Oglethorpe athletics photo

Tyler Courson played his high school basketball in Gainesville, Fla., so the question had to be asked.

Is he a fan of the Florida Gators?

It was a random question and really had nothing to do with his success at Oglethorpe this season, where he is the team's leading scorer and has the Stormy Petrels in the mix for a Southern Athletic Association championship.

Sometimes, though, a random question reveals a lot.

"I like the Gators and I actually like Florida State, too, so people have gotten on me before about liking both teams," Courson said. "But I've played pick-up games in the summer with some of the players at Florida and it's really helped me out a lot as player. I'm a better player because of that competition against D-I guys."

It's hard to argue with him.

Those summer workouts in pickup games, and the ones he did with the help of his high school coach at P.K. Yonge, also made a difference. Even his dad would take time to help him with his game.

"A lot of people have invested time in me to help make me a better basketball player, and it's been a tremendous help to me," Courson said. "My high school coach and my dad have both worked with me and the time they have given has made a big difference."

Courson is averaging 15.8 points per game and he has started all 19 games, thriving in his role as a first-year starter for the Stormy Petrels, who are 16-3 overall and 6-2 in the SAA.

The 6-3, 170-pound senior guard has knocked down 39 3-pointers and has dished out 39 assists. He has also racked up 28 steals.

Those stats tell the story of just how far Courson has come as a player, and are a reminder that the competitive summer pick-up games and the time others have invested in him has paid off big time.

Consider that when Courson was a freshman, he played a total of 27 minutes. He didn't even average a point per game and he made one shot from beyond the arc.

A year later, Courson played in 25 games and averaged 2.4 points per outing. He knocked down seven treys and tallied 16 assists and 10 steals. Last season, he took another step forward, playing in all 27 games during a 17-10 campaign and averaging 7.4 points per outing.

Courson hit 27 3-pointers, dished out 24 assists and racked up 26 steals.

The patience of a player can be tested when he is waiting his turn to shine, but Courson stayed the course and maintained his drive to succeed.

"I've had good players in front of me, but with this being my senior year, the coaches were looking for me to step up," Courson said. "I stayed driven every offseason, and worked hard to improve, and now I have my chance to play a bigger role."

The thing is, Courson doesn't have to carry the Stormy Petrels. He credits his teammates for his success and is enjoying the ride Oglethorpe is on as it’s enjoying one of its best seasons.

"This is a great team to be on, probably the best one I've played on in my career," Courson said. "Everyone cares about each other and we work really well together. We have a very deep team and there isn't pressure on any one guy to carry the team. We have a lot of guys capable of stepping up."

Sophomore guard Drew Patrick is averaging 13.0 points per outing and is also pulling down 6.8 rebounds per game. He has tallied 22 steals as well.

Sophomore forward Victor Rohlfs is clicking for 11.7 points per game and is averaging 6.7 rebounds per outing. He has knocked down 36 3-pointers and has blocked 24 shots.

Junior guard Alex Davis is averaging 10.4 points per outing and has dished out 58 assists to go along with 23 steals. Junior center Jordan Kinney averages 9.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and freshman guard Connor Smith is averaging 7.9 points per game. Smith has knocked down 30 treys.

The Stormy Petrels average 75 points per game and allow 67.8.

"Our desire to win is so much stronger this year," Courson said. "Before the season, the upperclassmen got together and made a list of things we needed to do to be successful, and defense was one of things we focused on most. We play with high energy on defense and we play hard."

Oglethorpe has a big week ahead as it will battle conference leader Centre on Friday night in a pivotal SAA road game.

The Stormy Petrels already lost to the Colonels once this season, falling 52-47 at home. Courson had a miserable night, scoring only five points on 2-of-10 shooting from the field.

"It was one of the worst games I ever played," Courson said.

Yet, Oglethorpe, which lost 89-80 to Centre in the conference tournament semifinals last season, is confident as it heads into round two. Oglethorpe is tied with Birmingham Southern for second in the standings. Centre is 8-0 in league play.

