SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Elon Phoenix has been tabbed the preseason favorite to win the Southern Conference men’s basketball title in 2013-14, according to a vote by the league’s head coaches and media. Wofford was selected to finish sixth by the coaches and fifth by the media. Junior Karl Cochran was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Cochran, a native of Marietta, Georgia, led the Terriers in scoring last season with 15.6 points per game. Among Southern Conference players he was first in steals, third in scoring, and third in three pointers per game. He earned All-Southern Conference second team honors from the media and in 2012 was named the league’s Freshman of the Year.
Davidson senior forward De’Mon Brooks was named the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or student-athletes as part of the balloting.
Elon earned seven first-place votes and finished the balloting with 96 points. Davidson was chosen second (90) and earned three first-place votes. Western Carolina earned the final first-place vote and came in third with 82 points. Appalachian State and Samford tied for fourth place with 67 points apiece. Wofford (57) was selected sixth, followed by Chattanooga (50) and UNCG (32). Georgia Southern was tabbed ninth (30), while Furman followed in 10th place (20). The Citadel (14) rounded out the poll.
The coaches also selected a 10-member preseason all-conference team. Brooks was joined on the preseason all-conference team by Appalachian State’s Jay Canty as well as Ryley Beaumont, Jack Isenbarger and Lucas Troutman from Elon. Samford placed a pair of Bulldogs on the preseason all-conference team in Raijon Kelly and Tim Williams. Chattanooga’s Z. Mason, Western Carolina’s Trey Sumler and Wofford’s Karl Cochran rounded out the preseason team.
The 2013-14 season begins November 8 when all 11 Southern Conference teams take the floor. The 2014 Southern Conference championship will be held March 7-10 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville, N.C.
SoCon Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish – Coaches Poll
Team (1st-Place Votes) Total
1. Elon (7) 96
2. Davidson (3) 90
3. Western Carolina (1) 82
4. Appalachian State 67
Samford 67
6. Wofford 57
7. Chattanooga 50
8. UNCG 32
9. Georgia Southern 30
10. Furman 20
11. The Citadel 14
2013-14 Preseason All-Conference Team
Jay Canty, Appalachian State
De’Mon Brooks, Davidson
Ryley Beaumont, Elon
Jack Isenbarger, Elon
Lucas Troutman, Elon
Raijon Kelly, Samford
Tim Williams, Samford
Z. Mason, Chattanooga
Trey Sumler, Western Carolina
Karl Cochran, Wofford
SoCon Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish – Media Poll
Team (1st-Place Votes) Total
1. Elon (14) 270
2. Davidson (12) 268
3. Western Carolina 233
4. Samford 176
5. Wofford 165
6. Appalachian State 164
7. Chattanooga 161
8. UNCG 98
9. Furman 69
10. Georgia Southern 66
11. The Citadel 46
