SoCon Basketball: In-depth look at Western Carolina star Mason Faulkner
By Bryan Mauro
Western Carolina had a great year a season ago thanks to guard Mason Faulker. What does he have in store for 2020-21?
The Southern Conference has been the home to some dominant teams over the last handful of years. East Tennessee State, Wofford, Furman, and UNC-Greensboro are all members of this conference.
Each of those teams has been able to secure a signature win for the conference within the last two seasons. Wofford was also able to beat Seton Hall in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2018-2019 and that team had arguably the greatest season in Southern Conference history.
This year the top looks to be just as strong as always with Furman and UNC Greensboro carrying the banner. I caution everyone to stop and look at the rosters and who teams have returning and welcome another team to the mix of teams who have a chance to finish at the top of this league. The Western Carolina Catamounts are the team that has many of the conference experts and coaches on alert.
The Catamounts finished in the top 20 in scoring a season ago, they have experience and head coach Mark Prosser has one of the best players in the conference and many would argue that this player is also one of the most unappreciated players in the country.
Mason Faulkner enters his redshirt senior year as a favorite to win the conference player of the year and he is trying to guide his team to the NCAA tournament. If the Catamounts can qualify for the NCAA tournament it would only be the second time in school history that the feat has been accomplished. Don’t be surprised if it happens, they are well-coached and have an alpha on offense.
Oh yeah, they also had one of the best single-season turnarounds in the country last year winning seven games in 2018-2019 before winning 19 last year. What do the Catamounts star in store for us this year?