CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) - The Big South Conference announced today the names of its new six-team divisions in men's basketball and baseball are North and South.  Below is the divisional breakdown for both sports:

Beginning this season, men's basketball will play a 16-game Conference schedule which will include two games against divisional opponents (10 total), and one crossover game against the opposing division (6 total).  Division champions will be recognized, and all 12 teams will participate in the VisitMyrtleBeach.Com Big South Men's Basketball Championship.  Seeding will be by divisions -- the top two teams with the best overall Conference won-loss percentage in each division shall receive the top four seeds in the championship and first round byes.  The remaining seeds shall be determined based on division finish.  In the event of a tie for a particular seed, the seed will be determined within each division.

Big South baseball teams will utilize a 24-game, two division schedule format for the 2013 season.  The 12 teams will play a 3-game series against five teams in the same division and three in the other division based on the final 2012 Conference standings.  Eight teams will advance to the Conference Championship and will play in double-elimination brackets leading up to the "winner-take-all" championship game.  The procedure to determine the eight teams is being finalized and will be announced in November.

With the Big South Conference's membership reaching an all-time high of 12 institutions in 2012-13, the League adopted divisional play for the first time in Conference history with men's basketball and baseball the first sports to split into divisions.