The Rollins College Tars have been making the trip to Las Vegas for several years for a post- finals tournament. For the first time this season the Tars will host the Las Vegas Classic. The Tars will open play at 3 PM eastern Saturday when they face Abeline Christian at the Doolittle Community Center.
Rollins comes into Saturday's contest on a roll. The Tars have won five straight after a upset loss to Warner to begin the 2012-13 campaign. The Tars come into Saturday scoring 76 points a night. The Tars are one of the stingiest defensive teams in DII allowing just 57.5 points a contest.
The last game for the Tars was a Double Overtime thriller against Southeastern University that they ultimately pulled out. Mitch Woods had a monster game (26 points and 13 rebounds.) His two 3-pointers in the second OT proved to be the game winners in the 87-78 decision. It was by far the best game of the young career of Woods (transfer from Appalachain St). As has been the case much of the young season Kyle McClanahan and Brett Chance were big contributors in the victory also. McClanahan had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Chance added 15 points.
Chance leads the Tars in scoring at 13.3 points a game. McClanahan puts up 11.8 a game and is second in the Sunshine State conference averaging 5.7 assists a contest. Woods chips in 11.3 a game and is second in the conference shooting at a 59 percent clip from the 3-point line. Jeff Dirkin is tied for the conference lead in blocked shots as he has recorded nine in the first six games.
Coach Tom Klusman is closing in on win number 600 in his illustrious Rollins coaching career. Klusman currently sits at 595 wins in his career (all in Winter Park). The Tars have had great success in Las Vegas in the past but look to make up for a rare poor showing a season ago. Last year the Tars dropped a pair of games to Central and Western Washington in the Las Vegas High Dessert Classic.
Abeiline Christian (4-4)- The Wildcats have been a very streaky team on this young season and look to begin streaking in the other direction when they battle Rollins on Saturday. After losing their opener to Dallas Baptist, the Wilidcats ran off four consecutive wins before the current three game losing streak that they head to Vegas on. Abeline scores 72.5 points a contest, but they allow 71.8 a night to their opponents.
Eric Lawton leads the Wildcats scoring 16.6 points per game. Elliott Lloyd and Steven Warner also average double figures. Lloyd puts up 12.8 a game, while Warner scores 11 and leads the team in rebounding at 7.4 a contest.
The line: Tars by 6
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