LMU Basketball the Seniors
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Family Lincoln Memorial University 2014-15 Men’s Basketball Guide LMU Basketball 2014-15 Media Guide “It’s not just about winning championships. It’s about being a champion.” 2014-15 Media Guide LMU Basketball Table of Contents 2013-14 Season Review ......... 1-4 2014-15 Season Preview ........ 5-7 By the Numbers .......................... 8 Championship Basketball......... 9 College Hardware ......................10 National Spotlight ................ 11-12 Strength and Conditioning 13-14 Game Day in Tex ...................15-16 This is LMU .............................17-18 Preparation for Success ... 19-20 Testimonials .........................21-22 Community Service .................. 23 Personal Development ........... 24 Coaching Staff ....................25-34 The Players ..........................35-56 LMU Basketball A-Z ........... 57-63 Records & History .............. 64-72 LMU Basketball 2013-14 Review Notes on the 2013-14 season -The Railsplitters clinched their second consecutive South Atlantic Conference regular season title, and their third since the 2010-11 season, with a 79-65 win at Wingate on February 22. Lincoln Memorial concluded the regular season with a 20-2 league record, edging second-place Carson-Newman by four games. Dating back to the 2002-03 season, the Railsplitters’ four game cushion tied the widest gap conference championship in 2010-11. between the first and second place teams in the final standings, matching LMU’s margin during its first 5-9 to claim their second-ever South Atlantic Conference Championship title. Both Vincent Bailey and Tim-The PierceRailsplitters were named knocked to offthe Wingate, SAC Championship Newberry andAll-Tournament Anderson over Team a five-day for their stretch efforts. from March -Lincoln Memorial led the South Atlantic Conference in 11 different statistical categories: total points percentage (39.5 percent), defensive rebounds per game (31.7), total rebounds per game (45.6), rebound(2,689), field margin goals per made game per (15.2), game total (31.0), blocks field (163), goal percentage points per game(50.2 allowedpercent), (71.1) three-point and opponents’ field goal field goal percentage (39.4 percent). defensive rebounds per game, 1st in rebounding margin, 4th in won-lost percentage (90.3), 5th in total -The Railsplitters were among the top 20 in the nation in 10 significant statistical categories: 1st in rebounds, 6th in total blocks, 6th in scoring margin (15.6), 7th in field goal percentage defense, 8th in field goal percentage and 12th in blocked shots per game (5.3). 1 2013-14 Review LMU Basketball 2013-14 Review -Along with recording the second-most wins in the school’s single-season history, falling only two shy of the 30-5 mark put up by the 1976-77 unit, the Railsplitters broke the South Atlantic Conference record for wins and winning percentage in a single season. -The Railsplitters attempted 816 total free throws and canned 576 of those tries, both of which are the second-highest numbers in the program’s single-season history. Lincoln Memorial connected on 686 of its 895 attempts during the 1986-87 campaign. -Statistically, the 2013-14 unit was one of the best rebounding teams in the history of the men’s program. The Railsplitters pulled down 1,511 total boards for an average of 45.6 per game, ranking second in single- season history in those categories. The Railsplitters’ 31.7 defensive rebounds per game is the highest all-time mark. -Five different Railsplitters accounted for 10 or more blocks as Lincoln Memorial turned away 163 shot attempts in 2013-14, the second-highest mark in program history. -The Railsplitters collected 20-plus wins for the fifth consecutive season, which is the longest such streak for the program since the Blue and Gray accomplished that feat in seven straight seasons from 1982-89. The 1988-89 campaign was the last 20-win season for the Railsplitters prior to the arrival of head coach Josh Schertz. -Vincent Bailey was named All-SAC first team, Lorenza Ross and Chance Jones were selected All-SAC second team, and Luquon Choice was tagged with SAC All-Freshman distinctions, marking the third straight season in which the Railsplitters have had four All-SAC honorees. Lincoln Memorial was only one award recipient away from claiming four straight as three players were tabbed All-SAC at the completion of the 2010-11 season. -South Atlantic Conference and Daktronics Southeast Region Player of the Year Bailey was the first player in the Schertz era to average better than 20 points per game for an entire season. D’Mario Curry was the only player to ever sniff that mark as he accounted for 17.3 points per outing during the 2010-11 season. 