Thursday, September 6, 2007

TUSCULUM MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADS TO CANADA FOR THREE EXHIBITION GAMES NEXT WEEKEND

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College men's basketball team will be heading north of the border next weekend as the Pioneers travel to Canada for three exhibition games.

Tusculum will depart for Montreal, Quebec early next Friday morning (Sep. 14) and will face Dawson College at 7 p.m. that evening. TC will play two games next Saturday as the Pioneers face Montmorency College at 1 p.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. contest with the University of Quebec at Montreal. This will mark the first time since Tusculum has become a NCAA Division II member that the Pioneers will play outside the United States.

The Pioneers began their preparations for the Montreal trip as they began practice last Friday, per NCAA rules. Tusculum is allowed 10 days of practice in addition to the three exhibition games they will play in Canada.

"We are very excited about this opportunity for our players and for the Tusculum program," said Pioneer head coach Jim Boone. "Our trip to Canada will provide our team with an opportunity to integrate our newcomers with our returning players for the coming season. This will also help jump-start our year and allow our new players to become better acclimated to our system prior to the beginning of practice on Oct. 15."

This year's roster has five returning lettermen from last year's squad, including senior forward Jordan Lear. Lear, a 6-7, 245-pound native of Zanesville, Ohio, led the South Atlantic Conference in three-point shooting (46.3%).

Also back from last year's squad are Jimmy Boone (So., Greeneville, Tenn.), Emory Cain (Cleveland, Ga.), Darren Hobbs (Dublin, Ohio) and Lavanti Jeter (Alexandria, Va.). Rob Zalucki (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Ryan McLaurin (Cary, N.C.) are also back for the Pioneers.

Tusculum has seven newcomers to the program this year including Marco Kostic (Zemun, Serbia), Kyle Moore (Gainesville, Fla.), Bryan Spriggs (Philadelphia, Pa.), Andrew Steioff (Duluth, Ga.), Wesley Sweet (Ft. Washington, Md.), Rob Troutman (Mt. Washington, Ky.) and Ryan Troutman (Mt. Washington, Ky.).

The three games in Canada will utilize international rules, with the extended three-point arc, the expanded lane and a 24-second shot clock.

The team will also have a chance to do some sight-seeing on Sunday, Sep. 16, prior to returning to Tennessee later that evening.

Tusculum will play a 27-game regular season schedule as well as three exhibition games against NCAA Division I opponents Lipscomb University (Nov. 1), Kennesaw State University (Nov. 3) and Vanderbilt University (Nov. 5).

Tusculum opens the regular season Nov. 17-18 when it hosts the Pioneer Sodexho Classic. Tusculum will face Bellarmine University on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. at Pioneer Arena.

- TC -