Men Host St. Francis Brooklyn Tonight at 7 p.m.
Blue Devils Looking for First Conference Win of the Season
The Central Connecticut men's basketball team is back in action tonight hosting St. Francis Brooklyn (10-7, 1-1 NEC) in league action at 7 p.m. in Detrick Gym. The Blue Devils are 4-11 overall and 0-2 in league play entering tonight's game.
What's Happening
The Blue Devils continue Northeast Conference play at home vs. St. Francis Brooklyn, the third of four straight games at home to open league play in 2014. CCSU won't play on the road again until Jan. 23 at Wagner. Following those four home games Central will play its next four NEC games on the road, including the annual trip to Western PA on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1. The Blue Devils finished the non-conference portion of their schedule 4-9 overall, including three home victories. Central is 3-4 at home this season and has lost two straight.
Vinales Out
Leading scorer Kyle Vinales is out indefinitely with an injury. He missed his first game on Thursday night in the loss to Wagner. He will continue to be reevaluated in the coming weeks. Vinales was averaging a team-high 17.4 points per game and also led the team with 44 assists at the time of his injury.
Last Time Out
Junior Faronte Drakeford and freshman Matt Mobley combined to score 41 points on 17-of-34 shooting but the Blue Devils dropped a 75-67 home loss to St. Francis University on Saturday. Mobley's 19 points were a new career-high, he played 39 minutes and was 7-of-16 from the field and hit a pair of threes. Drakeford's 22 was a game-high, as he was 10-of-18 from the field and also hit a three. Central assisted on 16 of 27 baskets, but the Red Flash led by seven at the break and held on for the eight point win. They hit seven threes in the game, including five in the first half from Dominique Major. He finished the game with 19 points and was 5-of-8 from three. Four Red Flash players scored in double-figures, led by Earl Brown who had 18 points and 12 rebounds. He also had three blocks.
SERIES HISTORY - Terriers lead 22-21
This is the 44th meeting between the two teams, the Terriers hold a 22-21 advantage in the series history. CCSU has won 13 of the last 15 in the series. Head coach Howie Dickenman is 19-15 in his career vs. St. Francis Brooklyn and 10-7 at home. This is the first of two regular season meetings with the Terriers. The Blue Devils have won nine straight at home vs. the Terriers.
Scoring
Seven different players have led the team in scoring through the first 14 games. Juniors Kyle Vinales and Faronte Drakeford have each led the Blue Devils in scoring five times, followed by two from junior Malcolm McMillan and one time each for redshirt freshman Khalen Cumberlander, senior Matt Hunter, sophomore Brandon Peel and freshman Matt Mobley. Drakeford had a game-high 22 points in Saturday's loss.
Mobley's Week
Freshman Matt Mobley had a standout week for the Blue Devils, making a pair of starts and averaging 14.5 points, 36.5 minutes, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and making 4-of-12 threes for the Blue Devils last week. Mobley started the week with 10 points and two steals in a loss to Wagner, playing 34 minutes in his fifth start of the season. He his a pair of threes in the game and has made two threes in each of the last two games for CCSU. He followed that up with a career-high 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-5 from three, while adding four assists and two steals in a home loss to SFU. Mobley has scored in double-figures in two straight and four times this season and has six threes in his last three games.
