SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (December 19, 2023) - The Howard University men's basketball team will be looking to end its two-game skid when it takes on the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) Wednesday (Dec. 20) at 10 p.m. (ET) / 7 p.m. (PT) at the Thunderdome.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats will be available.
LAST TIMEOUT
The Bison (4-8) are coming off close losses to Jackson State and Texas Southern (TSU) at the CP3 HBCU Challenge in Las Vegas this past weekend.
Howard has been plagued by nagging injuries all season and it has resulted in lack of chemistry. Yet, they have not had a problem scoring the basketball. The problem has been turnovers of late. In the two games this past weekend, Jackson State and Texas Southern were able to combine for 38 points off Howard turnovers.
In the loss to TSU, Howard held a 20-point lead in the first half before a late run by the Tigers later was the catalyst for a 10-point lead. The resilient Bison rallied on the scoring graduate forward
Seth Towns (Columbus, Ohio), who tallied 14 of his 16 points in the second half, including a three pointer with four seconds remaining that cut the deficit to one, 79-78.
Following a steal on the subsequent Texas Southern possession by graduate guard
Isiah Warfield (Monaca, Pa.), the Bison called a timeout with three seconds to play to set up a potential game-winning play but sophomore forward
Dom Campbell (Scarborough, Maine) failed to convert as Howard fell short.
MATCHUP PREVIEW
SERIES RECORD
Wednesday's clash will be the first meeting between the two schools.
HOWARD
The Bison feature a balanced attack in Towns (15.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 46-percent on three-point shooting & 25 3FGM), junior guards
Bryce Harris (14.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 61 percent from the floor, 13 total blocks & 10 total steals) and
Marcus Dockery (10.9 ppg, 91-percent from the free throw line & team-leading 29 three pointers made), sophomore forward
Shy Odom (8.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg & team-leading 30 total assists) and Warfield (7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg & 95-percent from the free throw line).
Kenneth Blakeney (Duke University, '95) is in his fifth season at The Mecca.
UCSB
UCSB (6-3) has won two-in-a-row and four-of-its-last-five, the most recent a 68-59 win over Loyola Marymount Saturday (Dec. 16).
The Gauchos also have scorers in junior guards Ajay Mitchell (21.7 ppg & 4.9 rpg) and Cole Anderson (11.2 ppg), sophomore forward Yohan Traore (14.6 ppg & 4.6 rpg) and senior guard Josh Pierre-Louis (11.0 ppg, team-leading 29 total assists & 10 total steals).
Joe Pasternack (Indiana,'99) enters his seventh season with the Gauchos.
NEXT UP
Howard has a much-needed few days off before traveling to Philadelphia to take on the Explorers of LaSalle University Saturday, Dec. 30, at 2 p.m.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
