Bridgeport_Game_Notes (pdf)

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - After an eight-day layoff, the Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team returns to the court when the Owls host Bridgeport at 7:30 p.m.

ALL-TIME AGAINST BRIDGEPORT
Bridgeport, who SCSU has played the most games against in its history, leads the all-time series with the Owls by a 54-32 margin. Southern Connecticut defeated Bridgeport, 77-73, on Nov. 10.

WELCOME BACK
Deshawn Murphy and Jack McCarthy made an impact when they returned to the court in early December.
• Murphy scored 15 points off the bench against Saint Rose on Dec. 4 and then recorded a double-double, scoring 23 points and snagging 11 rebounds, when he started in the Owls win over AIC, 80-70, on Dec. 7.  It was the sophomore's first career double-double.
• McCarthy grabbed a career-high seven rebounds against Saint Rose on Dec. 4.

ON THE GLASS
SCSU, who has outrebounded opponents 311-295 this season, averages 44.4 boards per game. SCSU tops the Northeast-10 Conference in rebounding average. Luke Houston leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per game.

CAPTAINS CARRY THE LOAD
Owls' tri-captains Greg Langston, Luke Houston and Tylon Smith have carried the scoring load for the team. At the Bridgeport Tournament, the three guards accounted for just shy of 69% of SCSU's points.
• As of Dec. 9, Langston, who leads the Owls with 24.4 points per game, leads the NE-10 in scoring average.
• Smith, who had a double-double against Molloy, leads the team with 6.1 assists per game.
• Houston, who recorded a double-double at Concordia, tops SCSU with 7.0 rebounds per game.

MALLORY MAKES A MARK
Freshman guard Michael Mallory has stepped right into the Owls' rotation this season. He finished with 17 points, along with six rebounds, in the season-opener against Molloy. In 2013-14, Mallory has averaged 12.3 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game.

SCSU DEFEATS SAINT ROSE
• On Dec. 4, the Owls used 50 second half points to defeat Saint Rose, 76-65. Greg Langston, one of four Owls in double figures, totaled 17 of his game-high 20 points in the second half. The senior guard, also had five rebounds, two steals and an assist.
• Tylon Smith had 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, for Southern Connecticut.
• Deshawn Murphy and Michael Mallory came off the bench to add 15 and 10 points respectively.

OWLS BEAT AIC
In his first start of the season, Deshawn Murphy recorded a double-double, scoring 23 points and snagging 11 rebounds as SCSU defeated AIC, 80-70, on Dec. 7.
• Greg Langston led all scorers with 24 points. The senior guard also grabbed six rebounds.
• The Owls, who led the entire second half, received 17 points and nine assists from Tylon Smith.
• Michael Mallory came off the bench to score 12 points for SCSU, who outrebounded the Yellow Jackets by a 39-35 margin.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE
The Dec. 7 victory marked the first time since the 2001-02 season that Southern Connecticut won at AIC.

LANGSTON EARNS NE-10 HONORS
Greg Langston was named to the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll five times this season:
• Against Pace on Nov. 26, the senior recorded a double-double in defeat. Langston, who led all scorers with 25 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and was one of five players to score in double figures for Southern Connecticut (Dec. 2.).
• In the Owls' 80-52 victory over Adelphi on Nov. 20,  Langston topped all scorers with 24 points. The Owls' senior, who went 12-for-19 from the floor, also grabbed six rebounds (Nov. 25).
• In the Owls' 98-74 victory over Concordia on Nov. 15,  Langston led all scorers with 28 points. The senior guard also had six rebounds and dished out three assists (Nov. 18).
• Averaged 25.0 points per game at the Bridgeport Classic (Nov. 11).

OWLS AMONG NCAA LEADERS
• Greg Langston ranks ninth in Division II averaging 24.5 points per game.
• Tylon Smith places 18th in assists per game, averaging 6.2 helpers through the first five games of the season.
• SCSU ranks second in Division II in three point field goal defense.  Opponents are shooting a mere 20 percent (21-of-105) from behind the arc (as of Dec. 1).

BALANCED ATTACK
The Owls had five players score in double figures in three of the first five games.

WILLIAMS CRASHES THE BOARDS
Stefon Williams recorded season-high 14 points and seven rebounds at Pace on Nov. 26. The sophomore had a team-high 10 rebounds in the exhibition against UConn.

LANGSTON DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Greg Langston tallied the sixth double-double (25 points, 14 rebounds) of his career at Pace on Nov. 26.

CRUZ CONTROL
Jose Cruz scored a season-high seven points against Adelphi.  The junior shot 100-percent from the floor and had three rebounds.

HOUSTON EARNS NE-10 HONORS
Luke Houston was named to the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll on Nov. 18.
• Houston recorded a double-double for the Owls against Concordia. The junior scored 15 points to go along with 10 rebounds.

SMITH NAMED NE-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tylon Smith, instrumental in SCSU earning two victories at the Bridgeport Men's Basketball Classic, was named the Northeast-10 Spalding Player of the Week on Nov. 11.
• In the Owls' 93-77 win over Molloy, the junior registered 22 points along with team-highs of 10 assists and eight rebounds. It was the seventh career double-double for the Owls' tri-captain.
• The following night, Smith had 12 of his 19 points in the second half to help SCSU earn the victory over Bridgeport, 77-73. The Owls' guard grabbed five rebounds and dished out seven assists.

