LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Off a sixth straight winning season, the Covenant men's basketball team opens the 2021-22 campaign on Saturday with a home contest against Asbury (2 p.m.).

Under fifth-year head coach Neal Young, the Scots return four starters and 11 letterwinners from last season's squad that qualified for the USA South West Division Tournament.

THE TEAM

Veteran presence is not lacking on this season's Scots squad. Covenant's roster features five seniors along with graduate student Will Crumly, back for a fifth year under NCAA legislation due to COVID-19.

Crumly is the centerpiece of the offense. The 6-foot-9 forward earned All-USA South honors for a third straight year last season and is a two-time USA South Player of the Year. In 2020-21, Crumly led the team with 16.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and was D3hoops.com All-South Region for a second consecutive year. 

Crumly enters the season the season with a chance at 2,000 career points, something only done by three players in program history. The graduate enters the year with 1,642 career points, eighth all-time in Covenant history.

Aside from Crumly, the Scots have plenty of scoring returning to the Mountain this year. Senior Chris Barnette enters his third year as a Scot after averaging 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game en route to earning All-USA South West Division second team honors. Seniors Brady Palmer (9.3 points) and Promise Igbanu (7.6 points, 5.9 rebounds) both come back as starters from last season.

Seniors Daevon Platt and Jackson Fitzgerald also return along with junior Logan Pearlman to round out the upperclassmen.

Sophomores Jonathan Gernatt, Michael St. Germain, Walker Mathis, and Eli Witt look to make strides in year two under Young's guidance.

Six freshmen and one junior transfer make up the recruiting class for Young's team this season. Junior Myles Jones transfers into Covenant and has one year of college basketball experience at Division II member Tusculum. Freshmen Parker All, Hunter Darling, Charlie Hester, DeAngelo Hines, Russell Hunter, and Jesse Kinard all look to make an impact in their first year as Scots.

THE LEAGUE

Covenant was picked third in the USA South West Division in the league's annual coaches' poll. The Scots garnered one first place vote and 25 total points.

Maryville, the defending division champion, was picked to repeat as division champs this year while Piedmont was picked second.

THE SCHEDULE

After opening with Asbury on Nov. 6, Covenant hosts region power Centre on Nov. 9.  The Scots will also host non-conference games against Rhodes (Dec. 4), Emory (Dec. 7), MUW (Jan. 29), and Pfeiffer (Feb. 1). Emory is ranked No. 13 in the preseason D3hoops.com Top 25.

The Scots will step aside from regular season play twice during the year to face NCAA Division I foes. Covenant plays at Chattanooga on Nov. 23 (11 a.m.) before heading to Statesboro, Ga., on Dec. 18 to face Georgia Southern. 

Key non-conference road games includes a trip to Sewanee's Lon Varnell Classic on Nov. 19-20 (Birmingham Southern, Sewanee) and Roanoke College's Cregger Invitational on Dec. 29-30 (Keene State, Messiah/Roanoke). 

USA South play begins on Dec. 11 at Huntingdon. Covenant will host defending USA South West Division champion Maryville on Feb. 19 for Senior Day. LaGrange (Jan. 21), Huntingdon (Jan. 22), and Piedmont (Feb. 9) all make trips to Lookout Mountain.

The USA South Tournament is set to begin on Feb. 22 with the top four teams from each division qualifying.

CONNECT WITH THE SCOTS

Be sure to follow the Scots all season long on athletics.covenant.edu and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news and other information.