COLLEGE

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Bethune-Cookman women receive good news while Stetson men unveil schedule

Zach Dean
zach.dean@news-jrnl.com
Ashanti Hunt (11) will be back in a B-CU uniform one final time this season. [B-CU Athletics]

Bethune-Cookman's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title defense won't begin for another two months, but it's already off to a good start.

The university announced on Tuesday that former MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Ashanti Hunt has been granted another year of eligibility, and will rejoin the Lady Wildcats this season. The redshirt senior missed all but two games last year after going down with a season-ending ACL tear in November. 

"We are extremely delighted to have Ashanti back," head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said. "She has played a key role in the success of this program. This gives us extra incentive to get back to the NCAA tournament so she can have those well-deserved March moments on the court."

Hunt has averaged nearly nine points and over six rebounds per game over her B-CU career, and was named the conference's Defensive Player of Year in 2018 after finishing with 30 blocks and 52 steals. The Lady Wildcats have consistently been among the MEAC's stingiest defenses during Hunt's time in Daytona Beach, finishing second in points allowed during her last full season in 2018. The Lady Wildcats are coming off a record-setting season that saw them defeat Norfolk State in the MEAC championship and appear in their first-ever NCAA tournament game — a 92-50 loss to Notre Dame.

Stetson men unveil schedule

The Donnie Jones era at Stetson will tip-off Nov. 5.

Jones, who was hired in March to replace Corey Williams, announced Stetson's full 2019-20 slate on Tuesday, which includes fourteen home games and road trips to Ohio State and South Carolina.

"We will have some great opportunities against some outstanding teams to be able to grow our young guys," said Jones, who spent six seasons at UCF (2010-16). "We have a lot of young players coming in playing in their first college games, and they'll be going into some tough atmospheres. We are excited to see how this schedule helps our young guys develop as we head into the conference season."

Stetson will open the season at home against Trinity Baptist before hitting the road for five straight games against Western Illinois, Purdue-Fort Wayne and then Ohio State (Nov. 18) for the first of three games in the Ohio State Classic. The Hatters host Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 3 and will close out 2019 at South Carolina on Dec. 30.

In addition to games against the Buckeyes and Gamecocks, the Hatters will face a total of eight teams who participated in the post-season a year ago, including three NCAA Tournament squads.