With basketball season just days away, The Pendulum has put together Southern Conference power rankings for the 2013-2-14 season as well as picking All-SoCon teams and Players of the Year awards for SoCon men’s basketball.

Southern Conference Power Rankings

1. Chattanooga – Though their head coach has moved on to North Carolina State University, the 2013-14 Southern Conference title is the Mocs to lose. Chattanooga returns ten players from last year’s roster, including Player of the Year candidate Ashlen Dewart. The senior center averaged 15.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg and shot 53 percent from the floor. Combined with senior forward Taylor Hall (9.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg), Chattanooga has a strong one-two punch that should dominate conference play. Look for the Mocs to circle their upcoming match against Elon, as the Phoenix gave Chattanooga it’s only conference loss last season.

2. Samford – The Bulldogs return three starters from last year’s squad, including senior guard Shelby Campbell and junior forward Taylor Reece. Campbell had a season-ending knee injury last year after playing in just 11 games. Her return will be a massive boost to a team that disappointed with a losing record. Reece averaged 10.4 ppg and 3.6 rpg, with that last number being what she and the rest of her team could improve upon. The Bulldogs are an excellent shooting team, but their improvement on the glass will determine just how far they go with a healthy Campbell.

3. Appalachian State – The Mountaineers are adding five talented freshmen to their roster, including center Mia Marshall. Marshall has a chance to make an impact right away due to her rebounding, physicality and instincts setting up screens. While she does the dirty work, junior forward Maryah Syndor (14.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg) will carry the scoring load and leadership duties. Syndor is one of four upperclassmen on a team that needs to grow quickly if they are to have championship hopes.

4. Davidson – Losing five valued seniors, the Wildcats are in a similar situation to Appalachian State. There aren’t many players on the roster with loads of playing time, but junior forward Hannah Early looks fully healed from an injury sustained her freshman year, and might be ready to break out this season. Senior guard Laura Murray ranked second on the team with 12.9 points per game, and is now preparing to step into a major leadership role.

5. Elon – The Phoenix need to find someone to handle the scoring load that former point guard Ali Ford carried. Instead of replacing her production with one player, Elon will likely go with a committee at both guard positions until someone emerges. At the beginning of the season, upperclassmen such as Kelsey Harris and Zora Stephenson will get the nod, but look out for talented freshman Lenaira Ruffin, who could crack the rotation very quickly. The Phoenix is well set for the future, although that could come with growing pains this season.

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6. Georgia Southern – A case could be made for the Eagles having the best backcourt in the conference. Senior guard MiMi DuBose can get hot in an instant, and she scored 20 or more points seven times last season. Junior guard Anna Claire Knight averaged 11.7 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. The Eagles will need all of the production they can get out of their guards, as the team was prone to lapses in defense last season. Georgia Southern will have to win shootouts to do damage to their Southern Conference foes.

7. Furman – It’s strange to say that the Paladins have experience when there are just two seniors on the roster, but compared to recent seasons, that would definitely be the case. In Jackie Carson’s third year as Furman’s head coach, the young talent is transforming into veteran upperclassmen. Junior forward Brittany Hodges, the 2012 SoCon Freshman of the Year, averaged 10.1 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game last season, and will become the primary option. Sophomore guard Holli Wilkins, the 2013 SoCon Freshman of the Year, can slash her way to the basket when Hodges can’t get going. Furman needs to clean up their turnovers, as they had nearly 20 per game last season, if they want to stop another losing season from happening.

8. UNC-Greensboro – The Spartans success this season will ride on sophomore guard Lucy Mason, a knockdown shooter who was 15th in the Southern Conference in steals per game last year. She could break out in a big way. The rest of the team struggled with their shooting, posting a mere 37.7 field goal percentage. UNCG will have to lean on their guard play, which can keep their turnovers low and generate points with strong defense. An offensive presence in the low-post is needed in the biggest way behind senior forward Janae’ Stevenson.

9. Western Carolina – The team has made it clear that an up-tempo offense will be established this season. Whether it will work or not is the bigger question. Five seniors will help ease the transition, but the team simply couldn’t score last season. Sophomore guard Lindsay Simpson led the team with 7.4 points per game last season. Redshirt freshman forward Brianne Mack brings size and an aggressive demeanor that the team lacked last season.

10. Wofford – With the departure of their top two scorers, best rebounder and best assister, the Terriers are largely an unknown at this point. What is known is that Wofford needs shooting on the perimeter, as they made just 23 percent of their three-point attempt last year. More makes could equal more road wins; the Terriers were 0-10 on the road in conference in 2013.

All-SoCon First Team

Ashlen Dewart, Center | Chattanooga

Kelsey Harris, Guard | Elon

Laura Murray, Guard | Davidson

Maryah Syndor, Forward | Appalachian State

Taylor Hall, Forward | Chattanooga

All-SoCon Second Team

MiMi Dubose, Guard | Georgia Southern

Anna Claire Knight, Guard | Georgia Southern

Lucy Mason, Forward | UNC-Greensboro

Brittany Hodges, Forward | Furman

Taylor Reece, Center | Samford

SoCon Honors

Player of the Year: Ashlen Dewart, Center | Chattanooga

Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Hodges, Forward | Furman

Newcomer of the Year: Lenaira Ruffin, Guard | Elon

Coach of the year: Jim Foster | Chattanooga