SoCon Basketball: 2022 conference tournament preview and predictions

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SoCon Basketball Wofford Terriers (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

The SoCon consistently provides mid-major fans with exciting and competitive basketball, but the SoCon Basketball Tournament is the perfect opportunity for all college basketball fans to fall in love with one of the leagues that consistently puts the madness in March.

The SoCon Tournament returns to Asheville, North Carolina, for the eleventh straight season. The first round and the quarterfinals will take place on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+. The semifinals will take place on Sunday, March 6 and will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN3. The SoCon Tournament Championship will be on Monday, March 7 at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.

Chattanooga won the regular-season title, led by Head Coach Lamont Paris and one of the best guards in the entire country in Malachi Smith.

Furman has won at least 20 games in four of the last five seasons but has yet to make the jump to the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Bob Richey. The Paladins are also led by one of the most dynamic trios in the country with Jalen Slawson, Mike Bothwell and Alex Hunter.

No. 4 Wofford, No. 6 UNCG and No. 7 East Tennessee State have won seven of the last eight SoCon Tournaments and are all capable of making a run again this season.

Samford and VMI are offensive powerhouses who are scary because of their ability to shoot from 3-point range but have been inconsistent defensively this season. These are two teams that could easily get hot and make a run in Asheville this weekend.

Are Chattanooga and Furman destined to meet in the finals or can a perennial champion or streaky sleeper pull off an upset?