Jan 4, 2009

AU Men's Basketball Looks to Extend Winning Streak to Three Against Columbia on Monday


Jan. 4, 2009

Media Information
Teams: American (7-6) vs. Columbia (4-8)
Date & Location: Monday, Jan. 5, 2009 - 7:30 p.m. - Bender Arena, Washington, D.C.
Radio: Federal News Radio 1500/820AM - Dan Laing (play-by-play), Jeremy Huber (analyst) - Listen Live!
Web: Eagle Vision All*Access
Game Notes

WASHINGTON - The American University men's basketball team will seek to extend its current winning streak to three games on Monday as the Eagles host Columbia in the second game of a four-game home stand. Tipoff from Bender Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday's contest will be AU's final non-conference tuneup of the year before beginning Patriot League play on Saturday, Jan. 10, at home against Lehigh. American owns a perfect 2-0 record against the Lions in the all-time series, including 69-56 win last season in New York City.

News and Notes

  • Seniors Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer became just the 27th and 28th players in AU history to score 1,000 points, doing so just two days apart. Carr entered AU's game at UMBC (W 74-61, 12/20/08) needing 15 points to reach 1,000 and did so in the game's first 10 minutes, hitting 5-of-6 shots from the floor including 3-of-4 makes from three and a pair of free-throws. He finished the night with a career and game-high 34 points, including a career-high eight three-pointers. Carr currently sits in 23rd place all-time at American with 1,073 career points.

    Mercer entered the Eagles contest at Maryland (L 67-51, 12/22/08) with 999 career points and surpassed the 1,000 point plateau on a layup with 13:04 to play in the first half. Mercer finished the game with a team-high 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting and dished out a game-high six assists while playing all 40 minutes. Mercer has scored 1,030 career points, good for 26th all-time at American. Carr and Mercer are the first pair of AU teammates to take the floor together as 1,000 point scorers since Tim Fudd (1,303 pts., 1991-96) and Darryl Franklin (1,347 pts., 1992-1996) did so during the 1996 season.

     

  • Since Head Coach Jeff Jones took over AU's program prior to the 2000-01 season, four Eagles have reached 1,000 points including Patrick Doctor (1,461 pts., 1998-2002), Andre Ingram (1,655 pts., 2003-06), Garrison Carr (1,073 pts., 2005-present) and Derrick Mercer (1,030 pts. 2005-present).

     

     

  • American is led on the offensive end of the court by a duo of double-digit scorers in Garrison Carr and Brian Gilmore. Carr currently ranks second in the conference in scoring at 18.0 ppg and is shooting 86.5 percent from the free throw line, good for third in the Patriot League. Gilmore enters Monday's game averaging 11.8 ppg and is the team's leading rebounder at 6.3 rpg. Derrick Mercer is AU's third-leading scorer at 9.2 ppg and is averaging 2.9 apg.

     

  • Senior Garrison Carr has scored more points and is just behind his three-point field goal total through 13 games from last season. Carr has scored 234 points this season, 35 points ahead of his 13 game total of 199 from a year ago. He finished last season with 606 points, the seventh-highest total in school history. Carr has also connected on 44 threes, four behind his total of 48 through 13 games a year ago. Carr set a new AU and Patriot League record last year with 135 made three-pointers. The senior is currently tied for 19th in the NCAA with his 44 three-pointers this season.

     

  • Senior Bryce Simon made his first appearance of the season at UMBC (W 74-61, 12/20/08), returning from a knee injury suffered during last season's Patriot League Semifinals. Simon hit a three from the right wing the first time he touched the ball and later added an assist to Jordan Nichols on a back-door cut. Simon has now appeared in four games and is averaging 4.0 ppg and 0.8 rpg. Last season, Simon averaged 7.0 ppg and was tied for the team lead in rebounding at 4.0 rpg. Simon also ranked second on the team in assists (2.1 apg) and three-point field goals (43).

     

  • American welcomed the changing of the calendar month with a 15-point victory at home over Brown (W 68-53, 1/2/09), officially marking the end of a difficult 2-4 month of December for the Eagles. AU averaged just 56.0 ppg in December on 41.5 percent (124-301) shooting from the floor, 29.6 percent (24-115) shooting from three and 66.7 percent (52-78) shooting from the free-throw line. In comparison, American scored 68 points against Brown on 54.3 percent (25-46) shooting frm the floor, 50.0 percent (9-18) shooting from three and 64.3 percent (9-14) shooting from the line.

