NASHVILLE, Tenn. (10/25) -- The TranSouth Athletic Conference men's basketball coaches have tipped Union University as the preseason favorite for the upcoming 2010-2011 men's basketball season, as MMC earned a fifth-spot ranking.
The Bulldogs received ten more points than second place Freed-Hardeman University. Trevecca Nazarene is picked third, while Cumberland University and Martin Methodist round out the top five. Mid-Continent, Lyon College, Bethel University, and Blue Mountain round out the rest of the teams in the poll.
After an 18-13, 6-10 (TSAC) season in 2009-10, MMC men's basketball Head Coach Andy Sharpe has his eyes set on improvement in 2010-11 with a plethora of new additions for the RedHawks.
Sharpe has added new leadership with the hiring of assistant coach David Anderson, while bringing in eight new faces to his players. Seniors Tripp Howell (Dalton, Ga.) and Chris Goodwin (Hendersonville, Tenn.) highlight the four returners, while Nello Giordano (Junior/Brisbane, Australia) and Tanner Andrews (Sophomore/Collinwood, Tenn.) also rejoin the RedHawks on the hardwood this season. Goodwin, a 45 percent three-point shooter averaged 14.2 points per contest, while Howell averaged 13.8 minutes of playing time in 2009-10.
Newcomers include five junior college transfers, while two freshmen guards Kyle Howe-Tipene and Brandon Hunter will look to fight for playing time. Division I transfer Chris Leggitt (Senior/Meridian, Miss.) joins MMC from Troy University, looking to make immediate impact for his final season as a 6-7 forward.
The RedHawks begin their 2010-11 campaign at Atlanta Christian on October 25th before competing in the Emmanuel College Classic and Brewton Parker Classic in late October. MMC will then open at home on November 9th, hosting Auburn-Montgomery.
