Shreveport - The Centenary men's basketball team returns home this weekend for its final two Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season games in the friendly confines of the Gold Dome as the Gents begin the weekend on Friday versus the Colorado College Tigers at 5:30 p.m.
Live stats and live video are available for Friday's game at the links below:
Stats: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/mbkb/2021-22/boxscores/20220211_57hp.xml
Video: https://collegetvticket.com/event/centenary-college-vs-colorado-college-2/
The Gents (10-10, 5-7 SCAC) aim to snap a three-game losing streak on Friday versus the Tigers (6-16, 4-9 SCAC) on their home court where they are 8-2 at home this season and an impressive 23-5 over the last 28 games. The Tigers and Gents are meeting for the second time this season following a 93-74 victory by Colorado College back on Jan. 7 in Colorado Springs.
Centenary dropped a pair of road games last weekend at Schreiner and Trinity after a home loss to Schreiner on Jan 30. Colorado College, winless (0-8) on the road this season, defeated Texas Lutheran on Saturday at home, 75-74 as the Tigers nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer for the win. The Gents are currently in a three-way tie for third place in the conference standings with Dallas and Texas Lutheran trailing SCAC leader Trinity and St. Thomas. Colorado College is next to last in the conference, ahead of only Austin College.
The Gents enter Friday's play ranked second in the league in scoring defense, allowing just 70.2 PPG and are fifth in scoring offense, averaging 75.3 PPG. The Tigers are seventh in scoring defense and eighth in scoring offense. Centenary is fifth in FG % defense (43.1 %) while Colorado College is sixth at 44.2 %.
The Gents shoot the ball well from beyond the arc, leading the conference in 3-point FG percentage at 35.2 % and in 3-point FG's made (195/9.8 per game), and also defend the three-point line well as they are second in the SCAC, allowing opponents to shoot just 30.2 %. Centenary is the conference leader in blocked shots (81 total/4.1/game) and is second in steals averaging an impressive 9.8/game. The Gents also lead the SCAC in turnover margin (+7) and are third in assist to turnover ratio.
Seven of the league's top 30 scorers will be in action on Friday as Centenary has three players averaging double figures and all are ranked in the top 25 in the league in scoring and the Tigers have one player averaging double figures and three more ranked in the top 30. Senior F Jarrell Taylor (Leesville, La.) is the Gents' top scorer this season as he is currently tied for 13th in the conference averaging a team-high 11.8 points per game and is 14th in rebounding (5.4/game). Taylor, the conference leader in 3-point FG % (43 %) also ranks in the top 15 in the conference in field-goal percentage and defensive rebounds and is eighth in 3-point field goals made (34). He has reached double figures 11 times this season and has scored 15 or more points in a game six times.
Scott Cunningham is the Tigers' leading scorer and ranks sixth in the SCAC averaging 14.0 PPG. Scott Ruegg and Edgar Romero each average 9.6 PPG and Adrian Price is averaging 8.8. Cunningham, who hit the winning shot at the buzzer against TLU at home last weekend, scored 19 in the first meeting between the Tigers and Gents last month, has scored in double digits in five-straight games.
Senior G AJ Hall (Thibodaux, La.) is second on the Gents in scoring, averaging 11.3 PPG to rank 17th in the conference. Hall has scored in double figures 11 times this season, topped 20 points twice, and scored 12+ points nine times. Hall's 34 points against Southwestern on Jan. 12 are the most scored by a SCAC player in a game this season and his nine 3-point baskets made in that game are also a season single-game high. Ten of Hall's double-digit scoring performances have come in conference play. Junior F Seth Thomas (Kilgore, Texas) is third on the team and 22nd in the conference in scoring (10.1 PPG) and has reached double figures eight times this season. Thomas scored a career-high 25 points in a 95-64 home win over Champion Christian on Jan. 15. He also ranks fourth in the league in steals, is tied for eighth in blocked shots, 10th in free throw % and 15th in offensive rebounds.
Centenary will honor its four seniors on Sunday prior to the Noon tip against the St. Thomas Celts (16-5, 10-2 SCAC) who have won five in a row and play at Austin College on Friday in Sherman, Texas.
A link to the Gents' complete 2021-22 schedule can be found here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/mbkb/2021-22/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests but be advised of current COVID-19 protocols for fans. Updated COVID-19 information is now available via www.GoCentenary.com.
Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests. Please note that all dates and times are subject to change.
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