MOC men look to rebound at Coker

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on January 13, 2005 1:56 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE - If the pace of Mount Olive's men's basketball game against Pfeiffer Monday was like a NASCAR race, the pace of tonight's game against Coker may be more akin to a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.

Mount Olive tries to rebound from its first conference loss of the season as the Trojans travel to Hartsville, S.C., tonight to take on Coker in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men's basketball.

Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.

Mount Olive (9-2 overall, 3-1 CVAC) is coming off a 114-92 loss to Pfeiffer Monday at College Hall, which snapped the Trojans' seven-game winning streak and handed the Trojans their first loss at home since last February. The loss was also the first during the month of January since 2003 for Mount Olive, which posted an 8-0 record in January last season and won their first three games of this month.

The Trojans hope to improve from the free throw line after going 22-for-41 (53.7 percent) from the line Monday against Pfeiffer. For the season, Mount Olive is shooting 62.4 percent from the line, down 10 percentage points from last year when the Trojans ranked among the top 50 in the nation in free throw shooting.

Monday's game was not without its bright spots, most notably a career-high 26 points from sophomore forward Chris Bartley, who went 11-for-15 from the field and became the fifth Trojan to average in double figures. Sophomore guard Elton Coffield, the team's leading scorer at 17.9 points per game, established a career high in rebounds Monday with nine boards. Junior guard Maurice Horton recorded six steals Monday to give him 11 steals in his last two games. And junior guard Melvin Creddle dished out six assists for the second consecutive game.

Coker (5-6, 3-1) extended its winning streak to three, all in conference play, with a 56-43 win Monday against Erskine. To put the final score of the Coker-Erskine game in perspective, Mount Olive trailed Pfeiffer 59-46 - at halftime. Senior Jay Farrow leads Coker with 10.5 points per game. Coker has allowed an average of 59.7 points during its winning streak.

By virtue of Mount Olive's loss Monday and Coker's three-game winning streak, the Trojans and the Cobras join Queens in a three-way tie for second place in the CVAC standings, a half-game behind Pfeiffer.

Mount Olive won both meetings last year, defeating Coker 70-46 at Hartsville and winning 79-50 at College Hall.

MOC women

still unbeaten in CVAC

MOUNT OLIVE -- After the Mount Olive College women's basketball team's victory over Pfeiffer Monday gave the Trojans their best-ever start in conference play, head coach Wendy Lawrence let her squad celebrate its accomplishment -- for about 15 minutes. Then it was time to focus on the Trojans' next game.

Mount Olive will try to stay unbeaten in conference play as the Trojans travel to Hartsville, S.C., tonight to take on Coker in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference women's basketball. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m.

Mount Olive (6-4 overall, 4-0 CVAC) enters tonight's contest on a three-game winning streak after defeating Pfeiffer 77-62 Monday at College Hall. Senior forward Latoria Harvey scored a career-high 33 points to go with nine rebounds and a season-high six steals. Her previous single-game best this season was one steal.

Freshman Keona Corley continues to make her presence felt at the point guard position. Corley, who already has an 11-assist game to her credit this season, dished out nine assists Monday against Pfeiffer. Corley is averaging 6.7 assists during the Trojans' winning streak.

Mount Olive ranks in the top 20 in the nation in scoring defense, allowing an average of 55.9 points per game. After holding five of their first seven opponents below 60 points, the Trojans have allowed each of their last three opponents to eclipse the 60-point mark. By the same token, Mount Olive's offense has found its form, averaging 72.3 points per contest in its last three games, including a season-high 77 points Monday against Pfeiffer.

Coker (4-7, 1-3) is coming off a 46-43 loss Monday at Erskine for the Cobras' second consecutive defeat and fourth in five games. Shamae Hemingway leads Coker with 12.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Coker reached the championship game of last year's CVAC Women's Basketball Tournament.

Mount Olive lost both of last year's games to Coker, falling 75-62 at Hartsville and 53-49 at College Hall. Coker has won four of the last five meetings between the two teams. The Trojans' last win over Coker was in the first round of the 2003 CVAC Tournament on Coker's home floor.

An audio webcast of both games will be available on the Mount Olive College athletics web page at www.moc.edu/athletics. Pre-game show for the women's game begins at 5:15 p.m.