EMU Basketball Off To Great Start

The Eastern Mennonite University Men's Basketball Team is off to one of the best starts in school history. The Lions have an overall 8-1 record and are undefeated at 2-0 in the Ole Dominion Athletic Conference.

The early success of the Lions is an entire team effort, but much of the credit can go to Jr. Wingman Todd Phillips. The Waynesboro, VA native is averaging 19 points per game. Already twice this season, Phillips has scored over 25 points. He had 29 against Shenandoah University and pumped in 34 against Virginia Wesleyan, thus breaking his game high record of 20 points against Lynchburg last year. Phillips was named ODAC Player of the Week back in November and was named to the BC/Don Glick Basketball Classic All-Classic Team.

Another player who has been a major factor for the Lions in the 2009/10 campaign is Jr. Wingman D.J. Hinson. The native of Newport News, VA is averaging 13.4 points per game, and poured in a game high of 34 against Wesley earlier this year. The Lions were undefeated at 8-0 until they locked horns with Southern Virginia last Saturday. Up until that game, EMU was averaging 90.6 points per game and Southern Virginia was averaging 82.5 points per game. Southern Virginia prevailed 92-79 largely to shooting 45% from the field for the game including 9-18 from beyond the arc and converting 12 of their final points from the free throw line. Southern VA also out rebounded EMU 42-34.

Despite the loss, Eastern Mennonite should have a good shot at winning the ODAC Title and a trip to the Div. lll NCAA Tournament in March. Of course, they will have to contend with the favorite to win the conference, Randolph Macon, who is also ranked #5 in the nation.