Bryant faces Louisville Monday night in Gotham Classic on ESPNU
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bryant University men's basketball team continues the Houzz Gotham Classic Presented by TicketIQ with a Monday night clash at Louisville on ESPNU.
THE PARTICULARS
Opponent: Louisville
Game Time: Monday, Dec. 11 – 7 p.m.
Watch Live: ESPNU (Kevin Fitzgerald, Dino Gaudio)
Live Stats: GoCards.com
Game Notes: Bryant | Louisville
WATCH THE BULLDOGS ON ESPNU
Monday's game will be nationally televised on ESPNU, which can be seen at channel 1134 (HD)/134 (SD) on Cox and channel 573 (HD)/73 (SD) on Verizon Fios in Rhode Island. For other cable/satelite providers, check your local listings. The game is also available online and on the WatchESPN app.
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
Louisville is 6-2 on the year with wins in its last two games against Siena and Indiana. The Cardinals also have a victory over NEC preseason favorite Saint Francis U.
Deng Adel leads Louisville in scoring at 16.0 points per game. Ray Spalding is averaging just shy of a double-double at 9.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game along with 2.3 blocks per game. Anas Mahmoud entered the weekend ranking second in the nation in blocks, while the Cardinals lead the nation at 8.0 per game.
THE SERIES
Bryant and Louisville are meeting for the first time Monday. The Cardinals are the Bulldogs' second ACC opponent of the year, as Bryant was downed 95-72 by NC State (11/14).
LAST TIME OUT: MEMPHIS 90, BRYANT 72
Sophomore Ikenna Ndugba (Boston, Mass.) had his second double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 assists, but Bryant was defeated by Memphis Saturday in its second game of the Houzz Gotham Classic Presented by Ticket IQ.
CARROLL-ING IN DECEMBER
Freshman Brandon Carroll (Brewster, N.Y.) has been an integral part of the Bulldog lineup in his two December starts. Carroll had 15 points and five rebounds at Albany (12/6) and followed that with 14 points and nine rebounds at Memphis (12/9).
WE LIKE IKE
Sophomore Ikenna Ndugba is averaging 16.0 points per game over his last eight contests with at least 15 points in six of eight. Ndugba has two double-doubles during the streak: a 16-point, 10-rebound outing at Hartford (11/24) and a 17-point, 11-assist performance at Memphis (12/9). The 11 assists against the Tigers were the most by a Bryant player since Shane McLaughlin's 12-assist night at LIU Brooklyn (2/27/16).
Ndugba passed Alex Francis for fourth in Bryant's Division I era in assists in Wednesday's game at Albany and now has 185 in his career. Ndugba ranks 48th in the nation in both assists per game (5.4) and steals per game (2.2).
RESERVES SEE INCREASED ROLES AT ALBANY
Freshman Brandon Carroll made his first-career start Wednesday at Albany, scoring a career-high 15 points and adding five rebounds and three steals. Junior Taylor McHugh (Centreville, Va.) recorded a season-high 11 points, while sophomore Tanner Johnson (Lexington, Ky.) played 14 minutes off the bench and hit his first three-pointer of the year.
BK ALL DAY
Senior Bosko Kostur (Melbourne, Australia) has rebounded from a scoreless opening night to average 12.8 points over his last eight games. Kostur's 25 points vs. Navy (11/18) were one shy of his career-high.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Freshman Ryan Layman (Wrentham, Mass.) has recorded six or more rebounds in six of his first 10 collegiate contests, including a career-high nine Wednesday at Albany. Layman tallied a career-high 14 points at NC State (11/14) - his first career start.
NEXT UP: SIENA
Bryant returns home for the first time since Nov. 26 when the Bulldogs conclude their portion of the Houzz Gotham Classic Presented by TicketIQ with a Sunday afternoon clash against Siena at the Chace Athletic Center. The Bulldogs and Saints will square off at 1 p.m. on NEC Front Row.