College basketball: Trojans win two in Pembroke

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on December 31, 2006 2:08 AM

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PEMBROKE -- Brandon Streeter came off the bench to record his second double-double in as many games with 19 points and 12 rebounds as Mount Olive defeated Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 78-63 in the UNC Pembroke Classic on Saturday. The win is the fifth in a row for the Trojans, which posted a 2-0 record at the UNC Pembroke Classic.

Streeter and Elton Coffield were named to the All-Tournament Team. Streeter averaged 15.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in the tournament, while Coffield averaged 20.5 points in the two games.

Mount Olive (7-2) trailed by as many as five points early in the first half, but Streeter and Elton Coffield came off the bench to spark a rally as Coffield's three-pointer with 13:49 remaining gave the Trojans their first lead at 15-14. Mount Olive built the lead to double digits and Chris Holloway's three-point play with 1:26 remaining gave the Trojans a 44-32 halftime lead.

After Lincoln Memorial (5-4) opened the second half with a free throw, Mount Olive scored the next six points to build a 17-point lead. Mike Holloman hit 4-of-4 free throws in a span of less than 60 seconds and the Trojans built the lead to as many as 20 points as Coffield's three-point play with 14:49 remaining gave Mount Olive a 59-39 lead.

Coffield's three-pointer with 9:25 left in the game gave the Trojans a 68-49 advantage, but Lincoln Memorial cut the lead to 10 after holding Mount Olive without a field goal for nearly four minutes. Justin Melton hit a three-pointer to stop the run and the Trojans kept their double-digit lead the rest of the game.

Coffield finished with 18 points, Easley added 12 points and Elijah Rouse tallied 10 points and eight rebounds. Rouse came within two rebounds of recording his second consecutive double-double, but ended up sitting out the final five minutes after picking up his fourth foul.

After a 2-2 start, Mount Olive is 5-0 since Streeter and Coffield have adopted "sixth-man" roles. Streeter is averaging 16.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game off the bench.

"I feel more comfortable coming off the bench," said Streeter, a 6-6 junior who transferred from Division I Hampton. "It gives me a chance to see the flow of the game and to see the tendencies and weaknesses of the other team."

Kai Wells led four Lincoln Memorial players in double figures with 17 points. Joplin Johnson, who entered the game with a 46.7 free throw percentage, went 8-for-8 from the line and scored 12 points.

Mount Olive heads to Institute, W. Va., this week to compete in the West Virginia State Classic. The Trojans take on host West Virginia State Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., then face Charleston Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY'S GAME

MOC 93, Chowan 74

PEMBROKE -- Elton Coffield scored 19 of his game-high 23 points in the second half as Mount Olive rallied from a three-point halftime deficit to defeat Chowan 93-74 at the UNC Pembroke Classic.

Elijah Rouse (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Brandon Streeter (13 points, 10 rebounds) both recorded double-doubles for the Trojans.

Kendrick Easley scored nine of the Trojans' first 10 points as Mount Olive (6-2) built an early six-point lead. Chowan (4-7) came back with a 10-2 run to take a 21-19 lead with 9:23 left in the first half. The Trojans rallied to take a four-point lead after baskets by Rouse and Streeter, but Chowan closed out the half with a 14-7 run to take a 37-34 halftime lead.

Easley's three-pointer with 18:24 left in the game put Mount Olive ahead to stay 43-42 and ignited an 18-2 run as the Trojans built a double-digit lead. Coffield and Rouse combined for 13 points during the run.

Chowan never got any closer than 14 points and Mount Olive took its biggest lead at 84-57 on Lydell Walker's free throw with 7:25 remaining.

Easley finished with 17 points as the Trojans placed four players in double figures. Rouse recorded a career-high five blocked shots to go with five assists and three steals.

Marcus Artis and Trayvon Lathan led Chowan with 12 points apiece, while Chris Kenon added 10 points.

The win was Mount Olive's second over Chowan this season. The Trojans defeated the Hawks 79-70 in November in the championship game of the Pickle Classic. Chowan is 3-2 against Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference teams this season, including a win earlier this month at nationally-ranked Barton.