Just two nights after having an 19-game home court winning streak snapped by Chowan, the Moccasins look to start a new one as they end the first semester on Monday night against Division II newcomer Malone University from Ohio. Florida Southern brings a 6-3 record into the game, while the Pioneers of Malone are 7-4 after defeating the University of Tampa on Saturday night in Jenkins Field House.
Live stats will be available at: http://www.flsouthern.edu/athletics/mens/livestats/xlive.htm
A live audio/video webcast will be available at: http://fscmocs.nmtvsports.com
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Florida Southern Probable Starters:
F, #23, Garrett Putman (7.3 pts., 6.6 rebs.)
F, #40, Brett Bailey (13.2 pts., 7.6 rebs., .584 fg%)
G, #0, Kevin Capers (15.7 pts., 2.2 rebs., 2.8 asts., 2.3 steals)
G, #5, Dominic Lane (10.6 pts., 4.9 rebs., 2.4 asts.)
G, #21, Seth Evans (16.9 pts., 2.3 rebs., 3.6 asts.)
SERIES HISTORY... This is the first meeting between Florida Southern and Malone, which is in its second year as a provisional NCAA Division II member. Prior to this year, the Pioneers competed in the American Mideast Conference at the NAIA level where they were a top-25 team for most of last year.
ABOUT FLORIDA SOUTHERN... The Moccasins will try to re-group after their 86-81 overtime loss to Chowan on Saturday night, a game in which they had the lead with less than a minute to play in the second half and lost it, before Dominic Lane tied the score at 72 with a basket with 3.7 seconds to play. The Mocs had to play most of the night without Brett Bailey (13.2 ppg., 7.6 rebs.), but hope to have the junior forward back in time for Monday night's game. He played just seven minutes before leaving due to injury, and if he's unable to go on Monday, it would likely mean a larger role for Andre Hawkins and Jon Gardner. Hawkins was a starter for most of the last two years. and had four points and eight rebounds against Chowan, while Gardner is a career 69 percent field goal shooter. In the backcourt, Florida Southern has two of the league's top five scorers in Seth Evans (16.9 ppg.) and Kevin Capers (15.7 ppg.), who have each made 42 field goals through the first nine games. Evans has attempted 105 shots, and Capers 100. Evans has made more 3-pointers (22), but Capers has more free throws (52), and was 12-for-15 at the line against Chowan. Evans leads the team in assists, but Capers is the top Moccasin in steals. Evans, however, has the top free throw percentage in the SSC at .939 (46-for-49). They get plenty of support from Lane and Garrett Putman. Lane is scoring 10.6 points per game, and Putman is averaging nearly that much over the last three games, and ranks fifth in the SSC in rebounding. Cameron Vines averages 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds off the bench, while Kyle Tazioli and Tyler Kelly each score 6.0 points per game. Vines led the Mocs in rebounding on Saturday, and Tazioli scored eight points.
ABOUT MALONE... The Pioneers are playing their second game in Jenkins Field House after beating Tampa on Saturday, 77-60. That gives them five wins in their last six games, with their only loss during that stretch to Division I Bowling Green. They've also played three Division II teams that were ranked in the top-12 at the time, and own a 74-71 win over then-No. 7 Findlay that ended the Oilers' 105-game regular season home court winning streak. Against Tampa, Malone blew open a close game by shooting 60 percent from the floor in the second half, and going 20-for-20 from the line. They were 22-for-22 on free throw attempts in the entire game. All three of Malone's returning starters from last year were all-conference performers, led by First Team All-AMC selection Eric Coblentz, their leading scorer last year and again this year. The senior guard averaging 15.3 points per game, shoots 36 percent from 3-point range (27-for-75) and 88 percent from the line (37-for-42). Coblentz scored 22 against Tampa, and was 10-for-10 at the free throw line. Cory Veldhuizen, who was also All-AMC in 2011, is averaging 12.7 points and a team-high 6.1 rebounds. The sophomore forward is shooting 73 percent from the line, and had 14 points and 10 boards against Tampa. Sophomore guard Isiah Elliott is Malone's third returning all-conference player, and those three have started every game together over the last two seasons. Elliott averages 10.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals in addition to shooting 78 percent at the foul line. Sophomore guard Che Robinson (7.1 pts., 3.9 rebs) and junior forward Zach Bates (9.7 pts., 3.8 rebs) normally start for the Pioneers as well, though Richardson did not play against the Spartans on Saturday. Bates is another strong free throw shooter with a .750 percentage. Freshman Michael Shull averages 20 minutes off the bench and averages 8.1 points per game. His 12 3-pointers are second on the team to Coblentz.
