In the midst of the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball season beginning, the Big South Conference held its annual Basketball Media Day where the preseason poll results were announced. Winthrop finished second in the voting, only behind the defending Big South champion, Radford.
Head Coach Pat Kelsey commented that he had seen the Eagles ranked anywhere from second to seventh in various publications this preseason and said “that is a good indication that our league is wide open this year.” According to senior Jermaine Ukaegbu, “Rankings don’t really matter to our guys. It’s something we try not to focus on.” Ukaegbu also called his teammates unselfish and said the team just wants to win. “No matter what we’re ranked, we just come to practice every day ready to compete and make each other better,” Ukaegbu said.
Last season, Winthrop finished tied for second in the regular season standings but lost to Radford in the semifinal round of the Big South Tournament. Senior Bjorn Broman said, “We have already talked about coming up short last year, and we’re working even harder to make sure it doesn’t happen this year.” Going a step further, he added, “We have the players and coaches that can get us to the national tournament. We just have to put it all together.”
As a part of their 19-12 record last year, Winthrop was 11-3 at home. On top of that, Winthrop has not lost more than three home games during a season since the 2012-2013 season. “I think we have the best fanbase in the Big South,” said Ukaegbu. “They’re not only fans, but they’re family. We interact and see people who are watching from the stands all the time, so it’s just really nice to know that they have our backs.” Winthrop will play many competitive opponents at home this season, including East Tennessee State on Nov. 17 as part of the Homecoming festivities.
Redshirt freshman Keondre Schumacher insisted that Winthrop students should attend basketball games, saying, “creating an environment where we can consistently have a lit student section can be a deciding factor in some close games.” Schumacher, who did not play last year, is pumped up for the start of the season. “I’m just excited to be able to step on the court this year and make some plays and play with this fun group of guys,” he said.
This season, Winthrop will face a couple of particularly strong lineups on the road. The Eagles will travel north to face Kentucky on Nov. 21 before heading south to compete against Florida State on New Year’s Day. The Wildcats are currently ranked second overall in the nation, whereas the Seminoles are ranked seventeenth nationally. Kentucky also appeared in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament last season, while Florida State advanced all the way to the Elite Eight. However, Winthrop is not intimidated by these opponents.
“We are going into those games with the mindset of winning,” said Broman. Although he acknowledged having nerves before games, Broman also said, “It is a blessing to be able to play on a big-time stage against those teams, and once I step on the court, the nerves go away and I just get lost in the game.”
Winthrop has 10 total players returning this season, including junior Josh Ferguson, who was voted to the preseason all-conference second team. With that experience and chemistry, the Eagles are hopeful to be Big South Champions again and make another appearance in the NCAA Tournament, as they did two seasons ago.
