NCAA D2 Southeast Regional: Hungry Trojans eager to get bounce back

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 13, 2015 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

HARROGATE, Tenn. -- Failure, loss and defeat are just mile markers on the road to success.

University of Mount Olive unwillingly took that exit five days ago in the 2015 Conference Carolinas men's basketball tournament championship game. A 68-66 loss to North Greenville snapped the Trojans' school-record 17-game win streak.

While disappointed and its confidence possibly shaken, the upset loss could prove positive. It just might make UMO hungry again heading into this weekend's NCAA Division II Southeast Regional at Lincoln Memorial University.

The fourth-seeded Trojans (28-3 overall) oppose fifth-seeded GRU Augusta (23-6) at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday inside the B. Frank Turner Arena. Mount Olive won the regular-season meeting against the Jaguars in late December.

Third-seeded UNC Pembroke (25-5) tips off the regional at noon against sixth-seeded Columbus State, which seized the Peach Belt crown. Second-seeded Montevallo (24-8) faces South Atlantic champ Carson-Newman in the second game.

Regional host and top-seeded LMU meets NGU at 5 p.m.

The three-day tournament concludes Tuesday with the winner advancing to the Elite Eight in Evansville, Ind.

"Everybody is good now and we've got to be ready to play every single possession," UMO head coach Joey Higginbotham said. "You can't be tired, you can't be hurt, you've got to be at your best. If we're at our best, I'm confident we can do some damage."

Higginbotham wants to see his team feast on the boards.

Since January, the Trojans -- who pride themselves on rebounding -- have lost the glass war in numerous games since February. UMO has just one player, senior forward Kendall Hargrove, who gathers more than five caroms -- 8.4 to be exact -- per game. Four of his teammates average four-plus rebounds.

"Kendall Hargrove can't be the only guy attacking the glass," said Higginbotham, whose team holds a miniscule plus-0.8 advantage on the boards through 31 outings.

"We don't do that in the regionals, it's going to be a short trip. We'll keep our bags packed, play the game and bring our butts home."

Ironically, Mount Olive's last three regional appearances have been short stays. The Trojans dropped opening-round games to Millersville (2007), Pitt-Johnstown (2008) and Montevallo (2010). The last win was a first-round, three-point triumph over Shippensburg (Pa.) in 2006.

Overall, UMO is 4-6 in regional play.

Augusta returns to the regional for a second straight year after a semifinal-round loss in 2014. The Jaguars are 13-2 since a road setback against Columbus State in mid-January.

Speedy sophomore guard Keshun Sherrill, who can dunk despite his 5-foot-9 frame leads three Augusta players in double figures with 18.4 points. Devonte Thomas and Devon Wright-Nelson average 14.1 and 13.0 points, respectively.

Wright-Nelson and Henry McCarthy combine for nearly 12 rebounds a game. The Jaguars out-rebound their opponents by nearly three boards a game.

"We play a quality team in Augusta," Higginbotham said. "It's a team we're familiar with and they're familiar with us."

UMO will contend with six players who score in double figures -- Conference Carolinas player-of-the-year Dontrell Brite (14.3), Jordan McCain (13.0), JaQuan Blount (10.6), Hargrove (10.5), Dominique Reed (10.5) and Mike Moore (10.0).

Brite has emerged as the team's top scorer in 10 games this season. However, eight different players have stepped up to score when a teammate is having an off night.

The Trojans shoot nearly 50 percent from the floor.

"It's the way we've played all year (with) somebody (different) stepping up every night," Higginbotham said. "That's the luxury of coaching this team because you can't key on just one guy. (However) we've talked about it (possessions) every day going into the last two weeks of conference play.

"You don't get shots back in March. One possession is the difference in playing on, or not."