Braves receive preseason honors

Published 1:15 pm Friday, October 14, 2022

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Dominic Brewton and Keondre Montgomery of Alcorn Men’s Basketball have each been voted to the 2022-23 Preseason Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) All-Conference Second Team, announced Friday by the league office from its headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.

Brewton, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound sophomore from Cincinnati, played in 29 games during his freshman year for the Purple and Gold. In helping lead the Braves to a 2021-22 SWAC regular season title, the product of Dohn Community High averaged a team third-best matching 9.0 points per game, while also recording an average of 5.2 rebounds per contest – placing him 17th in the league in that department. Brewton shot 44.8 percent from the floor across the season, adding a 29.8 percent shooting touch from three-point range. He was also third on the team with 46 assists, as well as second in steals (33).

Montgomery, a 6-foot-7, redshirt sophomore from Jackson, Mississippi, saw action in 30 games last season for the Braves, averaging a team second-highest 9.8 points per game. The transfer from Mississippi State added 3.0 rebounds per game to go along with his 39.8 percent shooting touch from the field overall. Montgomery connected on a team-high 45 three-pointers a season ago, firing at a 34.1 percent mark from beyond the arc. He hit on 5-of-6 three-pointers against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Match 5), while going 7-for-10 from the field on the night, tallying one of his best games in his first year with the Purple and Gold.

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As a team, the Braves were predicted to finish second in the preseason poll, grabbing a pair of first-place votes as well. Texas Southern was tabbed as the favorite heading into the 2022-23 season, while Southern, Prairie View A&M and Florida A&M rounded out this season’s preseason top five, as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, respectfully.

Under the direction of Head Coach Landon Bussie, Alcorn finished the 2021-22 campaign with a record of 17-17 (14-4 SWAC), advancing to the postseason with an automatic berth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). Along the way, Alcorn racked up wins in 10 of 11 games entering the SWAC Tournament final. The 17 wins registered across the season was the most for the program since the 2016-17 season where the Braves won 18 games. Meanwhile, the 14 conference wins represented the most league victories for the program since the 2001-02 campaign, when the Braves amassed 16 SWAC wins under legendary head coach Davey L. Whitney, going on to claim the league’s regular season title that same year.

Grambling State (6th), Jackson State (7th), Bethune-Cookman (8th), Alabama A&M (9th), Alabama State (10th), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11th), and Mississippi Valley State (12th) were tabbed to finish 6-12, respectively.

Texas Southern led all preseason poll selections garnering 14 first place votes, followed by Southern (3), Alcorn State (2), and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2). Prairie View A&M (1), Jackson State (1) and Bethune-Cookman (1) each tallied one first place vote. Bethune Cookman’s Joe French was named Preseason Player of the Year, while Texas Southern’s Karl Nicholas claimed Preseason Defensive Player of the Year recognition.

Follow Alcorn State Football on Twitter (@Alcorn_St_MBB) for all the latest news and updates. For all Alcorn State Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BravesSports), Instagram (@AlcornSports) and YouTube (Alcorn State Sports).

About the SWACThe Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.  Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.  Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.