WASHINGTON (January 7, 2024) – Howard University men's basketball team looks to grab its first conference win against the South Carolina State (SCSU) Bulldogs Monday (Jan. 8). Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m., inside the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
 
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LAST TIMEOUT
 
HU dropped its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opener at North Carolina Central, 73-54, inside the McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
Junior guard Bryce Harris (Brentwood, N.Y.) and sophomore forward Dom Campbell (Scarborough, Maine) led the way. Harris recorded his second double-double of the season (21 points & 10 rebounds) while the Maine native had his best game as a Bison, producing 18 points (season-high), including a perfect 6-of-6 from the field, and eight boards in the loss.
 
Graduate forward Seth Towns (Columbus, Ohio), the squad's leading scorer, finished with eight points and six rebounds in the loss.
 
The Bison, the top three-point shooting team in the MEAC, had their worst performance of the season. Towns, who averages over 41-percent from beyond the arc, hit only 3-of-12 while junior guard Marcus Dockery (Washington) missed 11-of-12 from the floor.
 
MATCHUP PREVIEW
 
SERIES RECORD
 
Last March, the Bison defeated SCSU, 91-55, in the MEAC Tournament Quarterfinals and has won four-in-a-row to lead the series, 6-4, since 2008. The Bulldogs' last win, 58-55, in Orangeburg (Jan. 31, 2022).
 
HOWARD
 
The Bison (5-11, 0-1 MEAC) are led by Towns (15.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg & 42-percent from three), Harris (14.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 16 total blocks & 12 total steals), Dockery (13.8 ppg, 41-percent from three & 40 made three pointers), Isiah Warfield (8.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg & 92-percent from the free throw line) and Shy Odom (8.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg & eight total blocks).
 
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
 
The Bulldogs (4-13, 0-1 MEAC) are coming off a 79-72 loss to Norfolk State at home Saturday (Jan. 6).
 
They are led by junior forward Davion Everett (9.8 ppg & 7.1 rpg), freshman guard Mitchell Taylor (8.5 ppg, team-leading 46 total assists), junior guard Wilson Dubinsky (8.1 ppg) and freshman center Drayton Jones (5.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, team-leading total 19 blocks).
 
MEAC NOTES
 
HOWARD
 
Howard leads the conference in field goal percentage (46-percent), three-point shooting (37-percent) and three pointers made (8.0 per game).
 
Individually, Towns is making an early bid for MEAC Player of the Year consideration. He leads the conference in three-point shooting (42-percent) and second in three pointers made and rebounding (6.8 rpg).
 
Harris, a strong candidate for MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, is first in field goal percentage, third in blocked shots, seventh in rebounding, eight in scoring and ninth in free throw shooting.
 
Dockery leads the MEAC in three pointers made and second in three-point shooting (41-percent) while Odom is 10^th in assists.
 
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
 
South Carolina State leads the conference in blocked shots (3.5 per game).
 
Individually, Davion is second in rebounding while Taylor is sixth in assists. Jones is second in blocked shots and Omar Crosby is eighth in steals.
 
SCSU has no one averaging double figures in scoring. The Bulldogs are allowing 82 points per game and shooting only 33-percent from the field, including 29-percent from three.
 
BISON NOTES
 
Howard has had a challenging nonconference schedule with road games at Georgia Tech (ACC), James Madison (Sun Belt), Rutgers (Big Ten), Penn (Ivy League) and UC Santa Barbara (Big West). They have also hosted Cincinnati (Big 12) and Yale (Ivy League).
 
The Bison have started 11 different starting lineups due to injuries.
 
NEXT UP
 
The Bison return home to host the Hawks of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Saturday (Jan. 13) at 4 p.m., inside Burr Gymnasium.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.