The Dean's List - Feb. 5, 2025

The Dean’s List 

February 5, 2025 

I. Inside SoCon Hoops 

We are 30 days from the start of the Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championships in Asheville.  The competitive balance in the league is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent years as 23 of the 50 conference games played to date have been decided by five points or less.  

The remainder of the Southern Conference schedule promises to be exciting. 

No doubt it’s going to be interesting to see how the regular season plays out as teams race to finish in the top six.  Remember, it’s critical to finish in the top six as teams don’t want to play in the first round on Friday night in Asheville. It’s difficult enough to win three games in a row, let alone four. 

It's not surprising that Samford, UNCG and Chattanooga are currently at the top as all three have talent, coaching and a winning tradition during the past several years.  But ETSU, Wofford, Furman, VMI and Mercer have all played well and have the firepower to beat anyone at home and on the road.  Even though Western Carolina and The Citadel have struggled at times in conference play, they remain threats, particularly at home. 

It must be mentioned that Andrew Wilson has orchestrated one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent years.  He has VMI playing extremely well.  In fact, the Keydets have won five of their last six (their only loss was to UNCG by three points).  Equally impressive, they’ve won three straight road conference games for the first time in 27 years!  

The remainder of conference play promises to be very interesting.  Because of the competitive balance, it’s hard to predict the outcome, thus making just about every game pivotal. 

Wow, the next few weeks are going to be exciting!  

II. In The Know 

• Samford is 14^th in the country in assists per game (17.3) while Furman is 19^th at 17.1/game. 

• UNCG is 16^th in the nation in three-point percentage defense. 

• In conference games, ETSU leads in attendance at 3,935/game.   

• Nine of the top 10 scoring leaders in the Southern Conference are transfers.  UNCG guard Donovan Atwell is the only player that started at his current institution. 

• Western Carolina’s Cord Stansberry is fourth in the nation in free throw percentage at .934. 

• The 2025 March Madness men’s basketball tournament is just around the corner.  Before the official selections are announced on Sunday, March 16, the DI Men’s Basketball Committee will share its first, top 16 seeds on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS. 

III. Most Improved 

Even with all the transfers out of the league, there are several players that stuck around and have made a nice jump since last season. 

As we have mentioned in the past, there are many reasons why it takes some players longer to develop or break into the rotation.  For some players, it’s nothing more than adjusting to the speed and physicality of the college game.  In other instances, a player may be stuck behind an older or more talented guy and merely needs to wait for his time (unfortunately we don’t see that as much with the transfer portal).  Regardless, it’s always great to see players grow and improve throughout their career. 

Player development at the college level comes in many different forms.  Its time spent on the court developing and refining fundamentals.  It can be time spent in the weight room getting stronger and quicker as well as time in the film room. It’s also learning about proper diet and nutrition, which is critical for young players.   

In no particular order, here are a few of the most improved players in the league: 

• Cooper Bowser (Furman) – The 6’11” sophomore had his best collegiate game in the Paladins win over Samford on Jan. 29.  He had 21 points on 8-8 shooting.  As he continues to embrace physicality and rebound a bit better, he is going to become a real force. 

• Davis Molnar (Furman) – The redshirt sophomore has already played more minutes than he did all last season.  He’s simply a guy that helps impact winning with his hustle, unselfish play and overall IQ. 

• Riley Allenspach (Samford) – He had a solid freshman season but has continued to get better in year two at Samford.  He can be a presence inside as well as knock down an occasional three. 

• Dillion Bailey (Wofford) – In his second season at Wofford, Bailey has been terrific since the conference season started!  In SoCon play, he leads the Terriers in scoring while shooting almost 50% from three. 

• Maki Johnson (ETSU) – The sophomore is known for his three-point shooting but it's at the defense end that’s he’s improved. The game seems as though it’s slowed down for him and that’s a big reason why Brooks Savage trusts him.  

IV. SoCon City Restaurants

There are 10 cities in the Southern Conference and each one has some terrific places to eat before or after a game. This is not necessarily a ranking of five-star establishments but simply places that have good food and/or a good atmosphere. I must admit that I’ve been to most but not all of the restaurants listed below, so I’m sure there are many more: 

Charleston (probably not fair to list just four) 

• Muse Restaurant & Wine Bar – Special occasion place.  The Sea Bass is off the charts 

• FIG – Simply terrific food 

• The Ordinary – A 1920’s bank now houses an upscale seafood restaurant. One of my favorites 

• Hank’s Seafood – One of the best for seafood in a town full of terrific places 

Chattanooga 

• Stir – Good food, cool area 

• Main Street Meats - A neighborhood butcher shop and restaurant located on the south side of Chattanooga 

• Alleia – Great Italian cuisine 

• Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar – Great food, great service 

Cullowhee 

• Rodgers Bros – Sports-themed restaurant with good burgers and wings 

• Lulu’s on Main – A short drive to Sylva takes you to a really good place 

Greensboro 

• Scrambled Southern Diner – A great place for breakfast 

• Hops Burger Bar – Really good burgers 

• Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen – Upscale, but causal environment  

