SoCon Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose | Aug 25, 2023

Mar 23, 2019; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Wofford Terriers guard Fletcher Magee (3) leads his team in a huddle before their game against the Kentucky Wildcatsin the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

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SoCon Basketball UNC-Greensboro Spartans guard Francis Alonso Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

15. Francis Alonso

Alonso is a 6’3 guard originally from Spain who played his entire collegiate career in the SoCon at UNC Greensboro. He joined Wes Miller’s program back in 2015 and would play a significant role in the Spartans’ turnaround in the back half of his career.

A starter for nearly his entire career, Alonso was already good for 13.0 points a game in his freshman season. He’d help lead UNC Greensboro to the CBI in that year before leading a regular season SoCon title as a sophomore. Alonso averaged at least 15 points a game in his final two seasons, helping deliver a ton of wins for the Spartans. He helped lead the program to the SoCon Tournament title in 2018 before scoring 16 against Gonzaga in the Big Dance. His career would end in the NIT one year later.

From the beginning Alonso was an impactful offensive player for the Spartans, emerging as one of the league’s best 3-point shooters. He was First Team All-SoCon in those final two seasons and was also the SoCon Tournament MVP near the end of that junior season. His overall shooting numbers were at an elite level and his development was a major reason for UNC Greensboro’s rise into a yearly power in this conference.