Game 8  · American (5-2, 0-0 PL) at Howard (5-3, 0-0 MEAC)
Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 · 4 p.m. · Washington, D.C. (Burr Gymnasium)
All-Time Record: American leads, 16-5

Live Stats

Game Notes:  American  | Howard

WASHINGTON — The American men's basketball team is riding high after a 95-point performance in a home win against Saint Francis University and will look to stay poised on the road at Howard on Saturday.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• Sam Iorio scored a career-high 33 points on 7 of 10 from the field against Saint Francis on Tuesday. Iorio had 24 points in the first half and shot 9-for-10 from the field in 19 minutes. 
• American finished with five players in double figures for the first time since Feb. 22, 2017 at Navy. Sa'eed Nelson led the Eagles with 19 points.  
• The Eagles outscored the Red Flash, 50-30 at the half and weathered a second-half storm by the Red Flash. Nelson and Mark Gasperini also set personal bests with Nelson passing out 12 assists and Gasperini with seven assists.

SCOUTING THE BISON

• RJ Cole leads the Bison and the District in scoring at 21.5 points per game. Cole needs 46 points to reach 1,000 points as a sophomore. Cole has scored in double figures in all seven games this season with his best of 31 points against Cal Baptist. 
• Charles Williams is second on the team with 20.1 points per game. Williams scored a season-best 30 points at Southern Illinois on 11 of 22 shooting from the field. 
• Zion Cousins leads the team in rebounds per game at 6.1 and is seconded by Akuwovo Ogheneyole at 6.0 per contest.

GASPERINI'S GOULASH

• With seven assists against Saint Francis, Mark Gasperini set a career-best while also scoring 14 points. Gasperini is the third Eagle forward under Coach Brennan to finish with at least 14 points and seven assists in a home game. Kevin Panzer and Mark Vasic also reached the plateau during the 2014-15 season. 
• As a whole, under Brennan, the Eagles have seen three players reach this feat (14+ points and 7+ assists) 13 times — Sa'eed Nelson (11), Pee Wee Gardner (1) and Mark Gasperini.

IORIO'S 30 for 30

• Sam Iorio scored a career-best 33 points at Bender Arena against St. Francis on Tuesday. This is his second 30+-point game at home during his career.
• Iorio made all five of his two-point attempts and shot 7 of 10 from the outside, which tied his career-best set at Lafayette on Feb. 17, 2018 when he scored 28 points against the Leopards. 
• The last time an Eagle scored more than 33 points in a home game was Vlad Moldoveanu on Jan. 8, 2011 against Lehigh, when he dropped 39 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. He currently has the most single-game points scored at Bender Arena since 2010.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

• Sa'eed Nelson became the first AU guard since Pee Wee Gardner to finish with double-figure assists. Nelson's 17 points and 12 assists were also the first points/assists double-double under head coach Mike Brennan.
• Gardner finished with double figures assists twice during his two seasons at American, both at Lehigh (11 - 1/15/14) and (10 - 3/5/15). During the Jeff Jones era, Daniel Munoz had 10 assists and eight points at Army West Point on Feb. 18, 2012.

UP NEXT

• The Eagles will sit idle until a home contest against Mount St. Mary's on Dec. 18.
• AU will complete the nonleague home schedule against Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 22. 

TICKET INFORMATION

• Tickets to all AU Men's Basketball home games at Bender Arena are available throughout the season on AUeagles.com/Tickets.

• Individual game tickets are available for $10 to $18 for adults and $7 to $14 for youth 17 & below and seniors over 65. Military members, veterans, and AU students are invited to join the Eagles for free admission with valid ID.