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This Week In GSC Men's Basketball, March 1

3/1/2010

LAST WEEK'S GAMES

Wednesday, February 24th
@ UWG 96, Carver Bible College 95

Thursday, February 25th
@ CBU 73, SAU 60
@ UAM 58, #1 ATU 51
@ HU 100, DSU 88
OBU 81, @ HSU 73
UAH 78, @ UNA 71

Saturday, February 27th
HU 72, @ OBU 71
UAH 86, @ UWA 66
@ #1 ATU 68, CBU 54
@ DSU 92, HSU 75
@ #8 VSU 83, UWG 57
UAM 71, @ SAU 55
Lambuth 96, @ UNA 93

GSC teams in CAPS; GSC games in BOLD; All Times Central

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

Updated throughout the Tournament.  If you can't make it to a game, you can follow the action using the "Live Stats" feature or on the Broadband internet broadcast.  Just click on the corresponding link!

2010 GSC TOURNAMENT GAME PREVIEWS
QUARTER-FINALS-FRIDAY, MARCH 5

Game A-W3 Arkansas-Monticello (14-10, 9-5 GSC) vs. E2 Valdosta State (24-3, 9-1 GSC)-12:30 p.m.
                East No. 2 seed Valdosta State and No. 3 West seed Arkansas-Monticello tip off the Tournament in just the third ever meeting versus the schools.
                Each of the two previous meetings have come on a neutral court.  VSU posted a 66-53 victory in last year's
GSC Tournament Quarter-Finals, while UAM earned a 59-57 win at the North Alabama Tournament in 1981.  VSU pulled away from UAM in the second half in last year's matchup, building a 16-point lead thanks to a 15-8 run.  Blazers' guards Ricardo Lewis and Tristan Crawford each scored 13 points.  
                Valdosta State seeks to take care of unfinished business in this year's Tournament after falling in last year's Title Game.  VSU settled for the No. 2 seed after finishing in a tie for the East Division Crown, losing the tiebreaking coin-toss to Alabama-Huntsville.  The Blazers have won 16 of their last 17 games after UAH snapped their 15-game streak two weeks ago.  Valdosta State makes its seventh consecutive post-season trip, 16th overall.  They are 10-15 in league Tournament action, advancing to the Finals in 1983, 2002 and 2009.  VSU is 1-0 versus West Division foes this season after topping Delta State at home, 102-93.  The Blazers are also 6-1 versus the Tournament field.
                Arkansas-Monticello enters the post-season winning four of its last five games, including a home triumph over then unbeaten and No. 1 Arkansas Tech two weeks ago.  UAM returns to the GSC Tournament for the fifth time in six seasons.  They have advanced to six previous tournaments, going 5-6 led by Semi-Final showings in 2001, 2005 and 2006.  The Boll Weevils are 2-2 versus the East this year and are 4-5 versus the Tournament field.
KEY PLAYERS: Valdosta State forward Tyrone Curnell is a five time GSC Player of the Week honoree.  He is third in the GSC in scoring (18.2), steals (1.93) and field goal percentage (.519-163-314) and fourth in rebounds (8.4).  Forward Ryan Nelson is third in blocks (1.46), while guard Ricardo Lewis is fifth in free throw percentage (.806-75-93).  Arkansas-Monticello forward Derek Easter is second in blocks (1.74).  Forward Jarrell Turner is sixth in rebounds (7.5) and seventh in field goal percentage (.482-118-245).

Game B-E4 West Georgia (13-14, 3-7 GSC) vs. W1 Arkansas Tech (26-1, 13-1 GSC)-2:45 p.m.
                No. 1 West seed Arkansas Tech's GSC Title defense begins when they face No. 4 East seed West Georgia for the second time this season.
                ATU and UWG met for the first time ever during the regular season with the Wonder Boys posting an 89-70 home victory.  Guard Renard Allen led the way off the bench with 19 points.
                The season has already been a historic campaign for ATU, capturing its first-ever GSC West Title via the best start in school history (25-0).  The Wonder Boys also held the No. 1 ranking the longest of any school in league history (five).  Arkansas Tech makes its fourth post-season appearance, claiming a 4-2 record.  The Wonder Boys are 5-0 versus East foes this year and 8-1 versus the field.
                West Georgia returns to the GSC Tournament after a year absence, competing in its 18th event.  The Wolves are 13-14 in the post-season and have claimed the Conference Crown in 1987 and 2002.  UWG has advanced to 10 Semi-Finals, but have not been able to advance past the Quarter-Finals the past three trips.  West Georgia is 4-4 versus West foes this season and 2-8 versus the rest of the Tournament field.
KEY PLAYERS:  Arkansas Tech guard Brandon Friedel is eighth in the league in scoring (15.1), fourth in three-point percentage (.444-84-189) and 10^th in field goal percentage (.449-136-303).  ATU forward Laithe Massey is tops in total steals (53) and fifth in assists (3.96).  West Georgia forward John Pringle is fifth in rebounds (7.9) and ninth in field goal percentage (.463-150-324).  Guard Justin Cummings is ninth in free throw percentage (.779-74-95).

