UNCA celebrates their 2nd consecutive championship in 2012

First Round – Tuesday, March 5 
#4 North Radford vs. #5 South Winthrop, 12:00pm
Prediction: What a game to start the tourney – 2 very evenly matched teams. Radford won the lone meeting during the season, 58-57, on January 26th. I’ll take Radford in a close, highly contested game.

#3 South UNC Asheville vs. #6 North Longwood, 2:00pm
Prediction: Longwood has won 4 of their past 7, and nearly upset Asheville on January 19th when they fell 68-65. But the 2-time defending champion Asheville Bulldogs have 3-peat on their mind.

 #3 North Campbell vs. #6 South Presbyterian College, 6:00pm
Prediction: What Campbell team shows up? The one that started conference play 5-1? Or the one that has lost 9 of its past 11? In the end, I believe Campbell‘s talent will be too much for the Blue Hose.

 #4 South Coastal Carolina vs. #5 North Liberty, 8:00pm
Prediction: The Flames have never lost to Coastal in the Big South Tournament before, but they’ve also never played on Coastal’s home floor. Coastal was 7-1 at home in conference play this season whereas Liberty was 2-6 in conference play on the road. A sellout crowd pushes Coastal over the edge.

Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 7

Charleston Southern’s Saah Nimley

#4 North Radford vs. #1 South Charleston Southern, 12:00pm
Prediction: These 2 teams haven’t played since way back on January 5th in the first game of conference play when CSU defeated Radford 81-74 in Charleston. The backcourt duo of Nimley and Harper will be too much for the Highlanders as Charleston Southern marches into the semifinals.

 #3 South UNC Asheville vs. #2 North VMI, 2:00pm
Prediction: Coming into the tournament, Asheville has lost 5 out of their past 6 while VMI has won their last 2. UNCA knocked off VMI 90-79 in Lexington. These 2 teams both have the potential to make a run and win this tournament. I think UNCA has just a little bit more than the Keydets, and they move on to the semifinals.

 #3 North Campbell vs. #2 South Gardner-Webb, 6:00pm
Prediction: Remember the January 5th matchup between these 2? Gardner-Webb outlasted the Camels 93-81 in a 3OT slugfest. Campbell has more talent on paper, but GWU head coach Chris Holtmann has had the Runnin’ Bulldogs near the top of the league all season. Gardner-Webb, riding a 7 game winning streak, moves on to the semi’s.

 #4 South Coastal Carolina vs. #1 North High Point, 8:00pm
Prediction: With John Brown out and Coastal playing at home, this is everyone’s “sexy” upset pick. I’m not buying it. Coastal hasn’t won more than 2 Division I games in a row this season, and is just 1-4 against the top 3 Big South teams this season. Even without JB, High Point advances.

Semifinals – Saturday, March 9
#1 South Charleston Southern vs. #3 South UNC Asheville, 12:00pm
Prediction: Charleston Southern swept UNC Asheville this season, and for good reason, they’re just better. Nimley and Harper leads Charleston Southern to their first Big South tournament championship game since 2005.

 #2 South Gardner-Webb vs. #1 North High Point, 2:00pm
Prediction: The hottest team in the league against the team who has to replace their go to guy. This is where John Brown’s absence catches up to the Panthers as Big South Coach of the Year Chris Holtmann & his Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs advance to their first ever Big South tournament championship game.

Championship – Sunday, March 10
#1 South Charleston Southern vs. #2 South Gardner-Webb, 12:00pm ESPN2

GWU’s Head Coach Chris Holtmann

Prediction: The South Division has been widely regarded as the best division in the Big South all season, so it makes sense that the top 2 teams from the South meet in the Championship game. GWU has never won a Big South tournament championship, and CSU has only won it one time way back in 1997. Both of these 2 teams matchups in the regular season went to overtime as Gardner-Webb won both contests. CSU has 4 conference losses with 2 coming to the hands of the Runnin’ Bulldogs. GWU’s superior coaching beats Charleston Southern’s talented backcourt as Gardner-Webb dances for the first time in their school’s history.