UMO men's basketball ranked No. 6 in NABC D2 preseason top 25

By UMO Media Relations
Published in Sports on October 28, 2015 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

UMO Media Relations

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Defending Southeast Region champion University of Mount Olive is ranked No. 6 in the NABC Division II preseason men's top 25 basketball poll.

"It's an honor to be ranked so high in the preseason," UMO head coach and alum Joey Higginbotham said. "It's a testatment to our current players and alumni that we have gained respect on a national level."

The Trojans return five seniors and eight letter-winners overall off of last year's team that posted a program-best 31-4 record, and earned its second trip to the Elite Eight. Leading the pack is senior Dontrell Brite, who has received preseason All-American recognition from two publications and is the reigning Conference Carolinas player of the year.

Brite ranked 21st nationally in assists per game (5.6) and helped UMO rank 10th nationally as a team in assists a year ago.

Augustana (S.D.) is ranked No. 1, followed by Tarleton State (Tex.), which eliminated UMO in quarterfinal-round play of the Elite Eight last season. Indiana (Pa.), the national runner-up last year, is ranked seventh.

Defending national champ Florida Southern is not ranked.

"We're excited about the ranking," said Higginbotham, who was an assistant when the Trojans drew a No. 5 ranking in the Sporting News preseason top 25 in 2005.

"With that being said, we have to go out on the court and earn it with hard work and togetherness."

The Trojans launch their 2015-16 campaign Nov. 13 against Southeast Region foe Francis Marion (S.C.) University in the annual Barton College 45-Second Classic. UMO faces Young Harris the following afternoon.

UMO hopes the home portion of its schedule Nov. 20 against Virginia State on opening day of the Pickle Classic, which is celebrating its golden anniversary (50 years), this season.