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Big South overview

Can Winthrop make it three titles in a row?

Special to CNNSI.com

Roger Toxey and his Winthrop teammates are looking for a third straight NCAA appearance. Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport

Order of Finish 1. Winthrop 2. Radford 3. UNC-Asheville 4. Liberty 5. Coastal Carolina 6. Elon 7. Charleston Southern 8. High Point

Top storylines

Winthrop is trying for the first "three-peat" in Big South history. Before Winthrop's back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (after winning the Big South Tournament in 1999 and 2000), seven different league teams advanced to the Big South in the years the league was eligible for the NCAA Tournament.

League newcomers Elon and High Point aren¹t eligible for the BSC tournament until 2001-2002.

The 2001 Big South Tournament moves to the Roanoke (Va.) Civic Center, geographically closest to the league's two historically best drawing teams: Radford and Liberty.

Players to Watch

Top Three Players

Greg Lewis, F, Winthrop • Lewis (15.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, .379 3 PT%) was the Big South Tournament MVP last year as he led Winthrop to its second straight league championship. Andre Smith, G, UNC-Asheville • Smith (11.3 ppg, 1.7 spg, .377 3 PT%) had a great freshman season as he blossomed into a double-figure scorer and defensive stopper. Jason Williams, F, Radford • Williams (18.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, .378 3 PT%) led the Big South in scoring last season and is a big reason the Highlanders are capable of unseating Winthrop for the league championship.

Top Newcomer

Marcus Stewart, F, Winthrop • Stewart, a junior, is a proven commodity in the Big South. He averaged 13.3 points and 5.2 rebounds at Coastal Carolina two years ago before deciding to transfer.

Coaches

Hot Coach

Gregg Marshall, Winthrop • One more season like he¹s enjoyed his first two years at Winthrop and Marshall, a protégé of the College of Charleston's highly successful John Kresse, will be gone, snapped up by a higher-profile Division I school.

Coach on the Hot Seat

Mel Hankinson, Liberty • No one is calling for Hankinson's head, but the hope at Liberty, which outdraws any two league schools for its home games (3,411 fans per game last season), is that it can compete with Radford, UNC Asheville and Winthrop for league supremacy. Hankinson is 18-37 in two years, including 14-14 last year. That's progress, but last year's two leading scorers are gone.

Mark Your Calendar

Nov. 10, Winthrop vs. North Carolina • Winthrop gets a chance to shock the college basketball world in the NABC Classic. Jan. 24, Winthrop at Radford • This game will determine the league leader at the halfway point. Feb. 14, Radford at Winthrop • The winner of this game will no doubt carry the No. 1 seed into the Big South Tournament.

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