CBB Review hands out awards for each conference tournament in 2023. Next up: The Big South Tournament.
In Ariel Puterman’s Big South Tournament Preview, he predicted a UNC Asheville vs. Longwood final. He was half right as UNC Asheville took on Campbell in the final game to determine who got the NCAA tournament bid.
After being down 66-52 with 7:37 left in the game, the Bulldogs were able to come back to win it.
CBB Review Big South Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Drew Pember, UNC Ashville
In the three games Pember played in the tournament, he averaged about 29.7 points per game dominating against the competition. He also led the charge against Campbell while being down late. Pember is an elite mid-major player and showed that in the Big South Tournament.
CBB Review All-Big South Tournament First Team
- G: Tajion Jones, UNC Asheville – 3 games played (17.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 0.7 APG 1.7 SPG)
- G: Daquan Smith, Radford – 2 games played (19.0 PPG, 2.0 APG, 1.5 RPG)
- G: Anthony Dell’Orso, Campbell – 4 games played (17.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.3 SPG)
- F: Jay Pal, Campbell – 4 games played (19.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG)
- F: Drew Pember, UNC Asheville – 3 games played (29.7 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 2.7 BPG)
UNC Asheville’s NCAA Tournament Prediction
Round of 64
UNC Asheville projects at around a 15 seed, meaning all of their potential matchups aren’t in their favor. Although they should be able to keep it close to teams, the fact that the two best teams they played were UCF, who they beat in double overtime, and Arkansas, who blew them out, doesn’t show the most confidence. If Pember and Jones get hot from three though, they may have enough in them to scare whatever team they play.