Big South Basketball: 2021 Conference Tournament preview, predictions

BUIES CREEK, NC - MARCH 06: Players of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs celebrate 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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UNC Asheville men’s basketball Big South Basketball Uncabball Mb55 11082018 /

Favorite to win Big South Basketball Tournament – Winthrop Eagles

There’s no need to be cute here. The Eagles have been the class of the conference all season, going 20-1 overall and 17-1 in league play, five games ahead of second-place Radford. The lone loss came by two points at home to UNC Asheville, with many of the wins being blowouts. However, four of the last five regular-season wins had single-digit margins, showing a potential chink in the armor.

Winthrop easily had the top offense in the Big South, averaging 79.2 ppg. But they don’t have a single player who scores more than 12.3 ppg. Instead, they use depth, with 11 rotation players that average double-figure minutes play, scoring between 4.2 ppg and 12.3 ppg on offense. That adds up and makes the defense have to respect everyone each night, as the Eagles have several options capable of leading them in scoring.

Biggest threat to Winthrop – Campbell Fighting Camels

Campbell nearly defeated Winthrop in the first matchup at home, losing by just one point. They were in the middle of the pack midway through league play but have won seven straight games heading into the tournament, giving them plenty of momentum. The duo of Cedric Henderson and Jordan Whitfield are guards who combine to average over 30 ppg, with Whitfield shooting 46% from three-point range. They’ve already proven they’re capable of keeping up with Winthrop and could meet up in the finals.

Team to keep an eye on – UNC Asheville Bulldogs

Not only are the Bulldogs the lone team in the Big South to beat Winthrop, but they also split the home series against the No. 2 team, Radford. They’re led by star junior guard Tajion Jones (16.0 ppg) and Devon Baker (13.3 ppg), who has played just seven games this season due to a knee injury.

Due to multiple pauses, UNC Asheville hasn’t played since January 29th. They’ll be on heavy rust but better get it out the way soon as the No. 4 seed, or else they’ll be headed home. But from a talent perspective, the Bulldogs are capable of beating Winthrop again in a possible semifinal matchup.

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