2016-17 Southern Connecticut State University Men's Basketball Notes
Games 5-6
Southern Connecticut State University (3-1, 1-0 Northeast-10) vs. American International College (1-3, 0-2 NE-10)  
Nov. 22 • 7:30 p.m. • Springfield, Mass. 
LINKS: Live Stats | Live Video
 SCSU vs. Nova Southeastern University (1-2, 1-1 Sunshine State Conference) 
Nov. 27 • 2 p.m. • Fort Lauderdale, FL 
LINKS: Live Stats | Live Video

PDF Game Notes | SCSU Roster | SCSU Schedule | 2016 Combined Stats

The Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team will play its next two games on the road beginning with a Northeast-10 Conference showdown against American International College on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m., followed by Nova Southeastern University on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m.

ALL-TIME VS. AIC
The Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series versus the Owls with a record of 49-26. The Owls defeated the Yellow Jackets in both of its meetings last year.
Game 1 - SCSU 107, AIC 94 - Senior Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.) knocked down nine three-pointers in a 43-point effort.
Game 2 - SCSU 89, AIC 77 - Senior Austin Carter (Bloomfield, Conn.) grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds along with 18 points. 

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
AIC (1-3, 0-2 NE-10) suffered losses from Bridgeport, Saint Rose College and Adelphi. The Yellow Jackets captured its first win on the year against Holy Family University, 94-84. Through its first four games, AIC is averaging 71 points per game and are allowing 78.8 ppg. The Yellow Jackets have five players averaging 10 points or more. Junior Tahlib Swan (15.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg) leads the team in scoring followed by sophomore Jayvon Pitts (14.0 ppg and 3.0 rpg).

ALL-TIME VS. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY  
This will be the first time both programs face each other. 

SCOUTING THE SHARKS
Nova Southeastern University (1-2, 1-1 SSC) is averaging 73 points per game and are allowing 76.3 ppg. The Sharks were defeated by St. Thomas University and the University of Tampa. Its only win on the year came in a 76-40 effort against Palm Beach Atlantic University. The Sharks are led by senior Harrison Goodrick (14.7 ppg and 6.7 rpg) and juniors BJ Edwards (13.3 ppg and 2.7 rpg) and Gerard Tarin (13 ppg and 7 rpg). 

LAST TWO GAMES FOR THE OWLS
SCSU secured two wins last week against Adelphi University (82-70) and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (81-71).

MALLORY NAMED SPALDING NE-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Michael Mallory has been named Spalding Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Week following his stellar performances last week against Adelphi and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Mallory averaged 31.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 3.0 apg in two wins last week. Mallory also ranks sixth in the country in scoring with 28.3 ppg.

EYEING FIRST PLACE
Michael Mallory is 29 points shy of breaking the program's all-time scoring record held by Rich Radicioni, who set the record in 1990. Mallory now has 1,908 career points.

AUSTIN CARTER LOOKING TO MOVE UP
After grabbing a combined 19 rebounds in two games last week, Austin Carter is 11 rebounds shy in passing Jon Blandin (558) for 12th all-time in rebounds. 

MAKING HIS PRESENCE FELT
Junior Jerry Luckett, Jr. (18.5 ppg and 5.8 rpg) has scored over 15 points in three of the Owls' four games.

NE-10 RANKINGS
The Owls are first in points per game (89.3), free-throw percentage (80.4) and offensive rebounds per game (13.3). SCSU also ranks second in rebounds per game with 43.

TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
SCSU has four players scoring in double figures:

OWLS RANKED THIRD
SCSU nabbed a third place ranking in th D2SIDA men's basketball East Region Poll. 

IN THE PRESEASON RANKINGS
SCSU has been well-recognized in both the conference and national polls.
- Northeast-10 Conference: No. 1 in the Southwest Division 
- Division II Bulletin: No. 4
- NABC Coaches' Poll: No. 13 
- D2SIDA National Poll: No. 15

RECAPPING LAST YEAR
The Owls are coming off a year in which they went 22-8, finished first in the NE-10 Conference Southwest Division and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. The Owls elevated as high as No. 2 in the national rankings last season.

A FINE FIRST SEASON
Owls' coach Scott Burrell was selected the 2016 ECAC Coach of the Year after leading the Owls to 22 wins and a NCAA berth in his first season. 

RETURNING STARTERS
Southern Connecticut will be led by senior Michael Mallory, who led the team with 23 points per game and was selected as an All-American, All-ECAC, All-Region and All-Northeast-10 Conference performer. Classmate Austin Carter averaged 9.8 points per game, 7.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks and was named 2015-16 Northeast-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Sophomore Joey Wallace averaged 7.7 points per game and 4.2 rebounds and was named to the NE-10 All-Rookie Team. 

MALLORY CHOSEN TO PRESEASON "SUPER 16" TEAM
Michael Mallory has been selected to the Division II Bulletin's preseason "Super 16" Team. 

MALLORY NAMED SPORTING NEWS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
For the second year in a row, Michael Mallory was named to the Sporting News preseason All-America Team. 

SOME RECORDS OWNED, MORE WITHIN REACH
Michael Mallory set a new SCSU single-season program record with 95 three-pointers made last year and is also currently the Owls' all-time leader in three-pointers made with 260 and three-point attempts with 670. He also holds Southern's single-game scoring record with 47 points in a January, 2016 win over Bentley.

CARTER DOES IT DEFENSIVELY
Austin Carter  ranks third all-time at SCSU with 172 blocked shots. He's also 12th all-time in career rebounds with 548 boards. The senior earned the 2015 Northeast-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award.

HEAD OF THE PACK
Seniors Michael Mallory and Austin Carter will serve as team captains for the 2016-17 season. 

WELCOME TO THE CLUB
The Owls welcome junior Jerry Luckett, Jr. sophomore Bernard Brantley and freshmen Noah Miree, Donte Etheridge and Taurus Adams II to the team this year.

WELCOME BACK
Southern Connecticut returns nine players from last year's squad - seniors  Michael Bozzuto, Austin Carter, Michael Mallory, Dominic Migliaro, Jonathan Paul and sophomores Toby Christensen, Isaiah McLeod and Joey Wallace.

TOUGH PLACE TO PLAY
Moore Field House has been a tough place to play for the Owls who are 38-8 (.827) at home since the start of the 2013-14 season. SCSU has been even better in NE-10 action with a 29-2 mark (.936) in league games.

FACING SOME TOUGH COMPETITION
The Owls will face five teams that reached the NCAA Division II Tournament a year ago – Bentley, Holy Family, Southern New Hampshire, Stonehill and Saint Anselm.

RECENT SEASON-OPENING SUCCESS
The Owls have been victorious in their last six season-opening games dating back to the 2010-11 season, defeating Molloy, Goldey Beacom, Post, Chestnut Hill, Dominican and Dowling.

THRIVING IN THE CLASSROOM
For the second year in a row, the Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team was recognized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as a recipient of the 2015-16 Team Academic Excellence Award for its success in the classroom. In addition, five members of the team were selected as honorees for the 2016 NABC Honors Court - Michael Bozzuto, Austin Carter, Michael Mallory, Jonathan Paul.

UP NEXT
The Owls head back home to take on the University of New Haven on Wednesday, Nov 30 at 7:30 p.m.