Greenville (like Charleston, this is a great food town) 

• Soby’s – Terrific restaurant in a terrific downtown area 

• Draper Purveying Company – Outstanding southern fare 

• Willy Tacos – Best tacos in Greenville 

Homewood 

• Gianmarco’s - Terrific Italian restaurant just minutes for the Samford campus. The Fiocchi is terrific.  If you can’t get a reservation, try Pizzeria GM 

Johnson City 

• Southern Craft – Best Barbeque in the Tri-cities 

• Label – A well-respected dinner restaurant in Johnson City 

• Café Lola – A really good dinner location 

Lexington 

• Southern Inn – Contemporary American Cuisine  

• The Palms – Old-style bar & grill 

• Salerno Wood Fired Pizza – Simple and causal.  Great pizza and calzones 

Macon 

• Dovetail – For a nice dinner in Macon  

• The Rookery – Burgers, sandwiches and more 

• Ocmulgee Brewpub – For good burgers and beer, go here 

Spartanburg 

• Cribb’s Kitchen – Great casual place for burgers, salads and sandwiches 

• Heirloom – Southern classic dishes in a place that’s housed in the former headquarters of the legendary Spartan Mill 

V. The best teams in league history 

The Southern Conference has had 44 full-time members in its illustrious history.  With regards to men’s basketball, some of the best teams (and players) in NCAA history have played in the league.  No doubt, this may cause some conversation among those who have followed the league, but let’s revisit a stab at my top five teams in the 100-year history of the SoCon: 

1. West Virginia (1958-59) – Led by “the logo”, Jerry West, the Mountaineers went 29-5 and lost to California in the National Championship 71-70 

2. Davidson (1968-69) – Under Lefty Driesell, the Wildcats were a powerhouse in the 1960’s. If not for Charlie Scott, the Wildcats may have won a national championship in 1969.  Scott hit a 20-foot shot with 2 seconds remaining to give North Carolina an 87-85 win in the Regional Final 

3.   Davidson (2007-2008) – I’m not sure they were the third best team in league history, but darn were they fun to watch and only a basket away from advancing to the Final Four.  And by the way, they had the most exciting player in the 100-year history of the conference, Steph Curry 

 4. ETSU (1990-1991) – The Bucs had five players in double figures and were led by Keith “Mister” Jennings (AP second-team All-American), Greg Dennis, and Calvin Talford.  They finished 28-5 and ranked No. 17 in the final  AP Poll 

5. Wofford (2018-2019) – Fletcher Magee, one of the great three-point shooters in NCAA history, led the Terriers to an undefeated conference regular season (18-0). After winning the post season tournament, they defeated Seton Hall in the second round before falling to second-seeded Kentucky, 62-56.  This team had all the ingredients for success, including great coaching 

Others to consideration: North Carolina (1945-46), ETSU (2019-2020), Chattanooga (1996-1997), Furman (1973-1974), VMI (1975-1976), Chattanooga (1981-82) 

VI. Slotting the Teams 

This is really hard.  As previously mentioned, the competitive balance is simply amazing.  The month of February is going to be a lot of fun for SoCon hoop fans: 

Samford – The Bulldogs lead the league at 8-2.  Yes, they are talented, but I’m not sure this team is as good as last year.  Could they run the table, absolutely.  Could they lose a few games between now and March 7, sure.  Their game at UNCG on the final day of the regular season looms large. 

UNCG – The Spartans struggled against Wofford last week but defend well enough to always have a chance. I still think they need to find a reliable scorer up front before they arrive in Asheville. 

Chattanooga – This team is starting to gel. I like the makeup of this team as they have talent and coaching.  That said, like most, they have a small margin for error. 

Wofford – After losing two in a row, including a home loss to VMI, the Terriers showed resiliency and toughness. They have road wins at ETSU and Furman that will have staying power.  In addition, they’ve split the regular season with UNCG.  

ETSU – When the Bucs play with grit and toughness, they can beat anyone in the league.  They don’t shoot the ball particularly well, but Quimari Peterson and Jaden Seymour have the ability to get 40 points between them every night out.  John Buggs III needs to be that third scorer.  Karon Boyd simply needs to impact winning with his rebounding and hustle. 

VMI – The story of the season thus far in the Southern Conference.  Transfers Rickey Bradley, Augustinas Kiudulas and TJ Johnson have led the way as the Keydets are no longer a push over. 

Furman – The Paladins have the ability to compete with anyone in the league.  They showed that in a statement win over Samford last week.  But they’re not so talented that they can just show up. 

Mercer – The Bears have lost three conference games by five or less.  Ahmad Robinson and Chip Johnson are as good as any backcourt in the conference. It’s now or never as they try to finish in the top six. 

Western Carolina – The Catamounts have hit a bit of a rough stretch but will still make things tough for every opponent. 

The Citadel – The Bulldogs continue to play hard, but unfortunately, they don’t have much to show for it.  That said, I believe they will break through and affect the final regular season standings. 

Until the next “Dean’s List” on February 19, follow me on twitter: @DeanKeener1