Published: January 06, 2009 12:23 am      

Cougars on top once again

Sure, “it doesn’t get any bigger than this” is an old cliché and is often used to hype an event that doesn’t come close to living up to the billing.

But tonight, when Mountain State hosts the University of the Cumberlands at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center, that old cliché applies. The game tips off at 7 p.m.

On Monday, Mountain State took over the top spot in the NAIA Division I poll. That spot was previously occupied by the Cumberlands, before it was upset by Bellarmine Dec. 13.

It will mark the first time an NAIA No. 1 has faced a No. 2 in Beckley.

“Without a doubt, this is the biggest game we’ve played (in Beckley) to date,” MSU coach Bob Bolen said. “That we are No. 1 now doesn’t add any pressure, though. It would be the same if they were No. 1 and we were No. 2 (which was the case last week). All it means is if you are No. 1 and you lose, you aren’t going to be No. 1 next week.”

Adding to the drama, the Patriots drilled Mountain State 89-73 in Williamsburg, Ky., on Nov. 20.

“I thought we had a chance to beat them down there, but we played a terrible game,” point guard Tony Brown said. “We have to get ready and do the job at our place.”

“It was a nine-point game with 52 seconds left and there were some late fouls,” Bolen said. “But the fact is, they outplayed us and they outhustled us. They got to every loose ball, they shot well. We never got closer than nine points in the second half.”

It is MSU’s only loss of the season, not counting the 20-point (98-78) loss to WVU in an exhibition game at the Coliseum in Morgantown.

UC enters the game 11-2, after losing to Bellarmine (77-59) and Marshall (80-70) in Huntington.

Marshall shot 30 free throws in that game compared to just seven for Cumberlands.

“They’ve got a strong inside game, they have great point guard play and they have shooters,” Bolen said. “They are solid in all aspects of the game.”

Luke Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-7 senior out of Cleveland, is the Patriots’ leading scorer, averaging 14.9 points per game. Chad Byron, a 6-2 junior out of Louisville, averages 12.5 and Josh Phillips, a 6-6 senior from Greenville, Ky., is averaging 10.9. Three players, 6-3 junior Travis Harvey, 5-9 senior point guard Terrance Asmond and 6-2 junior Justin Fothergill, average better than nine points per game for the Patriots, who are averaging 82.7 points per game.

Mountain State (12-1) is coming off a 92-73 win over No. 22 Lindsey Wilson Saturday in Beckley.

In the game, MSU was 9-of-23 at the free throw line.

“I don’t think it’s a concern,” Bolen said of the porous showing at the free throw line. “We’ve typically been pretty good at the free throw line this season. Our concern going in is how well we defend (UC), how well we rebound and we have to shoot better.”

A.J. Pigram is the Cougars’ leading scorer (18.1 ppg) but is coming off one of his lowest totals of the year when he tallied just seven against Lindsey Wilson.

Six other Cougars are averaging in double figures: Andrew Lee (15.4), Bo Harris (15.2), Brown (13.7) Nick Aldridge (13.0), Marcus Hunter (10.2) and Ermin Tarcin (10.1).

Tarcin is coming off a career-high 20-point effort against Lindsey and Brown had 24 to lead MSU.

“I would think that one vs. two would be a game the people in the area would want to see,” Bolen said, hoping for a big turnout. “I feel like we are playing better than we were in November and I’m sure they are, too.”

It doesn’t get much easier for MSU, as it takes to the road to face No. 10 Lee on Saturday.

— E-mail: demorrison@

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