ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ's men's basketball squad clinched its first Southern Conference North Division championship with a 69-61 win Monday, Feb. 13 against Chattanooga at Alumni Gym. Details...
Scottie Rice and LeVonn Jordan each registered 13 points as ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ defeated Chattanooga 69-61 Monday night. The Phoenix were a perfect 7-0 at home against Southern Conference competition this season, and ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ won its last 8 home games.
Coupled with Western Carolina’s loss to Appalachian State Monday night, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ’s triumph over the Mocs gave the Phoenix (13-12 overall, 9-3 SoCon) the North Division crown with two regular season games remaining. Since starting the season 2-9, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ has won 11 of its last 14 games.
Playing in their home finale, Rice and Jordan paced five Phoenix scorers in double digits. Jackson Atoyebi (11 points), Chris Chalko (11 points), Brett James (10 points, three blocked shots) and Simon Harris (nine rebounds) all turned in key performances.
With the victory, the Phoenix completed a two-game season series sweep of the defending SoCon tournament champion Mocs. ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ won at Chattanooga, 92-74, on Jan. 9.
ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ has road games remaining at Western Carolina at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, and at UNC-Greensboro at noon, Saturday, Feb. 25. The SoCon men’s basketball tournament will be held March 2-5 at the North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, S.C.