Coffeild paces Trojans

Published in Sports on December 2, 2004 1:55 PM

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CONCORD, W. Va. -- Elton Coffield scored a career-high 31 points and Mount Olive shot 71.6 percent from the field as the Trojans defeated Concord (W. Va.) College 119-96 in non-conference NCAA II men's basketball action Wednesday evening.

The Trojans went 48-of-67 from the floor, including 11-for-20 from three-point range.

Mount Olive (4-1) trailed through the first nine minutes of the game before Coffield scored all of the points in an 8-0 run to give the Trojans the lead for good at 28-23.

Concord (2-3) came as close as three points. However, Mount Olive ended the first half on a 19-9 run, capped by Melvin Creddle's jumper at the buzzer, which gave the Trojans a 58-45 lead at halftime. Coffield went 6-for-6 from the field, connecting on all three of his three-point attempts for 15 points. Coffield and Maurice Horton combined for exactly half of Mount Olive's first-half points.

The Trojans opened the second half with a 10-3 run to build the lead to 20 points only two minutes into the half. The lead stayed in the 20-point range until a pair of baskets by Moise Tchankeu ignited a 13-2 run and Horton's basket gave Mount Olive its biggest lead at 92-61 with 10:49 remaining.

Concord rallied for 14 unanswered points, but never got any closer than 16 the rest of the way. A pair of free throws by Sharome Holloway gave Mount Olive a 99-79 lead with 7:12 remaining.

Horton finished with 22 points and five assists for the Trojans, while Creddle finished with career highs of 21 points and nine assists. Elijah Rouse came within one rebound of his first double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. The Trojans shot 75.0 percent (24-for-32) from the field in the second half.

Lewis Muse led five Concord players in double figures with 25 points, while Kent McBride added 10 points and 11 assists.

Mount Olive has reached the century mark in three of its first five games and is averaging 100.6 points per contest so far this season.

Mount Olive returns to action Saturday as the Trojans open Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference play at home against Erskine (S.C.) College. Tip-off is 6 p.m. at College Hall.

MOUNT OLIVE (119)

E. Coffield 12-14 1-1 31; M. Horton 8-11 4-4 22; M. Creddle 8-15 2-2 21; E. Rouse 5-5 0-2 10; S. Holloway 3-3 3-4 9; C. Bartley 4-6 1-2 9; V. Young 3-6 0-0 6; C. Jefferson 3-4 0-1 6; M. Tchankeu 2-3 1-2 5. TOTALS -- 48-67 12-18 119.

CONCORD UNIVERSITY (96)

L. Muse 9-18 7-11 25; C. Ganaway 6-8 3-7 19; A. Lansdowne 4-7 0-0 12; F. Harris 5-9 1-2 11; K. McBride 3-4 1-1 10; C. Nichols 4-8 0-0 8; Z. Gordon 1-5 3-3 5; J. Coefield 1-2 0-0 2; J. Stevens 1-1 0-0 2; A. Miller 1-1 0-1 2. TOTALS -- 35-63 15-25 96.

Halftime -- Mount Olive 58-45. Three-point goals -- 3-point goals-Mount Olive College 11-20 (E. Coffield 6-7; M. Creddle 3-5; M. Horton 2-5; C. Bartley 0-1; V. Young 0-1; C. Jefferson 0-1), Concord University 11-21 (C. Ganaway 4-6; A. Lansdowne 4-7; K. McBride 3-4; Z. Gordon 0-2; C. Nichols 0-1; F. Harris 0-1). Fouled out -- Mount Olive College-None, Concord University-None. Rebounds -- Mount Olive College 36 (E. Rouse 9), Concord University 25 (L. Muse 7; C. Ganaway 7). Assists -- Mount Olive College 27 (M. Creddle 9), Concord University 27 (K. McBride 11). Total fouls -- Mount Olive College 21, Concord University 14.