NCAA Basketball: Preseason top 25 mid-major power rankings for 2022-23 season

21. Furman Paladins

2021-22 record: 22-12 (12-6 in SoCon) 

The SoCon program has consistently been a 20+ win team and usually has at least one conference star each year. They arguably had three last season but one is gone in senior guard Alex Hunter. His replacement is a former top-100 prospect in Carter Whitt, a point guard transfer from Wake Forest who could thrive at the lower level.

He’ll be joining the two returning key players in Jalen Slawson and Mike Bothwell. The 5th-year senior Bothwell led the Paladins in scoring with 15.7 ppg and 3.0 apg while shooting 37% from deep. He had a career-high 30 points in the road upset win over Louisville last season, along with eight other games of at least 20 points.

Slawson did a little bit of everything for the team last season. He averaged 14.5 ppg, while leading Furman with 7.4 rpg and 3.7 apg. And the 6’7 forward also was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Year as well to add to his accolades. He’s arguably the most important player on the team due to his all-around play and balances out the traditionally potent offensive-friend program.

Starting wing Marcus Foster also is back, as well as returning rotation players, JP Pegues, Garrett Hien, Joe Anderson, and Tyrese Hughey. If Whitt can be an effective ball-handler and can run the offense, Furman should easily remain in the top tier of the SoCon.