McCain's late free throws helps Mount Olive edge ECSU

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 9, 2013 11:49 PM

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WILSON -- Jordan McCain didn't intentionally save his fifth foul.

It just worked out that way Saturday afternoon.

Saddled with four fouls, McCain drained two key free throws with 18.8 seconds remaining and Mount Olive College upended in-state foe Elizabeth City State, 73-67, on day two of the 45-Second Classic at Barton College.

McCain and guard Dontrell Brite each pumped in 13 second-half points for the Trojans, who improved to 1-1 after a heart-breaking, last-second loss to Shaw University on Friday. McCain shot 8 of 8 at the free throw line and finished with 15 points.

Brite collected 19 points. Kendall Hargrove, one of four MOC players to foul out, supplied 10 points.

"We were a little sloppy, weren't talking on defense in the first half... no communication, really," McCain said. "The second half, I guess we talked a little bit more (and) got the ball moving more on offense, got open shots and attacked the glass to get free throws.

"We struggled on free throws this whole Classic, but we hit more today."

Mount Olive converted 23 of 31 attempts after shooting a miserable 15 of 28 one night earlier.

But ECSU proved the beneficiary during the first 10 minutes of the second half. The Vikings reached the double bonus as fouls piled up among the Trojans' post players. Guard Glenn Patterson sank a pair of free throws which further shaved a 12-point deficit to 45-41 with 10:21 to go.

MOC lost its first post player, freshman Kyle Rhoades, with eight-plus minutes remaining on the clock. Hargrove fouled out less than half a minute later. He was followed by Dominique Reed, who pulled down 11 rebounds, and sophomore Mike Moore.

The Trojans, somehow, managed to keep a two-possession advantage during the maddening mayhem.

"I thought about subbing in one our of managers," said MOC head coach Joey Higginbotham as he rubbed his head. "It was a tough one. We talk about 'team' and that was a team win. We gutted it out, made some plays down the stretch and made our free throws."

Patterson, who scored 22 second-half points, pulled the Vikings to within 61-58 on two free throws at the 4:47 mark. Brite swished a 3-pointer off of Reed's offensive rebound.

After a Patterson free throw and ECSU technical foul, Brite connected on two free throws to make it 66-59. McCain and John Wieland combined to sink 5 of 6 free throws in the final 23 seconds to seal the outcome.

"To say it was a grind, is an understatement," said Higginbotham, whose team was whistled for 30 fouls compared to 19 for ECSU. "We wanted to get out of here with a win and that's what we did."

Mount Olive travels to Wingate on Wednesday.