PHILADELPHIA (December 11, 2023) - The Howard University men's basketball team will be looking to get back on the winning tracker after a 10-day break for finals when it faces the University of Pennsylvania Monday, December 11, at the famed Palestra in Philadelphia.
 
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The game will be shown on ESPN+ and there will be Live Stats available.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
In the Bison's last game, they rallied to send the game into an extra period on a Seth Towns (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) three-pointer at the buzzer in regulation.
 
Playing short-handed, as it has most of the season, Howard would eventually come up short, 86-81 decision to the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats at home. The loss snapped a 10-game home win streak, dating back to last year.
 
The Bison (3-5) got a game-high 25 points from Towns, 13 points from junior guard Marcus Dockery (Washington), 11 points from graduate guard Jordan Hairston (Fairfax, Va.) and nine critical points from an unlikely contributor in sophomore forward Miles Stewart (Orlando, Fla.).
 
Howard played all but the first five minutes without preseason Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, sophomore forward Shy Odom (Roxbury, Mass.), who suffered an injury and sat the remainder of the game in street clothes.
 
MATCHUP PREVIEW
 
THE SERIES
 
Penn leads the series, having won 81-62 on December 30 in 2019. The Bison won, 80-65, in 2007-08.
 
HOWARD
 
The Bison have played one of their more challenging schedules in recent history, with road games at Georgia Tech, Rutgers, and nationally ranked James Madison and home against the undefeated Bearcats.
 
They have been able to be competitive and some resulted in near close victories, but the rash of injuries that have impacted the team.
 
"It's a bit frustrating," lamented Howard Head Coach Kenneth Blakeney. "We have had key injuries all season. When you get someone back, someone else goes out. It is very frustrating.  We just need to get everyone healthy."
 
In addition to Odom, graduate guards Jelani Williams (8.4 ppg & 5.6 rpg) and Isaiah Warfield (6.5 ppg & 4.6 rpg), sophomore center Dom Campbell (5.0 ppg & 3.5 rpg) and Towns have all missed games.
 
Howard is averaging 78 points per game and shooting 76 percent from the free throw line. The Bison are averaging over 3.0 blocks per game. 
 
Depending on who is healthy, Howard will depend on Towns (18.4 ppg & 7.6 rpg), junior guard Bryce Harris (16.0 ppg & 6.5 rpg), 10 total blocks & six total steals) and Marcus Dockery (11.3 ppg, 15 total assists & 18 three pointers made) and Odom (10.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 22 total assists, eight total steals & seven total blocks).
 
PENN
 
In Penn, the Bison take on a team that is coming off an 81-66 loss to nationally ranked Kentucky in Philly Saturday (Dec. 9). The Quakers are led by senior guard Clark Slajchert (19.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg & 34 total assists), freshman guards Tyler Perkins (15.7 ppg & 18 total steals) and Sam Brown (11.2 ppg) and junior forward Nick Spinoso (9.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 35 total assists & 13 total blocks).
 
Penn Assistant coach Kris Saulny is the son of former late Howard head coach, Kirk Saulny.
 
NEXT UP
 
The Bison return home to host Regent Wednesday (Dec. 13) at 1 p.m. inside Burr Gymnasium.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.