Men's Basketball 10/29/2019 9:32:00 AM

MEN’S BASKETBALL TABBED BIG SOUTH FAVORITES; CARLIK JONES NAMED PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Radford men's basketball team was picked to finish first in the 2019-20 Big South Preseason Poll with redshirt junior guard Carlik Jones being named the Big South Preseason Player of the Year and senior guard Travis Fields, Jr., being selected to the Big South Preseason All-Conference Second Team, the league office announced at Media Day on Tuesday.

In a poll consisting of one head coach and two media members from each program, the Highlanders received 13 first-place votes. Gardner-Webb, who checked in at second in the poll, actually received the most first-place votes with 14, while third-place Winthrop accounted for two.

Carlik Jones was tabbed as the early favorite to win Big South Player of the Year and his numbers back that up. In 2018-19 Jones was an NABC District 3 First Team Selection after averaging 15.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. His 5.8 assists per contest ranked second in the Big South a year ago. The Cincinnati, Ohio native also sat second in assist/turnover ratio (2.3), second in steals per game (1.7) and tied for fourth in field goal percentage (.463) in the conference last season.

The 2017-18 Big South Freshman of the Year ranks 10^th in program history with 294 career assists and is 89 points shy of becoming the 32^nd player at Radford to record 1,000 points. Last season, Jones was second on the single-season charts in assists with 181.

Fields Jr., played an important role in Radford's 22 wins a season ago, including a career-high 33-point performance at Hampton. The starting point guard averaged 29.8 minutes, 10.8 points, 3.0 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in 2018-19. Along with his 12-for-14 shooting performance in Hampton, he pulled down a career-high eight rebounds against Longwood on Jan. 5, 2019. The Portsmouth, Va., native looks to build on his year of career-highs with a stellar final go-round in a Highlander uniform.

Jones and Fields Jr., are two of three starters returning for the Highlanders that claimed a share of the last year's Big South Regular Season title for the fifth time in program history. Altogether, the Highlanders return eight letterwinners and welcome five newcomers.

Fans will get their first look at the Highlanders on Saturday, Nov. 2 when they host Randolph College for a preseason exhibition at the Dedmon Center. Radford then kicks off the regular season on Friday, Nov. 8 with a trip to Lynchburg against Liberty.

2019-20 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1) Radford (13)
2) Gardner-Webb (14)
3) Winthrop (2)
4) Hampton
5) Charleston Southern
6) Longwood
7) Campbell
8) High Point
9) UNC Asheville
10) Presbyterian
11) USC Upstate

2019-20 Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Teams
First-Team
Carlik Jones, Radford (Preseason Player of the Year)
Jermaine Marrow, Hampton
Jose Perez, Gardner-Webb
Phlandrous Fleming, Charleston Southern
DeVon Baker, UNC Asheville

Second-Team
Josh Ferguson, Winthrop
Lorenzo Phillips, Longwood
Travis Fields, Jr., Radford
Nate Johnson, Gardner-Webb
Cory Hightower, Presbyterian

Season tickets, flex plans and individual game tickets are available now on RadfordTickets.com or you can call the Radford Athletics Ticket Office during business hours at (540) 831-7889.

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For more information on the Radford men's basketball team visit RadfordAthletics.com, follow @RadfordMBB on Twitter, 'radfordmbb' Instagram or Radford Men's Basketball on Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Travis Fields, Jr.: G; 5' 10"; Senior

#1 Carlik Jones: G; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

#11 Travis Fields, Jr.
: 5' 10"; Senior
: G

#1 Carlik Jones
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior
: G

Players Mentioned

#11 Travis Fields, Jr.

#1 Carlik Jones

Players Mentioned

#11 Travis Fields, Jr.

#1 Carlik Jones