2 LMU Basketball 2013-14 Review Game-by-Game Results 3 2013-14 Review LMU Basketball 2013-14 Review Stat Leaders Team Game Highs Team Game Lows 4 LMU Basketball 2014-15 Preview The Backcourt season, a group led by senior point guard Lorenza Ross (Savannah, Ga.) and juniorThe Railsplitters swing man return Tim Pierce five guards (Albany, that Ga.). appeared in at least 18 games last Ross started all 31 games for the Railsplitters during their run to the 2013-14 South Atlantic Conference regular season championship, logging a team-leading 984 minutes with 31.7 minutes per appearances. The two- contest,time All-South which Atlanticranked second Conference in the second SAC. Ross team averaged selection 10.0 finished points shooting and 2.6 44.4 percent from the field while leading the team with 4.4 assists per scoring 20 times including a season-high 17-point outburst at Anderson. rebounds per contest. The Savannah, Ga. native reached double-figure theRoss Blue tallied and five Gray or ranked more assists 12th in on school 14 occasions, history with headlined 265 career by a career-high assists. 10 assists against Newberry. The 6-3 point guard enters his final season in 45.7 percent shooting. While not his best attribute, Webb proved himself to be a knock down shooter from the perimeter, pouring in 13 three-pointers Pierce appeared in all 31 games while starting the final 15 of the season. on only 26 attempts. Webb also has the ability to provide a consistently Through the first 16 games of his sophomore campaign, Pierce scored destructive defensive effort, as he compiled the second-most steals for the double-figures only twice, but the Albany, Ga. native surged late and recorded 10 or more points eight times in the final 15 games. The 6-3 guard prequelcapped offto his career-highseason with 22 a 21-point points in flurry the opening-round in the Railsplitters’ win over win Carson-over winRailsplitters at Queens. last season with 24. Webb crossed into double-figure scoring Newberry in the semifinals of the SAC Championship, which was only a territory four times, highlighted by a career-high 15 points in LMU’s gritty averaging 7.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game on a cumulative 45.4 Wakeley, meanwhile, suffered through another injury-plagued season in Newman in the NCAA Southeast Regional. Pierce finished the season 2013-14, missing 11 games due to a wrist injury. The Alachua, Fla. native from beyond the three-point arc (40-for-94). percent mark from the field. H was sixth in the SAC with a 42.6 percent clip pouring in a season-high 14 points against Anderson. Wakeley completed That duo is backed by a trio of returners in redshirt sophomores Luquon hisposted junior double-figures season averaging in two 4.4 of pointshis seven per appearances contest, putting prior in to 25 that of his injury, 67 Choice (Laurens, S.C.) and Curtis Webb (Spartanburg, S.C.) and senior C.J. shot attempts. Wakeley (Alachua, Fla.). In his debut season in the Blue and Gray, Choice played in 30 of the team’s Tenn.), who appeared in 12 games last season. Additionally, the Railsplitters bring back junior Hunter Spaw (Bean Station, due to an untimely injury. The Laurens, S.C. native earned SAC All-Freshman Among the seven guards entering their debut season at Lincoln Memorial, Team31 games, distinctions missing after out on pouring the quarterfinals in 9.0 points of per the gameNCAA with Southeast a 43.0 Regionalpercent most immediate contribution. Simmons transferred from Brevard College accuracy from long range as the bulky 6-3 guard knocked down a team- priorredshirt to thejunior 2013-14 Gerel season,Simmons but (Accokeek, he was required Md.) is toexpected sit out dueto make to the the leadingclip from 61 the three-pointers field. Like Pierce, at a 43 Choice percent helped rate, stretch the ninth-best the floor in with the deadlySouth NCAA’s transfer rules. In his last season with the Tornados (2012-13), Simmons appeared in 26 games with 18 starts under his belt. The season’s win at Newberry as he cashed in eight three-pointers, tied for the Accokeek, Md. product produced the second-most points and rebounds second-mostAtlantic Conference. in school Choice history, showed in route his toability a career-high to space the34 points.floor in Along last with that performance, Choice tallied 10 or more points on 10 separate instances. goalfor Brevard percentage with with 14.3 apoints 47.5 percent and 4.5 markboards (57-for-120) per game. Simmons from long finished range. second in the South Atlantic Conference that season in three-point field- season with the Railsplitters. The Spartanburg, S.C. provided a versatile He added a 48.1 percent clip from the field and an 84.7 percent mark from presenceWebb averaged off of the 12.9 bench, minutes logging per game 4.3 points in 31 and total 2.5 appearances rebounds per in his game first on the charity stripe.