Game C-E3 North Alabama (12-15, 4-6 GSC) vs. W2 Delta State (19-7, 10-4 GSC)-5:30 p.m.
                Two of most storied programs in GSC history lock horns in the third Quarter-Final game when No. 2 West seed Delta State plays No. 3 East seed North Alabama.
                DSU and UNA meet for the 74^th time with the Statesmen holding a 39-35 edge.  The schools matchup in the Tournament for the first time since 2001 when the Statesmen recorded a 66-61 triumph in the First Round.  The Statesmen also notched a 94-77 victory over the Wolves in Carrollton earlier this season.  Joe McCray scored 17 points, while Marqueys Brown added a double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds).
                Delta State has the most GSC Tournament appearances of any school (23) and has a 26-17 mark led by five Championships (1986, 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2006).  The Statesmen have advanced to 12 Finals and 17 Semi-Final rounds.  DSU is 4-2 versus East opponents this season and is 5-5 versus the field.
                North Alabama is also no stranger to the GSC post-season, advancing to its 22nd event, while compiling a 16-17 record and claiming five GSC Titles (1981, 1984, 1988, 1994 and 1996).  The Lions have reached the Semi-Finals 12 times and advanced to the Finals six times.  UNA is 5-7 versus the West this season and is 2-10 against the Tournament field.
                North Alabama is also no stranger to the GSC post-season, advancing to its 22nd event, while compiling a 16-17 record and claiming five GSC Titles (1981, 1984, 1988, 1994 and 1996).  The Lions have reached the Semi-Finals 12 times and advanced to the Finals six times.  UNA is 5-7 versus the West this season and is 2-10 against the Tournament field.
KEY PLAYERS:  North Alabama has three players ranked in the GSC's Top 10 list.  Jared Strode is No. 1 in scoring (20.3), fourth in field goal percentage (.512-197-385), sixth in steals (1.81) and ninth in rebounding (6.7).  Rory Miller is fifth in scoring (17.4), sixth in field goal percentage (.496-181-365) and eighth in rebounding (6.9).  Daviel Clements is sixth in scoring (16.6) and seventh in three-point percentage (.417-91-218).  
                Six Delta State players average double-digits in scoring led by Roderick Ollie's 13.5 per game average.  Guard Chad Akins leads the GSC in assists (7.25) and averages 10.2 points per game.  Guard Jeremie Davis nets 10.9 points per game and is fourth in the GSC in free throw percentage (.817-76-93). 

Game D-E1 Alabama-Huntsville (21-5, 9-1 GSC) vs. W4 Harding (16-11, 8-6 GSC)-7:30 p.m.
                The Tournament's two hottest teams put their respective streaks on the line when No. 1 East seed Alabama-Huntsville  and No. 4 seed Harding wrap up first day action.  
                UAH features a league-high seven-game winning streak while HU has reeled off six consecutive triumphs.  The schools clash for the second time this year with the Chargers claiming a 65-56 home victory in December.  Alabama-Huntsville owns an 8-5 advantage in the all-time series, but teams play in the post-season for the first-time ever.  Harding seeks its second straight win over a No. 1 seed after shocking Christian Brothers in the last year's Quarter-Finals.
                Alabama-Huntsville makes its 10^th Tournament trip, sixth consecutive.  The Chargers have a 4-9 record, advancing to the 2003 Championship Game and the 2006 Semi-Finals.  UAH is 5-3 versus West Division foes this year and is 7-3 against the Tournament field.
                HU seeks to extend its GSC Semi-Final streak to four after reaching the 2009 and 2007 Semi-Finals and making the 2008 Title Game.  The Bisons advanced to their eighth GSC Tournament, fourth in a row.  HU is 7-7 in the event and achieved the Semi-Finals four total times.  Harding 2-3 versus the East Division this season and 4-5 versus the Tournament field.
KEY PLAYERS:  Alabama-Huntsville guard Josh Magette is second in the GSC in assists (6.31) and averages 10.1 points per game.  Freshman forward Zane Campbell is 10^th in blocks (1.04) and averages a team-high 11.4 points per game.  Guard Jaime Smith is tops in free throw percentage (.880-95-108).   Harding forward Kevin Brown is fifth in blocks (1.37) and 10^th in scoring (14.0) and rebounding (6.6).  Guard Trent Morgan is eighth in steals (tied, 1.78) and ninth in assists (3.04).  Stephen Blake is second in free throw percentage (.873-89-102).

#GSC#

GSC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

EAST DIVISION

Alabama-Huntsville center Zane Campbell (FR, 6-7, 245, Lester, AL).

Campbell is the first UAH honoree this season, coming off the bench to help lead the Chargers to a pair of road wins, averaging 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in 20.5 minutes.  He also shot 63.6 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The freshman netted a game-high tying 17 points along with five blocks and seven rebounds in a 78-71 triumph at North Alabama.  The Lester, AL native saved his best for last in an 86-66 triumph at West Alabama, leading all players with 26 points in 19 minutes, while shooting 9-for-11 from the field and 5-for-7 from three-point range.

WEST DIVISION

Arkansas Tech guard/forward Jeremy Dunbar (JR, 6-5, 180, Niceville, AR).

Dunbar is the third ATU winner in four weeks, claiming his first-ever accolade. 

The junior led the Wonder Boys to a 68-54 home win over Christian Brothers in the regular season finale.  The Niceville, AR native came off the bench to post a game-high 21 points in 29 mintues of action, while going 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.  He was also a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line.