PULASKI, Tenn. – In what will be their final regular-season meeting as TranSouth Athletic Conference rivals, No. 24 Martin Methodist and No. 15 Bethel (Tenn.) will square off Thursday night in a matchup that will go a long way towards deciding the 2012-13 regular-season league champion.
Currently sitting atop the TranSouth standings, the RedHawks (18-9, 7-1 TranSouth) can clinch their third consecutive league title with a victory over the Wildcats (24-4, 6-2). A Wildcat victory, however, would even the season series and make things very interesting heading into the final weekend of TranSouth play.
The RedHawks enter Thursday's matchup as one of the hottest teams in the NAIA, having won 10 consecutive contests dating back to Jan. 19. Seven of those 10 victories have been conference wins, including a 74-64 win over the Wildcats on Jan. 31 in Pulaski.
Offensively, Antonio Coleman enters Thursday's tilt on the heels of a career night in the RedHawks 72-63 win over Trevecca-Nazarene (Tenn.) Tuesday night. The junior scored a career-high 24 points on a 9-of-13 shooting effort, including his fifth 3-pointer of the season. Coleman was also impressive on the glass, tracking down eight rebounds – six of which came on the offensive end of the floor.
Justin Blake could also prove a factor in Thursday's contest, after draining a game-high 18 points in the first meeting between the two schools. The senior has hit for double-figures in seven of his last 11 games, including a 15-point performance in Tuesday's win over Trevecca.
Despite the fact that the RedHawks enter Thursday's game averaging a conference-low 67.0 points per game, they are the league's best defensive squad, surrendering just 61.3 points a night. The Wildcats, meanwhile, are ranked second in both offense (80.5 ppg) and defense (68.6 ppg).
Thursday's matchup could be decided on the glass as the Wildcats currently rank first in the NAIA in total rebounds per game (45.6) and defensive rebounds per game (30.9). The Wildcats are also on the top passing teams in the country, ranking third in assists per game (19.1).
Junior forward Caleb Hardy leads the Wildcats offensively, averaging 14.4 points per contest. Hardy is one of four Wildcats averaging in double-figures, including seniors Darnell Moore (12.3 ppg), Jarvis Palmer (11.9) and George Coleman (11.0).
The meeting also marks the final regular-season contest as TranSouth rivals for the two schools, which are set to join the Southern States Athletic Conference beginning next fall. Since Bethel's arrival in the TranSouth, the RedHawks have amassed a 10-3 overall record, including an 84-68 win in McKenzie a year ago.
The Wildcats have suffered just one loss in the brand-new Crisp Center this season, a 70-67 loss to Ohio Mid-Western College on Nov. 16. Since the loss, the Wildcats rattled off 11 straight victories in the new arena, amassing a 14-1 home record this season.
Tipoff in Thursday's game is set for 8 p.m. in McKenzie, Tenn. Live audio coverage of Thursday's game will be available on MMCTV.
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LIVE AUDIO
