Dec 31, 2008

AU Men's Basketball Opens the New Year At Home Against Brown on Friday


Dec. 31, 2008

Media Information
Teams: American (6-6) vs. Brown (5-6)
Date & Location: Friday, Jan. 2, 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 return home to Bender Arena on Friday after a five-game roadtrip to host Brown University at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles will be looking for their first-ever win against the Bears, who hold a perfect 4-0 record in the all-time series. Last season Brown defeated AU, 68-55, at the Pizzitola Sports Center.

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 24th place all-time at American with 1,051 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 1,019 career points, good for 27th 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 (1,030 pts., 2005-present) and Derrick Mercer (1,011 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 17.7 ppg and is shooting 88.6 percent from the free throw line, good for second in the Patriot League. Gilmore enters Friday's game averaging 12.3 ppg and is the team's leading rebounder at 6.3 rpg. Derrick Mercer is AU's third-leading scorer at 9.1 ppg and is averaging 3.1 apg.

     

  • Senior Garrison Carr has scored more points and is just behind his three-point field goal total through 12 games from last season. Carr has scored 212 points this season, 29 points ahead of his 12 game total of 183 from a year ago. He finished last season with 606 points, the seventh-highest total in school history. Carr has also connected on 39 threes, four behind his total of 43 through 12 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 28th in the NCAA with his 39 three-pointers this season.

     

  • Friday's game against Brown will mark the 100th career game for both Garrison Carr and Brian Gilmore who figure to be included in the starting lineup. If each play in all of American's remaining games this season, they will end their careers having played in 115 games, tying them for third all-time at AU with Brian Gilgeous (1989-93).

    Entering Friday, Jordan Nichols has played in 97 career games and will shortly join Carr, Gilmore, and Mercer, who made his 100th career start at UMBC (W 74-61, 12/20/08), having played in 100 games at American.

     

  • The Eagles win at Manhattan (W 60-48, 12/29/08) was just the team's second win in December and marked the end to a 2-4 month. AU averaged just 56.0 ppg during December, shooting 41.5 percent (124-301) from the field, 29.6 percent (34-115) from three and 66.7 percent (52-78) from the free-throw line. In comparison, American went 4-2 in November and averaged 65.0 ppg while shooting 46.6 percent (142-305) from the field, 35.9 percent (42-117) from three and 72.7 percent (64-88) from the charity stripe.

     

  • 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 24th place all-time at American with 1,051 career points.

    Last season, 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 fourth in the PL for career three-point percentage (40.8, 227-557), third at AU in career three-pointers (227), and first at AU in career free-throw percentage (87.6, 148-169).

     

  • 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 at Maryland 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 1,019 career points, good for 27th 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 421 career assists, Mercer ranks fifth all-time at AU and ninth all-time in the PL. Mercer made his 102nd career start at Manhattan (W 60-48, 12/22/08), 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.

     

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

Inside the Series - Brown

All-Time Record: Brown Leads, 4-0
Last Meeting: L 68-55, 1/4/08

  • American will be seeking its first-ever win against Brown on Friday. The Bears hold a 4-0 record in the all-time series between the teams, including a 68-55 win last season at the Pizzitola Sports Center. Travis Lay led the Eagles in the loss with 12 points and seven rebounds. Derrick Mercer tallied 11 points and six rebounds while Brian Gilmore added 10 points and six boards.

     

  • The first meeting between American and Brown took place on Dec. 29, 1970, at an unknown location. Brown won that first meeting, 83-69.

     

  • The Bears enter Friday's contest with a 5-6 overall record and 1-5 mark away from home. Brown is most recently coming off an 89-73 win over Quinnipiac at home. The team is averaging 66.8 ppg while allowing opponents to score an average of 77.1 ppg. Brown is shooting 46.1 percent (245-532) from the field and 38.8 percent (83-214) from three. Its opponents are shooting at a 45.9 percent (301-656) clip from the field and 38.5 percent (94-244) from three-point range.

     

  • Brown has three players averaging in double-digits led by Matt Mullery at 15.9 ppg. Mullery ranks second on the team in rebounding with 5.6 rpg and shoots 66.3 percent (63-95) from the field. Peter Sullivan is the team's second leading scorer at 15.2 ppg has has made 27 three-pointers. Adrian Williams rounds out the double-digit scorers for Brown at 13.8 ppg and leads the team with 31 treys.