Miles to host Stillman Thursday night
Arguably the two best men's teams in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference will battle Thursday night for first place in the West Division when Stillman and Miles meet at Knox-Windham Gymnasium. Tipoff is at approximately 7:30 p.m., following the women's game, and tickets are $12.
The Golden Bears have won five consecutive games, the last four on the road, and are 11-2 in the SIAC, 4-2 in Division play, and 13-9 overall. The Tigers have won six straight and are 9-1 in league action, 4-0 in the Division and 15-5 overall. While bragging rights are always at stake between these two rivals, the top seed in the West for the SIAC Tournament is also up for grabs and - with that - an automatic trip to the quarterfinals.
The game has all the makings of a shootout as it will feature the top two scoring teams in the SIAC. Miles comes in scoring 82.8 points per game on the season and has topped 90 points on seven occasions.
Joshua Samuels (17.9 points per game) and
Maiscei Grier (15.6 ppg) pace the Golden Bears attack. Stillman is scoring 85.2 points per contest and has only scored less than 80 points six times. Rodnerius Lewis drops almost 20 points per game - one of three Tigers who average double figures.
Add in that this is Stillman's last trip to Miles in the foreseeable future as a member of the SIAC and the link with head coach
Leon Douglas, who led Stillman to the 2006 SIAC title, and there should be plenty of excitement in Fairfield.
The women for both schools will start the action when they tip-off at 5:30 p.m. Miles comes in at 11-10, 6-6 in the SIAC and 4-3 in the West Division, good for second place. Stillman checks in at 7-10 overall, 4-6 in the SIAC and 2-2 in Division play.
The Lady Golden Bears are coming off a 51-32 win over Tuskegee Monday night and look to continue a trend where they have not alternated wins and losses in three consecutive games since early December. Defense is Miles' calling card, currently third in the conference in points allowed (60.7 per game), fifth in defensive field goal percentage, and first in 3-point defensive field goal percentage.
Larian Scott (11.7 points per game) and
Torborsha Holley (9.8 ppg, 33 percent 3-point field goals) pace the offense.
