NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- App State men's basketball will officially tip the 2021-22 season on Tuesday evening at Iona. Tip is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN3.
THE SERIES
- This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
- App State posted a 17-12 record last season and captured the Sun Belt Tournament title to punch the program's first ticket to the NCAA Tournament since 2000.
- Head coach Dustin Kerns returns 12 players from last season, including all three All-Sun Belt honorees.
- Justin Forrest is back after averaging a team-best 13.2 points on his way to Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors. He was tabbed as Preseason First Team All-Sun Belt by the league's head coaches.
- Michael Almonacy earned Third Team All-Sun Belt honors after averaging 12.7 points and dishing out a team leading 84 assists. Almonacy was named Most Outstanding Player of the Sun Belt Tournament after averaging 21.8 points, 3.8 assists and 6.5 rebounds and draining a tournament record 20 3-pointers.
- Adrian Delph posted career highs in points (13.0 ppg), free throw percentage (81.8 percent), rebounding (4.4 rpg), assists (35), steals (35) and blocks (15). For his efforts, he earned Third Team All-Sun Belt honors for the first all-conference accolade of his career.
- Back in the post for App State is Donovan Gregory and James Lewis Jr. Gregory posted career highs in scoring (10.7 ppg), rebounding (6.1 rpg), field goal percentage (50.0 percent), free throw percentage (72.3 percent), assists (68), steals (54) and blocks (13) last season. Lewis Jr. posted career highs in scoring (7.9 ppg), rebounding (5.1 rpg) and blocks (21), while leading the team with three double-doubles.
- Other returners include Xavion Brown, RJ Duhart, Michael Eads Jr., Sasha Glushkov, Bryant Greene, CJ Huntley and Andrew Muse.
SCOUTING THE GAELS
- Iona went 12-6 last season and 6-3 in MAAC play. The Gaels captured the MAAC Tournament title and fell to Alabama in the NCAA Tournament.
- Iona was picked to finish first in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, earning all 11 first place votes to finish with 121 points.
- The Gaels are ranked No. 13 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Preseason poll.
- Nelly Junior Joseph was tabbed as Preseason All-MAAC First Team after averaging 11.1 points and 7.5 rebounds last season. He was also named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List.
- Berrick JeanLouis appeared in all 18 games last season, posting a team-high 40 steals and finishing second with 22 blocks.
UP NEXT
App State returns to the High Country on Friday and hosts ETSU in its home opener at 6:30 p.m. on. ESPN+. Season tickets and single game tickets are on sale.
Click here to purchase season tickets.
Click here to purchase single game tickets.
