Bulldogs, Eagles Tangle In SoCon Hardwoods Battle Saturday

Final	1	2	OT	T
Georgia Southern (13-12, 11-4)	31	38	4	73
The Citadel (4-21, 1-13 SoCon)	37	32	3	72
McAlister Field House; Charleston, S.C.

Georgia Southern	The Citadel
Pts: FERGUSON, Eric - 14	Pts: Ashton Moore - 24
Reb: HEWITT, Jelani - 9	Reb: Jordan Robertson - 10
Ast: POWERS, Willie - 6	Ast: Marshall Harris III - 4

Team Statistics	Georgia Southern	The Citadel
Field Goal %	49.2% (32-65 )	42.1% (24-57 )
Rebounds	31	41
Assists	11	11
Turnovers	14	19
Pts off Turnovers	22	13
2nd Chance Pts	11	18
Pts in the Paint	38	40
Fastbreak Pts	6	10
Bench Pts	14	36

full stats

Georgia Southern at The Citadel Game Notes

Charleston, S.C. — With just three home games remaining on the 2011-12 schedule, The Citadel basketball team welcomes Georgia Southern to McAlister Field House on Saturday evening at 7:05 p.m.

The Bulldogs (4-20, 1-12 SoCon) are looking for their 20th victory in the 47th installment of the all-time series, after GSU emerged with a 78-72 double overtime victory at Hanner Fieldhouse, just over three weeks ago. The Eagles (12-12, 10-4) have won their last four straight contests and in the process moved to second place in the South Division of the conference standings.

SECOND HALF CLAMP DOWN: Over the past 11 contests, since The Citadel immersed itself Southern Conference action, the team has finished with more second half field goals than its opponent in four separate occasions.

After finishing with a combined eight fewer second half field goals than Furman (1/5), Samford (1/7), Elon (1/12) and UNCG (1/14), the Bulldogs converted two more field goals than Davidson and four more than Georgia Southern. In those road contests The Citadel finished with 14-12 advantage against the Wildcats and a 14-10 edge on Georgia Southern.

The Cadets have returned to familiar form by hitting more second half field goals than their opposition in each of the last two games. Last Saturday, at Elon, the Bulldogs slightly edged the Phoenix (13-12) in second half field goals. The trend continued in Thursday's rematch with Davidson, where The Citadel managed 16 field goals to the visiting Wildcats 11.

On the season, including a pair of December contests with Georgia Southern and College of Charleston, the Dogs have just nine fewer second half field goal conversions than their opponents.

GROSELLE BECOMES SECOND PLAYER IN PROGRAM HISTORY WITH 20 DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Junior  Mike Groselle joined Regan Truesdale as the second player in program history with 20 or more career double-doubles. Truesdale capped off his four-year career (1981-85) with 22 double-doubles, while Groselle has 20 to his credit in three seasons.

Eclipsing the mark on 12 separate occasions this season, the Plano, Texas native also tied Patrick Elmore's single-season record, set during the 1989-90 campaign.

Groselle rolled off six straight double-doubles to open the season and in the process established a school record for most consecutive, seven, after carrying over a double-double from the 2011 Southern Conference Tournament.

He returned to form in mid-December, finishing with 11 points and 11 rebounds at James Madison.

Groselle opened the month of January with a 19-point, 13-rebound showing against UVA-Wise, before posting double-doubles against SoCon foes Elon (17 pts., 11 rebs.), Georgia Southern (20 pts., 14 rebs.) and Furman (24 pts., 11 rebs.).

With at least two double-doubles in every month of the season, Groselle tied Elmore's single-season mark on Thursday against Davidson, when he finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

BULLDOGS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS: The Citadel ranks among the top-200 in five NCAA statistical categories, heading into the weekend against Georgia Southern. Among those categories include personal fouls per game (82), assists per game (102),  field goal percentage (154), assist-turnover ratio (159) and 3-point field goal percentage (200).

TRENDS IN THE CITADEL-GEORGIA SOUTHERN RIVALRY

The two teams have been involved in 26 games decided by nine points or less in the storied all-time series that dates back to Dec. 20, 1960.

GROSELLE RECORDS 12th DOUBLE-DOUBLE OF SEASON AS WILDCATS HOLD OFF DOGS, 77-66: Citadel center Mike Groselle finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, but visiting Davidson came away with the 77-66 Southern Conference victory on Thursday evening at McAlister Field House.

