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ASUN men's basketball polls favor Lipscomb; JU's Robert McCray V is preseason player of year
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- ASUN men's basketball polls favor Lipscomb; JU's Robert McCray V is preseason player of year
Jacksonville University junior guard Robert McCray V has been named the preseason ASUN player of the year in a vote of the league's coaches released by the league office in Jacksonville on Oct. 10.
McCray led the Dolphins and was fourth in the ASUN with 18.4 points per game last season and added 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. He scored a league-record 91 points in the ASUN tournament in leading JU to the semifinals after starting as the No. 10 seed.
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Lipscomb was the preseason favorite to win the conference in both coach and media polls. The Bison, 20-12 last season, received eight of 12 first-place votes by the coaches and 27 of 55 first-place votes by the media panel.
Jacksonville Dolphins guard Robert McCray V (13) defends against North Florida Ospreys guard Dorian James (5) during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 at the University of North Florida’s UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. UNF defeated JU 82-74. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
The Bison return two key starters from last year, senior forward Jacob Ognacevic (17.7 points per game) and senior guard Will Pruitt (15.0). Lipscomb also benefits from getting former JU guard Gyasi Powell, a senior, in the transfer portal. Powell, a Bishop Snyder graduate, averaged 9.0 points per game last season for the Dolphins.
JU was picked to finish fifth in the coaches' poll and eighth in the media poll. The University of North Florida was picked seventh in both polls.
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Defending regular-season champion Eastern Kentucky was fourth in the coaches' poll and second in the media poll and ASUN tournament champion Stetson was picked eighth by the coaches and sixth by the media.
JU will open its season at Swisher Gym on Nov. 4 against Trinity Baptist. UNF will open at South Carolina.
ASUN preseason coaches' poll
(First-place votes)
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1. Lipscomb (8) 138
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2. Austin Peay (2) 110
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3. North Alabama (1) 108
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4. EKU 106
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5. Jacksonville 98
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6. FGCU 94
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7. North Florida (1) 74
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8. Stetson 69
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9. Queens 44
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10. Bellarmine 38
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11. Central Arkansas 37
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12. West Georgia 20
ASUN preseason media poll
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1. Lipscomb (27) 602
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2. EKU (6) 538
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3. Austin Peay (9) 524
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4. FGCU (3) 435
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5. North Alabama (3) 427
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6. Stetson (3) 386
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7. North Florida (1) 375
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8. Jacksonville (3) 339
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9. Queens 250
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10. Central Arkansas 173
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11. Bellarmine 156
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12. West Georgia 85
ASUN coaches preseason all-conference team
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Devontae Blanton, EKU, senior guard
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Keeshawn Kellman, FGCU, graduate forward
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Jacob Ognacevic, Lipscomb, senior forward
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Will Pruitt, Lipscomb, senior guard
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Isaac Haney, Austin Peay, senior guard
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Sai Witt, Austin Peay, graduate forward
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Ben Johnson, Bellarmine, junior guard
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Robert McCray V, Jacksonville, junior guard
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Jacari Lane, North Alabama, junior guard
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Daniel Ortiz, North Alabama, senior guard
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Dolphins guard Robert McCray V voted ASUN preseason player of the year
