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NAIA Coverage
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2002 - 2003 Trevecca Men's Basketball
2002 - 2003 Men's Basketball Season Review
With the leadership of four veteran seniors, the
2002-03 Trevecca men's basketball team entered the season with high
hopes and unbreakable determination. After a strong off-season, the
Trojans opened the year with a 117-65 homecoming victory over
cross-town rival Free Will Baptist. For the Trojans, the fun had
just begun.
After the blowout win in front of the home crowd, the men's
basketball team traveled to Winona Lake, Indiana, for its first
tournament of the season. The Trojans defeated NAIA Division II #2
Cornerstone College and host school Grace College by an average of
ten points per game in the Grace College Holiday Inn-vitational. In
the championship game, Trevecca shot an unstoppable 67% from the
field and 60% from the three-point line to claim its first
tournament championship of the season, improving its record to 4-3
on the year.
Midway through the season, several Trevecca players gained
recognition for their individual play. Senior Jared Austin surpassed
the 1,000 career-point milestone during the season closely followed
by senior Darryl Keckler who also passed the 1,000-point mark.
Keckler was also named TranSouth Conference Player of the Week for
his hot shooting and big scoring during the Trojan Boosters
Endowment Classic held in early January.
As the Trojans entered conference play, the TranSouth competition,
though always intense, could find no answer for Trevecca as the
Trojans blazed through the conference schedule with a 6-1 conference
record. Big road wins over #6 Martin Methodist College and #9 Lee
University gave Trevecca a spot atop the TranSouth Conference
standings midway through the season. The 6-1 conference start placed
Trevecca on the NAIA top 25 coaches poll for the first time since
the early '90s. The Trojans, then ranked #24 in the NAIA, held an
overall record of 14-6.
Not only did the win against Martin Methodist College lift the men's
basketball team into the NAIA top 25, but it also gave Trevecca Head
Coach Sam Harris his 300th career win. Harris, finishing his 10th
season as head coach of the Trojans, would go on to lead Trevecca to
another winning season.
As the second half of the season continued, the Trojans faltered
through the rest of the TranSouth play finishing 7-7 in the
conference and 15-13 overall. The season came to a conclusion after
a heartbreaking double overtime loss to Berry College in the first
round of the TranSouth Conference Tournament. Trojan senior Marshall
"Bootsy" Hyler was named to the All-TranSouth Conference team for
the second consecutive season along with senior Darryl Keckler.
Junior David Stark was selected to the NAIA-Academic All-American
team with his stellar effort in the classroom.
Wrapping up the season, the Trevecca men's basketball team finished
with an overall record of 15-13. With three juniors returning next
season and three sophomores coming back as well, the Trojans will
look to continue their tradition of excellence that has come to
define Trevecca men's basketball.
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