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

By Joey Loose

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
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 Chattanooga Mocs guard Malachi Smith Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
SoCon Basketball Chattanooga Mocs guard Malachi Smith Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Malachi Smith

It’s been quite a journey for Smith and there have certainly been some great moments along the way. This 6’4 guard from Belleville, Illinois played a single season at Wright State before transferring into the SoCon at Chattanooga. He played a pair of seasons after the start of the pandemic for the Mocs, turning into quite the star. We’ll dive into those two years prior to his departure for Gonzaga, where he spent this most recent basketball season.

During what was his redshirt sophomore season, Smith wasted no time becoming a star at Chattanooga, averaging 16.8 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. He helped lead the Mocs to a 4th place finish in the SoCon, though year two would be far superior. Smith took another step forward, averaging 19.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists to lead Chattanooga to the SoCon regular season and tournament titles, plus a near upset of Illinois in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

He really stood out in those two seasons in the SoCon, claiming First Team All-SoCon honors and plenty more as a junior. In a season where he led the conference in points, steals, and many other metrics, Smith was named both SoCon Player of the Year and Tournament MVP. He’d be the WCC Sixth Man of the Year this past season, but his production simply didn’t compare to those two seasons with the Mocs; Smith was on another level and helped spearhead this team to the Big Dance.