

#6 Presbyterian (15-14, 10-10 Big South) The Blue Hose have talent of their own with Freshman of the Year Cortney Storey averaging a team-high 12.6 points per game.

Defending the Crown

Women’s team faces tough task in tournament title defense against a wide-open Big South field The Winthrop women find themselves in the opposite position of where they were last year. In a season where the hunter became the hunted, the Eagles wrapped up with another wining record, and a first-round bye in this year’s tournament.

Kevin Cook’s team face a tough road in a Big South pool that, beyond first place, has been a crowded room all season.

Coming in Klutch Aliyah Kilpatrick has made the most of her return to the roster after missing all of last year due to injury. Since February 2, she’s scored in double-digits in every game, becoming a major scoring weapon for the Eagles. It was enough to earn her an all-conference honorable mention.

She’s also come up big in the closing minutes, most notably in a 63-62 win at Longwood

that saw her hit two free throws with seconds remaining to lift the Eagles to a win.

The Dynamic Duo The Eagles haven’t lost their way on the other side of the ball though. Junior Schaquilla Nunn was selected as the Big South Defensive Player of the Year and, along with sophomore Erica Williams, was a first-team all-conference selection. It marked the first time two Eagles were picked first-team all-conference since 1987.

Nunn averages a team-high 10.2 rebounds per game and ranks eighth in the country in blocked shots with 3.72 per game. She’ll have to control the paint in order for Winthrop to have a shot.

Williams averages 16.5 points per game (2nd in the Big South), and has 11 double-doubles this season to her credit. Winthrop will need them both to be on their A game if they want to repeat.

#7 Gardner-Webb (13-16, 9-11 Big South) The Runnin’ Bulldogs continued a tradition of strong defense and rebounding with Olivia Parker averaging over 12 points and 8 rebounds per game. #8 UNC Asheville (8-21, 7-13 Big South) The Bulldogs have been the victim of some close losses this season, with seven conference losses coming by just fi ve or fewer points. Shonese Jones is their catalyst averaging 13 points per game in Big South play. #9 Coastal Carolina (12-17, 6-14 Big South) The Chanticleers contain some of the top scorers in the Big South, including All-Conference selection AJ Jordan, who averages 17 points per game. Anna Vogt and Ced Gibson lead their supporting cast.

#10 Longwood (4-25, 4-16 Big South) After a rough nonconference run, the Lancers found some footing, with all four of their wins coming in league play. A team of snipers, Raven Williams and Kyndal Skersick will look to bring terror from long-range. #11 Charleston Southern (5-24 1-19 Big South) The Bucs haven’t exactly had a good recent history in the postseason, having not won a game in the tournament since the 2011-12 season. Keep an eye on sophomore Tatum Jarvins to make a little noise.

2015 Big South Men’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals March 6, 2015 First Round March 4, 2015

#8 Presbyterian #9 Longwood

#1 Charleston Southern

#8/#9 Winner

#4 Radford #5 Winthrop

#7 Gardner-Webb #10 Campbell #6 UNC Asheville #11 Liberty

#2 High Point

#7/#10 Winner

#3 Coastal Carolina

#6/#11 Winner

Semifinals March 7, 2015 Championship March 8, 2015

2015 Big South Women’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals March 5, 2015

#1 Liberty

First Round March 3, 2015

#8/#9 Winner

#7 Gardner-Webb

#4 Winthrop

#10 Longwood

#5 Campbell

#6 Presbyterian #11 Charleston Southern

#8 UNC Asheville #9 Coastal Carolina #7/#10 Winner #2 Radford

#3 High Point

#6/#11 Winner

Semifinals March 7, 2015 Championship March 8, 2015

Seniors Keon Moore • First-team all-conference selection.

• Over 20 career 20-point games (most since 1994).

• Highest scoring average in program history since jump to Div. I. • Highest Big South play scoring average in program history.

Andre Smith • 21st Winthrop player to reach 1,000 career points • 28th Winthrop player to reach 100 assists in a season.

• One of only two players in Winthrop history with 1,000 points, 300 assists and 200 three-pointers in career.

• • • • • • • •

Samiya Wright Career Program Ranks

2nd in career free throw percentage (.762) 3rd for minutes played (3,828) 3rd for 3-point field goals made (179) 3rd in career 3-point field goal percentage (.340) 6th for total career field goals attempted (1,159) 6th for career games played (120) 9th for total career field goals made (436) 9th for career games started (99)

Taylor Calvert • Closing in on 500 career points and 700 career rebounds.

• 9th on career rebound list (688) • 9th in career field goal percentage (.470) • She and Wright part of winningest class (20112015) in program history, part of four straight winning seasons.