ROCK HILL, S.C. – Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team was picked second in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll, as voted on by the League's coaches, the League announced on Wednesday. The Royals totaled 144 points and one first-place vote, placing second only to Lincoln Memorial University who received 11 first-place votes and 155 points.
Additionally, the Royals placed two players on the SAC's Preseason All-Conference Team as junior point guard
Kenny Dye and redshirt-sophomore forward
Jamari Smith were both named Preseason Second-Team All-Conference selections.
Dye, a 5-11 point guard from Jacksonville, North Carolina, made 30 starts last season while appearing in all 31 games. He averaged 10.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 36.3 percent from 3-point range. Dye was a SAC All-Tournament Team selection and scored a season-high 25 points in a road win over Catawba College in February. Two seasons ago as a freshman, Dye averaged 6.5 points and 2.3 assists en route to receiving an All-Conference Freshman Team selection.
Smith, a 6-8 forward from Jonesbor, Georgia, played in all 28 games for the Royals in 2019-2020, starting in 26. In his second season with Queens, Smith averaged a team-high 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.6 percent from the field, the ninth-best mark in the conference. Smith recorded four double-doubles during the season and notched a career-high 21 points versus Lees-McRae College in November.
In 2020-21, Queens returns two starters (Dye and Smith) and six letter winners (
Jay'Den Turner,
Gavin Rains,
Mike Fowler, and
Kayle Mason) from last year's team. The Royals also return redshirt-freshman guard
AJ McKee and added 10 newcomers in the offseason. The class includes Division I transfer
Quan McCluney, junior college transfers
Malcolm Stevenson,
Kavan Hill,
Kelyn Pennie, and
Jerrel Kelly, and freshmen
Tristan Freeling,
Josh Knox,
Stephen Minor,
Kalib Mathews, and
Justin Thomas.
The Royals are slated to open the 2020-21 season on Saturday, November 21 in Hickory, N.C. against Lenoir-Rhyne University.
2020-21 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
| Rank |
School (First-Place votes) |
Points |
| 1 |
Lincoln Memorial (11) |
155 |
| 2 |
Queens (1) |
144 |
| 3 |
Lenoir-Rhyne (1) |
122 |
| 4 |
Tusculum |
117 |
| 5 |
Catawba |
114 |
| 6 |
Anderson |
107 |
| 7 |
Wingate |
81 |
| 8 |
Newberry |
78 |
| 9 |
Carson-Newman |
77 |
| 10 |
Mars Hill |
64 |
| 11 |
Coker |
45 |
| 12 |
UVA Wise |
40 |
| 13 |
Limestone |
26 |
2020-21 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference
First Team
Quin Nottingham, Anderson
Cameron Henry, Lincoln Memorial
Devin Whitfield, Lincoln Memorial
Cameron Whiteside, UVA Wise
Darius Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne
R.J. Gunn, Lenoir-Rhyne
Second Team
Jamari Smith, Queens
Trenton Gibson, Tusculum
Jarren Cottingham, Wingate
Javonte Cooke, Mars Hill
Crosby James II, Anderson
Kenny Dye, Queens