"We know we can play with any team and we are capable of beating any team if we play our best," Courson said. "We've played in a lot of overtime games and have won. That shows the heart of this team and we will go in ready to play."

The Stormy Petrels have played in six OT games, including two that went to double OT, and have prevailed every time. It's that kind of mental toughness that will help Oglethorpe as it heads down the stretch.

"It's all about being mentally tough, and those tough games we have been in have helped make us a mentally tough team," Courson said. "We just have to keep pushing forward and stay focused for every game we play."

American Southwest Conference

Men: James Allen became Mary Hardin-Baylor's leading scorer in the D-III era of the program on Thursday, scoring 20 points in the Crusader's 76-56 win over Louisiana College.

Allen pushed his career total to 1,280 points and also grabbed five rebounds and dished out six assists.

The Cru, the 2013 national runner-up, improved to 10-8 overall and to 8-7 in the conference. Antonie Chaney scored 17 points and Jerard Graham added 15 points as the Cru shot 50 percent from the field.

Mary Hardin-Baylor held Louisiana College to 27 percent shooting and owned a 42-30 edge on the boards.

Women: Texas-Dallas secured its spot in the conference tournament for the ninth consecutive season with a 74-68 win over Howard Payne on Saturday.

Morgan Kilgore led the way with 25 points as the Comets ended the Yellow Jackets' four-game win streak. She pulled down nine rebounds as well and blocked two shots as the Comets extended their win streak to three games.

UT-Dallas improved to 16-3 overall and to 13-3 in the conference.

Great South Athletic Conference

Pine Manor was pushed to the limit on Sunday against Johnson State, but behind 18 points apiece from Maria Vaughn and Natasia Franklin, the Gators held on for a 74-73 road win.

Jayva Johnson scored 12 points for Pine Manor and Alexis Lee added 10 points as the Gators improved to 15-3 on the season.

The Gators shot 49.3 percent from the field and forced 21 turnovers en route to their fifth win in their last six games. Pine Manor is now 6-1 away from home this season.

Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

Men: Hope continued its success on the defensive end of the floor as it knocked off Trine 67-56 on Saturday.

The Flying Dutchmen matched their total for fewest points allowed in a game this season. It marks the second consecutive game Hope has held an opponent to 56 points.

Alex Edison paved the way as he scored 15 points while Ben Gardner came through with 11 points. Caleb Byers finished with 10 points as Hope shot 49.8 percent from the field.

Women: Hope completed a sweep of the season series against rival Calvin on Saturday as it rolled to a 78-47 win in a pivotal MIAA showdown.

Unlike the first meeting when both teams seemed to score at will in Hope's 88-81 win, defense was the story of the day this time. Calvin entered the game on a five-game win streak and was averaging 80.5 points per outing during the streak.

Maura McAfee paved the way for the Flying Dutch with 22 points and 10 rebounds while Angelique Gaddy clicked for 15 points. Hope, which led 37-21 at halftime, remains unbeaten at 18-0 overall and is 10-0 in the MIAA.

Kayla Engelhard led the Knights with 15 points and seven rebounds. She has scored in double figures in five consecutive games. Calvin shot 31.5 percent from the field as it fell to 12-6 overall and to 7-3 in the league.

North Coast Athletic Conference

Men: Kenyon was on the brink of defeat on Sunday, trailing Hiram by as many as 11 points in the first half, but the Lords rallied for an 84-75 win over the Terriers.

Ikenna Nwadibia paved the way for the Lords as he lit up the scoreboard for 21 points. He also pulled down eight rebounds.

It was a big day for Brien Comey as well as he recorded his first collegiate double-double. Comey scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. The 19 points matched his career high and his rebound total was a new career high for the sophomore.

Tim Connolly scored 13 points and dished out three assists. He also tallied two steals. Julian Pavlin added 12 points.

