Nov 19, 2008

AU Men's Basketball Travels to Howard Looking for First Win Streak of Year


Game Notes

Nov. 19, 2008

WASHINGTON - The American University men's basketball team travels across D.C. today to face Howard at 7 p.m. in Burr Gymnasium. The Eagles are coming off a 67-46 win over St. Francis (Pa.) in their home opener on Monday in which Garrison Carr scored a game-high 28 points. Today's game is the first in a four-game road trip for AU.

News & Notes

  • Senior guard Garrison Carr scored a game-high 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting against St. Francis (11/17/08), including 19 points in the second half. Carr opened the game shooting 0-6 from behind the arc but hit his first five attempts in the second half. Carr led AU in scoring 20 times last season and scored 20-plus points in 14 games.
  • Senior forward Jordan Nichols has led AU in rebounding in both games this season. In the Eagles home opener against St. Francis (11/17/08) Nichols pulled down five rebounds and against No. 12/14 Oklahoma (11/14/08) he grabbed eight boards, including five offensive. Nichols led the Eagles in rebounding six times last season, including a season-high nine at Maryland (W 67-59, 12/22) with six offensive.
  • Senior forward Brian Gilmore led the Eagles in scoring against No. 12/14 Oklahoma (11/14/08) in AU's season opener. Gilmore recorded 16 points, including 12 in the second half, on 6-of-11 shooting while playing a career-high 36 minutes. Last season, Gilmore led AU in scoring twice including scoring 16 points against Navy (L 77-66, 1/30/08) and a career-high 26 against Lehigh (W 82-74, 2/10/08).
  • American's 21 points, 67-46, win over St. Francis (11/17/08) marked the Eagles first 20-plus point victory since defeating NJIT (11/24/07) by 23 points, 73-50, last season.
  • American out-rebounded No. 12/14 Oklahoma (11/24/08) on the offensive glass in its season opener, 12 to 11. Last season, AU recorded double-digit offensive boards in less than half of its games (14) and was 7-7 in those contests.

Milestone Watch

  • Garrison Carr (878 pts.) and Derrick Mercer (927 pts.) are on pace to become just the 27th and 28th players in AU history to record 1,000 career points this season.
  • Garrison Carr set new AU and PL records last season with 135 made three-point baskets and scored 606 total points, the seventh highest total in school history. Carr is currently ranked first in the PL in career three-point percentage (42.4%, 194-458), third at AU in career three-pointers (194), and first at AU in career free-throw percentage (87.8%, 122-139).
  • With 388 career assists, Derrick Mercer ranks fifth all-time at AU and ninth all-time in the PL. Mercer has also played in 94 career games, including 92 starts, and is on pace to set a new AU record in both categories.
  • Jordan Nichols has recorded 74 career blocks and ranks sixth all-time at AU.

Inside the Series - Howard University
All-Time Record: American leads, 10-3
Last Meeting: W, 66-54 (12/4/07)

  • American owns a 10-3 all-time record against Howard and has won each of the last five meetings between the teams. Last season, the Eagles recorded their 1,000th win in program history against the Bison, 66-54. American fell behind by as many as 11 points early, 18-7, but battled its way back on the strength of four double-digit scorers. Garrison Carr scored a team-high 17 points and shot 4-of-6 from three. Brian Gilmore and Jordan Nichols both notched 11 points and four rebounds. Bryce Simon rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
  • AU has not lost to the Bison since Dec. 10, 2001, when Howard won at home, 80-71.