HARROGATE, Tenn. – B. Frank "Tex" Turner Arena will have a new look for the Lincoln Memorial University men's and women's basketball programs' 2020-21 season.
Over the summer break, the arena's floor was replaced with the Pete DeBusk Court, named in honor of Autry O.V. "Pete" DeBusk, chairman of LMU Board of Trustees. Additionally, new state-of-the-art basketball goals were added in September.
The Pete DeBusk Court features a lengthened three-point arc for men's basketball, which will be implemented by all of NCAA Division II for the 2021-22 season, and a slight revision of the center court logo. The Spalding Spring Portable 8' Extension basketball goals, which include four-inch thick padding covered with 24 oz. Naugahyde®, Super Glass Pro backboards and V-Brace supports, consist of structural steel tubing base frames and are identical to the goals used in the 2020 NBA Bubble at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida. Both renovations were made possible by the philanthropic efforts of Pete DeBusk.
"I wasn't expecting the court to be named after me, but I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate this honor," DeBusk said. "LMU facilities are first class and LMU is a great place for a student to be today."
A longtime supporter of LMU Athletics and former Railsplitter basketball player in his own right, DeBusk has been an integral part of the storied basketball programs at LMU. Founder and Chairman of DeRoyal Industries, DeBusk was inducted into the LMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990 after completing his undergraduate career in 1965.
"What a well-deserved honor for someone who has been so instrumental in the success we've enjoyed over the years," commented men's basketball head coach Josh Schertz. "Winning basketball games is hard enough when you have a supportive administration, it's impossible if you don't.
"Thanks to Dr. DeBusk's visionary leadership, we have alignment from the top down starting with the board of trustees, on to our president and through the entire administration. His impact on our program has been enormous, and while it certainly takes a village to run a successful program at this level, there is truly no one more responsible for where LMU basketball finds itself today than Pete DeBusk."
Dedication of the Pete DeBusk Court will commence Saturday, Dec. 12 when the Railsplitters take on South Atlantic Conference rival Queens University of Charlotte in a men's and women's doubleheader.
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