February 8, 2007

Boxscore

LAURINBURG, N.C.— St. Andrews Presbyterian College had two attempts at tying the game in the final 12 seconds but the errant shots allowed Mount Olive College to escape Harris Court with an 83-80 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference men’s basketball victory on Thursday night.

The Trojans, winners of their last six games (all conference games), improved their record to 17-5 overall and 11-4 in the CVAC with the season sweep. The Knights lost their third straight falling to 9-13 overall and 6-9 in the league.

St. Andrews connected on 45.2% of their shots compared to 42.4% from Mount Olive, but the visitors nailed 10 three-pointers at a 47.6% clip.

Senior Elton Coffield (Williamston, N.C.) scored 13 of his team-high 20 points in the first half helping the Trojans lead for most of the opening stanza. MOC built its lead to 13 (36-23) with just under four minutes left in the first period but St. Andrews ended the half on a 10-5 run capped by a junior Marcus Hoke (Charlotte, N.C.) trey in the final seconds to pull the deficit to five, 41-33, at the intermission.

The Trojans held onto a single-digit lead for the first seven and a half minutes until a freshman Josh Brown (Upper Marlboro, N.C.) three-pointer extended the advantage to 11 (62-51). Mount Olive maintained a 70-60 lead with 8:38 left before St. Andrews stormed back. A quick 8-0 Knights run that included six points from junior Bradley Hippolyte (Brooklyn, N.Y.) pulled SAPC to within two, 70-68.

Mount Olive remained composed and another Brown bomb from downtown pulled the Trojan lead back up to seven, 81-74, with 2:52 remaining. However, senior Richard Stone (Williamsburg, Va.) responded with his own 3-pointer for the Knights and a sophomore Keith Josey (Suffolk, Va.) long jumper with his foot on the three-point arc chopped the margin back down to two at 81-79.

Each team missed their next two shots and then Josey was fouled while grabbing an offensive board with 11.5 seconds showing on the clock giving him two shots from the charity stripe to tie the game. After a MOC timeout, Josey swished the first freebee but the second attempt went a little long and the Trojans were given possession of the ball as the rebound went out-of-bounds. The Knights quickly fouled and Brown made both free throws to post the eventual final score, 83-80. St. Andrews had one last chance but the Stone running three-pointer was short and the ball finally ended up in Coffield’s hands as time expired.

Grooms led all scorers with 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting for St. Andrews. Stone totaled an impressive 26 points behind four 3-pointers and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Josey was the third Knight in double-digits with 12 points. Josey and Hippolyte each grabbed seven boards for SAPC and freshman Justin Brauda (Monroe, N.C.) dished out a game-high eight assists.

Coffield led the visitors with 20 points, six boards, and five assists. Freshman Kendrick Easley (Norfolk, Va.) scored 16; Brown finished with 12; and junior Lydell Walker (Norfolk, Va.) added 10 points. Freshman Mike Holloman (Virginia Beach, Va.) provided seven assist.

St. Andrews will visit CVAC foe Erskine College on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. while Mount Olive entertains conference rival Lees-McRae at the same time.