MOC travels to Old Dominion for an exhibition game

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on November 1, 2012 1:49 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive concludes the preseason portion of its men's basketball schedule with an exhibition game at Old Dominion University today.

The Trojans, directed by fifth-year head coach Joey Higginbotham, are playing an exhibition game against a Division I opponent for the seventh time in the last 10 years. The teams met prior to the 2007-08 season with the Monarchs claiming an 83-53 win.

Tip-off is 7 p.m.

MOC returns two full-time starters and four key reserves off last year's team which won 21 games and reached the Conference Carolinas tournament final.

Junior point guard Dory Hines, the 2010-11 Conference Carolinas co-freshman-of-the-year, ranked 10th in the nation last year with six assists per game. Hines also had the ninth-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the nation.

Senior forward Mahamed Ibrahim reached double figures in 13 games last season, including a career-high 27 points against Queens. Ibrahim was 7-for-11 from three-point range in that contest.

Forward Deshaune Green and guards Jordan Gaffney, Kendall Hargrove and Ewon Wright all saw significant minutes and have had multiple double-figure scoring games.

ODU posted a 22-14 record last year and finished fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Monarchs are not eligible for this year's CAA tournament and are planning to join Conference USA for 2013-14.

In addition to Old Dominion, Mount Olive has played preseason exhibition games against five other Division I opponents, including three from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Trojans faced ACC members North Carolina (2004-05 preseason), N.C. State (2005-06) and Wake Forest (2008-09). The Trojans also played Patriot League member American University (2006-07) and CAA member UNC-Wilmington (2003-04).

Mount Olive's exhibition against UNC turned out to be a good omen for both schools. The Trojans made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight that season, while the Tar Heels captured the NCAA Division I National Championship.

The Trojans open their 2012-13 regular-season schedule Nov. 16 against West Virginia State in the 47th annual Pickle Classic.