December 15, 2007

After closing out a four-game road swing spanning four different states, Millsaps will welcome cross-town rival Belhaven College out of the NAIA to the Hangar Dome on Monday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. to open a four-game homestand. The Majors posted a 3-1 record over the road stretch with wins over Hendrix, Pensacola Christian and Huntingdon College, as their only loss came by way of Division I foe Southeastern Louisiana.

Scouting the Blazers:
Belhaven jumped out to an 8-0 start through the month of November after averaging 82.4 points-per-game and holding opponents to just 67.9 (+14.5), but have stumbled as of late with back-to-back-to-back losses on the road to Div-I Mississippi Valley State (69-83), Texas Wesleyan University (72-79) and Southwest Assemblies of God (68-74). Monday's game on the campus of Millsaps will close out a four-game road swing, as they welcome Xavier (La.) to Charles R. Rugg Arena on Jan. 3.

The Blazers are led by junior forward Korey Whiting from Stafford, Va., and freshman forward Phillip Holmes from Durrant, Miss. Whiting, a 6-foot-3 junior college transfer from Eastern Mennonite University is averaging a team-best 15.9 ppg on 56 percent shooting while grabbing a team-best 9.0 rpg. Holmes, a 6-foot-6 true freshman has started in all 11 games, swatting 20 shots for an average of 1.9 bpg while averaging 9.9 points and 6.6 rpg.

Belhaven is shooting 47 percent from the floor, led by Holmes at 57 percent, while holding opponents to 40 percent. They are averaging 16.9 assists per game and 5.0 blocks per game in addition to outrebounding opponents 481-404 (+7.0) and forcing 24 TOs a game.

Scouting the Majors:
Millsaps is off to its best start through seven games (6-1) since the 2001-02 season under then head coach, John Stroud. Current head coach Tim Wise, now in his fifth season with a 46-57 overall record, has all five seniors back from a year ago and is trying to defeat Belhaven for the first time during his tenure (0-4). The Majors are 3-0 in the Hangar Dome this season and are looking to match their 5-0 start at home from last year's 18-9 team.

All five starters are averaging double figures in scoring for Millsaps, led by senior forwards Edrick Montgomery (13.2) and Rodney Rogan (12.9). The duo are also leading the squad in rebounds, averaging 9.8 and 7.6 per game. Senior guard Lorenzo Bailey is just 12 3-point buckets away from breaking the school's career record of 180, set by Brad Price, hitting 15 of 39 3s this year for 39 percent.

The Majors have done a tremendous job of forcing turnovers and limiting turnovers through the early part of the season, causing 19.9 TOs/gm while committing just 12.4 (+7.4). They led the league last year in assist/turnover ratio and are sitting at 1.2 as of right now. Millsaps has also been aggressive getting to the rim, but must make better on its free throws, knocking down just 87 of 141 for 61.7 percent.

The Series:
Monday's game will mark the 69th meeting between the two teams with Belhaven winning the previous four to lead the overall series 47-21. This will be the fifth meeting for Millsaps under Tim Wise, with the Blazers winning last year at home 69-60. The last time these two met on the Millsaps campus in 2005-06, Belhaven won 71-67.