"We try to pressure the ball, mostly in the halfcourt," said Majors coach Tim Wise. "We've got the athletes to create a lot of turnovers, and with the experienced guards we have, we don't make many (turnovers)."

Those numbers, plus a few other key stats, have added up to a 15-1 start for the Majors, the best since the 1994-95 team opened 21-1 under Wise's predecessor, John Stroud.

Millsaps (7-0 in the SCAC West Division) has risen to No. 18 in the D3hoops.com poll.

Wise starts three seniors and two juniors and eight of his top 10 are upperclassmen. All eight were playing last year when the team won 14 of its final 18 games.

"That adds a lot, that kind of experience," Wise said. "We've got some talent; it's a good group. And we've had five guys miss time with injuries. To keep winning just shows that we've got some depth."

Senior forwards Edrick Montgomery (a Wingfield product) and Rodney Rogan have been the team's rocks. Both topped the 1,000-career point milestone this season, and Montgomery became just the sixth player in Millsaps history to total 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.

Junior Chad Songy (54 assists, 24 turnovers, 17 steals) is the point guard and is joined in the starting backcourt by senior Lorenzo Bailey (from Jim Hill) and junior Chris Sanders (Northwest Rankin).

A recent injury to senior Deonte Oscar (Jim Hill) has given senior Allen Odum a chance to move up in the rotation.

"We don't really set goals," Wise said. "We just want to be playing our best basketball in February and March."

A measuring stick-type game looms Friday when the Majors visit No. 14 Centre College (14-1, 6-0 SCAC East) in Danville, Ky. They're 2-2 against the Colonels the last two seasons, with both losses coming in the SCAC Tournament.