INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Newberry College men’s basketball team is ranked first nationally in blocked shots per game for the second straight week. The scarlet and gray are ranked in the top-15 nationally in three team categories and are in the top-25 in six team categories.
Newberry (13-3 overall, 3-2 South Atlantic Conference) is ranked first nationally in blocked shots per game, averaging 6.9 swats per contest. The University of the Incarnate Word (Texas) is ranked second at 6.7 blocks per game, falling 0.2 blocks back from last week’s rankings.
Kendrick Johnson (Orangeburg) ranks fourth nationally in individual blocks per game at 3.6 blocks per game. Matthew Rogers of Southwest Baptist University (Mo.) is tops nationally at 4.1 blocks per game.
Newberry’s defense has excelled this year, and that is shown in its other top rankings.
The scarlet and gray are 10th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage defense (27.1-percent), 12th nationally in field goal percentage defense (38.3-percent) and 21st nationally in scoring defense (61.9 points per game.)
Newberry also ranks 21st nationally in winning percentage (.813) and 24th nationally in scoring margin (+13.7 points per game).
You can view the entire NCAA basketball statistical rankings by visiting www.ncaa.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/ncaa-m-baskbl-stats-index.html
Newberry continues the season on tonight on the road against Tusculum. Tipoff at Pioneer Arena in Greeneville, Tenn., is set for approximately 8 p.m., following the conclusion of the women’s game.
Four pinfalls by No. 2 Newberry overwhelm Carson-Newman, 47-2
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The second-ranked Newberry College wrestling team won its third road match of the season with a 47-2 defeat of Carson-Newman.
The scarlet and gray dominated the dual as they won nine of 10 matches against the Eagles.
Newberry is now 15-2 on the season, which is only two wins away from tying the school record for wins in a season.
Newberry thoroughly dominated its nine dual victories by scoring bonus points in all of the triumphs. Pinfalls from Gerald Jenkins (Charleston), Sheridan Moran (Lafayette, La.), Brandon Kelly (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Bryant Blanton (Summerville) propelled Newberry to its most lopsided victory since Dec. 17. Carson-Newman also received two unsportsmanlike conduct deductions in the dual reducing its team total from four to two.
Starting off the dual was Jenkins at 125-pounds, who came away with a second period fall against Brandon Norris at the 4:10 mark.
At the time of the fall, Jenkins was leading 11-4 with four takedowns and a three-point nearfall.
The victory improved Jenkins’ season record to 2-2 and 1-1 in dual competitions.
Also evening up his dual record was Moran, who scored a pinfall in the third period against Kody Pierson at the 6:29 mark. Moran held a 7-4 advantage against Pierson at the time of the pinfall. With the victory, Moran improved his season record to 18-6 and 3-3 in dual matches. The pin was Moran’s seventh of the season.
After the 133 pound match, Carson-Newman was deducted one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct, which gave Newberry a 16-(-1) lead.
At 141 pounds, Tony Washington (Georgetown) scored a 10-1 major decision against Leonard Drummond.
Washington scored four takedowns in the match and held a 4:12 advantage on riding time to secure his fourth major decision of the season. The victory was Washington’s 10th dual victory of the season.
Latra Collick (Berlin, Md.) also won by a 10-1 major decision by defeating Aymen Habiballah. Collick scored five points in the second and third period to beat Habiballah for his 17th victory of the season. Collick’s second major of the season gave him his 13th dual victory of the season.
The 157-pound match featured the 2007 national finalist at 149 pounds, Mike Rogers, against freshman Sean Byrnes (Jackson, N.J.). Rogers came away with the only victory for the Eagles as he scored a 10-1 major decision. Byrnes outscored Rogers 1-0 in the second period, but was unable to overcome an early deficit, as his season record fell to 13-6.
Kelly gave Newberry its third fall of the dual as he pinned Ryan Brock in the first period at the 1:56 mark. The pin was Kelly’s third of the season and 13th of his career. Kelly improved his season record to 13-6 overall and 8-5 in dual competitions.
Josh Whitelock (Rhodesdale, Md.) scored his fifth technical fall of the season as he defeated Marcus Lopez by a score of 15-0 at the 4:20 mark. The shutout served as Whitelock’s 15th victory of the season, as he moved into a tie for third-most career technical falls with six.
The 184-pound match featured Newberry’s fourth pin of the dual, as Blanton stuck Carson-Newman’s Landon Hall at the 6:10 mark. The pinfall was Blanton’s ninth of the season and third consecutive victory by pinfall. Blanton, who leads the team in pins, moved his season record to 16-3 as he garnered his 13th dual victory.
After Blanton’s match, Carson-Newman was deducted another team point as Hall received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Keeno Griffin (Jacksonville, Fla.) scored his fourth major decision of the season as he defeated Joshua Sprewell, 19-7.
Griffin’s eight takedowns secured his 18th victory of the season and gave Newberry a 41-2 lead. The victory also improved Griffin’s dual record to 14-1 as he won his seventh consecutive match.
The duals final match featured undefeated Cy Wainwright (Green Cove Spring, Fla.) and Charles Robinson. Wainwright extended his winning streak to 23 as he scored an injury default victory against Robinson at the 2:16 mark. No. 2 Wainwright was nearly upset by the unranked Robinson, who scored a takedown and a subsequent nearfall.
However, Wainwright scored a reversal and Robinson then suffered an injury from which he could not continue giving Wainwright his 21st victory of the season.
Newberry will return to action this weekend as it travels to the campus of St. Andrews Presbyterian in Laurinburg, N.C. for the East Coast Duals.
The scarlet and gray will face off against four East Region opponents; No. 11 University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown on Friday at 8 p.m., No. 16 West Liberty State on Saturday at 9 a.m., Shippensburg on Saturday at 11 a.m. and Kutztown on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Courtesy of Newberry College Sports Information
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