     

  • American opened the year with a 4-1 record, matching the team's best start to a season since 1999-2000 and marking the program's best start to a season under Head Coach Jeff Jones. The Eagles had previously began the year with a 3-2 record three times (2000-01, 2004-05, 2006-07) under Coach Jones. In the program's 83 year history, AU has started 4-1 or better only 21 times.

Milestone Watch

  • Garrison Carr became the 27th player in AU history to score 1,000 points at UMBC (W 74-61, 12/20/08). Carr entered the game needing 15 points to reach 1,000 and did so in the game's first 10 minutes, hitting 5-of-6 shots from the floor including 3-of-4 makes from three and a pair of free-throws. He finished the night with a career and game-high 34 points, including a career-high eight three-pointers. Carr currently sits in 23rd place all-time at American with 1,073 career points.

    Last season, Carr set new AU and PL records with 135 made three-point baskets and scored 606 total points, the seventh highest total in school history. Carr is currently ranked fourth in the PL for career three-point percentage (41.1, 232-564), third at AU in career three-pointers (232), and second at AU in career free-throw percentage (87.1, 149-171).

     

  • Derrick Mercer joined classmate Garrison Carr in AU's 1,000 point club at Maryland (L 67-51, 12/22/08). Mercer entered the game against the Terps with 999 career points and surpassed the 1,000 point plateau on a layup with 13:04 to play in the first half. Mercer finished the game with a team-high 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting and dished out a game-high six assists while playing all 40 minutes. Mercer has scored 1,030 career points, good for 26th all-time at American. Carr and Mercer are the first pair of AU teammates to take the floor together as 1,000 point scorers since Tim Fudd (1,303 pts., 1991-96) and Darryl Franklin (1,347 pts., 1992-1996) did so during the 1996 season.

    With 422 career assists, Mercer ranks fifth all-time at AU and ninth all-time in the PL. Mercer made his 103rd career start against Brown (W 68-53, 1/2/09), and has joined Andre Ingram (117 starts, 2003-07), Darryl Franklin (110 starts, 1992-96) and Brian Gilgeous (105 starts, 1989-93) as one of only four Eagles to ever start 100 games. If Mercer starts every remaining regular season game for AU this season, he will finish his career with 118 starts and break the AU record of 117 held by Ingram. If Mercer appears in every remaining regular season game, he will have played in 120 career games, surpassing the AU record of 118 also held by Ingram.

     

  • Garrison Carr and Brian Gilmore each made their 100th career appearance on Friday against Brown (W 68-53, 1/2/09). If Carr and Gilmore each appear in every remaining regular season game for American they will finish their careers with 115 appearances, tying Brian Gilgeous (1989-93) for third all-time.

    Jordan Nichols has appeared in 98 career games at American and will shortly join teammates Carr, Gilmore and Mercer as having appeared in 100 career games for AU.

     

  • Jordan Nichols has recorded 78 career blocks and ranks sixth all-time at AU.

Inside the Series - Columbia

All-Time Record: American Leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: W 69-56, 1/6/08

  • American will attempt to remain unbeaten against Columbia on Monday night. The team's have met twice in the all-time series with AU coming out on top in both. Last season, AU took a 69-56 decision over the Lions led by a game-high 24 points from Garrison Carr. Carr scored 19 of his points in the first half, including five three-pointers, as the Eagles built a 12 point halftime lead. Derrick Mercer added 12 points and six assists to the winning effort while Bryce Simon matched his career-high with nine rebounds.

     

  • The first meeting between American and Columbia took place on Dec. 8, 1984, in Illinois. The Eagles won that contest by a score of 70-56.

     

  • The Lions enter Monday's game with a 4-8 overall record and a 1-3 mark away from home. Columbia is most recently coming of a 73-59 loss to Lehigh despite taking an early 17-2 lead. The team is averaging 61.7 ppg while allowing opponents to score 65.7 ppg. Columbia is shooting 39.3 percent (262-667) from the field and 27.3 percent (59-216) from three. Its opponents are shooting at a 40.3 percent (265-657) clip from the floor and 33.3 percent (77-231) from three.

     

  • Patrick Foley leads the Lions in scoring, averaging 13.4 ppg. Foley also averages 1.8 apg, 2.6 rpg and shoots 45.3 percent (34-75) from the floor. He is complimented by Niko Scott and Joe Bova who each average 8.5 ppg and 8.3 ppg, respectively. Both players shoot better than 40 percent from the floor as Scott enters Monday's game shooting 41.0 percent (25-61) and Bova enters the game at 40.9 percent (36-88). Asenso Ampim and Jason Miller each average 6.7 rpg to lead the team.