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Flagler College Athletics

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Chris Metzger going in for a layup

NCAA D2 South Region Final Preview

3/16/2021 5:15:00 PM

Flagler College takes on The University of Alabama in Huntsville for the NCAA Division II South Region championship and a spot in the NCAA Division II National Championship at Evansville, Indiana, which runs from March 24-27.
 
SCOUTING FLAGLER (16-2)
Flagler has a 14-game winning streak, the program's longest since a 17-win streak in the 2003-04. The Saints are coming off winning the Peach Belt Conference regular season and post-season titles. They wrapped up the championship on the final day of the season with an 85-63 rout at Francis Marion (Feb. 27), and they claimed the first PBC Tournament title with a 73-60 victory over Georgia Southwestern (Mar. 7).
 
Sunday night, Flagler went on a 22-6 tear to wipe out a 19-14 lead by the University of West Georgia. The Saints never trailed from that point on. Chris Metzger led the Saints with 23 points, thank s to his 10-of-12 shooting from the field. Jaizec Lottie recorded a double-double, his fourth of the season, with 18 points and 11 rebounds.  
 
The Saints had four of its members on the All-PBC team, including Lottie who earned first-team honors and was the PBC Player of the Year. Metzger earned second-team honors while Jalen Barr and Derrick Ellis, Jr. were third-team selections. Barr was named the PBC Defender of the Year and Chad Warner was named the PBC Coach of the Year.
 
 Flagler has had four different leading scorers this season: Lottie (12x), Metzger (2x), Marcus Henderson (3x), Ellis (1).  Lottie has scored 30 or more points seven times this year. 
Metzger is second in NCAA D2 in field goal percentage (72.3) and Lottie is sixth in scoring (24.1 ppg). Lottie is 10th in free throws attempted (134) and 17th in free throws made (98).
Flagler is eighth nationally in field goal percentage defense at 39.6 and 10th in turnovers forced (16.8). The Saints are 15th in assists per game (16.8), 16th in scoring margin (+10.6), and 20th in steals per game (8.3).
SCOUTING ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE (15-3)
The Chargers have been one of the best teams in the Gulf South Conference for several years. Excluding this year, in five-of-the-last-six years, UAH has won 20 or more games. The Chargers have been in the GSC Tournament title game in six-of-the-last seven years. UAH has appeared in the regional final in 2017 (lost to Rollins, 72-68), 2016 (lost to Barry, 87-83), and 2013 (lost to Florida Southern, 90-88), 2012 (defeated Christian Brothers, 68-59).
 
Alabama Huntsville has three GSC All-West Division selections in JJ Kaplan, Sam Orf, and Seth Swalve. Kaplan and Orf were first-team selections while Swalve was a second-team pick. Orf was named the GSC West Division Player of the Year.
 
Orf is averaging a team-best 18.6 points per game and is third on the team with 37 three-pointers. He was selected to the GSC's all-tournament team. Swalve is averaging 12.7 ppg and is tied for the team-lead with 39 treys. JJ Kaplan is averaging 11.9 points and 7/5 rebounds per game. Max Shulman is another long-range threat with 39 triples and he is also averaging 9.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. 
 
The Chargers are eighth in the nation in fewest fouls per game with 14.1 

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