ST. LOUIS – Westminster men's basketball was chosen to finish second in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season, based on a poll from the league's head coaches.
The Blue Jays were just one point behind last year's SLIAC Champion, the Greenville Panthers, compiling 74 total points and three first-place votes.
"We have a ton of experience coming back this season," said Westminster Head Coach Matt Mitchell. "If they all fit together, we have a chance to be good. We have guys who all bring something different to the table and can be very versatile; we'll be able to play both very fast and very slow. It's our challenge to get them to work as a cohesive unit."
The top returner for the Blue Jays is Kobe Wands, entering his second season in a Westminster uniform. Last season, Wands averaged 20.7 points per game and was a first team All-Conference selection.
His brother, Carter, handled the ball for Westminster last season and was a second team All-Conference pick and All-Defense pick. C. Wands was top five in the nation last year in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.8, averaging 5.3 assists per game.
"Having the Wands brothers around is so much fun," said Mitchell. "Not only are they fun to be around, but they are highly competitive and have been playing basketball together their whole lives. They have an innate ability to know where the other is on the floor."
After taking a season off, Romo Tabb returns to Westminster. In the 2016-17 season, Tabb was second on the team in scoring with 15.8 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. In that season, Tabb was a first team All-Conference selection.
"Romo is a highly skilled player, especially around the rim, and we're thrilled to have him back this year," said Mitchell.
The Blue Jays also return a strong perimeter play in Collin Caywood, who was the team's threat from three-point range in the 2017-18 season, with 61 of his 101 field goals coming from behind the arc. Last season, Caywood went 9-12 for 29 points in a game against Fontbonne.
Stu Hollandsworth returns as another dynamic player around the rim. Hollandsworth was second on the team in scoring last season, averaging 12.5 points per game, and led the team in rebounds with 4.7 per game.
"Caywood is a dynamic shooter who progressed a lot on the floor last season," said Mitchell. "Stu took on more responsibility last season with Romo out, and we're excited to see both of them continue to play well."
Westminster opens in an exhibition game Nov. 7 at Columbia College. On Nov. 13, the team plays its home-opener against Simpson, which will be a "Cans for Our Community Game." The team will accept canned goods in place of an admission fee.
Men's Poll
View the full SLIAC release here.
