In mythology, a phoenix lives for nearly 500 to 1000 years. At the end, they build themselves a nest, light the nest and themselves on fire, and then are reborn as a young phoenix.
The Mocs are trying to rise from their own ashes on Thursday night.
This season had promise as little as three and a half weeks ago when the Mocs sat at 9-9, 3-2 in SoCon play. They seemed to have turned a corner. Seven losses later, the season is on the brink. The Mocs have a final chance before the SoCon Tournament in Asheville to redeem this season. It is this homestand against Elon and UNCG, the current top two teams in the North.
In the sixteen games through the Phoenix trip to Charleston on January 14, Jack Isenbarger had played in fourteen games and scored in double digits seven times, averaging nine points per game. In the seven games since, he has scored in double digits seven more times, and averaged 21.4 points per game, all while scoring over 20 four times. He won SoCon Player of the Week last week, which ironically contained his worst outing during that stretch- an eleven point effort against Appalachian State on Monday night. He also scored 25 against The Citadel and 34 against Charleston. Isenbarger is also second on the team with 2.4 assists per game.
Freshman point guard Austin Hamilton has also done very good. He is averaging 3.2 assists per game. He was ill last weekend, and did not play in any of the last three games. He is expected to play on Thursday night. He is also scoring 10.8 points per game.
Lucas Troutman is the best inside presence for the Phoenix. He is second on the team in scoring with 12.8 points per game, and leads the team in rebounding with 5.9 rebounds per game. He is shooting 52% from the field for the year.
Troutman, Hamilton, Isenbarger, and Ryley Beaumont scored 75 points against the Mocs in the first meeting. The rest of the Phoenix scored just thirteen points. Beaumont scored 15 of those. That means that the big three that have been mentioned scored 60 of the 88 points.
The Mocs outrebounded the Phoenix the first time they met, and shot decently. It was just that they allowed Elon to shoot too well from the field. Omar Wattad scored 25, and Z Mason scored 18, while Ricky Taylor put home 17.
KEYS TO THE GAME
--Rebounding. Mocs got to get rebounds to be able to win.
--Health. Z Mason? Jahmal Burroughs? Will either one of these two be able to play on Thursday? Who knows at this point? The Mocs desperately need these guys back. If Austin Hamilton is not fully healthy, then the Phoenix could have a hard time as well.
--Isenbarger hot. Can he maintain his current hot streak in Chattanooga?
--Mocs Defense. Do the Mocs play defense at home? They have done a good job during the season so far playing well at home on defense.
LEAD PIPE LOCK PREDICTIONS THAT ARE SURE TO GO WRONG
--The Mocs will struggle badly on the boards again.
--Troutman has a big night this time around, and Isenbarger will too.
--Keegan Bell will ignite the offense.
--Ricky Taylor will continue his current struggles.
--Mocs 68, Elon 67. Wow. This is tough. I have no idea what happens here. This is going to be a brutally close game. Will the Mocs quit on this one? Maybe. You just don't know. This will be a huge game and will come right down to the wire.
GO MOCS!
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