BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jackson State’s dynamic duo of Tristan Jarrett and Jayveous McKinnis were awarded the top honors on Tuesday as the Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its men’s basketball preseason honors and teams. The preseason selections were voted upon by league head coaches and sports information directors.
JSU senior guard Jarrett was tabbed Preseason Player of the Year while junior forward McKinnis was recognized as the league’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙋𝙏 the SWAC Individual honors! 🧹#BleedTheeBlue x #TheeILove x #ProtectTheeBlock pic.twitter.com/tWwdA0uUpn
— Jackson State Men’s Basketball (@GoJSUTigersMBB) November 3, 2020
Last season Jarrett averaged 16.8 points per game ranking second in the conference in that category. He also contributed 3.3 rebounds per game to go along with 1.8 assists per outing in 32 total games played. One of the league’s most prolific scorers, Jarrett tallied a minimum of twenty-points in 11 games last season while eclipsing the thirty-point mark twice during the regular season in back-to-back outings.
McKinnis averaged 9.5 points per game and led the league in blocks at 1.9 per outing in 32 total games played. He served as key factor for a JSU defense that ranked second in the league in points allowed per game (67.4 ppg). He also paced the league in rebounds during regular season play tallying 9.3 rebounds per outing while ranking seventh in average minutes played per game (30.3 mpg).
Both Jarrett and McKinnis were also tabbed Preseason All-SWAC First Team selections at guard and forward respectively. Joining them on the first team is Alcorn State senior guard Troymain Crosby, Texas Southern junior forward Yahuza Rasas, and Texas Southern graduate forward Justin Hopkins.
The 2020-21 Preseason All-SWAC Second Team consists of Mississippi Valley State sophomore guard Caleb Hunter, Southern red-shirt senior Ahsante Shivers and graduate Michah Bradford, Arkansas-Pine Bluff senior forward Markedric Bell, and Texas Southern senior forward Chris Baldwin.
Texas Southern tallied the most preseason selections (3), followed by Jackson State (2), Southern (2), Alcorn State (1), Mississippi Valley State (1), and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1).
2020-21 SWAC Preseason Player of the Year
Tristan Jarrett- Jackson State
2020-21 SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jayveous McKinnis- Jackson State
2020-21 Preseason All-SWAC First Team
| Position | Name | Classification | School | Hometown |
| Guard | Tristan Jarrett | Senior | Jackson State | Brownsville, Tenn. |
| Guard | Troymain Crosby | Senior | Alcorn State | Laurel, Miss. |
| Forward | Yahuza Rasas | Junior | Texas Southern | St. Louis, Mo. |
| Forward | Justin Hopkins | Graduate | Texas Southern | Huntsville, Ala. |
| Forward | Jayveous McKinnis | Junior | Jackson State | Brandon, Miss. |
2020-21 Preseason All-SWAC Second Team
| Position | Name | Classification | School | Hometown |
| Guard | Caleb Hunter | Sophomore | Mississippi Valley State | Plymouth, Mich. |
| Guard | Ahsante Shivers | R-Senior | Southern | Seat Pleasant, Md. |
| Guard | Micah Bradford | Graduate | Southern | Bourbonnais, Ill. |
| Forward | Markedric Bell | Senior | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Starkville, Miss. |
| Forward | Chris Baldwin | Senior | Texas Southern | Springfield, Mass. |
Head coaches and sports information directors not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.
Courtesy: SWAC
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