Season Preview: Men’s Basketball Aims to be Different with Similar Results
The last in a three-part men’s basketball season preview.
Marc Gignac
11/2/2019
STATESBORO - It is not very often in this day and age of a college basketball that a team loses two four-year starters with 247 career games played and 211 starts between them.
That experience is what walked across the stage with Tookie Brown and Montae Glenn on graduation day last May at Georgia Southern and yet, the Eagles return 10 lettermen with a wealth of experience to the 2019-20 squad. Plenty of pure basketball talent resides on the Eagle roster, but in order for Georgia Southern to have success this year, the departed intangibles will have to be replaced and the vacated leadership roles will have to be filled.
Glenn’s leadership manifested itself in becoming a tremendous communicator, especially on defense, and he was great at getting guys in the right place at the right time. Part of that responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Simeon Carter and Trey Dawkins.
“People don't understand how valuable to the team a lot of the things Montae did were,” said Georgia Southern coach Mark Byington. “He was a very, very good offensive rebounder and extremely smart. He anchored down our defense and did a lot of things that would help us during the game. Simeon and Trey really have to step up. They are both fifth-year seniors so they have a lot to prove, not only to themselves, but to their team and to the game of basketball. This is going to be their opportunity, and it's going to be right there for them and they need to make sure they are ready for the opportunity.”
Brown displayed his leadership through action. He had the ball in his hands 90 percent of the time, got the Eagles into a set play when needed and made something positive happen when things broke down. Senior David-Lee Jones Jr. and sophomore Calvin Wishart will shoulder that burden but will likely do it differently.
“Tookie was so good and so talented and came through all the time that I leaned on him and so did his teammates,” said Byington. “You're not going to replace him, but the positive thing is that some guys can do more things then they had a chance to show. Last year, we started Calvin off the ball because he can make shots, and David-Lee Jones played both positions. We emphasize position-less basketball, where multiple guys can do different things so we'll be fine with them both on the court together or one on and one off the court. The good thing is that they are experienced, so they will be able to handle that responsibility.”
We're going to be a better shooting team than we were last year. We have more guys who can make shots, and the guys that were here last year have really improved their shooting.
Georgia Southern made 49.9 percent of its shots last season to finish fourth in the country in field goal percentage. That efficiency came from attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line, and if there was a knock against the Eagles’ offense, it was their shooting 32.3 percent from 3-point range. The college 3-point line is moving back to the international line of 22 feet, 1 3/4 inches, almost a foot and a half from where it was last year. Though one would think moving the line back would hamper Georgia Southern, the numbers did not show that in the three games the Eagles played in Spain.
“I thought it would be a major change for our team, but we went to Spain and played with what will be the 3-point line this year and we shot the ball really well,” said Byington. “We're going to be a better shooting team than we were last year. We have more guys who can make shots, and the guys that were here last year have really improved their shooting.”
If the Eagles can shoot from distance the way they did in Spain, the new line will help their offense because of the offensive spacing and driving lanes the new line provides.
“With the line moved farther out, it does help spacing on offense, especially if you can make the shot,” said Byington. “I hope we keep the same efficiency rate and are still scoring at a high percentage but there is a balance. The more we make the better, but our identity is still going to be to attack the basket, and when teams want to pack it in on us, we're going to have to make 3s.”
The new line may also force Georgia southern to make some defensive adjustments, and understanding the opponents’ personnel will be paramount.
“On defense, the thing I noticed in Spain having to defend the 3-point line is that you can get really spread out quick so your discipline of being able to guard the 3-point line and still being able to guard the drive is going to be a challenge,” said Byington.
The schedule presents another difference for the Eagles as the Sun Belt slate will feature 20 games for the first time since the 2015-16 season. While the total number of league games may not be that much of a change, the timing of them may be.
“Adding two more games isn't a big deal, but I think the major thing is we have two important games in December,” said Byington. “We have two home conference games where we won't have students here that are going to be really big games against two really good teams. You have to get going earlier. It used to be non-conference games until Christmas and then turn your focus to conference games, but it won't be that way this year.”
The Sun Belt is always a tough league to judge because of the yearly turnover in rosters and coaching staffs. Along with the Eagles, the consensus among preseason publications seems to be that South Alabama and UTA are two of the teams to beat.
“There's a lot of turnover with transfers coming in and out and junior college players, so teams in our league can get good quickly,” said Byington. “I like the fact that we have stability in what we're returning. It's a long season and a lot of things play out.”
Plenty of athleticism and talent remains on the Georgia Southern roster, but winning Division I basketball games, especially in March, requires more than that. The Eagles must demonstrate they have the intangibles to post a third straight 20-win season and continue their run of success.
The Eagles open the campaign at No. 24/23 Auburn Nov. 5 on the SEC Network. Season tickets are on sale now, and tickets start at just $100. Single-game home tickets are also on sale, and all tickets can be purchased at GSEagles.com/tickets.
