CLINTON, S.C. — Presbyterian College tips off its men’s basketball season Monday at 7 p.m. at the Templeton Center in Clinton, S.C., where the Blue Hose meet St. Thomas for the first time in either program’s history. General admission seats are free.
The date itself is a first for the program. No Presbyterian team has ever started a season this early; the old mark was set a year ago, when the Blue Hose opened against Navy on Nov. 3.
Expectations are higher than ever in Clinton. Big South head coaches picked Presbyterian second behind two-time defending champion High Point, giving the Blue Hose 69 points and two first-place votes. That is the best preseason spot the school has held since joining the league for 2008-09, topping a fourth-place pick before the 2010-11 season.
Eleven letterwinners return from a team that reached the Big South tournament semifinals for the first time. Forward Jaylen Peterson, last season’s league defensive player of the year, and guard Carl Parrish made the preseason all-conference first team, and guard Triston Wilson made the second team. Coach Quinton Ferrell, a 2007 graduate, begins his eighth season with a 77-140 record at his alma mater.
St. Thomas won 24 games and played in the NIT last season, and the Tommies were picked second in the Summit League. Presbyterian is 16-2 in Division I home openers. Big South play starts Jan. 1, 2027.
Section: More Clinton SC sports news
Clinton sports business profiles
Filed under: Clinton SC Sports News