LANGSTON HONORED
Greg Langston, who averaged 25.0 points per game at the Bridgeport Classic, was named to the NE-10 weekly honor roll on Nov. 11.

SCSU WINS TWICE AT BRIDGEPORT CLASSIC
Southern Connecticut opened the 2013-14 season with two victories at the Bridgeport Men's Basketball Classic, defeating Molloy, 93-77, on Nov. 9 and host Bridgeport, 77-73, on Nov. 10.
• Against Molloy, five players scored in double figures, led by a double-double from tri-captain Tylon Smith. The junior guard registered 22 points along with team-highs of 10 assists and eight rebounds. Greg Langston led all scorers in the game with 24 points. Luke Houston and Michael Mallory each posted 17 for the Owls, while Stefon Williams added 10.
• The following night, Smith had 12 of his 19 points in the second half to help SCSU earn the victory over Bridgeport. The guard grabbed five rebounds and dished out seven assists. Greg Langston led all scorers with 26 points. The senior guard also grabbed six rebounds.

IN THE PRESEASON NE-10 COACHES POLL
In the release of the Northeast-10 Conference preseason coaches' poll, the Owls were picked second in the Southwest Division. SCSU received 70 points, including one first place vote, tied for second with Saint Rose and behind the University of New Haven. 

IN SEASON OPENERS
The Owls are 28-36 all-time in season-opening games. SCSU has won its last four season openers, including an 93-77 win over Molloy to start this year.

A LOOK BACK AT THE URI GAME
SCSU held a one-point lead at halftime, but the University of Rhode Island outscored the Owls by a 52-35 margin the second half to claim a 93-77 win in an exhibition contest on Nov. 1.
• Greg Langston led the Owls with 21 points in the contest. Michael Mallory added 19 points and five rebounds, while Tylon Smith chipped in 12 points, along with team-highs of seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

A LOOK BACK AT THE UCONN GAME
Senior forward Greg Langston finished with 18 points, but the Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team dropped a 93-65 decision to No. 18/19 nationally ranked University of Connecticut in an exhibition contest on Oct. 30.
• Michael Mallory also reached double figures in the contest as he scored 13 for the Owls. Luke Houston and Austin Carter added nine points each.
• After a jumper from UConn's Shabazz Napier to open the scoring, the Owls went in front on a three-pointer from Langston. The Huskies followed with an 8-0 run to take a 10-3 lead. Southern Connecticut countered with a spurt to cut the gap to 18-14 with just over nine minutes left in the opening frame. The lead was just 23-16 approaching the eight minute timeout.
• However, the Huskies closed the half on a spurt that allowed them to extend their lead to 44-28 at the break.
• The Huskies outscored the Owls by a 49-37 margin in the second half to make it a 93-65 final.

MAKING STRIDES ON THE GLASS
Southern Connecticut outrebounded UConn by a 48-43 margin in its exhibition opener.

NEW ARRIVALS
The Owls welcome five newcomers to the squad for the 2013-14 season - Michael Mallory, Austin Carter, Michael Bozzuto, Jonathan Paul and Dominic Migliaro.

HELLO AGAIN
Southern Connecticut returns eight players from last year's squad - senior Greg Langston, juniors Jose Cruz, Luke Houston and Tylon Smith and sophomores Stefon Williams, Deshawn Murphy and Jack McCarthy and redshirt freshman Lucas Van Nes.

THE CAPTAINS
Head coach Michael Donnelly announced that senior Greg Langston and juniors Tylon Smith and Luke Houston will serve as team captains for the 2013-14 season.

ON THE BRINK
The Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team just missed out in its first NCAA Tournament berth in more than a decade. The Owls were ranked as high as No. 4 in the region during the year and closed the campaign with a 17-10 overall mark. It marked the second straight year that the Owls posted a winning record. In addition, the team also finished in fifth place in the Northeast-10 Conference, matching its highest placement since joining the league.

DONNELLY BUILDING A FOUNDATION
Owls' coach Michael Donnelly enters his fourth season at the helm of the SCSU men's basketball program in 2013-14. Over the course of his first three years, he has guided the Owls to steady win total improvements. Donnelly inherited a team that won just two games the year prior to his arrival and has since followed up with campaigns of 12, 14 and 17 victories. He has a 49-39 record as head coach at SCSU, which includes three straight trips to the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament, a program first. Prior to his hiring at SCSU in May, 2010, Donnelly spent seven years as the head coach at Post University.

SMITH NAMED TO NE-10 MEN'S HOOPS ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Tylon Smith was selected to the Northeast-10 Conference Men's Basketball All-Academic Team for his work in the classroom and on the court. He averaged 10.2 points per game and had a team-high 6.8 rebounds.

EXCELLING IN THE CLASSROOM
Southern Connecticut had four student-athletes selected to the Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for their work in the classroom during the 2012-13 academic year.

UP NEXT
SCSU returns to the hardwood on Dec. 19 when it travels to Le Moyne. The Northeast-10 Conference game will tip off at 7p.m.