Busting Brackets
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SoCon Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2019-20 season

By Logan Butts

CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 20: Players of the Wofford Terriers celebrate following their win against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Dean Smith Center on December 20, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Wofford won 79-75. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 20: Players of the Wofford Terriers celebrate following their win against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Dean Smith Center on December 20, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Wofford won 79-75. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NC – DECEMBER 06: Parks
CHAPEL HILL, NC – DECEMBER 06: Parks /

No. 8 – Western Carolina

2018-19 Record: 7-25 (4-14)

Key Returnee: Carlos Dotson

Exciting Non-Conference Matchups: Georgia, Gardner-Webb, Xavier, Florida State

Just getting out of the bottom two will be a big step up for the Catamounts, who won four fewer games than the next closest team in the SoCon last season. Carlos Dotson is the main reason why Western Carolina could leap out of the cellar and into semi-contention.

The senior forward nearly averaged a double-double last season with 13.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest. He makes WCU the first team in these power rankings to return their top scorer from last season. The Catamounts also return their other three double-digit scorers, so maybe I’m underselling them a bit.

No. 7 – Mercer

2018-19 Record: 11-20 (6-12)

Key Returnee: Ross Cummings

Exciting Non-Conference Matchups: St. John’s, FGCU, Georgia State, UNC Wilmington, Florida Atlantic

This is purely a reputation ranking. All evidence says Mercer should be swapped with Western Carolina, but when I’m stuck between two teams like this, program stability takes over. Mercer has been pretty decent for most of the decade; WCU has not.

The Bears are pretty inexperienced outside of backcourt duo Ross Cummings and Ethan Stair, last season’s two leading scorers. Power 5 transfer Maciej Bender (West Virginia) could make an impact in the paint for Mercer.