Mountain State has a chance to tie a school record with a fourth straight title in the Mountain State Coal Classic, which begins today at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.

The NAIA Division I No. 1 Cougars take on Southern Virginia at about 7 p.m., following the Ohio State Marion-Southern Wesleyan game at 5 p.m.

By winning the tournament, MSU can equal the 20-0 start by the 2004 team, which won the national championship and finished 37-1. Ironically, a loss to Barber-Scotia in the finals of that year’s Coal Classic was the team’s lone blemish.

It is the last time MSU has lost a Coal Classic, winning three straight.

“I think it does (mean something),” Mountain State coach Bob Bolen said of a potential 20-0 start. “It’s an accomplishment We’ve won a lot of games over the last 14 years, so to tie a record is a positive for our program.”

To get there, MSU will have to first knock of SVU, which played well against MSU last year in the Coal Classic. It was a two-point game with seven minutes left before MSU pulled away at the end.

The Knights feature a team that shoots the longball well.

“Extremely well,” Bolen said. “Half of their field goal attempts this year have been threes. They are a fundamentally sound team. We know how well they shot the ball in here last year.”

The Knights feature four players in double figures, led by Chris Pendleton’s 17.1 points.

Bryce Pendleton is averaging 15.4 points per game and has 54 threes on the season, Tanner Johnson is averaging 13.1 and Dallas Rivera 11.8.

The Knights can score with the basketball, as evidenced by their 89.6 points per game average. It’s defense has been an Achilles heel. SVU has given up 100 or more points in six games this season and is giving up an average of 98.1 points per contest.

James Spencer leads the Cougars in scoring (25.4 ppg) and he has 40 threes.

Right behind is Adron Marshall, who averages 16.8 and has a team-best 43 threes.

Big Jason McGriff averages 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, tops on the team in that category.

Tyrice Watkins is averaging 8.6 points and 6.3 rebounds and Jarvis Jackson averages 6.8 and has 107 assists.

With the exception of one game — when Watkins was out injured — MSU has started the same lineup in every game.

“Some years it just ends up that way, most years it doesn’t,” Bolen said. “Those five have been consistent for us. For the most part, we’ve been getting off to good beginnings.”

MSU has had outstanding play of the bench, with Ralph Legg leading the way, averaging 6.8 points. His 27 threes is third most on the team. Other bench contributors include Ricky Jackson (5.5), Ermin Tarcin (5.4 points, 4.5 rebounds), Denzel Lyles (4.9) and Papa Gassama (2.6, 13 blocks, second best on the team) and Rod Green (2.5).

In the first game, Ohio State Marion meets Southern Wesleyan.

OSU Marion is 3-19 on the year. The Scarlet Wave fell to Mountain State 108-40 in November.

Wesleyan (6-11) and coach Charles Wimphrie are no stranger to the armory, making several trips to Beckley.

In 1998-99, Wimphrie’s Warriors handed MSU two losses during a 29-6 season for the Cougars. But MSU defeated SWU in the Coal Classic championship game. Two years ago MSU edged Southern Wesleyan 93-92.

The Warriors are led by Darryl Edwards and his 11.6 average. He is the only Southern Wesleyan player averaging double figures.

The defensive-minded Warriors, winners of two straight following an eight-game losing streak, are coming off a 40-36 win over Brewton Parker and they took undefeated Lee to overtime before falling.

Bolen said he enjoys the Coal Classic.

“I appreciate the fact that they (the tournament committee, including director Jim Justice) really want to include everyone in southern West Virginia,” Bolen said. “They bring in elementary schools, junior highs, high schools and they have always gone out of their way to include us. I’m appreciative.”

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