The Johnson C. Smith University men’s basketball team is picked to finish second – behind Winston-Salem State University -- in the CIAA Southern Division.

Senior guard Ronald Thornhill was named to the All-CIAA preseason team.

The preseason picks and predicted order of finish, compiled by the Basketball Coaches Association, were announced Thursday at a CIAA news conference in the Charlotte Convention Center.

The JCSU women’s team is predicted to finish second to last.

CIAA officials also unveiled the conference logo and slogan for the 2011 CIAA Tournament, which will be played at Time Warner Cable Arena Feb. 28, 2010 – March 5, 2011. This year’s slogan -- “99 Years in the Game” – celebrates the approach of the conference’s 100th Anniversary.

The JCSU team went 18-10 last year, and 12-8 in conference play. They lost in the first round of the championship tournament.

Thornhill was the team’s third-leading scorer and top three-pointer shooter during the 2009-10 season. He averaged 13.2 points per game and made 82 three-pointers, shooting 40 percent.

The Golden Bulls will open the regular season on the road, but not far away, when they face Queens University on Nov, 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Johnson C. Smith will begin home action as host of the JCSU Tip-Classic on November 20 against Washington Adventist University at 8:00 p.m.

JCSU’s CIAA play begins December 13 when they host St. Paul’s College at 7:30 p.m.

Below are the predicted orders of finish:

Men—Northern Division
Elizabeth City University
Bowie State University
Virginia Union University
Virginia State University
Chowan University
St. Paul’s College
Lincoln University (PA)

Men—Southern Division
Winston-Salem State University
Johnson C. Smith University
Shaw University
St. Augustine’s College
Livingstone College
Fayetteville State University

Women--Northern Division
Virginia State University
Bowie State University
Elizabeth City State University
Chowan University
Virginia Union University
St. Paul’s College
Lincoln University

Women--Southern Division
Fayetteville State University
Shaw University
St. Augustine’s College
Winston-Salem State University
Johnson C. Smith University
Livingstone College

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