Trojans play in West Virginia tournament this weekend

Published in Sports on November 26, 2004 1:55 PM

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Last weekend, Bluefield State's men's basketball team competed in Mount Olive College's Men's basketball tournament.

This weekend, the Trojans return the favor.

Mount Olive takes on West Virginia State tonight in the first round of the Currence Classic, hosted by Bluefield State College. Tip-off is 6 p.m. at Bluefield, W. Va.

Mount Olive (2-0) is playing for the first time since defeating Newberry 102-67 Saturday in the Championship Game of the 39th Annual Pickle Classic. Tournament Most Valuable Player Elton Coffield led four players in double-figures with a game-high 23 points as the Trojans captured their fifth consecutive Pickle Classic title. The previous night, Mount Olive defeated Bluefield State 100-56 as every Trojan player saw at least 10 minutes of action.

Coffield scored in double-figures in each of the two Pickle Classic games, as did Sharome Holloway and Victor Young. Holloway and Young joined Coffield on the All-Tournament Team.

West Virginia State (0-2) lost both of its games last weekend at the Sheraton/AFBE KU Classic, hosted by Kutztown University (Pa.). The Yellow Jackets fell to West Chester (Pa.) 82-63 in their first game, then lost 90-86 to Kutztown in their second game. Against Kutztown, West Virginia State led by 22 points with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest. Tony Cornett scored 14 points for the Yellow Jackets against West Chester and 33 against Kutztown.

Both Mount Olive and West Virginia State earned bids to the East Regional in last year's NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship. Mount Olive, the seventh seed, fell to No. 2 seed Alderson-Broaddus in the first round. Third-seeded West Virginia State defeated No. 6 District of Columbia in the first round before falling to Alderson-Broaddus in the semifinals.

Following tonight's Mount Olive-West Virginia State contest, tournament host Bluefield State takes on Concord (W. Va.) in the nightcap. The two losing teams meet in the consolation game Saturday at 6 p.m., followed by the championship game at 8 p.m.