SoCon's Quarterfinal Matchup Preview: Two Slated For Saturday

SoCon Quarterfinals

No. 6 (North) Elon (9-22, 5-13 SoCon) vs. No. 2 (North) Western Carolina (21-10, 11-7 SoCon), 2:00 p.m.

Saturday's quarterfinal action in the 2010 Southern Conference Tournament will commence with a battle between North Division and state rivals Elon and Western Carolina hit the Bojangles' Coliseum hardwood.

The Catamounts and Phoenix split the regular-season series and Saturday afternoon's matchup between the two rivals will mark the 82nd all-time meeting between the two schools, with the Phoenix holding an impressive, 49-32 all-time series edge.

The Phoenix picked a great time to pick up their first win over the Davidson Wildcats as a SoCon member, with a 66-59 win over the Wildcats, making Davidson's appearance in the 2010 tournament, played in its home city of Charlotte, a short-lived one.

In fact, going in Friday's opening round contest, the Phoenix had dropped 15-straight to Davidson since joining the prestigious league in 2003. The win improved Elon's all-time conference tournament record to 10-3 and ensured the Phoenix of a spot in the quarterfinals for the third-consecutive season.

For the second-straight season, Western Carolina has garnered a bye out of the North Division and the Catamounts put together an impressive regular-season resume, notching its first 20-win season since joining the Division I ranks in 1973-74.

The Phoenix will be meeting the Catamounts for the second time as a member of the SoCon, with WCU claiming a 69-65 win back in the 2007 tourney.

In the two meetings between the Phoenix and Catamounts this season, WCU claimed an 83-81 win in the initial in Cullowhee on Jan. 16, while Elon won the second meeting, with an 81-76 win over WCU at Alumni Gym on Feb. 8.

In Elon's win over the Wildcats yesterday, the Phoenix had four players in double figures, as senior center Adam Constantine led all scorers with 16 points, while point guard Chris Long scored 15 points and dished out four assists, which included a beautiful alley-oop pass to Constantine in the final moments, and finished the game without a turnover.

Rounding out the double figure scorers for Elon was Drew Spradlin, who added 13 points, while guard Terrance Birdette rounded out the Phoenix in double figures, with 11 points.

Coming into this afternoon's contest, the Phoenix are led by Spradlin, who is averaging 13.3 PPG, while Constantine is the only other Phoenix player averaging in double figures, at 12.3 PPG and he also leads the team on the boards, averaging 8.2 RPG. Constantine ranks second in the league in rebounds per game and field goal percentage, connecting on 60.2-percent (151-of-251) of his shots from the field this season.

Western Carolina enters this afternoon's contest being paced by three players averaging in double figures, as senior guard Brandon Giles leads the way, averaging 12.1 PPG, while forward and classmate Jake Robinson is adding 11.8 PPG and is connecting on 40.7-percent (77-of-189) from three-point range this season. JUCO transfer Mike Williams rounds out the double-figure scorers, averaging 10.0 PPG.

The Catamounts' second-leading scoring offense (74.5 PPG) is orchestrated by maybe the league's best point guard, Brigham Waginger.

Waginger is a menace on both ends of the floor, entering this afternoon's contest averaging 4.5 helpers (139 assists this season) per game to rank third among the league leaders, while leading the league in steals-per-game (2.7 SPG/84 steals this season).

Expect this matchup to go right down to the wire for the third time this season, but the experience of the Catamounts will pay off, as WCU advances to the semifinals of the SoCon tournament for the first time since the 1999 tournament.

No. 4 (South) The Citadel (16-15, 9-9 SoCon) vs. No. 1 (North) Appalachian State (20-11, 13-5 SoCon), 7 p.m.

Appalachian State and The Citadel square off in the first of two games in the night session in the quarterfinals of the 2010 SoCon Tournament. The Mountaineers, who are the No. 1 seed out of the North Division will face The Citadel for only the second time this season, as the Bulldogs are responsible for handing the Mountaineers one of their five league losses this season, handing ASU a 62-58 setback on Jan. 6 in Boone.

The Mountaineers and Bulldogs will be meeting in the tournament for the first time since the 2005 SoCon Tourney in Charleston, with the Mountaineers claiming a 68-59 victory over the feisty Bulldogs in a quarterfinal matchup that particular season.

ASU is 6-1 all-time against The Citadel in tournament play, including having won four-straight against the Bulldogs, dating back to The Citadel's only win over the Mountaineers in the tourney back in 1985, with the Bulldogs claiming a 68-62 quarterfinal win in Asheville on that particular occasion. The Mountaineers hold a 37-36 all-time record in the league's post-season tournament and are 19-17 all-time in quarterfinal play.

The Bulldogs were impressive in their, 55-43, first-round win over Samford last night, led by All-SoCon guard Cameron Wells' game-high 17 points. He, along with All-Freshman team honoree Harrison DuPont and junior guard Austin Dahn formed the trio of Bulldogs in double figures, as DuPont and Dahn added 13 and 10 points, respectively.

It was the Bulldogs' stellar play on the defensive end of the floor that allowed the Bulldogs to garner a third-straight win over Samford this season, limiting the Bulldogs, who were second in the league in field goal percentage shooting coming into the contest, to just 31.4-percent shooting in the win.

Today, the Bulldogs will go against the top field goal percentage shooting club, as the Apps are connecting on 48.2-percent of their shots per outing.

Saturday's matchup will also offer a chance to see two drastic contrast of styles, in ASU's high-octane offensive attack that favors an up-and-down pace, as the Mountaineers lead the league in scoring offense (75.4 PPG), while the Bulldogs lead the league and rank in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense (59.5 PPG).

The Bulldogs come into the matchup continuing to be led by Wells' 17.4 PPG, but perhaps of most concern for the North Division title holders is what he does on the glass, as Wells leads all guards in the league in rebounding, pulling down 5.6 RPG. He has a knack for judging caroms and is one of the team's premier scrappers. Sharp-shooter Zach Urbanus is the only other Bulldogs player averaging in double digits, averaging 10.5 PPG. Urbanus leads the Bulldogs with 78 triples this season.

ASU will bring the league's leading scorer, Donald Sims (20.4 PPG), into tonight's matchup. Sims, who is on pace to become the league's all-time top free throw shooter (95.0%, 151-of-159), has already been named the media's SoCon Player of the Year earlier this week in this just his junior season.

Kellen Brand, who is one of two seniors in the starting lineup, joins Sims in double-figure scoring average (10.8 PPG). Isaac Butts leads the league in field goal percentage shooting, hitting shots at a 62.6-percent (122-of-195) clip.

Tonight's matchup will offer a unique opportunity for fans, similar to yesterday's tournament opener, as teacher faces pupil. Appalachian State head coach Buzz Peterson, who was head coach at Tulsa, Tennessee and Coastal Carolina before returning to Boone, enlisted the help of The Citadel head coach Ed Conroy as his top assistant.

The pupil (Matt Matheny, Elon) got the best of his teacher (Bob McKillop, Davidson) in yesterday's opener, but the teacher should even things up tonight, as ASU escapes The Citadel in what should be a great quarterfinal matchup.