Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Feb. 12, 2004, edition 1 / Page 25
Part of Elon University Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
eBazBsmsa! Thursday, February 12, 2004 THE PENDULUM Page 25 Run like the wind Elon's women's indoor track team preps for the Southern conference meet. See p. 27 SPORTS Phoenix men enjoy four wins in five games Colin Donohue Managing Editor Scottie Rice spent the last 14 min utes of Saturday’s game at UNC- Greensboro on the bench - ice on his knee and boredom on his face. Rice’s uninspired play for much of the 67-53 loss landed him on the bench, but not because of his knee. “Scottie did not play well,” head coach Emie Nestor said after the game. “He’s got to play better.” Aside from an energy-filled mn to close the first half, Hon sleejvwalked through the entire game against a short-handed Spartans team missing two starters and one key bench play er. “It wasn’t a very good effort for us,” Nestor offered, unsolicited by reporters. But that loss was not representa tive of Elon’s play of late. The Phoenix has won four of its last five games, to improve to a respectable 5- 6 record in a Southern Conference overrun with quality basketball teams. The team’s impressive run has been spurred by strong play from Scottie Rice, Jackson Atoyebi - the Southem Conference’s player of the week last week - and Matt Nowlin, who has overcome his shooting slump in the last three games. “I think we’re playing a little more consistent than last year,” Atoyebi said. “And I give credit to the coach es because they stay on us no matter what - winning or losing. Coach kept This week in sports... Friday Baseball vs. Deleware State, 2:30 p.m. Softball @ Triangle Classic Saturday Men's Basketball @ East Tenn. State, 4 p.m. Women's Basketball @ Davidson, 3 p.m. Baseball vs. Deleware State, 1:30 p.m. Softball @ Triangle Classic Men's Tennis @ College of Charleston, 1 p.m. Women's Tennis @ College of Charleston, 1 p.m. Sunday Baseball vs. Delaware State, 1:30 p.m. Softball @ Triangle Classic Men's Tennis @ Wofford, 1 p.m. Women's Tennis @ Wofford, 1 p.m. Monday Men's Basketball @ Chattanooga, 7 p.m. Tuesday Women's Basketball @ Western Carolina, 12 p.m. Baseball vs. UNC Wilmington, 2:30 p.m. beating the same things into our heads, ‘keep working hard, keep play ing defense, and things will start to turn for us.’ And they have.” Elon’s 73-59 victory against The Citadel Monday was indicative of that defensive-oriented, lim netic pace that Nestor has tried to instill in his team since his hiring. The Phoenix sprinted to a 28-15 lead less than 13 minutes into the game. While The Citadel pulled to within 11 at halftime, Elon never lost control of the game. Atoyebi and Nowlin led the Phoenix with / 19 and 20 points, / respectively. And the two so thoroughly domi nated that Montel Watson’s three-pointer at the 8:01 mark of the first half was the first basket by a Phoenix play er other than Atoyebi and Nowlin. Nowlin and Jackson Atoyebi Nestor attributed the win to Elon’s ability to break the zone, a task that proved difficult at UNC-G. “We found a way to beat the zone,” said Nowlin, Elon’s lone bright spot with 24 points against the Spartans. “We hit a lot of shots, and they got out of it TTie key was getting them out of the zone to start the game.” Nestor said his team was more definitive in its handling of the ball, but the key to the game was Elon’s energy. “I thought we played a really inspired and emotional college bas- ; 'I ketball game,” Nestor said. “When you don’t have energy, every > weakness in your game is dou- ^ bly magnified.” And it doesn’t hurt that iNowlin has recaptured his / shot “Confidence is a lot of it,” , Nowlin said of his now pinpoint ' shooting. “When I started missing a few, I started pressing. I’ve just ~ been a little more patient now. I’m shooting the ones that are open, instead of forcing the shot. Instead of thinking, ‘Gosh, I got to get this shot up. I haven’t shot in a while.’ “Coach tells me a lot of times you just got to fade away Jeff Heyer / Photo Editor Freshman guard Matt Novi^in gets back on deknse during the Phoenix's game against The Citadel. Nowlin scored 20 points in the game. when you’re a shooter like that, and people will go to sleep on you. And all of a sudden, you’ll make it.” Elon has a tough stretch ahead though, with games against the University of Tennessee- Chattanooga, UNC-G again and East Tennessee State University, a team that clinched the Northern Division championship and currently remains unbeaten in the conference at 11-0. Phoenix notes: Rice also did not play against The Citadel with a sore knee. Nestor said he has some swelling, but he did some mobility training before Monday night’s game. The results of Rice’s MRI are unknown ... Atoyebi won the player of the week honors after averaging 20.3 points and eight rebounds a game last week. Contact Colin Donohue at pen- dulum@elon.edu or 278-7247. Spring fever spring sports teams begin play in earnest this weekend. See p. 26 Student provokes fight with The Citadel player Colin Donohue Managing Editor A fight broke out in the stands between Elon junior Dominic Barrett and The Citadel player Erick Wilson with just less than two minutes remaining in Elon’s men’s bas ketball game Monday night. According to Smith Jackson, vice president and dean of stu dents, Barrett continued to chide and verbally abuse The Citadel players. Finally, Wilson leaped from the bench and' into the stands, landing a couple of blows to Barrett’s head. Barrett, 19, was not injured in the fight and he said he does not intend to press charges. For his role in the altercation, Barrett will go through the Elon’s disciplinary process, Jackson said. “We saw this as something that clearly needs to be addressed,” Jackson said. “Certainly, we’ve had good fan behavior. This is not a situation that needs to be part of Elon sporting events.” Mike Hayden, sports infor mation director at The Citadel, said the incident is under inves tigation. The institution is reviewing the game tapes, but because Southem Conference officials did not eject Wilson, he cannot be suspended by the con ference. Hayden stressed, though, that The Citadel will take action. “Obviously, this is a disap pointment to The Citadel,” Hayden said. “There will be action taken to deter (this sort of behavior) in the future.” Contact Colin Donohue at pendulum@elon.edu or 278-
Elon University Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 12, 2004, edition 1
25
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75