Published: November 16, 2007 11:55 pm         

Getting back to what counts

Cougars to host Alice Lloyd at 4 p.m. today

Mountain State is coming off one of its worst defeats in recent memory.

Good thing it didn’t count.

After last Saturday’s 88-65 exhibition loss to West Virginia at the WVU Coliseum, coach Bob Bolen could smile.

“When we got on the bus after that game, we were still undefeated,” Bolen said. “We got to play in a game atmosphere in front of five or six thousand people (including about 600 MSU fans who made the trip) against a quality NCAA Division I opponent. The result wasn’t what we wanted, but we left there with a lot of experience against a very good team.

“The game counted in that you kept score and played it like a real game. It was a real game atmosphere.”

The Cougars (3-0) get back to games that count on the won-lost ledger today when they host NAIA Division II Alice Lloyd College.

The Eagles (1-3) feature a pair of former Woodrow Wilson standouts in point guard William Dillard (5-8, 155, Jr.) and wing Corey Hairston (6-2, 185, Jr.). Both are starters. Dillard averages 12 points and has 20 assists and Hairston averages 7.8 points and seven rebounds per game.

Buoyed by the Beckley duo, the Eagles are not afraid to get out and run.

“They bring quickness to the table,” Bolen said. They have a 6-foot-8 guy inside averaging about 20 points per game. And overall, they shoot the ball pretty well.”

The 6-8 player is Rodney Mitchell, who is averaging 18.8 points per game. Eric Mullins, a 6-4 junior, is averaging 12 points per game.

The Cougars will go with their normal starting five.

Jarvis Jackson (8.7 ppg along with 5.0 assists) starts at the point with leading scorer Jason Spencer (28.3 ppg, 11 steals) and Adron Marshall (11.3 and 6.7 rebounds) at the wings and Tyrice Watkins (8.3 ppg and a team-high 7.7 boards) and Jason McGriff (7.7 ppg) inside.

Interestingly, Papa Gassama is the third-leading rebounder on the team, at 5.7 off the bench. He is averaging two points per game.

— E-mail: demorrison@

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