TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-Â The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (17-13, 11-4) can clinch a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season title with a victory at Florida A&M on Thursday, Mar. 1. Tip-off from the Al Lawson Center is set for approximately 8:00 p.m.
Game InfoÂ
Television:Â Rattler Vision
Radio: WELEÂ 1380 The CAT
Live Stats: None
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Twitter:Â @BCUHoopsÂ
Hashtag: #PreyTogether #Commit
Series:Â BCU trails, 70-98Â
The Starting Five
1 Entering Thursday's rivalry matchup, BCU leads the MEAC in total rebounds (41.80) and blocks (115), and assists (16.0) and is second in offensive rebounds (13.33), and scoring offense (81.9). Among the NCAA, it is third in rebound average, 12th in offensive boards, 34th in scoring offense, 45th in assists, and 100th in blocks
2 Isaiah Bailey has broken the 20-point mark six times since the turn of the calendar, including a season-high 28 recently at Morgan State. In total, Bailey has reached double-figures in 21 consecutive outings, and in 27 of his 29 games played. His triple-double against Savannah State was the third in the Wildcat history books, and the only against Division 1 competition. Bailey's 159 made free throws is fourth in Wildcat single-season records just behind the 163 total from Richard Toussaint in 2003 while his 140 assists also sits fourth behind Tyris Livas' 161 in 2000
3Â BCU has its hopes in its second-ever MEAC regular season title. Its first came in 2011, when the Wildcats went 13-3 in the conference and finished 21-13 for its first 20-win season since 1977
4 Brandon Tabb ranks in the MEAC's top 5 in four three-point statistical categories- 3ptFGA (274), 3ptFGM (94), 3ptFG per-game (3.36), and 3ptFG % (34.3%). He is 15 made three's away from passing Freddie Cole's 214 (1996-00) for second all-time in Wildcat history. He is on pace to surpass Owen Harris' (1968-71) .842 career free throw percentage with his .879 mark. His 94 made three-pointers and two 274 attempts are second in single-season history behind his 2017 totals of 106 makes in 307 tries
5 Head Coach Ryan Ridder, in his first year leading BCU, already has the second-most wins of a Wildcat Head Coach in his first season of BCU's Division 1 era. His 17 wins are one behind Gravelle Craig's 18 in 2011-12. The 17 wins also mark the third-highest total in D1 history. The record belongs to 2011's 21 victories
Previously
Shawntrez Davis posted his 13th double-double of the season and Brandon Tabb led all scorers with 25 points, but Bethune-Cookman dropped a tough 86-80 decision to North Carolina A&T State Monday night at Historic Moore Gymnasium.
Davis Again Claims Weekly MEACÂ Recognition
Shawntrez Davis was named this week's MEAC Defensive Player of the Week after the junior forward averaged 12 rebounds over a two-game span while blocking two shots. He grabbed 11 rebounds in the win over Savannah State while pulling down 13 versus North Carolina A&T State. Out of his 13 rebounds, Davis had four on the offensive end versus the Aggies. The Atlanta native now has 13 double-doubles on the season, tied for best in the conference, and his 36 blocks on the year is ninth-most in BCU single-season history. The honor is his third DPoW honor and was also named Player of the Week for Week 13. With Soufiyane Diakite's three DPoW recongitions, Bethune-Cookman's total of six is the most in the MEAC.Â
Tigers Tamed In Record Fashion
In a 121-92 demolition of Savannah State on Feb. 24, the Wildcats posted their highest offensive total since a 128-76 win over Morris Brown in 1996, set a single-game record for assists (33) and their Division I rebounding record (59) and tied their single-game three-point field goal mark of 16Â
Team D1 History Watch (Since BCU entered the MEAC in 1980)
| Category |
Current Value |
Current Rank |
Record |
Year |
| Total Points |
2456 |
1 |
2456 |
2018 |
| 3-Point Attempts |
726 |
2 |
787 |
2016 |
| 3-pt Field Goals |
235 |
2 |
249 |
2016 |
| Free Throws |
525 |
1 |
525 |
2018 |
| Free Throw Attempts |
759 |
1 |
759 |
2018 |
| Rebounds |
1254 |
1 |
1254 |
2018 |
| Rebound Average |
41.8 |
1 |
40.1 |
1986 |
| Assists |
480 |
1 |
480 |
2018 |
| Blocks |
115 |
3 |
191 |
2016 |
Up Next
BCU travels to Norfolk, Va. for the 2018 MEACÂ Basketball Tournament. The Wildcats can finish as high as the second seed, and no worse as the fifth seed to begin the single-elimination tournament.Â
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