GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum Pioneers will open a three-game home-stand, starting this Wednesday when they host nationally-ranked Queens University of Charlotte at Pioneer Arena in a critical South Atlantic Conference contest. Tip-off time is slated for 7:30 p.m. (ET).
The Pioneers (11-4, 11-2 SAC) are riding a six-game winning streak entering this week's action thanks to a 74-57 road victory at Coker University on Saturday. With the win, Tusculum remains tied atop the league standings with Lincoln Memorial University (14-2, 11-2 SAC), who posted an 83-74 home win over Queens on Saturday.
Tusculum will be looking for their first-ever season-sweep over the Royals (13-3, 9-3 SAC) as the Pioneers upset then fourth-ranked Queens 81-74 last month in Charlotte. It was the highest-ranked opponent Tusculum has ever defeated.
In TU's win at Coker, Trenton Gibson led the way with 16 points, while Brandon Mitchell posted his fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Justin Mitchell went a perfect 5-of-5 from the field for his 11 points and Inady Legiste added nine points, two assists and two steals in the win.
Tusculum held the opposition under 60 points for a third time during the winning streak and a 14th time over the past four seasons.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Trenton Gibson, the 2021 SAC Player of the Year, continues to be the only player in the SAC who is listed in the top-10 in scoring, rebounding and assists. Gibson's 20.3 scoring average is second in the conference, while he is second on the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg – 9th in SAC) and tops in assists (4.7 apg – 4th in SAC). Saturday's 16-point outing extended his string of consecutive games with double-figure scoring to 24 in a row.
On Saturday, Gibson was named one of the top-100 players on the Bevo Francis Award Watch List, which recognizes the top small college men's basketball player in the country. He enters Wednesday with 1,454 career points which ranks him 11th all-time in Tusculum history. He has scored in double figures in 79 of his 94 career games including 23 points in this year's first meeting with Queens.
He is listed in TU's career top-10 in 10 statistical categories including: field goals made (455 – 9th), field goal attempts (1089 – 5th), free throws made (435 – 3rd), free throw attempts (542 – 3rd), free throw percentage (.803 – 6th), rebounds (604 – 10th), rebounds per game (6.43 rpg – 4th), assists (389 – 4th), assists per game (4.14 apg – 7th) and steals (113 – T9th).
Inady Legiste is second on the roster in both scoring and field goal percentage. The 2021 SAC Freshman of the Year runner-up is averaging 10.9 points per contest while shooting 57.4 percent from the floor (6th in SAC) including a sizzling 11-of-19 from three-point territory (57.9%). He is also grabbing 4.3 rebounds per game while leading the team averaging 1.60 blocked shots per contest (2nd in SAC).
Veteran forward William Vedder is third on the team with his 10.0 points per game average. He is hauling down 5.36 rebounds per game (18th in SAC) while shooting 52.1 percent from the field (11th in SAC) for the Virginia State transfer.
During Tusculum's six-game winning streak, Brandon Mitchell has been one of the catalysts in the Pioneers sizzling run. He is averaging 8.5 points per game and a team-best 7.2 rebounds per outing (6th in SAC). He is averaging 15 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his last three contests. He notched the first of his team-leading four double-doubles against Queens where he posted 15 markers and 11 boards while shooting a percent 7-of-7 from the floor.
He is Tusculum's all-time leader with his 187 career blocked shots (9th in SAC history) including 16 this season while averaging 1.07 rejections per contest (T5th in SAC). His 726 career rebounds are the fourth-most in school history including 325 on the offensive glass which are tied for the second-most in SAC history. He leads the team averaging 3.3 offensive boards per contest which is third-best in the SAC entering this week.
Justin Mitchell is fifth on the squad averaging 7.9 points per game in his team-leading 15 starts for the Pioneers. He is averaging 5.5 rebounds per game (20th in SAC) and leads the team with his 1.27 steals per game (14th in SAC).
James West IV, a 2021 All-SAC honoree, is averaging 6.4 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, while also tallying 1.25 steals per contest (16th in SAC).
True freshman KJ Crump posted the best game of his young collegiate career last month at Queens when he posted a season-high 18 points including two key free throws down the stretch to secure the victory over the Royals. Crump is averaging 6.1 points and 1.6 rebounds per game and leads the team shooting 38.5 percent from three-point territory (12th in SAC).
Jacob Hobbs, who played his first two collegiate seasons at NCAA Division I Lipscomb University, has worked his way into the starting line-up nine times this season including every game during TU's six-game winning streak. He is averaging 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game including Saturday's eight-point effort at Coker where he posted a career-high eight rebounds.
SCOUTING THE ROYALS
The Queens University of Charlotte will be looking to avenge last month's 81-74 home loss to the Pioneers, their first of the 2021-22 campaign and snapping a 6-0 start to the season for the Royals.
After the loss to TU, Queens would rattle off victories in seven of its next eight contests including last second 82-80 home win over ranked Lincoln Memorial. The only blemish was a 67-65 road loss at Newberry, which sparked a six-game winning streak for the Royals. That run would come to an end with Saturday's loss at LMU.
The Royals lead the SAC in rebound margin (+7.6), offensive rebounds (14.7 rpg), and steals (8.3 spg), and are listed second in scoring (86.2 ppg), field goal percentage (.468), fewest turnovers per game (11.5 tpg) and fewest personal fouls committed per game (16.2).
The Royals have a balanced scoring attack with six players averaging 8.5 points or better. Forward Jamari Smith leads the team averaging 16.0 points per game (8th in SAC) while hauling in 5.8 rebounds per outing (15th in SAC). The two-time All-SAC choice has scored in double figures in 14 of his 16 games including a season-best 28 markers in the win over LMU.
All-SAC guard Kenny Dye is second on the team with 15.6 points per game and is second in the SAC in assists with his 5.1 helpers per night. The 2021 NABC All-District first team honoree scored 22 points in the previous meeting against Tusculum and tallied 24 and 21 markers in the two outings against LMU.
THE SERIES
This will be the 21st meeting between Tusculum and Queens. The Royals have dominated the series owning a 17-3 advantage including an 8-1 edge in games played in Greeneville. The Pioneers only home win over the Royals came on Feb. 27, 2016 in a 96-89 double-overtime victory on Senior Day. Since then, Queens has won four in a row at Pioneer Arena.
TICKETS
Admission for 2021-22 Tusculum home basketball games is $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. Fans may also purchase tickets online in advance through HomeTown Ticketing at www.TusculumPioneers.com/information/tickets. Spectators using HomeTown Ticketing can choose to print tickets at home or use mobile entry tickets at the gate. All attendees are currently required to wear face masks while inside Pioneer Arena.
FOLLOW THE PIONEERS
Fans can watch the action of Tusculum basketball all season at 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.
