The 2019-20 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff men's basketball season did not meet the lofty preseason expectations due to key injuries and the development of young players' experience this season.  With Coach George Ivory and his staff hitting the recruiting trail hard for the 20-21 season, Golden Lions fans have a reason to be optimistic and excitement moving forward. 
 
That optimism is based on the team's growth during the year, where three true-freshmen got their feet wet and played in over 20 plus games, along with several first-year junior college players and a wealth of newcomers earned valuable minutes.

A rash of early-season injuries impacted the line-up, forcing young players to see extended minutes and more extensive roles sooner than expected.
 
From the past year, bright spots have included the emergence of junior Markedric Bell as one of the league top 20 scorers.  Bell led the team in scoring, averaging 10.8 points per game and finished fourth in the league in blocks, with a total 31, averaging 1.1 blocks per game.  Bell, a Mississippi native, had a career game in his home state in a dominant performance against Mississippi Valley St.  He scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half, scoring 26 points consecutively for UAPB over a seven-plus minute span.   

Junior Dequan Morris, a Pine Bluff native who was tagged as one of the most electrifying dunkers that ever came through UAPB, will make a significant impact.  Morris was third on the team in scoring, averaging 8.0 points per game. Morris led the team in steals and was third in the conference, with a total of 42, averaged 1.5 steals per game.

With the 2019-20 preseason All-Conference Shaun Doss returning from injuries after going down in game three, the future is bright for the Golden Lions.  UAPB will be returning 10 lettermen along with four starters from last year's squad.