GREENWOOD, Ind. – The new calendar year is officially upon us while the rigors of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference men’s and women’s basketball schedules hit full stride.
The holiday break was welcome for G-MAC student-athletes, coaches and support staff, to spend a little down time with loved ones before going back to work on the court.
The proverbial contenders and pretenders will eventually continue to sort themselves out in the competitive standings while programs work on achieving internal resolutions.
The Alderson Broaddus women (vs. Lincoln) and Kentucky Wesleyan men (vs. Brescia) both sandwiched games on Dec. 30/31 before ringing in the year while others competed in respective holiday tournaments.
Circle Saturday on your calendar as Kentucky Wesleyan/Trevecca will battle it out for sole possession of first place in both the men’s and women’s standings.
Congratulations to the current G-MAC Athletes of the Week, Robert Smelser of Ohio Valley (men’s basketball) and Sharmaine Baker of Davis & Elkins (women’s basketball).
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MEN'S BASKETBALL
Kentucky Wesleyan and Trevecca have both emerged as the early frontrunners in the G-MAC standings at 2-0. The Panthers and Trojans were victorious in both games of a West Virginia road trip to begin league play.
Cedarville (3-10, 0-0 G-MAC) and Central State (6-5, 0-0 G-MAC) are waiting in the wings to play their first conference game for the current year.
After an understandably frustrating 0-8 start, Ohio Valley (2-8, 2-2 G-MAC) is clearly trending upward like a stock rebounding on the market. The Fighting Scots pieced together back-to-back conference wins against Alderson Broaddus (8-5, 1-1 G-MAC) and Davis & Elkins (5-7, 1-1 G-MAC) at home, the latter of which featured a buzzer-beating three.
Smelser, a 6-8 bruising forward, has quietly put up impressive numbers across the board as the Fighting Scots continue to show they are a team better than the current record indicates. He can score with his back to the basket, can put it on the floor and is relentless on the glass.
Smelser took over in the second half against the Battlers, scoring 13 of his 17 points, including a 6-for-7 shooting effort in the final 20 minutes to go with three swatted shots. He continues to lead the G-MAC in blocks and is third in field goal percentage.
Smelser, Darryl Walker Jr. and Markese Allen (second in assists), are as potent of a trio you could hope for find in the league. Walker was a scintillating 8-of-10 with 22 against Alderson Broaddus and Allen dropped the game-winning dagger as time expired against D&E on Monday.
No one could beat head coach Happy Osborne’s Kentucky Wesleyan (11-3, 2-0 G-MAC) squad in the month of December as the Panthers reeled off seven consecutive wins. KWC will try to extend that win streak tonight in non-conference play against Oakland City.
Two-time G-MAC Athlete of the Week Ken-Jah Bosley (18.9 ppg and another weekly conference award winner, C.J. Blackwell (13.1 ppg) remain two of the league’s top-10 scorers while the Panthers retain the billing as the top defensive scoring team (64.4 ppg).
Trevecca head coach Sam Harris earned his 500th career victory near the end of December after his Trojans (6-7, 2-0 G-MAC) trailed by 11 at halftime against Kentucky State. Matt Gamberoni made the game-winning free throw with one second left on the clock while Jalen Palm led all scorers with 19 points.
The Yellow Jackets ventured to warmer weather for a holiday classic in Tampa as the host Spartans and Eckerd both prevailed by small margins. Marcus Reineke averaged 26.5 points per game in the Florida trip.
All four West Virginia schools battled for in-state bragging rights over the most recent weekend as Davis & Elkins and Alderson Broaddus each split, OVU won two and Salem International kept it close in a pair of defeats.
The Senators now feature the league’s top rebounder, Alex Vasiljevic (9.3 rpg) and he had a 10-point, 15-board effort on Saturday. D&E head coach Chris Cottrell has used a variety of different starting lineups throughout the season, a tribute to his squad’s depth.
In the midst of the Tigers’ early-season struggles, Alex Webb has been a deadeye from long range for Salem International’s conference-leading scoring attack. Webb is sixth in the G-MAC averaging 15.4 points per game and has made 35 treys.
Men's Basketball:
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Standings
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Just like on the men’s side, a two-way tie looms at the top of the standings with Kentucky Wesleyan and Trevecca both sitting comfortably at 3-0.
The Trojans threw an early scare into Division I crosstown opponent Lipscomb in exhibition action earlier this week, leading the Lady Bison by five at the break in a game broadcast on ESPN3. Versatile senior Kaci Britt Bell is the catalyst for making Trevecca go, earning G-MAC Athlete of the Week status before the holiday break.
Her consistency on the glass and in the scoring department regardless of opponent, will factor in Trevecca’s ability to stay at the top of the G-MAC. Another coaching milestone for the school is on the verge of being shattered by Gary Van Atta, who is fast approaching the 600-win benchmark.
Kentucky Wesleyan (7-5, 3-0 G-MAC) beat Cincinnati Christian and dropped to unbeaten Carson Newman approaching the holiday break before dispatching Ursuline in conference play. Jordanne Gambill netteed 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting against the Arrows.
Cedarville (11-2, 2-0 G-MAC) felt pressure from Central State in its 2014-15 G-MAC debut, squeaking by with a gutsy win in overtime in Wilberforce. The Lady Jackets, undefeated in the G-MAC at 2-0, are ranked sixth in the most recent Midwest Region media poll and are vying for an at-large berth for the NCAA Championships if they continue at their current pace.
Tied for fourth in the league is Davis & Elkins (6-5, 2-1 G-MAC) and Alderson Broaddus (4-8, 2-1 G-MAC) at 2-1.
After scoring 36 in the season opener against Bluefield State, D&E’s Sharmaine Baker continues to rack up the points at an alarming rate. She dropped in 28 on 13-of-19 shooting against Salem International and poured in 29 on even better 13-of-16 shooting to go with 10 boards with her team’s effort versus Ohio Valley.
The Fighting Scots (1-10, 1-3 G-MAC) collected their first win of the year, ending a tough 10-game spell as Danielle Dunnagan and Tashiana Hill each erupted for 20-plus points. Monday night magic was orchestrated in Vienna as OVU swept D&E following the men’s dramatic win.
Despite a strong year by Emma Ricketts (11.7 ppg/7.8 rpg) at this point in the year, Ursuline will be looking to apply the brakes to a current five-game skid. The Arrows host Ohio Valley and Salem International this weekend.
Central State (2-8, 0-2 G-MAC) and Salem International (0-16, 0-4 G-MAC) are still vying for their first win in league play. CSU’s Iniquia Snell has led her team in scoring the past five games, scoring over 20 points in four of them.
Women's Basketball:
Composite Schedule |
Overall Statistics | Recent Statistics |
Standings