The Central Connecticut men's basketball team returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Brown. The game is set for a 2:00 p.m. tipoff from the Pizzitola Sports Center.
Central is riding a four-game win streak, its longest since 2011-12, after shutting down North Carolina A&T, 72-59, on Thursday night. Brown is coming off an 86-62 loss to Rhode Island on Tuesday night. The Bears have won four straight in the series. The Blue Devils last win in the series was Nov. 15, 2012.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION | Pizzitola Center (Providence, RI)
CCSU (4-3) at Brown (4-3) | Saturday, Dec. 2 | 2:00PM
VIDEO (Ivy League Network - $) | LIVE STATS | AUDIO | @KizerBlueDevil (In-game twitter updates)
GAME NOTES | 2017-18 NCAA Rules Review Video
TODAY'S GAME • Central Connecticut begins a four-game road stretch when it goes to Brown on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils come into the game having won four straight games overall. The Bears have gone 2-1 against NEC foes this season, having defeated Bryant and LIU Brooklyn, but lost to St. Francis Brooklyn.
LAST TIME OUT • Central won its fourth in a row with a 72-59 win over North Carolina A&T on Thursday. The Blue Devils shot over 50 percent as a team on offense, but their defensive work was most impressive. CCSU stymied an Aggies offense that entered the game averaging 91.8 points per game. Sophomore Joe Hugley led the Blue Devils with a career-high 21 points. Juniors Austin Nehls and Tyler Kohl added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Senior Mustafa Jones was the fourth player in double-digits with 10 points. A&T entered the night having scored 90 or more points in a game four times and averaging 91.8 points per game, shooting .505 from the field. The Aggies shot just 37.5 percent (21-of-56) overall and were 3-of-22 (.136) from three-point range. Femi Olujobi was the nation's leading scorer at 28.3 points per game, but he was held to less than half of that with 14 points. CCSU used a first half 15-0 run to take the lead for good as the Aggies would only get within four points in the second half, but the Blue Devils would push the lead back to double-figures.
KOHL NAMED NEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK • Junior
Tyler Kohl was named the NEC Player of the Week on Nov. 27 after helping CCSU extend its win streak to three games with wins over Coppin St. and Cleveland St. Kohl scored 14.5 points with 9.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. Kohl posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds against Coppin St. He scored six of his points in overtime, including the go-ahead foul shots. He had 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in a win at Cleveland State. CCSU has had the Player of the Week in consecutive weeks after junior
Deion Bute earned the honor on Nov. 20.
JOE GIVES A JOLT OFF THE BENCH • Sophomore Joe Hugley has given Central a lift this season with his play in 17.4 minutes off the bench. The 6-7 forward has scored in double-figures in three straight games. He is coming off a career-high 21 points, 8 rebounds against North Carolina A&T. He is averaging 10.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and shooting .479 from the field, while starting just one game on the season.
UP NEXT • Following Saturday's game, CCSU will head west to face DePaul (Dec. 6) and Northern Illinois (Dec. 9). Central will go to Boston College on Dec. 17 before returning home to face Maine on Dec. 20.