PULASKI, Tenn. – After a thrilling, last-second alley oop from Antonio Coleman extended the club's winning streak to a season-high four games Monday, Martin Methodist will look to claim first place in the TranSouth Athletic Conference when it hosts No. 11 Bethel University in a pivotal conference showdown Thursday night.
On the heels of one of the most exciting finishes in recent memory, the RedHawks (12-9, 3-1 TranSouth) will meet their stiffest test of the season in the Wildcats (20-2, 3-0), who enter Thursday's tilt riding an eight-game winning streak, dating back to Dec. 13.
Josh Watson, whose last-second lob to Coleman helped lift the RedHawks to Monday's 72-70 win over Fisk (Tenn.) University, enters Thursday's game averaging a team-high 13.7 points per contest. The junior guard has scored in double-figures in 9-of-12 games for the RedHawks this season, including an impressive 26 points in the club's win over Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University on Jan. 19.
Jeremy Rodgers, however, enters as the team's hottest player, picking up NAIA National Player of the Week honors earlier this week. In his last three games, the Memphis, Tenn. native is averaging 23.0 points per game, including a career-high 27 in the squad's win over Mid-Continent (Ky.) University on Jan. 24. The senior forward is also averaging 11.0 rebounds per game over his last three contests, including a career-high 14 boards in the win against Life (Ga.) University on Jan. 26. Rodgers scored a season-high 21 points in the RedHawks 96-85 win over the Wildcats in Pulaski a year ago.
Defensively, the RedHawks enter Thursday's contest ranked eighth in the NAIA in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just 38.8 percent from the floor. During their four-game winning streak, the RedHawks are limiting their foes to just 59.0 points per game and an icy-cold 36.0 percent from the field.
Thursday's matchup could be decided on the glass, with the Wildcats entering the tilt ranked first in the NAIA in total rebounds per game (45.7) and offensive rebounds per game (31.4). The Wildcats also rank first the NAIA in assists per game, handing out 19.9 helpers per contest.
Junior forward Caleb Hardy leads the offensive charge for the Wildcats, averaging 14.5 points per game. Trailing closely behind, however, is senior guard Jarvis Palmer (13.4 ppg), who finished runner-up in TranSouth Preseason Player of the Year voting this season. Senior forward Darnell Moore (11.8 ppg) and senior guard George Coleman (11.3) are also threats for the Wildcats, who average 80.4 points per game.
Thursday's matchup will be the first of the final two TranSouth meetings between the RedHawks and Wildcats. Both schools are set to join the Southern States Athletic Conference beginning next season. Since Bethel's arrival in the TranSouth, the RedHawks have amassed a 9-3 record, including a pair of wins a year ago. The RedHawks defeated the Wildcats 96-85 in Pulaski while picking up an 84-68 win in McKenzie.
Tipoff in Thursday's game is set for 8 p.m. in the Curry Christian Life Center. Live video of Thursday's game can be seen locally on PES Channel 97 and MMCTV.
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