LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Postseason basketball is upon us as both Covenant teams will be competing in their respective NCCAA Mid-East Region Tournaments later this week. The men's tournament is being hosted by Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tenn., Thursday-Saturday, while the women's tournament is also being held the same days at Tennessee Temple in Chattanooga.
The Scots, seeded sixth, will take their 8-17 record up against former Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Bluefield College on Thursday night at 5 p.m. Covenant has won three of its last five games and is led in scoring by junior Callum Sears at 13.5 points per game. Sears was named a GSAC All-Conference performer as well as an All-Academic student. Freshman Colton McGriff and junior Jon DeVries each averaged over eight points a contest, while junior Joey Danek led Covenant in rebounding with an average of 6.4 per contest.
Bluefield comes into the tournament as the third-seed with an 18-15 overall mark. The Rams boast the AAC Player of the Year in forward Byron Carpenter. Carpenter averaged 21.4 points per game and led the conference in rebounding with an 8.39 average. He currently ranks No. 1 in NAIA Division II in total scoring with 705 points and is sixth in points per game.
If Covenant were to advance past Bluefield, they would take on the region's second-seeded Tennessee Temple on Friday at 5 p.m. The tournament championship game will be played on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The fifth-seeded Lady Scots will face off against the host and fourth-seeded Tennessee Temple on Thursday at 6 p.m. Covenant finished the regular season with a 6-19 record. Sophomore Jessie Blankenship led Covenant in several offensive categories including points per game (13.9), rebounds (8.3), and field goal percentage (46.7). Senior Margaret Cross adds a 3-point threat as she connected on 53 treys this season. Cross is second on the team in points per game at 10.4.
If the Lady Scots advance past Tennessee Temple, they will face top-seeded Bluefield College on Friday night at 6 p.m. The tournament championship game is set for Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
