Elon Phoenix Fend Off UNCG Spartans; Set to Play Charleston in SoCon SemiFinals

ELON PHOENIX 68, UNCG SPARTANS 61

Junior forward Sebastian Koch spearheaded the Phoenix attack, scoring 15 points as Elon hung on to beat the UNCG Spartans in the SoCon quarterfinal. Junior forward Lucas Troutman added a double for the Phoenix, posting 14 points and corralling 10 rebounds in the victory.

                The win did not come easy for Elon, the #2 seed in the Southern Conference Tournament, but in March there are few stress free games. The game was tightly contested throughout as Elon’s biggest lead of the night was a mere 10 points. Although the 10^th seeded UNCG Spartans were always in striking distance, they only held one lead the entire game; a 19-17 advantage in the first half after junior forward Trevis Simpson drilled a three-pointer.

                The Phoenix’ strong start to the second half was critical. Elon led by just two at intermission but scored the first eight points of the half, including “and-one” layups by forwards Koch and Troutman to give the Phoenix some breathing room.  The Phoenix maintained this advantage for the majority of the second half, and then connected on 7-of-8 free throws in the waning moments of the game to secure the victory.

                The Elon Phoenix (21-10, 13-5) will play the Charleston Cougars (23-9, 14-4) in the SoCon semifinals. The Cougars, the # 3 seed in the Southern Conference Tournament, defeated the Western Carolina Catamounts in the SoCon quarterfinal. The Cougars big men dominated as junior forward Anthony Thomas had a team-high 18 points, while sophomore center Adjehi Baru scored 14 points and posted 13 rebounds.  Junior guard Trey Sumler scored a game 25 points in the loss for the 10^th seeded Catamounts.

Elsewhere in the SoCon Tournament

                Davidson throttled Georgia Southern, 86-59, in a contest that was essentially over by halftime.  The #1 seeded Davidson Wildcats used a balance attack to beat the #9 seeded Georgia Southern Eagles, as Nick Cochran scored 18 points (draining five three pointers in the process) for the Wildcats, while Tyler Kalinoski added 14 points, De’Mon Brooks scored 13, Jake Cohen posted 12 points and Chris Czerapowicz contributed 10 points. Davidson (24-7, 17-1) will play Appalachian State (15-15, 10-8) in the SoCon semifinals.

                Appalachian State cruised to victory over the Furman Paladins, 74-60. The Paladins, the 12^th seed in the tournament, were unable to pull off another upset as the Appalchian State Mountaineers dominated from start to finish. Appalchian State, the #4 seed in the tournament, shot 31 of 57 from the field, including 8 for 21 from behind the arc, to win and advance to the SoCon semifinal round.

Below is an updated bracket for the Southern Conference Tournament

	First Round Friday, March 8					Quarterfinals Saturday, March 9 ESPN3					Semifinals Sunday, March 10 ESPN3					Championship Game Monday, March 11 ESPN2
						1	Davidson	86
						9	Georgia Southern	59
	8	Wofford	44
	9	Georgia Southern	60
											1	Davidson	6:00 pm
										4	Appalachian St
						4	Appalachian St	74
						12	Furman	60
	5	Samford	51
	12	Furman	55
																		7:00 pm
						2	Elon	68
						10	UNC Greensboro	61
	7	Chattanooga	81
	10	UNC Greensboro	87
											2	Elon	8:30 pm
										3	College of Charleston
						3	College of Charleston	78
						6	Western Carolina	70
	6	Western Carolina	76
	11	Citadel	61

Southern Conference Tournament 2013: First Round Recap

The UNCG Spartans registered 55 second half points en route to their comeback win over the 7^th seeded Chattanooga Mocs in the first round of the SoCon Tourney. Senior guard Derrell Armstrong led the Spartans with 25 points and posted 8 rebounds, while SoCon leading scorer, Trevis Simpson, added 17 points for the Spartans in their 87-81 win. The Mocs led by 11 with 10 minutes to play but could not hold on against the 10^th seeded Spartans.

UNCG will now play the #2 seed, Elon University, in the SoCon quarterfinals.  Elon swept the season series, including the regular season finale on Senior Night at Alumni Gym, 80-66.