The Lords won their third consecutive game and are 10-9 overall and 7-5 in the conference.

Women: Julia Grimsley and Emily Julius stepped up for Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday and led the Bishops to an 82-62 win over Hiram.

Grimsley scored 16 points, including 14 in the first half, and Julius scored all of her points in the second half as the Bishops won their second consecutive game.

Ohio Wesleyan improved to 12-8 overall and to 7-4 in the conference.

Ohio Athletic Conference

Men: Marietta scored the final eight points of the game against Ohio Northern on Saturday and rallied for a 76-71 win over the Polar Bears.

RaNeal Ewing hit four free throws in the final 27 seconds to help secure the win for Marietta, which improved to 15-4 overall and to 10-2 in the conference.

Ewing finished his day with 16 points, six rebounds and three steals. Garrett Stephenson came through with 16 points as well.

The Pioneers held the Polar Bears scoreless in the final 1:58 of the game and limited Ohio Northern to 42.2 percent shooting from the floor.

Marietta shot 39.2 percent from the field en route to its fifth consecutive win.

Women: Behind a game-high 17 points from Jamie Caton, Capital pushed its win streak to four games on Saturday with a 70-50 win over Mount Union.

Caton hit on six of her 10 attempts from the field and also tallied three rebounds and four assists. Kristen Thompson added 14 points to go along with seven rebounds.

Capital is now 12-6 overall and 9-3 in the OAC. The Crusaders have scored 70 or more in all of its wins during the streak and has lost just twice since the new year began.

Old Dominion Athletic Conference

Men: Roanoke has picked up momentum lately, winning its second consecutive game on Saturday in thrilling fashion with an 88-87 victory over Eastern Mennonite on the road.

The Maroons got a layup from John Fitchett with less than 15 seconds to play to earn the win and give Roanoke its third win its last four games.

Daniel Eacho turned in a stellar performance as he scored 24 points. Eacho also pulled down seven rebounds. Julian Ramirez torched the Royals for 21 points and dished out seven assists. He leads the league in assists with 98, averaging 5.4 per game. Ramirez is tied for 12th all-time on the all-time assists list with 232.

Roanoke improved to 9-9 overall and to 3-7 in the ODAC.

Women: Eastern Mennonite grabbed sole possession of first place in the ODAC with a 70-50 win over Emory and Henry on Saturday. The Royals have won six consecutive games and are 15-4 overall and 9-1 in the conference.

Bianca Ygarza propelled the Royals to the win with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. Steph  Rheinheimer turned in her best game since coming off an early-season ankle injury as she scored 12 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists.

Shakeerah Sykes clicked for 14 points and tallied three steals while Jess Rheinheimer finished with 10 points as the Royals shot 44.1 percent from the field.

Eastern Mennonite held Emory and Henry to 37.5 percent shooting from the floor and got 34 points from its bench in the win.

Presidents' Athletic Conference

Men: Washington and Jefferson coach Glenn Gutierrez won his 100th career came on Saturday as the Presidents knocked off Thiel 67-56.

Washington and Jefferson shot 40 percent from the field and Nate Bellhy paved the way with 20 points and nine rebounds. Tyler Haas scored 14 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists.

Brett Rubin-Goldstein clicked for 14 points and also grabbed six rebounds to turn in a solid performance off the bench.

Doug Johnson added 10 points as the Presidents improved to 11-9 overall and to 6-5 in the PAC. They won for the third time in their last four games.

Women: Westminster pulled off a stunning 85-74 win over Saint Vincent on Saturday and won its second consecutive game in the process.

The Titans were led by Courtney Zitt, who scored 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the year.

Hannah Shaffer scored a career-high 18 points and Rachel Durbin finished with 16 points against the Bearcats, who entered the game in second place in the PAC.

Gabby Holko added 11 points and dished out four assists for the Titans, who improved to 11-8 overall and to 8-4 in the conference.