The double-double marks Groselle's 20th of his career, giving him sole possession of second place in Bulldogs history for the most career double-doubles, behind Regan Truesdale. Coincidentally Groselle tied Patrick Elmore's 22-year mark for most double-doubles in a single-season with 12.

The Citadel finished 25-of-64 (39.1%) from the floor in the contest, keyed by a 16-of-36 (44.4%) performance in the second half. The Bulldogs were led by the tandem of Bo Holston and Groselle, who each finished 5-of-8 from the floor. Groselle netted a team-high 15 points, while Holston chipped in 11. Teammate Ashton Moore provided a solid threat off the bench, scoring nine points on 4-of-12 shooting, including a 3-pointer. Groselle's posted a game-high 10 rebounds, pulling in three on the offensive glass, while Jordan Robertson added seven boards (four offensive). The contributions of Groselle, Robertson (six points) and P.J. Horgan (four points) equated to a 40-24 edge in points in the paint. Groselle also came through with a career-high six steals. The Dogs move to 4-20 overall and 1-12 in SoCon play following the loss.

Davidson led offensively by the trio of De'Mon Brooks (24 points), JP Kuhlman (16 points) and Chris Czerapowicz (14 points). The Wildcats finished 24-of-52 (46.2%) from the floor as a unit, draining 9-of-21 (42.9%) from beyond the arc. Brooks led the team by hitting 8-of-9 from the field and knocked down 8-of-13 from the free throw line. Czerapowicz led the team by hitting 3-of-7 from 3-point range, while Brooks and Kuhlman were a perfect 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Brooks' team-high nine rebounds anchored an inside game that finished with 44 total rebounds, including 16 on the offensive glass. The Wildcats won their fourth in a row and move to 19-5 overall and 13-1 in league action.

PREVIEWING THE COMPETITION: Georgia Southern (12-12 Overall/10-4 SoCon)

THREE EAGLES REACH DOUBLE FIGURES IN 63-49 WIN OVER WOFFORD: On "Whiteout Night" inside Hanner Fieldhouse Georgia Southern blew past Wofford, 63-49. The win puts Georgia Southern two games clear of the Terriers for second place in the SoCon South Division. The Eagles reach the .500 mark for the first time under head coach Charlton "C.Y." Young this late in the season at 12-12, 10-4 in SoCon play. The Terriers fell to 15-11 overall and 8-6 in league play for their first three-game losing streak since December 2009.

Eric Ferguson made a late charge to record his second-straight double-double. He scored a game-high 15 points with 11 rebounds. Willie Powers III, however, had a tremendous night scoring 14 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists. He was 6-of-11 on the night from the field as the Eagles shot 12-for-22 (54.5%) in the second half to finish the night 48% overall from the field.

Senior Ben Drayton III made all three of his attempts from downtown en route to 12 points and two steals. He scored nearly half of GSU's seven three-pointers as the team finished 53.8% from beyond the arc.

The win also improves the Eagles to a perfect 6-0 in league play at Hanner Fieldhouse. Georgia Southern has won its last four games, the first four-game winning streak since late in the 2006-07 season.

Wofford struggled shooting the ball, finishing at 40% from the field and 18.8% (3-of-16) from the bonusphere. The Terriers were just 4-of-15 (26.7%) from the free throw stripe on the night. Drew Crowell scored a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds while Brad Loesing had 13 points.

Jelani Hewitt's hot run shooting the ball hit a road bump with the sophomore scoring eight points. Fellow sophomore Tré Bussey scored five points, providing quality minutes off the bench.

The Eagles opened the night by racing out to a seven point lead after less than four minutes, but Wofford trailed by five points, 29-24 at the intermission as GSU went cold from the field in the final four minutes of the first half.

Out of the break, GSU was buoyed by a dunk by Ferguson in the opening minute of the period. The lead would grow to 12 points by the 16:22 mark and further still to 17 points at 12:09 as the Eagles posted a 16-4 run.

The Terriers got within 12 points with just over nine minutes remaining, but the Eagles built the lead back to 17 points just before the four minute media timeout. Wofford scored four-straight out of the timeout to trail by 13 with 2:08 remaining.

Wofford would get within 12 points with 1:26 remaining, but that would be as close as the Terriers got as the Eagles drained their late free throws.

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