The first round of the SoCon Tourney featured two other lower seeded teams finishing victorious.  The #9 seeded Georgia Southern Eagles crushed the #8 seeded Wofford Terriers, 60-44. Georgia Southern will play the #1 seed, Davidson, in the SoCon quarterfinals.  The Eagles were the only Southern Conference team to beat Davidson in the regular season.

The #12 seeded Furman Paladins pulled off the upset of the day, defeating the #5 seeded Samford Bulldogs, 55-51. Furman now plays the #4 seed, Appalachian State in the SoCon quarterfinals. Appalachian State won the lone regular season meeting, 72-66.

Elsewhere in the SoCon Tournament, Western Carolina took care of business against Citadel, 76-61. The Catamounts, the 6 seed, cruised to victory behind junior guard Trey Sumler’s 27 points to beat the 11^th seeded Bulldogs.

Western Carolina will face off against College of Charleston, the # 3 seed in the SoCon Tournament.  This will likely be the best quarterfinal matchup, with the lone regular season meeting between the two clubs being a two point Charelston win, as senior guard Andrew Lawrence connected on two free throws with one second remaining to beat the Catamounts, 67-65, on February 20^th.

Below is an updated bracket for the Southern Conference Tournament.

	First Round Friday, March 8					Quarterfinals Saturday, March 9 ESPN3					Semifinals Sunday, March 10 ESPN3					Championship Game Monday, March 11 ESPN2
						1	Davidson	12:00 pm
						9	Georgia Southern
	8	Wofford	44
	9	Georgia Southern	60
													6:00 pm
						4	Appalachian St	2:30 pm
						12	Furman
	5	Samford	51
	12	Furman	55
																		7:00 pm
						2	Elon	6:00 pm
						10	UNC Greensboro
	7	Chattanooga	81
	10	UNC Greensboro	87
													8:30 pm
						3	College of Charleston	8:30 pm
						6	Western Carolina
	6	Western Carolina	76
	11	Citadel	61

Southern Conference 2012-2013 Year in Review: Awards and Previewing the SoCon Tournament

AWARDS:

1st Team All SoCon 

1)  Guard: Trey Sumler- Western Carolina

2)  Guard: Jack Isenbarger- Elon

3)  Forward: Trevis Simpson UNCG

4)  Forward: Lucas Troutman- Elon

5)  Center: Mike Groselle- Citadel

2nd Team All SoCon 

1) Guard: Karl Cochran- Wofford

2) Guard: Darrell Armstrong- UNCG

3) Forward: Z. Mason- Chattanooga

4) Forward: Nathan Healy- Appalachian State
5) Center: Jake Cohen- Davidson

3rd Team All SoCon 

1) Guard: Raijon Kelly- Samford

2) Guard: C.J. Reed- Georgia Southern

3) Forward: Jay Canty- Appalachian State

4) Forward: Ryley Beaumont- Elon

5) Center: Adjehi Baru- Charleston

Freshman All SoCon Team

1) Guard: Tanner Samson- Elon

2) Guard: Spencer Collins- Wofford

3) Forward: Gee McGhee- Chattanooga

4) Forward: Tim Williams- Samford
5) Center: Kendrec Ferrara- Furman

Player of the Year:

1) Lucas Troutman- Elon

2) Trevis Simpson- UNCG
3) Trey Sumler- Western Carolina

Freshman of the Year:

1) Tim Williams- Samford

2) Gee McGhee- Chattanooga
3) Spencer Collins- Wofford

Coach of the Year:

1)      Matt Matheny- Elon

Below is the 2013 Southern Conference Tournament Bracket

First Round Friday, March 8

Quarterfinals Saturday, March 9 ESPN3

Semifinals Sunday, March 10 ESPN3

Championship Game Monday, March 11 ESPN or ESPN2

1        Davidson

12:00 pm

8

Wofford

11:30 am

9

Georgia Southern

6:00 pm

4         Appalachian St

2:30 pm

5          Samford

2:00 pm

12           Furman

7:00 pm

2

Elon

6:00 pm

7

Chattanooga

6:00 pm

10

UNC Greensboro

8:30 pm

3       Charleston

8:30 pm

6

Western Carolina

8:30 pm

11

Citadel

Below are questions provided by John Roberts, author of Chattanooga Mocs blog, mocsmania.blospot.com, that I have answered to help preview the SoCon Tournament

1) Which team without a bye is the most dangerous? Why?

