30 In 30: Big South

After reaching first NCAA Tournament in school history, UNC Asheville looks for a repeat. (Photo courtesy of UNCABulldogs.com)

Our conference preview series rolls on with the latest conversation piece of the "30 In 30" profile, the Big South.

1) UNC Asheville - The Bulldogs came from third in the conference last season to win the Big South tournament and reach their first-ever NCAA Tournament. The best part of the first-round loss for UNCA fans, you might ask? Four starters come back this year, and the three-guard backcourt of Matt Dickey, J.P. Primm and Chris Stephenson is intact for one more year as each enters their senior season.

2) Charleston Southern - Every conference has a sleeper every year; and for a team that finished 16-16 a year ago, the Buccaneers definitely fit that bill for the upcoming season. Point guard Jamarco Warren may only be 5-11, but he was the team's leading scorer last season and comes back for his final campaign in South Carolina. Size will be a concern, however; as CSU's one player over 6-7 is a freshman, forward Greg Dorleus.

3) VMI - VMI ended the year on a five-game winning streak last season, and gets the swingman duo of Stan Okoye and Keith Gabriel to ignite their offense once again. Rodney Glasgow returns to the backcourt as well for his sophomore season, and looks to improve upon his 38 percent clip from three-point range.

4) Liberty - Very rarely do you see a 6-4 guard average a double-double; but the Flames have someone who did just that in John Brown, who will no doubt be Liberty's focal point as he enters his senior season. Averaging just over eleven points and a little under eleven rebounds in 2010-11, Brown will pace an offense featuring fellow double-figure scorers Jesse Sanders and David Minaya. Forward Antwan Burrus, who averaged more than a block per game last year, is also back.

5) Coastal Carolina - Last year's regular season champions after winning 28 games, Coastal Carolina loses leading scorer Desmon Holloway; but brings back senior forward Chad Gray, the second option a year ago. CCU's strength a year ago was shooting 49 percent from the field as a team, something that will need to be replicated if they look to defend their regular season crown in what should be a deeper Big South than it looks on paper.

6) Winthrop - No one has forgotten the South Carolina program that launched the most underrated head coach in the country when Gregg Marshall turned the Eagles into national darlings in the mid-2000s, they've just flown under the radar since then. Senior point guard Reggie Middleton is the top returning player this year, and the floor general will get a boost in the backcourt with the return of sharpshooter and fellow senior Andre Jones.

7) Gardner-Webb - The school that made headlines with their season-opening upset of Kentucky a few years back could also be a contender in this league despite having to use an eight-man rotation this year. Senior guard Laron Buggs, who averaged just over ten points per game a year ago, is the top returning scorer.

8) High Point - The Panthers bring back both halves of their backcourt in Nick Barbour and Shay Shine, (also their two leading scorers from last season) but their inside presence will be a concern since no one on the roster is over 6-8. High Point will also have to rely on an eight-man rotation, and Corey Law will be the key to the frontline. The junior was the team's leading rebounder last year, but only played in 21 games a year ago.

9) Campbell - The newcomer to the Big South after spending last season in the Atlantic Sun, Campbell comes to its new conference led by forward Eric Griffin, but they will need breakout seasons from forward Marvelle Harris and 6-10 big man Martell Jackson to be competitive right away.

10) Presbyterian - Al'Lonzo Coleman, a 6-7, 255-pounder that would be a serviceable power forward in a mid-major conference, is the starting center on a team that returns three other starters from last year's team. Coleman's health could be a factor, though, since the senior was limited to just 17 contests last season.

11) Radford - When you win just five games and not have a single player average double figures in points, there really isn't anywhere else to go but up. Fortunately, the Highlanders have a young nucleus, led by guards Jareal and Blake Smith; (no relation) not to mention Turkish big man Tolga Cerrah, who was their leading rebounder last year. For those that haven't seen Radford, (and most of you probably haven't) think of them as the DePaul of the south: A team with the right tools that is still a big player or two away, but still better than they were the previous season.