What Seed Would Your Team Receive?

The traditional article.

What seed would your SoCon team receive if they were to win the whole tournament in Asheville this week?

We’ll roll through the teams alphabetically and see what we’ve got.

Chattanooga
Projected Seed: First Four.

The Mocs would be 11-22 with four wins in four days. So much youth. Of course, if this happened, Makinde London would get to go back to Ohio where he began his college career. If the young Mocs could figure out how to win some close games in Asheville, maybe they’d even win a game in Dayton. Not happening.

ETSU
Projected Seed: 13.

There is a chance they fall to a 14 seed, but three wins would make them 24-8. So they could rise to a 12. Remember when they almost beat Xavier? Will the committee? Will they punish ETSU for the four losses in five games, or reward them for getting back on the right side by winning three straight games. There is no telling. My gut feeling is that ETSU (with their 97 RPI at the moment) would get a 13 seed- which is about right for them all things considered.

Furman
Projected Seed: 13.

Furman has an RPI of 93 right now. Three wins would make them 23-9. That might be enough to get up to a 13 seed, particularly if things go right for them and they face off with ETSU in the semis and UNCG in the championship and add two Top 100 wins. The Paladins need quality wins. At the moment, clearly their best win is at ETSU last weekend. That close lose to Tennessee looks better and better though.

Mercer
Projected Seed: 15.

They have a current RPI of 165. With three more wins, they would probably jump into the top 120. With Wofford, UNCG and ETSU as possible wins that would be three more quality wins. They could wind up a 16 seed, but I think would probably rise up a bit from that and beating some quality tournament teams and being in the 16th ranked conference in the RPI.

Samford
Projected Seed: First Four

Oh how ironic this would be. The Bulldogs were a preseason favorite in the SoCon but were undone by injuries. If the Bulldogs made a run all the way through the Tournament with four wins, they would be 12-21. But they would suddenly find themselves heading to the NCAA Tournament, which is what they hoped they could do to begin with. So- four days to make this season right. And head to Dayton, of course.

The Citadel
Projected Seed: First Four

The Bulldogs would only be 11-20, but hey, they would finally be in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever, so they’d take it. With how well the Bulldogs have played at times this year, it is not totally ridiculous to think they could make this run and if they did that they would be a dangerous team in Dayton. Zane Najdawi deserves this kind of attention.

UNCG
Projected Seed: 13.

This gets overlooked a lot, but UNCG lost to Virginia by 12 and beat North Carolina State. They could easily jump to a 12 seed if they win the SoCon Tournament. They would only be able to play only one Top 100 team- in the title game. Of all of the top five, that is the lowest possible total. So they would do the least to help their resume. Still, their RPI would climb a good 15 spots. That could put them in the range of a 12 seed. I can see a 12-13 for UNCG. I’m going with the lower one for now, but could have my mind changed by the time Monday night’s game ends if they are the champs.

VMI
Projected Seed: First Four

Even with four wins in four days, the Keydets would still be 11-20. They are not good enough to win a game in Dayton, either, I don’t believe. This team, much like Chattanooga above, is still a year or two away from being an actual contender in the SoCon. Bubba Parham in Dayton would be fun to see, though.

Western Carolina
Projected Seed: First Four

The Catamounts struggled early in the year and late in the year. In between they were fine, but they still would be just 14-18. That would not be enough to get them out of Dayton and the First Four. Their RPI would be in the Top 200, but their other numbers (KenPom, etc)would not be that good. I don’t see any way they would stay out of the First Four.

Wofford
Projected Seed: 14

Beat North Carolina, you are at least a 15 seed. They would be 20-11 with three wins in Asheville, and could beat two Top 100 teams in the process (UNCG and Furman/ETSU). Could they be better than a 15 seed? Well, I just projected a 14 seed. But I think that would be the ceiling. I wouldn’t be surprised by a 15 seed at all.olina State.