October 7, 2002

SOCON COACHES TAB FURMAN FIRST;
DA LUZ, SOUCHU NAMED PRESEASON ALL-SOCON

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Furman Paladins men's basketball team has been picked by Southern Conference head coaches to win the league's south division, it was announced today at the conference's annual tipoff.

Furman, which posted a 17-14 record and finished as Southern Conference Tournament runner-up last year, returns three starters and nine lettermen this year, including guard Guilherme Da Luz and forward Karim Souchu, who were both named to the coaches 10-man preseason all-conference team.

"Being picked at the top is a credit to what we were able to achieve last year and the veteran players we have returning," said Furman head coach Larry Davis, who returns for his sixth season. "It's been quite a while since a Furman team was a preseason No. 1. That's nice, but I think our players are now mature enough to know what it takes to achieve that level of success."

Da Luz, a senior, led the Southern Conference with 206 assists and average 11.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last year. Souchu, meanwhile, averaged a team leading 14.8 points per game and heads into his final season with 1,417 points, good for 17th on Furman's all-time chart.

Georgia Southern and Furman shared five first place votes to finish with 56 points each in balloting by the coaches. College of Charleston was picked third followed by Chattanooga, Wofford, and The Citadel.

East Tennessee Sate was the overwhelming choice to win the north division, receiving 11 first place votes and 66 points. The Buccaneers were followed by UNC Greensboro, Davidson and VMI . Appalachian Sate and Western Carolina tied for fifth with 27 points each.

Furman opens its 2002-03 season on Nov. 17 against Alabama State in the Guardians Classic in Omaha, Nebraska.

2002-03 Southern Conference Preseason Poll

South Division (1st place votes)
1) Furman (5) 56
Georgia Southern (5) 56
3) College of Charleston 43
4) Chattanooga (1) 41
5) Wofford 25
6) The Citadel 23

North Division (1st place votes)
1) East Tennessee State (11) 66
2) UNC Greensboro (1) 55
3) Davidson 41
4) VMI 30
5) Appalachian State 27
Western Carolina 27