GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's basketball team will open its 23rd South Atlantic Conference season this week with a pair of contests.
The Pioneers (0-2, 0-0 SAC) will host arch-rival Carson-Newman University on Wednesday night in TU's home opener which tips off at 7:30 p.m. Tusculum will then travel to Catawba College on Saturday for a 4 p.m. contest in Salisbury, North Carolina.
TU will be looking to bounce back after a sluggish start to the season with a pair of Southeast Regional losses at the Peach Belt Conference / South Atlantic Conference Challenge.
LAST WEEK
In last Friday's season-opener, USC Aiken rallied from an 11-point deficit and used a 10-0 run in the final three minutes to defeat Tusculum 85-75.
William Vedder led the way for the Pioneers while making his TU debut as he posted 15 points while shooting 7-of-10 from the floor and hauled in four rebounds. Rookie KJ Crump added 14 points off the bench going 4-of-5 from three-point territory. James West IV contributed 11 points on three 3-pointers.
On Saturday, the Pioneers fell behind in the second half and made a valiant effort in the final minutes only to come up short in an 83-79 loss to host Clayton State University.
Vedder once again paced the TU offense with a game-high 20 points including 4-of-5 shooting from three-point land. Junior Justin Mitchell finished with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Brandon Mitchell added 13 points while firing 6-of-8 from the floor.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
The Pioneers are off to its first 0-2 start since head coach J.T. Burton's inaugural Tusculum season in 2018-19. TU overcame the slow start that season and rallied to a 16-13 showing.
This year, Tusculum is shooting at a high rate especially from beyond the arc where they are second in the conference in team 3-point percentage at 49 percent and averaging 12.5 three-pointers per game, which are also second in the SAC.
But where the Pioneers are deficient is on the boards and at the free throw line. TU is last in the conference in rebounding averaging 30.0 boards per game and are at the bottom of the table on the offensive glass with 6.5 rebounds per game.
In two games, the Pioneers have made only 10 trips to the free throw line where they are shooting just 50 percent.
The Pioneers have been without 2021 SAC Player of the Year Trenton Gibson due to injury as his status is listed as day-to-day. Gibson was ranked in the SAC's top-three in scoring (18.8), rebounding (8.2) and assists (5.0) and will be a welcomed addition upon his return.
Vedder, who starred on the Virginia State University basketball team in the Trojans three NCAA Tournament runs, is the Pioneers top scorer this season averaging 17.5 points per game (6th in SAC) while shooting 65.2 percent from the field (7th in SAC), including 5-of-8 from downtown (62.5% - 6th in SAC).
Justin Mitchell and Crump are each averaging 11.5 points per game while Brandon Mitchell is tallying 9.5 points per outing. Justin Mitchell leads TU on the glass with his 6.0 rebounds per game average, while also dishing out 3.0 assists per game (15th in SAC).
Brandon Mitchell leads the conference shooting a sizzling 9-of-11 from the floor (81.8%) to go along with his 4.5 boards per game.
West, a 2021 All-SAC honoree, is contributing 8.0 points per game, while SAC All-Freshman team pick Inady Legiste is tallying 5.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.
SCOUTING CARSON-NEWMAN
The Carson-Newman Eagles enter Wednesday's game with a 1-1 record splitting its two home contests last weekend.
The Eagles dismantled Lees-McRae College in Saturday's season-opener 108-75 as C-N shot a blistering 16-of-28 from three-point territory for 68 percent. Carson-Newman jumped out to a 47-28 in the first half and scored 61 points in the final 20 minutes. Five Eagles scored in double figures including 17 markers by Tripp Davis and 16 from SAC Freshman of the Year Ren Dyer.
Carson-Newman had its 10-game home winning streak halted with Sunday's 77-66 setback to visiting King University. Davis led the way with 15 points while Bryant Thomas had 11 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.
Wednesday will be the 179th recorded meeting between the Pioneers and Eagles. C-N has dominated the series 119-59, but Tusculum has won five of the last seven meetings.
The teams met three times last year in some of the most exciting games in the long history of the rivalry. TU won 82-72 in the lone regular-season meeting last year in Greeneville.
The two would meet again in Pioneer Arena in the SAC Semifinal where Tripp Davis' lay-up was counted on a goal-tending call with six seconds remaining in a 60-59 win. That victory sent the Eagles to the SAC Tournament final where the knocked off top-seeded Queens.
Tusculum and Carson-Newman would play the seasonal-rubber match in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament where Tusculum came away with a 65-63 overtime win over the 23rd-ranked Eagles.
SCOUTING CATAWBA
The Catawba Indians are off to a 1-1 start after opening at the Newberry Classic last weekend. The Wolves posted an 81-69 win over Johnson C. Smith last Friday as Ray Kowalski scored 21 points and Caleb Robinson contributed a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. In the game, Catawba trailed 15-8 but used a 20-4 run to spark the victory.
Last Saturday, UNC Pembroke took a 19-point at halftime en route to a 92-68 win over Catawba. Caleb Robinson had a game-high 15 points, while Kris Robinson also had 15 markers off the bench for the Indians.
This weekend will be the 52nd recorded meeting between Tusculum and Catawba. The Indians lead the series 28-23 and have won five of the last meetings. TU swept the two encounters last year, winning 74-72 on Trenton Gibson's three-pointer at the buzzer. The two would meet at Pioneer Arena in the SAC Quarterfinal as TU came away with a 93-70 victory.
TICKETS AND COVID PROTOCOL
Tickets for 2021-22 Tusculum home basketball games are $10 for all entrants and children 12 and under will be admitted free. Tusculum students will be admitted free and valid Tusculum ID is required.
Tusculum University's campus remains at LEVEL 4 of coronavirus risk based on the Greene County transmission rate. LEVEL 4 means fans must wear face coverings indoors on the Greeneville campus, which includes Pioneer Arena.
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS
Fans can watch the action of Tusculum men's basketball all season at www.TusculumPioneers.com on the Pioneer Sports Network and the SAC Digital Network. The radio call of the games will also be available locally on WSMG Radio on 95.5 FM and 1450 AM, as well as online at https://jewel955.com/listenlive.
