Central Connecticut returns to action on Sunday with a trip to UMass Lowell for a 1:00 p.m. tipoff at the Costello Athletic Center. The Blue Devils, who are in the midst of a seven-game road swing, will be looking to snap a four-game skid after falling at Yale on Tuesday night. UMass Lowell, also on a four-game losing streak, will be facing its second straight Northeast Conference opponent after falling at Sacred Heart last time out.
CCSU will be facing its fourth America East foe of the season, having gone 2-1 thus far. UML will be squaring off against is fourth NEC opponent, having gone 1-2 thus far.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
CCSU (2-7) at UMass Lowell (2-8) | 1:00 PM | Americaeast.tv | Live Stats | Listen (News Radio 1410)
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Talent: Bruce Biel (Play-by-Play), Marc Robbins (Analyst)
Twitter: @KizerBlueDevil (in-game updates)
CCSU Notes | UMass Lowell Notes
Series Notes:
• Series Record: CCSU leads, 9-2
• First Meeting: Feb. 22, 1956 (CCSU, 69-67)
• Last Meeting: Dec. 18, 2015 (CCSU, 83-79)
• Last CCSU Win: Dec. 18, 2015 (83-79)
• Current CCSU Streak: W5
• Last UMass Lowell Win: Jan. 12, 1983 (64-65)
CCSU Notes:
• Sophomore
Austin Nehls scored a season-high 19 points at Yale, hitting four three-pointers. He currently leads the Northeast Conference with a .480 three-point shooting percentage.
•
Senior Tidell Pierre scored double-figures for the third time in four games. He was named a NEC Prime Performer after shooting 73.3 percent and averaging 13.0 points per game at Rutgers and at Duquesne
. Since being inserted into the starting lineup five games ago he is averaging 10.6 ppg and 5.2 rpg.• Senior
Khalen Cumberlander ranks second among returnees in the Northeast Conference with 855 career points. He is sixth with 209 assists.
• Central had four players in double-figures at Yale, the fifth time this season that four or more Blue Devils have scored at least 10 points in a game.
UMass Lowell Notes:
• Jahad Thomas had 21 points and eight rebounds to lead UMass Lowell at Sacred Heart. He has logged three 20-point games this season.
• Matt Harris (12.5 ppg) and Livingston (12.3 ppg), along with Thomas (16.1 ppg), give the River Hawks three players averaging double-figures this season.
• UML has taken advantage of its opportunities at the foul line, shooting .818 on free throws (184-of-225), which leads the America East.
Last Time Out
Four players scored in double-figures for Central Connecticut, but a hot-shooting Yale team took a 90-59 win in men's basketball action at John J. Lee Amphitheater. Sophomore
Austin Nehls led CCSU with 19 points, but the Blue Devils fall to 2-7 on the season.
Yale, which shot 57.9 percent overall, had four players in double-figures as well to win its 18th straight at home and improve to 6-4 on the season.
The Bulldogs led throughout and used an 11-0 run midway through the first half to push its lead to double-figures and take control of the game. Senior
Tidell Pierre hit a foul shot at the 12:31 mark to get CCSU within 15-9. Miye Oni would hit a pair of three-pointers on either end of five straight points by Anthony Dallier. Oni's second three-pointer would make it 26-9 at the 10:00 mark.
Central would go 5:34 between field goals, both made by senior
Khalen Cumberlander, and Yale would build a 44-28 lead at halftime.
The Blue Devils would be unable to get closer than 48-34 on a jumper by junior
Kevin Seymour the rest of the way. Yale would hit a pair of foul shots with 0:45 to play for the final margin.
Nehls finished the night with four three-pointers and was 5-of-5 at the foul line to lead CCSU. Pierre finished with 12 points and five rebounds, while senior
Tafari Whittinghamadded 12 points and a team-high six rebounds. Senior
Khalen Cumberlander finished with 10 points.
Central was just 20-of-54 (.370) from the field on the night and 5-of-16 (.313) from the arc.
Up Next
CCSU will play its final non-conference game and fifth straight road game at Fordham on Wednesday. CCSU's current seven-game road swing is its longest since 2014-15 (eight, 1-7). The Blue Devils open Northeast Conference action on Dec. 29 and Dec. 31 with road games at Wagner and St. Francis Brooklyn, respectively. CCSU will return home on January 5 against Sacred Heart in NEC play.
