BLOOMSBURG – The Bloomsburg University men's basketball team took tremendous strides last weekend in its return to Nelson Field House.  The Huskies get a chance to keep their impressive play alive on their home floor as they go for their third win in a row on Wednesday, Jan. 16 against Shippensburg University in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
The game will be broadcast live on WHLM (930-AM) based out of Bloomsburg with Jim Doyle and Larry White calling all the action. In addition, listeners throughout the world can listen to the game live on BU's website at www.buhuskies.com. The pre-game show will begin 20 minutes before tipoff.
 
The Huskies (4-9, 2-7 PSAC) enter the Eastern Division opener coming off wins over Lock Haven (106-98 2OT) and Clarion (66-64) last weekend.  It broke an eight-game skid for Bloomsburg as the Huskies and Raiders (2-11, 0-9) both look to open divisional play on the right foot.
 
Bloomsburg was picked third in the East in the PSAC Preseason Poll as Shippensburg was picked seventh of eight teams. BU holds a commanding lead in the head-to-head series against the Raiders, 102-61. It is the second most wins for Bloomsburg against an opponent (105 vs. Kutztown).  BU swept the season matchups last season and is on a three-game winning streak against Shippensburg.  The last Shippensburg win at Nelson Field House was a 74-72 decision in the 2010-11 season.
 
Freshman point guard Charles Haigler (Charles Town, WV/Hargrave Military Academy) was named this week's PSAC East Freshman of the Week for his play against Lock Haven and Clarion. He averaged 21.5 ppg last week and dropped a career-high 26 in the double overtime win over Lock Haven.
 
Haigler is second on the team at 12.8 points per game this season. He averages 4.2 assists per game for fourth in the PSAC, and is sixth in the PSAC with 1.8 steals per game. He has dished out four or more assists in the last seven games, and has finished above his 4.2 average in the last four games.
 
Junior guard Lorenzo Christmas (Norristown/Norristown) leads the team in scoring at 14.6 per clip. His 2.5 three-pointers per game are third in the PSAC, and his 36.7 percent from beyond the arc ranks sixth in the PSAC. Christmas has also made a three-pointer in 23 straight games.
 
Bloomsburg's bench play has risen significantly over the last three games.  After topping the 20-point mark just two times in its first 10 games, BU has produced 20 or more bench points in each of its last three games. BU had a season-high 32 points off the bench against Slippery Rock and averages 15.4 points per game off the bench.
 
Junior Nasir Jones (Philadelphia/Franklin Learning Center) has seen double-digit minutes the last three games and gives the Huskies great effort on both ends of the floor.  On a potential game-tying layup for Clarion on Saturday, Jones blocked the attempt with two seconds remaining to seal the Huskies victory. 
 
Junior forward Moustapha Noumbissi (Upper Darby/Delaware County Christian School) chipped in a career-high three blocks vs. Lock Haven off the bench, and senior guard Nnamdi Njoku (Westampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) has scored in double figures in each of the last two games while making his last 15 free throw attempts.
 
Shippensburg has dropped 10 in a row and is coming off a three-point loss to California (PA) on Saturday.  Dylan Edgar scored 21 points for the Raiders and Tony Ellis grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. 
 
Joe Lococo leads the team in scoring at 14.2 per clip with a team-high 20 steals.  Edgar averages 13.1 ppg with 7.5 rebounds while shooting 59.6 percent from the floor.  Reggie Charles rounds out the trio of double-digit scorers at 11.5 per game.
 
Following its game against Shippensburg, Bloomsburg hits the road for two straight games.  It takes on Cheyney University on Saturday, Jan. 19 for a PSAC East matchup beginning at 3 p.m.