The Central Connecticut men's basketball team closes out non-conference play at Oregon State on Saturday. The game tips off from Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, OR, at 8:00 PM Eastern. The Blue Devils and Beavers are meeting for the first time.
The Blue Devils held off Maine, 93-90, in double-overtime last weekend. Senior Tyler Kohl led four players in double-figures with a career-high 33 points, while junior Jamir Coleman posted his first double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Oregon State is 7-4 after falling to Kent State, 66-63, on Dec. 21. Tres Tinkle is on pace to become the first Oregon State player in history to lead the team in scoring, rebounding and assists in two seasons.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION | Gill Coliseum (Corvallis, OR)
CCSU (6-6) at OREGON STATE (7-4) | Saturday, Dec. 29 | 8 PM Eastern
VIDEO (Pac-12 Network) | LIVE STATS | AUDIO | @KizerBlueDevil (In-game twitter updates)
GAME NOTES | 2018-19 RECORD BOOK
NCAA WEEKLY WHISTLE
SERIES HISTORY • CCSU and Oregon State are meeting for the first time.
KOHL COLLECTS WEEKLY HONOR AFTER CAREER GAME • Tyler Kohl earned his third Northeast Conference Player of the Week (12/24) honor this season after scoring a career-high 33 points (8-12 fg, 5-9 3fg, 12-13 ft) with 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in a double-overtime win at Maine. Kohl became just the third player in the nation this season to finish with at least 33/7/4/3 against a DI team and the second to score at least 33 points on 12 or fewer shot attempts. Kohl ranks in the NEC top-10 in scoring (19.3, 2nd), rebounding (6.4, 8th), assists (4.0, 6th), steals (1.4, 9th), field goal percentage (.481, 10th), free throw percentage (.879, 2nd), three-point percentage (.392, 9th) and assist-to-turnover rato (1.26, 9th).
COLEMAN COMING INTO HIS OWN • Jamir Coleman scored a career-high 21 points (9-14 fg) at Providence and is averaging 10.4 points per game on the year, while adding 5.3 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 forward had his first double-double with 11 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in a career-high 41 minutes at Maine. Coleman has shot 44.4% from three-point range and 47.8% from the field overall. He has scored in double-digits in four games.
CCSU CLOSING STRONG • Central is 5-0 this season when leading with 5:00 to play and has gone 1-2 in games decided by 5 or fewer points. The Blue Devils have been strong at the foul line in the closing minutes, converting 40-53 (.755) in the final 5:00, while hitting 15-17 (.882) in the final 1:00 and 9-9 (1.000) in overtime.
CENTRAL CASHING IN ON FREE THROWS • Central Connecticut is currently leading the Northeast Conference in free throw shooting at 77.8% (203-of-261), which ranks 8th in the NCAA.
Joe Hugley is converting 90.0% (36-of-40), which leads the NEC and is 26th nationally.
Tyler Kohl (.879) is 2nd in the NEC and 46th in the NCAA, while making 58-of-66 at the foul line. CCSU went 31-of-35 (.886) at the foul line at Maine - its most foul shots since going 30-of-34 vs. Mount St. Mary's on Feb. 18, 2016.
UP NEXT • After Saturday's game, the Blue Devils return home to host Wagner in the Northeast Conference opener on Jan. 3.
