EIAC Basketball Roundup

Greensboro, NC-- The Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (EIAC) men's and women's teams are heading down the stretch of regular season play as they speed up for the Annual Basketball Tournament set for February 28 through March 2 in Fayetteville, NC. The games will be held at the Cumberland County Coliseum Complex-Arena. Opening round eliminations begin on Friday and the championships are set for Sunday, 3:00pm for the ladies and 5:30pm for the men.

Barber-Scotia College's men have taken control in the standings and are steamrollering to the finish rather comfortably over number two Edward Waters College. In the women's division, Claflin University has wedged to the top but B-SC is in heated pursuit and Edward Waters is in contention.

Men
Barber-Scotia has galloped out to a 9-0 conference record after its 69-62 win over Allen University Saturday night, February 15 and a 72-65 victory over Morris College February 10. The closest pursuer, Edward Waters, slipped past hosting Morris 80-78 Saturday and Allen University 78-73 last Monday to raise its league mark to 6-2. Allen fell to 4-4 in the EIAC and Morris is 1-8. Voorhees College defeated Claflin last Thursday to stand in at 4-4 to tie Allen for third place. Claflin (1-7) also dropped a February 8 match at Allen 61-58.

Barber-Scotia is 21-7 overall and is number 21 in the latest NAIA Top 25 rankings. The EIAC tournament champion receives an automatic berth to the NAIA national championship.

This Week's EIAC Schedule
Allen hosts Voorhees Monday, February 17 for sole possession of third place in the lone EIAC battle. On Thursday, February 20, Edward Waters is at Claflin. Saturday, February 22 ends regular season play as B-SC hosts Claflin, Edward Waters visits Voorhees and Allen entertains Morris.

Men's Statistical Leaders
Phillip Hillstock, a 6-7 junior forward for Barber-Scotia, leads the NAIA is field goal percentage at 71.3 (112 of 157). He also ranks seventh in rebounding with 10.8 per game which leads the EIAC and carries a 14.0 points-per-game average for fifth in the league. His teammate Davont Jackson, a 6-7 senior guard-forward, leads the EIAC in scoring with 19.0 points per game. Edward Waters' 5-10 sophomore guard Marlon Williams is second in league scoring with an average of 16.5 points per game. Morris' Darren Green, a 6-3 junior guard, and Mitchell Sims, a 6-3 senior guard, rank third and fourth with averages of 16.4 and 14.6. Alphy Hughes, a 6-8 junior forward from Voorhees, averages 13.9 ppg.

Second in rebounding behind Hillstock in EIAC rebounding is Edward Waters' 6-7 senior forward Delancy Johnson, who pulls down 10.0 per contest, ninth best in the NAIA. Johnson also averages 11.9 ppg. Clint Perkins (6-3, Jr, F) and Chris Lee (6-8, Fr, C), both of Voorhees, average 8.1 and 7.9 rebounds respectively.

Antawon Johnson, a junior guard from Edward Waters, leads the league in assists with 7.7 per game, which is seventh in the NAIA rankings.

Women
The Claflin women have won three straight conference contests including the 65-57 win over Voorhees Thursday improving to 7-1 and taking a slim lead atop the EIAC standings. The B-SC ladies had won seven consecutive conference games until Saturday's 58-53 upset loss to Allen. B-SC slipped to 7-2, while Allen (1-7) won its first EIAC game this season. Edward Waters defeated Morris 82-45 Saturday and improved to 5-3 in conference action. Morris dropped to 1-8. Voorhees stands at 4-4 after losing at Claflin last Thursday.

This Week's Women's EIAC Schedule
Voorhees hosts Allen in the only EIAC match Monday, February 17 in a game with third place implications. On February 20 (Thursday), the Edward Waters at Claflin clash has a bearing on both first and third place. The regular season ends Saturday, February 22 with B-SC hosting Claflin in a battle for first, Morris is at Allen and Voorhees visits Edward Waters.

Women's Statistical Leaders
Latrika Allen, a 5-7 sophomore guard from Edward Waters, leads the EIAC in scoring with 16.7 points per game. Kristy Scott (5-8, Sr, G) of Claflin is second at 15.8 ppg and Edward Waters' Christina Atwell (6-1, Sr. F) is third at 15.5. Tamara Middleton (5-9, Jr, F/G) of Claflin averages 13.1 and B-SC's Keva Lindsay averages 12.8.

Verrice Hayes, a 5-9 junior forward from Edward Waters, leads the EIAC and is ranked 19th in rebounding with an 8.4 average. Candis Spratt (5-11, So, F) of B-SC is right behind at 8.3 rebounds per game. Candice Witherspoon (6-0, Jr, F) of Claflin is pulling down 7.7 per contest, Atwell is at 7.6 and Middleton averages 6.9.

The EIAC assist leader is B-SC's Latisha Mebane (5-2, Fr, G), who averages 4.2 per game.

Players-Of-The-Week
Darren Green of Morris and Shernita McNeil of Voorhees were named EIAC men's and women's players of the week (February 3-8). In three games, Green averaged 17 points, six rebounds and 4.0 assists and steals. He is from Charleston, SC. McNeil, in three contests, averaged 12.6 points, five rebounds, 6.3 assists and 3.3 steals. She is a 5-6 junior guard from Angier, NC.

For more information, check out the EIAC web site at www.eiacsports.com.

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