TUSKEGEE, Ala. – The Golden Tigers will open the 2023 campaign at the Gulf South (GSC) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Crossover, with games on Friday and Saturday against two programs from the GSC. The Golden Tigers will face off against Union on Friday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. and Shorter on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m., both inside of Winthrop-King Centre in Rome, Ga. 

GAME INFORMATION vs. Union
Date: Friday, November 10
Start: 12:00 pm ET
Location: Shorter, Ga.
Site: Winthrop-King Centre
Watch Live: FloSports (FloHoops)
Live Stats: Shorter Athletics (Sidearm Stats)

GAME INFORMATION at Shorter
Date: Saturday, November 11
Start: 2:00 pm ET
Location: Shorter, Ga.
Site: Winthrop-King Centre
Watch Live: FloSports (FloHoops)
Live Stats: Shorter Athletics (Sidearm Stats)

Fifth-year Tuskegee head coach Benjy Taylor enters the season following his most successful year yet at the helm of the program, leading the team to his first 20-win season with the program, along with a share of the SIAC West Regular Season Title, and an at-large bid to the NCAA South Regional Tournament.

This offseason was certainly an important one, as TU graduated a pair of All-SIAC guards in seniors Gregg Boyd and Devin Booker, along with senior Steve Dulley, who were all vital pieces in the backcourt over the past two or more seasons. Forward Mason Green also graduated in the spring after helping lead a top-five ranked defense in the conference last season.

After seven total departures from last year's roster, Taylor and his staff constructed its new squad by continuing to develop the nine players that returned, signing four freshmen with talent to add depth, and adding one transfer to supplement the roster.

Leading the mix of returning players to the program in 2023-2024 will be Preseason All-SIAC Second Team guard D'Anthony Pennington, who, looks to pick up his production as the lead guard offensively. The Kansas City, Mo. native is the leading returner statistically this season in points and assists, averaging 8.8 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals last season, his first with Tuskegee. The guard also scored in double figures in 14 contests, starting 16 of 29 games as a sophomore.

Pennington is joined as a leader of the program this year by fellow junior and teammate who has started his fair share of games in a Golden Tiger uniform, in Tuskegee native Martez Jones. Jones was the team's leading rebounder the last two seasons and has come back stronger and more experienced. The forward is looking to carry more of the offensive load in the paint, after averaging 8.2 points and 6.0 rebounds last season.

Another key returner to the Golden Tiger roster is Kusamae Draper, a player who is entering his second year in the program. The forward started multiple games, breaking into a much experience frontcourt rotation last season. Draper came on strong during the latter half of his freshman season, playing in all 29 games with nine starts, and averaging 16.0 minutes per game. He finished his first year averaging more than six points and five rebounds in the second half of the season. 

Tuskegee also returns contributors Evan Ortiz, Chip Culpepper, Bryce Cummings, Julian Watson, Ostin Taylor, Evan Howell, and redshirt freshman Dylan Cambridge. The program made additions to their roster in the offseason with a junior college transfer and some talented freshmen. Tuskegee welcome guard Kevin Sesberry, who comes in from Chattanooga State, along with a promising group of freshmen in Tyshawn Boyce, Naquan Lyons, Kris Mickens, and Christopher Whitmore Jr.
 
Union enters this season looking to build off a memorable 2022-23 campaign that saw the Bulldogs finish 14-15 overall and 13-11 in Gulf South competition, eventually seeing their season end in the GSC Basketball Championship Quarterfinals against West Alabama in Livingston. Union returns six players from last year's roster, while welcoming eight newcomers, including a group of six freshman and two transfers.
 
Shorter returns seven players from last year's team that finished 6-22 and 4-20 in Gulf South action, missing on postseason play. The Hawks added eight newcomers, including six transfers and two freshmen to their roster.
 
The Golden Tigers picked up wins over both programs in the Crossover last season, defeating Union 71-67, and Shorter 64-52, both in Tuskegee to start last season.

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