Busting Brackets
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Big South Basketball: Chris Clemons and Campbell tournament favorites

By Daniel Benjamin

BUIES CREEK, NC - MARCH 06: Players, coaches and staff of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs pose for photos with their trophy following their 77-68 victory against the Winthrop Eagles during the championship game of the 2016 Big South Basketball Tournament at Pope Convocation Center on March 6, 2016 in Buies Creek, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
BUIES CREEK, NC - MARCH 06: Players, coaches and staff of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs pose for photos with their trophy following their 77-68 victory against the Winthrop Eagles during the championship game of the 2016 Big South Basketball Tournament at Pope Convocation Center on March 6, 2016 in Buies Creek, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 15: Ed Polite Jr. #24 of the Radford Highlanders shoots the ball against Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 15: Ed Polite Jr. #24 of the Radford Highlanders shoots the ball against Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Players to watch

Big South conference teams are known for one thing, and that is scoring. This year was no different as Presbyterian, Winthrop, Gardner-Webb, Campbell, Radford, and Hampton all ranks in the top-65 of the nation in offensive rating. Winthrop, which is No. 10 in the NCAA in scoring, and Hampton, which ranks 20th in scoring, are in the top 40 of the country in pace.

The Big South has had at least one player rank in the top-40 of the nation in scoring for six straight years. Campbell’s Chris Clemons currently leads the nation in scoring this year, meaning that the 5-foot-9 guard will finish in the top four in each of the last three years

Chris Clemons: The senior sparkplug reached 3,000 career points earlier in the season and is currently sixth all-time on the NCAA D-I all-time scoring list. He has been on a tear lately, topping the 30-point mark in six of his last 10 contests which includes dumping in 39 points in the recent victory over Radford. Clemons has 13 games with at least 30 points and four contest where he has reached 40.

Clemons, who holds several conference records, will finish his career as one of the best players ever to play in the league. However, he is much more than a scorer. Clemons can shoot, rebound, distribute the basketball and defend.

Jermaine Marrow, Hampton: The 6-foot junior point guard has always been able to score, but he upped his production in his first year in the Big South. Marrow is fifth in the nation in scoring at 25.3 points a game and is averaging 28 points against conference foes. He has tallied 30 or more points on eight occasions.

Marrow is an outstanding three-point shooter as well as a good rebounder. He is also a decent defender.

Ed Polite Jr., Radford: The 6-foot-5 senior forward has always been an excellent defender and rebounder, particularly on the defensive end, and has upped his offensive efficiency this season. He is currently averaging 13.2 points, 9.8 rebounds,1.6 assists, and 1.5 steals a game while shooting 51.6% from the field. He also has been a little bit more consistent from beyond the arc, knocking down 33.8% of his attempts.

Christian Keeling, Charleston Southern: The 6-4 guard has been one of the best scorer’s in the conference for the past three years. Although after a so-so 2017-18 campaign, he has reaffirmed his status as one of the conference’s best players this year. He has stepped up his game on the defensive end, particularly on the defensive glass, and as a three-point shooter.

Keeling is currently averaging 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 45.5% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc.

David Efianayi, Gardner-Webb: The 6-foot-2 guard has been one of the top scorers in the Big South the past two years. However, he has upped his efficiency this year. Efianayi is second in the conference in field goal shooting (48.8%), second in effective field goal shooting and fourth in true shooting percentage.