VIDEO | Brian Good Season Preview
VIDEO | Marcus Kirkland Season Preview

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University men's basketball team will get the 2020-21 season started this weekend, traveling to Tusculum for a 4 p.m. tip Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs will play their home opener Tuesday, Nov. 24, welcoming Carson-Newman to Cuddy Arena at 4 p.m.

The Bulldogs will look to bounce back from a 13-15 season last year, going 9-13 in league play. Wingate returns its top two scorers from last year's squad and six of the top eight scorers overall. The 'Dogs were picked to finish seventh in the preseason SAC poll, with redshirt junior guard Jarren Cottingham earning preseason all-conference honors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has obviously complicated the season, pushing back the start of practices and games. Games throughout the conference have already been postponed and moved around for opening week, but Wingate's schedule is unchanged so far.

"Preseason has been different for sure!" head coach Brian Good says. "We've spent much less time together this fall and obviously missed last Spring as well. But the guys have been great and are just thankful every day we get to be on the court. The most important idea we have stressed is to be flexible and ready for change."

"I really believe this group is driven," Good says. "We underachieved last year. We know this. I think our returners have a chip on their shoulder and feel they have something to prove."

The Bulldogs have plenty of strong experience on this year's squad with several players entering their fourth or even fifth year with the program, give the 'Dogs a group of solid leaders. "I am not sure this team will have one guy step up as THE leader but rather a committee of veterans who will share that roll," Good says. "We have three redshirt seniors and four redshirt juniors, so we are more mature than our roster indicates."

Wingate also welcomes eight newcomers to this year's team who will look to grow into roles as the season progresses. "I think it's tough for newcomers when you return so many guys and with the limited time we've been able to practice," Good says. "But we've added a couple of guys that will develop as the year goes on."

GUARDS

Leading the way at the point guard position is redshirt junior Francis Sio, who finished second on the team with 11.2 points per game last season. He shot 41 percent from three-point range, knocking down 50 threes while ranking second on the team with 50 assists. Sio scored in double figures each of the last seven games of the 2019-20 season, scoring 18 or more in each of the last four contests. Sophomore Donell Nixon appeared in 25 games during his first season, averaging 3.5 points per contest while registering 37 assists. He shot 43 percent from beyond the arc and 88 percent at the free throw line. The 'Dogs will also look to freshman Taylor Bell to get some minutes as the point guard this year.

"The point guard position will be fun to watch," Good says. "Sio really played well late last year and has continued to improve. Nixon has been great in practice and will challenge him every day. They are both very good three-point shooters which allows us to keep spacing when they are off the ball. They've gone at it every day and are making each other better. Taylor Bell has been impressive as well. One of the best on-ball defenders as a Freshman I've had in some time."

WINGS

Cottingham will lead the way on the wings. The redshirt junior ranked eighth in the SAC with 18.2 points per game last season, ranking second in the league in points per 40 minutes while shooting 46 percent from the field and knocking down a team-best 51 triples. Classmate Kendrick Tucker will also be a key contributor on the wing. He appeared in all but two games last season, making eight starts while contributing 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest. Junior Andreas Wilson appeared in six games last season, knocking down four triples while averaging 3.2 points per contest. Redshirt junior Blake Bailey played in seven games in the 2019-20 season, pulling down four rebounds while adding a steal and an assist. Freshman Destin Clark will also contribute on the wing for the Bulldogs.

"I'm guessing Jarren will be the focal point of most team's defenses, as he should," Good says. "He has the ability to score in a variety of ways. We will need him to do a better job of creating for others as well this season. Tuck is always solid. He did not shoot it like I know he can last year but that never compromised his effort. He gets closer to his pre-injury form every day. After that, we have some great competition for roles. Andreas is one of our best shooters, newcomer Destin Clark is a big strong wing that can create, and Blake Bailey is one of our most trusted defenders."

POSTS

The 'Dogs have plenty of depth and experience in the post, led by redshirt senior Quantra Taylor. The only player to start all 28 games last season, Taylor averaged 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 63 percent from the field and blocking a team-best 22 shots. Senior Miguel Priest averaged 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while knocking down 27 triples. Senior Rashaard Pringle appeared in the first 10 games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury, contributing 10.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest, while sophomore Vontrez Roberts played in 25 games last year, registering 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game and shooting 47 percent from the field.

"Our group of forwards is the most veteran I can remember," Good says. "We have three fifth-year seniors and we will be counting on them to anchor us, especially on the defensive end. Priest played his best basketball late last year. We will need him to continue that. Losing Pringle to injury last year was a big blow. His athleticism gives us so much flexibility on both ends. Quantra seems like has been here forever. We know we can count on him to rebound every night and defend. My hope is that we can do a better job of putting him in positions to score this year. Our only underclassman is Roberts. With a year of experience, I expect him to take a huge step forward this season."

The Bulldogs open things up this weekend at Tusculum, then host Carson-Newman Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the home opener. After traveling to Catawba the following Saturday, Wingate is home three of its next four games, hosting UVA-Wise, Mars Hill and Newberry all before Christmas. The lone road game in that stretch is a trip to #10 Queens Saturday, Dec. 5.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 36 undergraduate majors as well as six master's and four doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; and the College of Professional Studies, which includes the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Wingate is the leading healthcare education provider in western North Carolina, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Athletes on Wingate's 23 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 13 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.