Winthrop (0-0) vs. Ferrum College (0-0)
Game Time: 4 p.m. EST / Site: Rock Hill, SC (Winthrop Coliseum)
Live Video: Big South Network (Mike Pacheco-PxP/Bobby Stevens-Color) Television: none Audio: 104.1 The Bridge (pregame 3:30 p.m. with Dave Friedman-PxP/Ron Mikels-Color)
Live Stats / Live Video / Live Audio
Men's Basketball Video Preview
ROCK HILL, SC—Winthrop men's basketball opens the 2016-17 season Saturday afternoon when it hosts Ferrum College at 4 p.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum.
It is "Homecoming" weekend at Winthrop and the men's game is part of a doubleheader with the women's volleyball team taking on UNC Asheville at 1 p.m. The men's game will air on the Big South Network or fans can listen in on 104.1 The Bridge, with the pregame starting at 3:30 p.m. as Dave Friedman provides the play-by-play.
Winthrop is looking to win its fifth straight season opener under head coach
Pat Kelsey. The Eagles are coming off a season in which they were 23-9 and made it to the Big South Conference championship game for a third straight year. The team is expected to once again contend for a conference title as the Eagles are a unanimous pick to win the Big South Conference as announced on Media Day just a few weeks ago. Last year was the second time under Kelsey the Eagles have won 20 or more games in a season and the 10
th time in program history as an NCAA Div. I member. With the next win, Kelsey will tie Randy Peele for third all-time in wins at Winthrop with 77.
Highlighting the group of returners are senior
Keon Johnson and junior
Xavier Cooks. Johnson was voted the Big South Preseason Player of the Year after setting career-highs in several categories last season that included a scoring average of 18.7. Johnson was named to the All-Big South First Team in 2015-16 as he finished tied for third in scoring in the Big South and second overall in league games only at 20.2 per game. Cooks was an All-Big South Second Team selection last season as he also set career-highs in several categories as he was third on the team with 14.7 points and led the team with 7.1 rebounds. He also finished fourth in the Big South in blocks and became the sixth player in program history to reach 100 in his career.
Bjorn Broman is the only other returning starter from last year's team, but the Eagles do return senior
Joshua Davenport, redshirt-senior
Roderick Perkins, redshirt-junior
Duby Okeke, and sophomore
Adam Pickett. Redshirt senior
Tevin Prescott also returns after sitting out last season to provide the team with more experienced talent.
Winthrop and Ferrum meet for the second straight season and just the third time ever in the series history. Winthrop has won the only two meetings 81-63 (2015-16) and 90-62 (2004-05).
