MSU expects fight from WVU Tech

By Dave Morrison
Sports Editor

January 17, 2009 12:02 am

— Mountain State University, the newly minted unanimous No. 1 team in NAIA Division I, will put its nine-game winning streak on the line today against 13-4 West Virginia University Tech at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.
The game tips off at 4 p.m. Mountain State Academy will play Mount Zion at 6:30 p.m. Mountain State season tickets will be accepted until 4:45 p.m.
MSU coach Bob Bolen calls the Golden Bears a “rival.”
“It is, because of the proximity of the institutions and they played us real good at the armory (BRCCC) two years ago,” he said. “Every year it seems that is one of our toughest games of the year.”
Coach Bob Williams’ Golden Bears are coming off a come-from-behind 70-64 win over St. Catharine’s College Thursday.
“I’ve watched them on tape and they are a solid team, a good team,” Bolen said. “And they are a dangerous team. To be 13-4 and to not be getting votes in the national rankings, well, I think that makes them a dangerous team. When our players see the tapes, they will know what they are going to face (today).”
To illustrate his point, Bolen referred to the fact that Tech battled MSU to the wire before falling 86-82 two years ago. And last year, Tech took then-undefeated Georgetown to overtime before falling, at Georgetown, Ky.
Last year, MSU soundly defeated Tech in Montgomery, but “we made something like 19 three-pointers in that game,” Bolen said. “That was probably our best game of the season last year.”
Tech will push the ball when it can, as evidenced by the fact the Bears average 86.2 points per game, sixth nationally. MSU leads the nation in scoring at 98.7 points per game.
“They push the ball when the opportunity is there, but I also think they are very good at executing in the halfcourt sets they run,” Bolen said. “They have some athletes on the wings, their point guard play is solid and they have a tremendous post player.”
That would be Sam Robertson, a 6-foot-6 senior.
“He’s been a tough player for them for years,” Bolen said. “He’s strong, has good post moves inside and then he can step out and hit the jumper. Anybody who has a player that tough to go with good guard play, which they have, is a dangerous team.”
Robertson leads Tech in scoring (17.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.6).
Three other Golden Bears average in double figures — Darryl Slack (12.2), Victor McGee (11.1) and Robby Marshall (10.5).
“I’ve always thought that Bob Williams does a great job,” Bolen said. “There won’t be a lot of secrets when we meet.”
Mountain State has been No. 1 39 times since 2000, the most of any Division I program in that span.
Andrew Lee leads the Cougars in scoring (16.5 ppg) and is second in rebounds (6.6). Five other Cougars average in double figures. A.J. Pigram is netting 16.1, Bo Harris 14.3 (and a team-best 8.6 rebounds), Tony Brown 11.8, Nick Aldridge 11.6 and Ermin Tarcin 10.8.
Mountain State (14-1) will be back in action at 7 p.m. Monday when they host Voorhees (S.C.).