[LUconn]

CCU licking their chops or licking their wounds? They don't look that great.

[Realist]

Winthrop has started this season exactly like they did last year, 3-2, with a win over a BCS team. I finally got to see them play in person and my initial reactions are this: they will be more up and down this year due to inexperience, but the overall talent level is as good or better than any team I've seen them put on the floor. Harris and Manny have filled in nicely for Martin, and both are hitting threes now. The freshmen big guys are great on the glass, and Buechert and Corbin can both score.

I expect we'll get another big win and maybe a couple of questionable losses as the new guys learn the system and get some experience, but after what I saw and what I've seen from the rest of the conference, I'd be surprised if WU lost more than 2 or 3 in conference, if that.

[paradox]

[paradox]

CCU licking their chops or licking their wounds? They don't look that great.

.....never said they were great.... they'll just be one of many teams who will have a chance to contend for this season's bid to the dance.

The Big South doesn't have a "great" team this year or anything even remotely resembling what Winthrop has been over the past three seasons.

[Realist]

Winthrop 70 28
Virginia Military Inst 216 106
NC Asheville 230 303
Liberty 279 255
Coastal Carolina 290 265
Charleston Southern 293 280
High Point 311 331
Radford 323 302

Very early, but the league is looking status quo so far. I'd say that right now UNCA would have the best shot of doing some damage to WU, they have been playing very well and Smithson hasn't even been on the court. They haven't beat anyone of significance, but it's better than what everyone else has done besides WU.

[paradox]

What happens in November carries the least amount of significance when the final gun sounds.

Although beating GT was a nice early season ACC win for WU, they were very beatable, as evidenced by GT's loss to UNC-Greensboro in the same time-frame.

A gambling man would push all of his chips toward WU at this stage because of the experienced backcourt of Gaynor/Jenkins. However, conference opponents have all season to experiment with various methods/strategies in nuetralizing that combo. If someone figures out a formula, then all bets are off and thing becomes wide-open. WU seems to be plauged with same quality depth issues as many of thier conference foes.

[Schfourteenteen]

However, conference opponents have all season to experiment with various methods/strategies in nuetralizing that combo. If someone figures out a formula, then all bets are off and thing becomes wide-open.

Yes but conference opponents have had MANY seasons to experiment with methods to beating Winthrop. Hasnt happened yet. If it does and its LU, great, I just dont see that happening

[paradox]

However, conference opponents have all season to experiment with various methods/strategies in nuetralizing that combo. If someone figures out a formula, then all bets are off and thing becomes wide-open.

Yes but conference opponents have had MANY seasons to experiment with methods to beating Winthrop. Hasnt happened yet. If it does and its LU, great, I just dont see that happening

CCU and VMI came awfully close to beating WU in the last two big south finals, and that's WU with Martin and Bradshaw.

This year, they attempt to win without Bradshaw and Martin, two of the big south's best ever. Both players had strong inside/outside games and if you keyed on one of them, then you'd get burned by the other and also by Jenkins or a host of others who are no longer with the program.

This year, big south teams have a lot less to contend with in Winthrop. It's not a lock by any stretch.