MOC set to take on Concord in West Virginia

Published in Sports on December 1, 2004 1:55 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Looking at Mount Olive College men's basketball early-season schedule, one would think the Trojans have moved from the NCAA Division II Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference to the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC).

The Trojans don't play their first CVAC opponent until Saturday, but play their fourth game against a WVIAC opponent tonight.

Mount Olive makes its second trip to West Virginia in the last five days as the Trojans visit Concord in non-conference men's basketball action. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Mount Olive (3-1) split a pair of games over the weekend in the Currence Classic at Bluefield, W. Va. The Trojans fell to West Virginia State 86-84 in the opener, then rebounded with a 98-80 win over tournament host Bluefield State in the consolation game. The Trojans also faced Bluefield State in the Pickle Classic two weeks ago.

Elton Coffield, who was named Most Valuable Player of the Pickle Classic and earned all-tournament honors at the Currence Classic, has had the hot hand for the Trojans. He is averaging 17.5 points per game and has been Mount Olive's leading scorer in three of the Trojans' first four games.

Maurice Horton, who scored 25 points against West Virginia State, is averaging 11.5 points and 3.3 assists per contest. Melvin Creddle has reached double-figures in three of his first four games and is averaging 10.0 points per contest.

Chris Bartley and Sharome Holloway are within a fraction of a double-figure scoring average, as both players are averaging 9.8 points per game.

Concord (1-1) also competed in the Currence Classic and split its two games, defeating Bluefield State 90-87 in the first round and falling to West Virginia State 83-71 in the championship game. Lewis Muse is averaging 29.5 points per game for Concord, including a 39-point performance against Winston-Salem State in the season opener.

Mount Olive's games against teams from the WVIAC count as in-region games as both the CVAC and the WVIAC are in the NCAA II East Region. The Trojans' results in their early-season games against the West Virginia teams could be a factor when NCAA Tournament bids are awarded in March.

Mount Olive opens conference play Saturday as the Trojans play host to Erskine (S.C.) College in a rematch of last year's CVAC Tournament first-round game.

Saturday's contest is the Trojans' last home game until after the first of the year. Tip-off is 6 p.m. at College Hall and will be preceded by the women's game.