            I really do not like the chances of any team in this tournament without a bye because the conference is so top heavy with powerhouses Davidson, Elon and Charleston ruling the SoCon. Alas, March brings out the best in players and teams so a team without a bye could have a “Cinderella” like run in the SoCon Tournament.

             Call me crazy, but I actually think Chattanooga is the most dangerous team without a bye. Sure, Chattanooga got blown out on the last game of the season at Appalachian State, endings its hopes of getting a first round bye in the SoCon Tournament (if Chattanooga had won they would have finished in a four-way tie for second place in the North division with Samford, Western Carolina and Appalachian State and Chattanooga would have received the bye via the tiebreaker) as they finished fifth in the North with a subpar 8-10 conference record. But Chattanooga has won big games this season. The Mocs beat Western Carolina and Samford on the road this season and were able to knock off the North division champion Elon Phoenix at home. If Z. Mason plays very well, then maybe Chattanooga could make a surprise run in the tournament. I do not like the Mocs odds but crazy things can happen in a conference tournament.

2.      Which team with a bye is most likely to be eliminated first? Why?

            Appalachian State. The Mountaineers were the last team to secure a first-round bye, finishing with a pedestrian 10-8 conference record. Davidson, Elon and Charleston were all able to grab a bye with ease as they were the three most dominant teams in the conference all season long. Appalachian State will face the winner of the Samford versus Furman first round matchup and if Samford is able to take care of business and beat a struggling Furman squad, then Appalachian State could be in trouble in the quarterfinal round. Samford and Appalachian State faced off twice this year, with each contest being decided in the final minutes of the game as the two teams split the season series. Samford could knock off Appalachian State, especially if sophomore guard Raijon Kelly has a good game for the Bulldogs.

3) Which first round game is the most interesting? Why?

The Georgia Southern versus Wofford first round matchup intrigues me the most. Georgia Southern and Wofford finished with identical records overall and in conference play. Wofford swept the season series. Given that this is the #8 seed (Wofford) versus the #9 seed (Georgia Southern) matchup, I expect this to be the most entertaining first round game.

4) Which potential semifinal is the most interesting? Why?

 An Elon versus Charleston semifinal is a very intriguing matchup. Charleston beat Elon at Alumni Gym 56-54 in a tightly contested battle on December 1^st but things have changed immensely since then. After that loss, Elon ripped off 11 wins in its next 13 Southern Conference games to win the North Division Title. I doubt Elon (the #2 seed in the tournament) or Charleston (the #3 seed in the tournament) will lose in the quarterfinals, so it appears these two teams are headed for an intense rematch in the semifinal round.

5) Who do you think wins the SoCon Tournament? Why?

I believe Davidson will win the tournament, given their dominance in conference play. Elon poses the biggest threat to Davidson because the Phoenix has the best starting five in the Southern Conference. Not only does Elon possess the leagues’ best starting unit, they also have two of the best players in the Conference in junior guard Jack Isenbarger and junior forward Lucas Troutman. Elon proved it can hang with Davidson on Wednesday night, losing 69-63 in a contest that went down to the wire. Still, it is tough to pick against a Davidson team that went 17-1 in conference play and is currently riding a 14 game win streak, with its last loss coming on January 14^th.

6) What seed do you think the team you just picked to win the SoCon Tournament will get in the NCAA Tournament? Why?

 If Davidson is to go on to win the tournament, I think they will be a #13 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the seed it was last year in the March Madness tournament. Every couple of days ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi creates a mock bracket for the tournament in what he calls “bracketology”. The bracket assumes the current first place team in every conference will win its conference tournament to make the projections. In each of the last two brackets, Davidson has been a #13 seed. Davidson likely earned this seed with its “bracketbuster” win over Montana University a week ago. If Elon or Charleston wins the tournament, I would expect them to be a #14 seed in the NCAA Tournament. If by some miracle a team outside of Davidson, Elon or Charleston wins the Southern Conference tournament, I would predict them to earn a #15 seed.

