WASHINGTON (January 2, 2024) – Howard University men's basketball team opens the 2024 portion with Ivy League heavyweight Yale Wednesday (Jan. 3) inside Burr Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
 
The game will be streamed live online and live stats will be available.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
Sophomore guard Marcus Dockery (Washington) scored a game-high 21 points while fellow classmate guard Bryce Harris (Brentwood, N.Y.) and graduate forward Seth Towns (Columbus, Ohio) each registered double-doubles to help Howard defeat La Salle University, 71-66, at the Tom Gola Arena.
 
Dockery connected on 7-of-11 from the floor, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. Harris tallied 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc while leading the team in rebounds (13).
 
Towns, the team-leading scorer, finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds as the Bison outrebounded the Explorers, 42-32.
 
Graduate guard Joshua Strong (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) added nine points as the starters scored all but one point of the Bison's totals.
 
MATCUP PREVIEW
 
SERIES RECORD
 
Yale defeated Howard, 86-40, (November 30, 2022) and holds a 2-0 lead over the Bison. In the other meeting, the Bulldogs came away with an 89-75 victory in D.C. (January 20, 2021).
 
HOWARD
 
The Bison (5-9) are led by Towns (15.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 27 total assists, three total blocks & 43-percent from three), Harris (14.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 15 total blocks & 10 total steals), Dockery (12.6 ppg & 36 made three pointers) and graduate guard Isiah Warfield (8.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg & 92-percent from the free throw line).
 
Kenneth Blakeney (Duke, '95) is in his fifth season at The Mecca.
 
YALE
 
Yale (8-6) is coming off a 66-58 road win over Santa Clara Saturday (Dec. 30) for its third victory in four games.
 
The Bulldogs are led by junior guards Bez Mbeng (13.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, team-leading 51 total assists & 21 total steals) and John Poulakidas (11.0 ppg), sophomore forward Danny Wolf (13.9 ppg, team-leading 9.1 rpg & 21 total blocks) , senior forward Matt Knowling (10.1 ppg & 4.0 rpg) and senior guard August Mahoney (9.4 ppg).
 
James Jones (Albany, '86) is in his 25th season at Yale.
 
GAME NOTES
 

• The Bison have five players with 10 steals and nine players shooting 80-percent or higher from the charity stripe
• Howard has had 10 different starting lineups this season due to multiple injuries
• Harris is shooting 57-percent from the field and making an early bid for league Defensive Player of the Year consideration
• Yale has limited its opponents to an average of 53 points in its last three victories
• The Bulldogs are also an excellent free throw shooting team, connecting at a 73-percent clip
• Yale has four players who average in double figures

 
NEXT UP
 
Howard opens conference play when it travels to Durham, N.C. to take on the Eagles of North Carolina Central Saturday (Jan. 6). The game tips off at noon and will be aired on ESPNU.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.