JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven men's basketball team will play its final games of the calendar year this Thursday and Saturday, taking on rival Millsaps College in the Hangar Dome at 7 p.m. Dec. 29, before hosting Covenant College in Rugg Arena at 4 p.m. on New Year's Eve. 

Belhaven (2-5, 0-4 ASC) is returning to the court after a 12-day break for the Christmas holiday. Directly prior to the break, the Blazers picked up losses to ASC opponents McMurry University and Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. 

Four Belhaven players are averaging double-digit points this season, led by Brandon Pressley's 15.1 average. Dyron Anderson is contributing 11.4 per game while Ron Davis and Victor Price are chipping in with 11.3 and 10.6 per game, respectively. Senior forward DJ Young-Beasley ranks second in the ASC this season in three-point field goal percentage (51.7), while Anderson ranks 10th (40.0). 

As a team, the Blazers rank fourth in the conference in points per game (85.0), second in field goal percentage (47.5) and first in three-point percentage (39.5) and assists (20.1). But the Green and Gold has struggled defensively, allowing a conference-high 99.7 point per game.

Millsaps College 
Millsaps (2-7, 0-0 SAA) returns to the courts after the Christmas break looking to break a three-game losing streak. The Majors will also be returning to their home floor for the first time since Nov. 20 after playing their last six games on the road or at a neutral site. Millsaps two wins this season came against Austin College on Nov. 19 and Rust College Dec. 3. 

Brennan Gagen is leading the Majors with 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Gagen is a frequent visitor to the charity stripe, making 66 free-throws in 76 attempts in nine game this season. Buck Blanz has added 10.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while Trent Markwith has played a solid all-around game, averaging 5.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists. 

Belhaven will need to focus on keeping Millsaps off the boards, as the Majors rank fourth in the SAA in offensive rebounds per game (11.2).

The Majors and the Blazers met earlier this season in both teams' season openers, with Belhaven coming out victorious, 85-76. Davis poured in 16 points and 10 assists for the Blazers while Markwith nearly collected a triple-double with 11 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. Belhaven shot 50 percent from the floor and made 10 three-pointers. 

Covenant College
Covenant (4-5, 0-1 USA South) is coming off of three straight losses after winning four of its first six games. The Scots have won just one out of five road contests this season. Covenant will play Millsaps on Friday before taking on the Blazers. 

The Scots have played well offensively this season, leading the USA South in field goal percentage (46.5) while ranking second in three-point percentage (38.0). 

Junior guard Berto Dryden is pacing the Scots with 15 points per game while Z Arima is averaging 12.7 points on 52.4 percent shooting from field and 50 percent from behind the arc. Sophomore guard Bailey Spragg ranks fifth in the conference in steals per game (2.1) and ninth in assists (3.1). 

This will be just the second all-time matchup between the Blazers and the Scots. Belhaven won the first contest versus Covenant, 76-67, on Nov. 26, 1999 in Jackson, Miss. 

For the latest news on Belhaven Blazers athletics, follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.