Game Preview: #8 Belmont Abbey vs. #4 Cobras –Semifinals of Conference Carolinas Basketball Tournament
Game Date: March 3, 2011
Tip-off Scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
BROADCASTS:
Live Webcast: http://coker.nmtvsports.com
Live Stats: www.cokercobras.com
HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Thursday the #4 seed Cobras will host the #8 seed Crusaders of Belmont Abbey College in the Semifinals of the Conference Carolinas men’s basketball tournament. Tonight marks the first time in school history that Coker has hosted a men’s basketball semifinal game.
RECENT GAMES
Pfeiffer at Coker: 89-87 (W)
Coker at Lees-McRae: 69-56 (W)
Coker at Erskine: 61-45 (W)
Coker College
Home: 7-4, 5-3
Road: 6-6, 5-4
Neutral: 0-3, 0-1
2010-11 vs. Belmont Abbey: 2-0
Leaders:
PPG: Tom Wright (13.9)
RPG: Liam Kyle (7.3)
Assists: Delonte Doles (97)
Steals: Tom Wright (34)
FG%: Liam Kyle (53.9)
FT%: Vatrick Thompson (82.0)
The Cobras enter Thursday’s game after picking up a huge 89-87 win over the #5 seed Pfeiffer on Monday in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. The win makes five straight for Coker down the stretch. Senior Joselle Bracy led the Cobra offense against Pfeiffer with 16 points, while freshman Julian Nelson scored a career high 15, including nine from long range. Tom Wright and Vatrick Thompson each scored 12 and Wright handed out a game high eight assists. Delonte Doles nailed what turned out to be the game-winning free throws with just 11 seconds left in the game.
It is going to take another team effort to defeat Belmont Abbey on Thursday. So far this season Coker is 2-0 against the Crusaders with Tom Wright and Delonte Doles leading the offensive attack in both games.
Belmont Abbey
Home: 6-6, 4-5
Away: 7-7, 4-5
Neutral: 1-0
2010-11 vs. Coker: 2-0
Leaders:
PPG: Richard Barbee (20.7)
RPG: Richard Barbee (6.9)
Assists: Richard Barbee (78)
Steals: Richard Barbee (53)
FG%: Kyle Phillips (50.4)
FT%: Tyshawn Good (89.4)
The Crusaders enter tonight’s game having pulled the upset of the Conference Carolinas Tournament as they bounced the #1 seed Queens University of Charlotte from the tournament with an 84-81 win. In addition to the big win over Queens, the Abbey enters Thursday’s game having won 3 of their last five with wins over Pfeiffer (90-89), Lees-McRae (118- 72) and Queens (84-81). Led by their senior Richard Barbee’s 20.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game the Crusaders will be a very tough opponent.
Thursday’s tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm at the Timberlake-Lawton Gymnasium in Hartsville, SC.