Southern Athletic Association

Men: Ryan Murray drilled five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 18 points as he helped lead Centre to an 89-57 win over Rhodes on Sunday.

It is the ninth consecutive win for the Colonels and the fifth consecutive time it has won a road game. Centre is now 15-3 overall and 8-0 in the conference.

The Colonels shot a blistering 67.3 percent from the field and knocked down a total of 16 3-pointers as they maintained their hold on first place in the league standings.

Blake Scinta finished with 16 points and also grabbed seven rebounds while Josh Karsner and Matt Gump scored 11 points apiece.

Women: Birmingham-Southern closed out its game against Oglethorpe on a 12-3 run and rallied for a 65-57 win over the Stormy Petrels on the road Sunday.

The Panthers pushed their record to 9-10 overall and to 5-3 in the SAA.

Elizabth Bromirski scored six points during the game-ending run as the Panthers erased a one-point deficit. She finished with 17 points in all while Ashley Curry and Kelsey Brown scored 14 points apiece.

Birmingham Southern shot 37.3 percent from the field and held Oglethorpe to 34.8 percent shooting from the field as it won its second consecutive game.

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

Men: In a tightly contested game with a share of first place on the line, Colorado College came up short in a 52-48 loss to Trinity on Saturday.

Zach Lambert's 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds to go put Trinity in front 50-48 and Colorado College was unable to tie or take the lead in the final seconds.

Ryan Milne scored all 14 of his points in the second half for Colorado College while Justin Berardino finished with 10 points. He also pulled down nine rebounds. Russell Clark scored a career-high 10 points.

Colorado College fell to 13-5 overall and to 6-3 in the conference while Trinity improved to 13-7 overall and to 8-1 in conference play. Trinity has a two-game lead in the standings over Colorado College and Schreiner. Robert Kitzinger led Trinity with 14 points.

Women: Schreiner didn't play its best game of the season Saturday against Centenary, but it did find a way to win as it earned a 73-59 win to tie the school record for conference wins in a season. Schreiner is now 11-9 overall and 6-3 in the SCAC.

The Mountaineers, who improved to 6-1 at home, shot only 36 percent from the field but held Centenary to 31 percent shooting from the floor.

Lindsey Peterson finished with 19 points and six rebounds while Kelsie Jackson came through with 18 points and 11 rebounds as she recorded a double-double. Jackson also dished out three assists while Bailey Harris finished with 13 points as the Mountaineers won their third consecutive game.

USA South Athletic Conference

Men: Down by as many as 17 points. Averett fought back and earned its second consecutive win the hard way on Sunday in a 77-71 win over North Carolina Wesleyan.

Trevor West fueled the comeback, scoring all 23 of his career-high points in the second half as the Cougars pushed their record to 10-9 overall and to 7-2 in the conference.

The Cougars were only down 40-32 at halftime after chipping away at its big deficit and completed the rally in the second half.

Bradley Robinson stepped up as well, scoring 17 points, and Charles Bryant finished with 10 points for the Cougars, who shot 45.1 percent from the field in the win.

The Cougars scored 29 points off turnovers and got 21 points from their bench as they won for the seventh time in their last eight games.

Women: Pat Pickens turned in her third consecutive double-double and helped Huntingdon knock off Covenant 76-63 on Saturday. It was the third straight win for the Hawks, who are now 14-5 overall and 6-4 in the conference.

Pickens scored 19 points and pulled down 17 rebounds for the Hawks. She is averaging 17.3 points and 14 rebounds per game during the stellar stretch.

Jello Weatherspoon, Jodie Thomas and Mackenzie Germany each scored eight points as Huntingdon shot only 36.4 percent from the field. But the Hawks did have a dominating advantage on the boards, pulling down 64 rebounds compared to only 31 for Covenant.

Tan Munford and Arbanee Dean each grabbed 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who racked up 27 second-chance points.

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