Shreveport - The Centenary men's basketball team returns home to the friendly confines of the Gold Dome this weekend for a pair of key Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contests beginning on Friday as the Gents face the Austin College 'Roos at 5:30 p.m.
Live stats and live video are available for the game at the links below:
Stats: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/boxscores/20240119_gsmf.xml
Video: https://www.youtube.com/live/xe55aa1lwzQ?si=Kb8gZqOO-gGGolBM
The Gents (9-8, 4-4 SCAC) dropped a pair of games in league play on the road last weekend, 75-71 at Schreiner on Friday and then 87-77 at Trinity on Saturday. Centenary had its season-high four-game winning streak snapped against Schreiner and then trailed Trinity by just one point at halftime before being outscored by nine in the second half.
Austin College, 3-6 on the road this season, enters Friday's action at 7-9 overall and 3-5 in SCAC play. The 'Roos edged Colorado College, 79-78, in overtime at home last Friday. The Gents aim to even the season series after falling 74-65 to the 'Roos back on Dec. 1 in Sherman, Texas in the conference opener for both teams. The Gents are 17-5 against the 'Roos since the 2012-13 season, the year the Maroon and White joined the SCAC.
Gents' Individual Season Statistical Leaders:
Scoring: Senior F Seth Thomas (Kilgore, Texas) – 18.1 PPG
Rebounding: Thomas – 8.8/game
Assists: Thomas – 3.2/game
Blocked Shots: Thomas and senior G Braeden Board (Rayne, La.) – 0.6/game each
Steals: Thomas – 1.8/game
The Gents average 75.4 PPG, shoot 40.7 % from the floor, 31.2 % from beyond the arc, 71.6 % from the free throw line, and average 34.5 rebounds/game and 12.0 assists/game. Centenary has now recorded 10+ assists in a game 12 times this season, 10+ steals twice, and blocked four or more shots four times.
The Gents are 6-0 on their home court this season and are an impressive 41-8 in their last 49 home games and have won 17 of their last 19 at the Gold Dome. Centenary has eight games remaining in the regular season and five are at home. The Maroon and White face the University of Dallas on Saturday to wrap up the weekend, play host to the University of St. Thomas on Tuesday, Jan. 30, and then finish the regular season at home next month versus Schreiner (Feb. 16) and Trinity (Feb. 18).
Thomas, in the midst of another sensational season, enters Friday's game as the conference's second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder while ranking second in assists per game. He reached double figures for the 16th time this season with his 13 points last Saturday against Trinity and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to notch his fifth double-double of the season. Thomas, a favorite for conference Player of the Year through eight games of league play, has been named the SCAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week twice this season as he aims to be named all-conference for the fourth time in his career.
He ranks in the top 15 in the conference in assists, assist to turnover ratio, minutes played, both offensive and defensive rebounds, blocked shots, field goal %, steals, free throw %, 3-point field goals made, and 3-point FG %. He is shooting 44.8 % from the field, 36.0 % from beyond the arc, and 77.9 % from the FT line.
Junior F Jakobi Greenleaf (Houston, Texas) and junior G Craig Collier (North Little Rock, Ark.) are both ranked in the top 30 in the league in scoring as Greenleaf averages 8.6 PPG in 17 games and 17 starts while Collier has played in 15 games with eight starts and is averaging 8.6 PPG. Greenleaf ranks in the top 15 in the conference in rebounding and field goal % and has reached double figures eight times this season with a pair of double-doubles. Collier has scored in double digits six times and shoots 35.3 % from beyond the arc to rank in the top 15 in the league.
Senior G AJ Hall (Thibodaux, La.) has played in 13 games without a start but has been one of the Gents' top offensive players so far this season and especially of late. Hall, who is averaging 11.0 PPG this season, led the Gents in scoring at Trinity with a season-high 26 points as he was 14-23 from the floor, 8-12 from beyond the arc, and 4-6 from the FT line in just 25 minutes off the bench. Hall has reached double figures six times this season and has done so five times in his last six games. He scored 14 points on Friday against Schreiner.
Sophomore G Quentin Beverly (Katy, Texas) averages 6.9 PPG and ranks in the top 10 in the conference in 3-point FG % (34.6) and shoots 73.8 % from the FT line, good for top 10 in the league and has reached double figures four times. Senior G Jalen Behr (Athens, Ga.) is another outside weapon for the Gents as he is shooting 30.6 % from 3-point range and ranks in the top 15 in the league in 3-point baskets made (22). Behr averages 6.4 PPG and 3.3 RPG and has also scored in double figures four times.
Senior G Tykeem Singleton (Fort Worth, Texas) rejoined the team in December and has made an immediate impact in his five appearances, averaging 8.4 PPG 4.6 rebounds/game and is shooting 50 % from the floor with a pair of double-digit scoring performances. Freshman F Khristian Wilkerson (Killeen, Texas) averages 5.7 PPG and 2.2 rebounds/game in his 16 games played and six starts. He has reached double figures three times. Freshman G Gerald Murage (Irving, Texas) averages 3.5 PPG, Senior G Chrys Jackson (North Las Vegas, Nev.) averages 3.4, junior G Kyron Powell (Fort Worth, Texas) 2.1, junior C Ruben Cazares (Tucson, Ariz.) 1.5, Braeden Board 2.0 PPG along with his team-high tying 0.6 blocks per game, and freshman G Bakari Nelson (Evergreen Park, Ill.) averages 1.3 PPG.
Austin College averages 71.1 PPG as a team, shoots 40.4 % from the floor, averages 39.9 rebounds per game and 13.3 assists per game, and shoots 26.4 & from beyond the arc and 65.4 % from the FT line. Austin College's leading scorer is sophomore G Kidus Getenet (14.1 PPG) and he is joined in double figures by senior G Tristan Dick (11.3 PPG). Senior F Jason Jones Jr. is the teams' leading rebounder at 9.4/game.
Current SCAC Standings:
1 Trinity 16-1, 7-1 SCAC
2 St. Thomas 15-2, 7-1 SCAC
3 Schreiner 10-7, 5-3 SCAC
4 Colorado College 8-7, 4-4 SCAC
5 Centenary 9-8, 4-4 SCAC
6 Austin College 7-9, 3-5 SCAC
7 Dallas 6-10, 3-5 SCAC
8 Texas Lutheran 3-13, 2-5 SCAC
9 Southwestern 1-15, 0-7 SCAC
Friday's SCAC Schedule:
Austin College at Centenary
Southwestern at Trinity
Dallas at St. Thomas
Texas Lutheran at Schreiner
Centenary, the only SCAC program to advance to four-straight tournament semifinals, will host the 2024 SCAC Tournament Feb. 23-25 at the Gold Dome. The top six teams in the standings at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for the event.
See the complete Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests. Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests.
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