Wildcats Close Season at Home

2/14/2018 2:39:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

A youngish Louisiana College men's basketball team will finish the 2017-18 season this week with a pair of American Southwest Conference games at Rapides Parish Coliseum. The Wildcats will take on the University of the Ozarks on Thursday night and end the year with the University of Texas at Tyler on Saturday afternoon.

Ozarks 3-20 (1-15) | 7th ASC East

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It has been a tough season for Ozarks as they enter the final week of the year on a 16 game losing streak. Their last victory came on December 5, a 69-64 final on the road at McMurry. In the Eagles last matchup with the Wildcats Travis Schultz had a breakout night scoring 21 points and pulling in eight rebounds in LC's 79-69 victory. Freshmen Trey Ames and Lashard Powell also went for double digits in the game and Jaquez Coleman added 12 off the bench. The Eagles have the conference's lowest scoring offense at 72.5 points per game while giving up 85.5 points per game to their opponents. They are making 42.6 percent of their shots from the field and 69.2 percent of their shots from the free throw line. The Eagles have to players scoring double digits per night on the season, led by senior Dylan Gray and his 12.9 points per game. He also tops the team in rebounding with an average of 5.5 per game. Tip-off between the Eagles and the Wildcats is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria, La.

UT Tyler 15-8 (8-8) | 4th ASC East

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The Patriots have been streaky the last couple of weeks, winning three in a row before dropping three in a row, but to the top two teams in the East Division, LeTourneau and East Texas Baptist. In their last outing, the UTT lost a 97-86 game to UT Dallas on their senior night. The last time the Patriots and the Wildcats faced off, back on January 11, the Wildcats took the talented Patriots to overtime after a big second half come back. The Wildcats ran out of gas in the overtime period but it was one of the best game LC had played to that point in the year. UTT has five players scoring in double figures on the season, with the top offensive threat coming from big man Emeka Obukwelu who is putting in 20.0 points per game and pulling down 8.0 rebounds per game. The Patriots are averaging 88.1 points per game this season and shooting a league best 50.2 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from beyond the three point line. Tip-off between the Patriots and the Eagles is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria, La.

Louisiana College 5-16 (3-13) | 5th ASC East

Although the Wildcats were officially eliminated from postseason contention last week, there is still plenty to be gained in the last two games of this year. With just one senior, Torrian Lee, on the team, the expectation is for the entire starting five and the majority of the bench players to be back for the 2018-19 season with an entire season playing together under their belts. With one of, if not the, best big man in the conference in Devon Washington and yet another talented scoring freshman in Lashard Powell to add to the experience of Timothy Stokes, Travis Schultz and Taylan Grogan the Wildcats future is now and bright.

Washington had an outstanding week last week scoring a total of 80 points with scoring nights of 25, 25, and 30 for the week. He averaged a double-double and scored 30 points and had 17 rebounds against ETBU on Saturday. Washington's 30 points effort Saturday was the second highest of the season by a Wildcats as Lashard Powell dropped 32 in the win on Monday night over Belhaven. Washington and Powell, along with sophomore Taylan Grogan are the top three scorers on the team with Devon leading the way at 17.9 per game. The team's facilitator, Timothy Stokes eared his second straight 100 assist season on Saturday, and is averaging 5.2 per game this year, fourth most in the conference

Saturday will also serve as senior day for five LC basketball players. Brooke Jones, Kourtney McGhee, Taylor Payne, and Jonika Walton from the women's team and Torrian Lee from the men's team will be honored between the games against UT Tyler.

LC will take on Ozarks on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. and UT Tyler Saturday at 4 p.m., both at the Rapides Coliseum, closing out the 2017-18 regular season. For the latest news on Louisiana College men's basketball follow @LC_MBSK on Twitter. For general athletics news follow @LC_Wildcats on Twitter or like Louisiana College Wildcats on Facebook.

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