CHARLOTTE, NC--The Winthrop men's basketball team has been picked to finish second in the 2010-11 Big South Conference race behind Coastal Carolina in the annual preseason poll of the league's head coaches and media representatives, it was announced on Tuesday during the Big South Basketball Media Day in Charlotte.
Winthrop, the defending Big South Conference tournament champion and winners of nine of the last 12 championships, received 191 points, including five first place votes, to finish behind the Chanticleers, last year's regular season champion. Coastal received 206 points and 10 first place votes. UNC Asheville was third with 181 points and four first place votes while Presbyterian College rounded out the top four picks with 159 points and four first place votes. The other first place vote went to Liberty who was picked sixth overall behind No. 5 High Point. Charleston Southern was 7th followed by VMI (8th), Radford (9th) and Gardner-Webb (10th).
"I think the league will have unbelievable parity this year," said Winthrop head coach Randy Peele. "With Chad Gray and Michael Holmes, Coastal Carolina has an outstanding combination on the inside." The Eagles return three starters and nine lettermen from last year's championship team that went 19-14 overall and 12-6 in the conference. The number of returning veterans played a big role in Winthrop's
second place pick. Peele, however, is not so sure. "On paper certainly we are, but I just don't look at it that way. My biggest questions going into the season are who is going to be our defensive stopper on the perimeter and who is going to be our big body in the post."
His concerns are legitimate because Peele is going to have to find a replacement for two-time Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year Mantoris Robinson and 6-10 post player Andy Buechert who played key roles in Winthrop's championship run.
The leading returning scorer will be junior point guard
Reggie Middleton, who averaged 10.1 points and 2.8 assists last season. Peele is also looking to get more offensive production from 6-9 junior power forward
Matt Morgan who improved throughout his sophomore season and averaged 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while connecting on more than 50 percent from the field. The Eagles also return a bevy of guards led by 5-10 senior
Justin Burton, 6-2 junior
Andre Jones, 6-4 sophomore
Robbie Dreher, 6-7 sophomore
Gideon Gamble. One of the biggest pluses will be the return of 6-9 junior power forward
George Valentine who missed most of last year with a broken wrist. He is expected to provide defense and rebounding. Another key returner will be 6-7 senior post player
Charles Corbin who averaged 6.7 points last season. He has been suspended for the fall semester and will not play until Dec. 20.
Winthrop opens the season at home of Nov. 13 as it hosts Queens on Homecoming Day at 4 p.m. That will be the first of 13 regular season home games. Following the home opener, the Eagles will participate in the 2010 NIT Season Tipoff on Nov. 15-16 in Winston-Salem, NC. Winthrop will face VCU in the first game and either host Wake Forest or Hampton on the second night. The NIT will continue the following week with the four regional winners advancing to the semi-finals in New York City's Madison Square Garden while the consolation teams will play Nov. 22-23 at sites to be determined.
The Eagles will begin Big South play again in early December as they travel to VMI on Dec. 2 and Liberty on Dec. 4. The Big South home opener will be on New Year's Eve against Presbyterian College at 6 p.m.
