Comets, Cru Picked to Win ASC Men’s Hoops Divisions
RICHARDSON, Texas – The league’s head coaches and directors of sports information picked UT Dallas and Mary Hardin-Baylor to win the 2020-21 American Southwest Conference East and West Division champions in men’s basketball, the ASC office announced Wednesday.
UT Dallas (22-7, 14-2 ASC) received 139 points and 20 of a possible 24 first-place votes to lead the East Division. The Comets, under seven-time East Division Coach of the Year Terry Butterfield, won the division last season and advanced to the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship.
Mary Hardin-Baylor (15-11, 7-9 ASC) they picked to win the West Division with 111 points and seven of 24 first-place votes. The Cru welcomes four-time ASC West Division Coach of the Year Clif Carroll, who led Sul Ross State to the division title last season.
In the East, the LeTourneau (23-6, 13-3 ASC) was picked second with 110 points and two first-place votes after winning the ASC Championship in 2020. The YellowJackets were followed by East Texas Baptist (21-7, 12-4 ASC) with 102 points and two first-place votes after advancing to the ASC Finals a year ago. They followed by Louisiana College (13-13, 7-9 ASC), Belhaven (10-15, 7-9 ASC), and Ozarks (8-17, 4-12 ASC).
Hardin-Simmons (11-15, 7-9 ASC) was selected as the runner-up in the West with 104 points and six first-place votes, followed by Concordia Texas (12-14, 7-9 ASC) with 101 points and two first places and defending divisional champion Sul Ross State (17-10, 13-3 ASC) with 99 points and nine first-place votes. McMurry (7-18, 4-12 ASC) and Howard Payne (2-23, 1-15 ASC) rounded out the voting.
The 2020-21 ASC Men’s Basketball Watch List comprises 34 players nominated by the head coaches and includes one all-conference selection, 16 all-division recipients, and five individual award winners.
The 2020-21 season marks the 25th in league history. Regular season play begins Saturday, November 7.
The three-day, eight-team, single-elimination conference tournament is March 4-6 at the site of the East Division No. 1 seed. The ASC Championship Tournament features the top four seeds from both divisions, which is an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship will be on the line.
ASC Men’s Basketball Preseason Polls
East Division
No. | Team (First-place votes) | Pts. | 2019-20 Record (ASC) |
1. | UT Dallas (20) | 130 | 22-7 (14-2) |
2. | LeTourneau (2) | 110 | 23-6 (13-3) |
3. | East Texas Baptist (2) | 102 | 21-7 (12-4) |
4. | Louisiana College | 60 | 13-13 (7-9) |
5. | Belhaven | 54 | 10-15 (7-9) |
6. | Ozarks | 39 | 8-17 (4-12) |
West Division
No. | Team (First-place votes) | Pts. | 2019-20 Record (ASC) |
1. | Mary Hardin-Baylor (7) | 111 | 15-11 (7-9) |
2. | Hardin-Simmons (6) | 104 | 11-15 (7-9) |
3. | Concordia Texas (2) | 101 | 12-14 (7-9) |
4. | Sul Ross State (9) | 99 | 17-10 (13-3) |
5. | McMurry | 53 | 7-18 (4-12) |
6. | Howard Payne | 34 | 2-23 (1-15) |
ASC Men’s Basketball Preseason Watch List
East Division
Name | Pos. | Class | School | Hometown |
Kelvin Pruitt | G | Sr. | Belhaven | Memphis, Tenn. |
Luke Couch 2 RF | G | So. | Belhaven | Vestavia Hills, Ala. |
Matthew McMillan | G | So. | Belhaven | Martin, Tenn. |
Christopher Haynes 2 | F | Sr. | East Texas Baptist | Houston, Texas |
Charlie Cochran | F | Jr. | East Texas Baptist | Louisville, Ky. |
Aaron Gregg | G | Jr. | East Texas Baptist | Austin, Texas |
John Argue F H | F | So. | LeTourneau | Houston, Texas |
Justin Moore 2 | G | Sr. | LeTourneau | Houston, Texas |
Andrew Eberhardt H | G | Jr. | LeTourneau | Pearland, Texas |
Kae’ron Baker 1 | G | Sr. | Louisiana College | Navasota, Texas |
Trey Ames | C | Sr. | Louisiana College | Lafayette, La. |
KJ Bilbo N | F | Sr. | Louisiana College | Bossier City, La. |
Bryson Johnson | G | Sr. | Ozarks | Katy, Texas |
Zach Bobo | G | Sr. | Ozarks | Jacksonville, Ark. |
Tim Turpin | F | Sr. | Ozarks | Cypress, Texas |
Dimitrius Underwood | G | Sr. | UT Dallas | Mesquite, Texas |
Michael Forster D | F | Sr. | UT Dallas | Austin, Texas |
Kelden Pruitt 2 | F | Sr. | UT Dallas | Heath, Texas |
A 2019-20 All-American Southwest Conference
R 2019-20 East Division Freshman of the Year
N 2019-20 East Division Newcomer of the Year
1 2019-20 East Division First Team Selection
2 2019-20 East Division First Team Selection
F 2019-20 East Division All-Freshman Team
D 2019-20 East Division All-Defensive Team
H 2019-20 East Division Honorable Mention
West Division
Name | Pos. | Class | School | Hometown |
Luis Gonzalez RF | G | So. | Concordia Texas | Carolina, P.R. |
Trevon Hester F | G | So. | Concordia Texas | North Richland Hills, Texas |
Alexander Estrada | G | Jr. | Concordia Texas | San Antonio, Texas |
Steven Quinn 1 | F | Jr. | Hardin-Simmons | Dallas, Texas |
Trey Woolridge | C | Jr. | Hardin-Simmons | Porter, Texas |
Kyle Brennon | G | Jr. | Hardin-Simmons | Houston, Texas |
Tyrell Thompson | F | Sr. | Howard Payne | Houston, Texas |
Jacob Smith F | G | So. | Howard Payne | Katy, Texas |
Luke Cox | G | Jr. | Howard Payne | Rockwall, Texas |
Aedan Welch | F | Sr. | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Georgetown, Texas |
Darius Musa | G | Sr. | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Houston, Texas |
Sam Reaves | F | Fr. | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Thorndale, Texas |
Khalil Butler | G/F | Sr. | McMurry | Baltimore, Md. |
Tristen Licon A P 1 | G | Sr. | Sul Ross State | El Paso, Texas |
Logan Dixon N H | F | Sr. | Sul Ross State | Burleson, Texas |
Jake Lopez D | G | Sr. | Sul Ross State | El Paso, Texas |
A 2019-20 All-American Southwest Conference
P 2019-20 West Division Player of the Year
R 2019-20 West Division Co-Freshman of the Year
N 2019-20 West Division Co-Newcomer of the Year
1 2019-20 West Division First Team Selection
F 2019-20 West Division All-Freshman Team
D 2019-20 West Division All-Defensive Team
H 2019-20 West Division Honorable Mention