ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum University forward Inady Legiste has been named to the 2022-23 All-South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball first team announced league officials on Thursday.
Legiste, a 6-7, 235-pound junior from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was the lone Tusculum representative on the All-Conference team. He earns All-SAC laurels for a second straight year after garnering third team laurels last season.
He finished the regular-season as the SAC Statistical Champion for rebounding. He is currently averaging 9.2 boards per contest which are ranked 22nd in the country. He also leads the team in scoring averaging 15.6 points per game. His 13 double-doubles this year are the most in the league and are a new Tusculum single-season record. He posted a school-record seven consecutive double-doubles from Nov. 12-Dec. 17 earlier this season.
Legiste has scored in double digits in 23 of his 26 games this season including six outings with 20-plus points including a career-high 25 markers against Mars Hill (Dec. 10). His 13 games with 10 or more rebounds were the most in the conference including his career-best 16-board night vs Emory & Henry (Dec. 14).
He is shooting 53.3 percent from the field including 13-of-18 (.722) in his last two outings. His .746 free throw percentage is second on the team and 18th in the league. His 1.42 blocked shots per game average is fifth in the SAC. He has 37 blocked shots this season giving him 100 for his career, becoming the sixth player in program history to eclipse the century mark for blocks.
In his 73-game career, he has totaled 854 points and 460 rebounds including 238 boards in 2022-23 which are the ninth most in a Tusculum single-season. His 6.30 career rebound average is currently the fourth highest in school history. His .540 career field goal percentage is the sixth highest by a Pioneer.
Tusculum (16-10) defeated Wingate on Wednesday in the quarterfinal round of the SAC Basketball Championship. TU advances to the SAC semifinal for a third time in the last four years and an eighth time overall. The Pioneers will face SAC Piedmont Division winner Catawba on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. from Timmons Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Tusculum is also ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Division II Southeast Region Poll and have won their last six games.
2022-23 South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball Awards
All-SAC First Team
Jarren Cottingham, Wingate
Bradley Dean, UVA Wise
Quay Kennedy, Lincoln Memorial
Inady Legiste, Tusculum
Quandaveon McCollum, Newberry
Chase Rankin, Lincoln Memorial
All-SAC Second Team
DeAngelo Epps, Catawba
Ben Gahlert, Limestone
Javeon Jones, Catawba
Jordan Jones, Coker
Luke Lawson, UVA Wise
Tj Nesmith, Lenoir-Rhyne
All-SAC Third Team
Gabe Brown, Emory & Henry
Me'Kell Burries, Lincoln Memorial
Destin Clark, Wingate
Kory Davis, Mars Hill
Myles Jenkins, Anderson
Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman
SAC All-Freshman Team
Mahmoud Bangura, Coker
Caleb Byrd, Newberry
Kory Davis, Mars Hill
Calen Lightford, UVA Wise
Patrick Shelley, UVA Wise
SAC Player of the Year: Bradley Dean, UVA Wise
SAC Freshman of the Year: Kory Davis, Mars Hill
SAC Defensive Player of the Year: Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman
SAC Coach of the Year: Rob Perron, Catawba
Statistical Champions
Points Per Game – Bradley Dean, UVA Wise; 20.7
Three-Pointers Per Game – Garrett Denbow, Anderson; 3.52
Rebounds Per Game – Inady Legiste, Tusculum; 9.3
Blocked Shots Per Game – Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman; 2.23
Field Goal Percentage – TJ Nesmith, Lenoir-Rhyne; 60.0
Assists Per Game – Chase Rankin, Lincoln Memorial; 7.2
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Chase Rankin, Lincoln Memorial; 3.20
Steals Per Game – Javeon Jones, Catawba; 3.04
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage – LJ McCoy, Lenoir-Rhyne; 44.2
Free Throw Percentage – Donell Nixon II, Wingate; 92.0
Team Scoring Offense – Lincoln Memorial; 88.4
Team Steals Per Game – Catawba, 11.2
Team Field Goal Percentage – Lincoln Memorial; 52.1
Team FG Percentage Defense – Lincoln Memorial; 39.9
Team Assists Per Game – Lincoln Memorial; 19.9
Team Rebounds Per Game – Lincoln Memorial; 40.69
Team Blocks Per Game– Carson-Newman; 4.5
Team Three-Point FG Percentage – UVA Wise; 40.0
Team Scoring Defense – Newberry; 69.3
Team Free Throw Percentage – Wingate; 75.6
Team Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Lincoln Memorial; 1.45