CONCORD, N.C. ? The UNC Asheville men's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in the Big South Conference preseason poll on Tuesday. The league announced its poll for the 2007-08 season at its annual media day held at the Embassy Suites of Concord.
High Point, which posted a second-place standing in the Big South last year at 11-3, edged out Winthrop for the No. 1 spot in the men's preseason poll, finishing with 15 first-place votes and 216 points. The Eagles, coming off a school- and Big South-record 29 wins and an NCAA Tournament first round win, received 14 first-place votes and 214 points. VMI, last year's national scoring leader and the Big South Tournament runner-up, was picked third with 147 points, followed by No. 4 Coastal Carolina (134 points). UNC Asheville, which advanced to the Conference tournament semifinals last season, claimed the No. 5 spot with 119 points, while Liberty placed sixth in the voting. Charleston Southern was predicted seventh (63 points), followed by Radford in eighth (43 points).
UNC Asheville head coach Eddie Biedenbach agrees with High Point and Winthrop being the teams to beat this season.
"It doesn't really matter where we're picked,” stated Biedenbach. “High Point and Winthrop are the teams to beat and for the other six teams it will all come down to whom stays healthy and does the little things it takes to win. I like our team, and we have some good senior leadership with our four seniors returning. Hopefully, we can make a run at the top this year."
UNC Asheville returns four starters from last year, including senior guards K.J. Garland and Bryan Smithson. Garland averaged 12.2 points per game last season and led the Dogs in assists with 126. Smithson led Asheville in scoring (14.6), three-pointers made (43) and steals (60). His free throw shooting percentage (85.2%) led the Big South Conference.
The Bulldogs begin practice this weekend and open exhibition play against Mars Hill at Justice Center on Nov. 1 starting at 8 p.m. Asheville begins the regular season at home against Furman on Nov. 9.
