ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum University men's basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the South Atlantic Conference announced league officials Wednesday with the release of the 2020-21 SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The Pioneers received 117 total points of the conference's 13 head coaches including Limestone who is competing in its first season as a full member of the SAC.
Tusculum junior guard Trenton Gibson was also named to the Preseason All-SAC second team, which is selected by a vote of the league's media relations directors.
Lincoln Memorial is the favorite win this year's title as the Railsplitters garnered 155 points including 11 first place votes. Queens University of Charlotte is second in the voting with 144 points and one first place nod, while Lenoir-Rhyne is third with 122 points and one first place vote. Tusculum is fourth, followed by Catawba (114), Anderson (107), Wingate (81), Newberry (78), Carson-Newman (77), Mars Hill (64), Coker (45), UVA Wise (40) and Limestone (26).
Gibson, a 6-4, 200-pound native of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, garnered All-SAC honorable mention honors last year after leading the team in scoring and assists and was third on the roster in rebounding. The 2019 SAC Freshman of the Year averaged 13.5 points per game (20th in SAC) while dishing out 3.9 assists per contest (7th in SAC). His 5.9 rebounds per game was 16th in the league as he scored in double-figures in 24 of his 32 games last season.
He also accounted for five games for 10 or more rebounds including last year's season-opener where he posted a triple-double of 17 points, 11 boards and 12 assists in a win over USC Aiken.
During his 61-game career, Gibson has tallied 814 points, 352 rebounds and 229 assists. His .784 career free throw percentage at Tusculum is eighth in school history while his 3.75 career assists per game average is tied for 7th-best in the TU record book.
Gibson has also shined off the court where he is an honors student. He earned a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District first team and was the 2020 recipient of the SAC Elite 20 Award. The sport management major is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll, Dean's List, President's List and the Charles Oliver Honor List and the Division II Athletic Directors Association Honor Roll.
The Pioneers return two starters and nine lettermen from last year's 19-13 squad that finished fourth in the league for a second straight season and advanced to the SAC semifinal. Head coach JT Burton has guided Tusculum to 35 victories and back-to-back winning seasons in his first two years at the helm of the TU program.
The Pioneers will open their season Saturday, Nov. 21 when they host Wingate University for a 4 p.m. contest at Pioneer Arena.
2020-21 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
|
Rk |
Team (1st Place Votes) |
PTS |
|
1 |
Lincoln Memorial (11) |
155 |
|
2 |
Queens (1) |
144 |
|
3 |
Lenoir-Rhyne (1) |
122 |
|
4 |
TUSCULUM |
117 |
|
5 |
Catawba |
114 |
|
6 |
Anderson |
107 |
|
7 |
Wingate |
81 |
|
8 |
Newberry |
78 |
|
9 |
Carson-Newman |
77 |
|
10 |
Mars Hill |
64 |
|
11 |
Coker |
45 |
|
12 |
UVA Wise |
40 |
|
13 |
Limestone |
26 |
2020-21 Preseason All-SAC Men's Basketball Team
First Team
Quin Nottingham, Anderson
Cameron Henry, Lincoln Memorial
Devin Whitfield, Lincoln Memorial
Cameron Whiteside, UVA Wise
Darius Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne
R.J. Gunn, Lenoir-Rhyne
Second Team
Jamari Smith, Queens
Trenton Gibson, Tusculum
Jarren Cottingham, Wingate
Javonte Cooke, Mars Hill
Crosby James II, Anderson
Kenny Dye, Queens
