The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

February 10, 2009

Obstacles await MSU at Lindsey Wilson

By Dave Morrison

Mountain State will test its road mettle and put its NAIA No. 2 ranking on the line tonight when the Cougars battle No. 17 Lindsey Wilson in Columbia, Ky.

It’s a site that hasn’t always been kind to the Cougars — one of the team’s four losses last year came at the Biggers Sports Center (74-73).

And that is just the tip of the iceberg as far as potential problems and stumbling blocks are concerned, according to head coach Bob Bolen.

Making matters worse, two starters — point guard Marcus Hunter and post Nick Aldridge — are “very questionable with the flu,” Bolen said.

While MSU did beat the Blue Raiders 92-73 in Beckley in November, Lindsay was without 6-foot-10 post presence Paki Brown, who was suspended for that game.

And Lindsey Wilson is coming off a loss to Pikeville Saturday, a costly loss that likely kept the team out of the Division I top 10.

Prior to that, Lindsey had won three straight in the Mid-South Conference, beating ranked teams WVU Tech and No. 2 Georgetown.

The Blue Raiders (18-4) have won 12 in a row at home after a season-opening 85-82 loss to Mid-Continent University.

The return of Brown to the Blue Raiders may be the biggest obstacle for the Cougars.

“We already know they are strong in all aspects; they have outstanding post play and they have explosive guards,” Bolen said. “When they came to Beckley, they didn’t have Paki Brown, who was suspended for that game. He is probably the focal point of their team. He’s 6-foot-10 and athletic. He’s an outstanding player.”

Brown doesn’t average in double figures, but that doesn’t diminish his value to the Blue Raiders. He leads the team in rebounds and he is a shot blocker and, more important, a shot alterer.

Which makes the presence of Aldridge, a 6-foot-9 enforcer in the paint even more important. Like Brown, Aldridge did not play in the first meeting between the two schools. He just became eligible the second semester.

Aldridge, a Western Carolina transfer, is averaging 15.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

“This (Lindsey Wilson) is a big game for us,” Aldridge said Saturday after MSU’s 82-75 win over Crichton. “It’s a chance for us to solidify our case for a bid to the national tournament and to try to get back to No. 1 (in the nation).”

Lindsey is led by Eric McPherson, a shooter who averages 16.4 points per game. The Blue Raiders don’t have any other double figure scorers, but eight other players average six to nine points per game.

“We have to battle on the boards,” MSU coach Bob Bolen, who is seven wins from his 400th win at MSU, said. “They have height at all positions. And on defense, we have to defend. That means inside and on the perimeter because they are a great shooting team.”

Mountain State (20-2) is led by Andrew Lee, who is averaging 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. A.J. Pigram is next, at 15.9, followed by Aldridge, Bo Harris (13.4 points, team-best 7.5 rebounds) and Tony Brown (11.3 points and 105 assists).

Brown will likely regain his starting spot at point guard if Hunter (9.4 ppg) can’t go. Former starter Ermin Tarcin (9.9 points, 6.4 rebounds) would start in place of Aldridge.

Greg Grimes averages 7.3 points and five rebounds per game.

— E-mail: demorrison@

register-herald.com

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