\

Elon Phoenix at Chattanooga Mocs Game Preview: 5 Burning Questions

The Elon University Phoenix (19-8,12-3) travel to The McKenzie Arena to play the Chattanooga Mocs (11-17,6-9) in a Southern Conference clash at 7:30 P.M. Below are questions from John Roberts, author of Chattanooga Mocs blog, mocsmania.blogspot.com, that I have answered to preview tonight's game.

1) How important is it to Elon to have won the North? Why?

Elon winning the North is a huge deal because now their road to winning the Southern Conference Championship got a lot easier. With a win, not only did Elon ensure a first round bye in the SoCon Tournament, but it also now guaranteed it will be a top 2 seed. Last year, Elon came in second in the North and got a first round bye but had to play the eventual Conference Tournament champion Davidson in the semi-finals in the tournament. With Elon and Davidson winning their respective divisions, the only way they can meet in the tournament is in the championship game, which is good news for Elon because Davidson is 15-1 in conference play this season.

2) Which player is the most important player on Elon's team? Why?

 It is tough not to choose junior  guard Jack Isenbarger, given how many clutch shots and game winners he has hit for the Phoenix this season, not to mention how reliable he is from the free throw line (86.6 percent) and from three-point range (34.8), but I would still have to choose junior forward Lucas Troutman.  Not only does Troutman lead the team in scoring (14.9 PPG) but he is also a factor on the glass (5.4 RPG), something that is crucial given for an undersized Phoenix squad. Troutman is also a tough interior defender and is a great shot-blocker, leading the Southern Conference in blocks per game with 2.1.

3) What is one weakness that you think Chattanooga might be able to expose? How? Why?

I would say the one weakness Chattanooga could expose tonight is that this is the perfect trap game. Elon is coming off winning the North Division Title on Thursday night and after they play Chattanooga tonight, it hosts Davidson on Wednesday night in a clash of the first place teams in the Southern Conference. Elon will want to make a statement at home on Wednesday night to prove to Davidson it can beat them in the tournament, so Elon is definitely looking forward towards playing them. If Chattanooga can come out with high energy, especially early in the game, it has a good chance to pull off the upset. Also, if star forward Lucas Troutman is out, Chattanooga, the # 1 rebounding team in the Conference, can use its size advantage to take down the Phoenix.

4) The SoCon Tournament starts soon. What chance do you give Elon of winning the whole thing?

I would give Elon a relatively good chance of winning the whole tournament. After securing a first round bye and a top two seed, Elon needs to win three conference tournament games to win it all. Elon is playing its best basketball of the season, winning 12 of its past 13 games. Elon should win its first conference game without too many issues but then will likely have to play College of Charleston in the second semi-finals. Charleston is the only Southern Conference team to beat Elon at Alumni Gym this season and could pose a huge threat to the Phoenix. If the Phoenix are able to beat Charleston, they will likely face off against Davidson in the Conference Championship game, which would be a very tough game.  But Elon has arguably its best team since entering Division 1 play in NCAA basketball so I would say Elon has a realistic chance of winning the tournament and making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.

5) Do you think Troutman should play or not on Saturday night? Do you think Troutman deserves to win SoCon Player of the Year? Why?

I think Troutman should rest tonight and get himself ready for the clash against Davidson on Wednesday night. Elon has proven it can win games without Troutman (recently versus Appalachian State and at Samford) and the Phoenix should feel confident about beating a Chattanooga squad that is three games under .500 in conference play this year.

I think one could certainly make the case for Troutman to win SoCon Player of the Year, given that he is the leader of the Phoenix squad that just won the North division. Troutman also leads the conference in blocks,  is second in the conference in field goal percentage and is fifth in scoring, furthering his case for SoCon Player of the Year.

Paul Pierce Moves into 6th Place on All-Time 3-Point List with Dagger Versus Clippers

Paul Pierce knocked down a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining in regulation to seal a 106-104 win for the Boston Celtics over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

The trey by Pierce gave the C’s a five-point lead, before Jamal Crawford hit a meaningless three-pointer at the buzzer. The 3-pointer by Pierce not only preserved the win for Boston, but it also moved Pierce into sixth place all-time in three-pointers.

Pierce, who has connected on 1,761 three-pointers, bypassed Peja Stojakovic after nailing four three-point field goals in the victory. 

Ray Allen is the the NBA's all-time leader in 3's, while former Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller ranks second. Chauncey Billups, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd round out the top-five.