Published: January 14, 2008 11:26 pm      

No. 1 Mountain State set to face rejuvenated WVU Tech

For the second consecutive game, NAIA Division I Mountain State will face a team with a standout player returning for the first time this season.

On Saturday, the Cumberlands returned point guard Terrance Asmond but the Cougars were able to turn back the Patriots 97-90 with a 55-point second half.

Tonight, WVU Tech will have the services of Louis Rome, a 6-foot-7 senior forward who sat out the fall semester.

Last year Rome led Tech in rebounds (6.3) and blocked shots (1.9) and averaged 8.4 points per game.

“He is an outstanding post player,” Mountain State coach Bob Bolen said of the Walker, La., native. “Tech is an outstanding shooting team and they have good post players. They aren’t a one-dimensional team. You add (Rome) to the mix and it makes them even better.”

Tech (8-5) is currently on a four-game win streak. The Golden Bears’ last loss was to Mountain State, 103-76, in Montgomery Dec. 4.

Mountain State, of course, has started the season 16-0.

The Bears are led by 5-foot-11 senior guard Brent Butler, who averages 18.4 points per game, tops in the Mid-South Conference. Junior forward Sam Robertson (6-6) is next in scoring at 15.6.

The duo didn’t play for a majority of the first half of Tech’s 67-58 win over Urbana Thursday. It was Tech’s first game in three weeks and the duo was late returning to school last Tuesday due to travel delays.

“Butler is extremely quick and can score from anywhere on the court,” Bolen said. “Robertson is a good inside-outside threat. You know with a Bob Williams team you’re getting a team that is well coached and a team that is going to play hard.”

Tech has also played well at MSU, battling the Cougars to the wire last year at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center before falling 86-82. MSU won in Montgomery last year 89-80.

The Golden Bears have a big win to their credit during their four-game win streak, beating then-No. 25 Bellarmine 85-81. Bellamine recently beat the Cumberlands by 25 points, that team’s worst loss of the season.

“Tech is a quality team,” Bolen said. “I thought we shot the ball really well when we played in Montgomery. It will take an effort like that, if not better (tonight).”

Other key contributors for Tech include 6-4 senior guard Brandon Moore (11.5 points), 6-5 forward Ronald Eskridge (9.3 points, and a team-best 8.3 rebounds), 6-2 guard Jeraude Lowe (7.1 points) and 6-1 junior guard Victor McGee (8.7 points).

Bolen said he expects Tech to stretch the Cougars’ defense to the limit.

“We’re going to have to defend and we’ll have to rebound on the defensive end from all five positions,” Bolen said. “They have shooters, they have post players and our defense is going to be stretched and tested.”

Then again, that has been a strong point for the Cougars.

“All-in-all, we have played well on the defensive end for most of the year,” Bolen said. “That is something we can control. Our shooting and execution is improving. I thought we played well in the second half against the Cumberlands. Scoring 55 points in the second half is a good indication that we can score against a good defense. We really had to grind it out to win that game.”

The Cougars are led by James Spencer, who averages 25.3 points, which remains second nationally behind Union’s Matt Neaville (25.9).

Adron Marshall averages 17.4, Jason McGriff 10.3, Tyrice Watkins 8.4 and Jarvis Jackson 7.3.

MSU averages 95.9 points per game, third most nationally.

Part of that is due to outstanding bench play. MSU’s bench is averaging 27.2 points per game.

“Our bench is starting to develop and is playing with more confidence,” Bolen said. “And we have more confidence in them than we’ve had at any point this season. Since the Bluefield game, we’ve had good bench production against Lindsey (Wilson) and against Cumberlands.”

The MSU bench outscored Cumberlands 38-4.

Following tonight’s 7 p.m. game, MSU remains at home to face Morris (S.C.) Saturday at 2 p.m. Tech returns home to face Ohio State-Marion Saturday at 3 p.m.