10-04-2017, 11:30 PM
PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Pikeville men's basketball team picked up a No. 6 ranking in Street & Smith's NAIA Preseason Top-10 Poll, published in its college basketball preview magazine that you can pick up on newsstands now.
The preseason prediction nearly mirrors where the Bears left off in the NAIA Coaches' Poll at No. 7 in the postseason edition. UPIKE earned that spot after a 28-8 campaign in which it advanced to the NAIA National Tournament quarterfinals for the fourth time in program history.
Street & Smith's blurb on the Bears reads:
"The Bears, who reached the quarterfinals last season thanks to a defense that allowed only 64.6 points per game, are building off three returning starters: 6-4 Darrion Leslie, 6-3 Jordan Perry and 6-0 Rze Culbreath. Three D1 transfers will also help - 6-3 Mike Chambers (Maryland Eastern Shore), 6-7 Rodney Hawkins (St. Peter's) and 6-6 Basil Thompson (St. Francis (Pa.))."
Leslie, who was a second team All-American choice by the NAIA last year is a first-team selection by Street & Smith heading into this season.
Fans can get their first look at the 2017-18 team at the annual Basketball Blast-Off at 8 p.m. ET on Oct. 18 at UPIKE Gym. UPIKE opens the regular season on Oct. 27 against Central Penn in the Tip-Off Classic also at UPIKE Gym.
http://upikebears.com/news/2017/10/4/men...-poll.aspx
The preseason prediction nearly mirrors where the Bears left off in the NAIA Coaches' Poll at No. 7 in the postseason edition. UPIKE earned that spot after a 28-8 campaign in which it advanced to the NAIA National Tournament quarterfinals for the fourth time in program history.
Street & Smith's blurb on the Bears reads:
"The Bears, who reached the quarterfinals last season thanks to a defense that allowed only 64.6 points per game, are building off three returning starters: 6-4 Darrion Leslie, 6-3 Jordan Perry and 6-0 Rze Culbreath. Three D1 transfers will also help - 6-3 Mike Chambers (Maryland Eastern Shore), 6-7 Rodney Hawkins (St. Peter's) and 6-6 Basil Thompson (St. Francis (Pa.))."
Leslie, who was a second team All-American choice by the NAIA last year is a first-team selection by Street & Smith heading into this season.
Fans can get their first look at the 2017-18 team at the annual Basketball Blast-Off at 8 p.m. ET on Oct. 18 at UPIKE Gym. UPIKE opens the regular season on Oct. 27 against Central Penn in the Tip-Off Classic also at UPIKE Gym.
http://upikebears.com/news/2017/10/4/men...-poll.aspx