Men's Basketball | 12/17/2018 11:32:00 AM

THE DETAILS
Bloomsburg (3-4, 1-2 PSAC East) at California (2-6, 0-2 PSAC West)
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 - 3:00 p.m.
Convocation Center - California, Pa.

Bloomsburg at Slippery Rock (4-5, 1-1 PSAC West)
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 - 7:30 p.m.
Morrow Field House - Slippery Rock, Pa.

GAME COVERAGE
Live Stats (TUESDAY) - CLICK HERE
Live Stats (WEDNESDAY) - CLICK HERE
Live Video (TUESDAY) - CLICK HERE
Live Video (WEDNESDAY) - CLICK HERE
Live Audio (BOTH GAMES) - CLICK HERE

RELATED LINKS
Bloomsburg - Schedule | Roster | Statistics
California - Schedule | Roster | Statistics
Slippery Rock - Schedule | Roster | Statistics

STORYLINE
The Bloomsburg University men's basketball team returns to action on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday night with PSAC contests at California and Slippery Rock, respectively. The Huskies have not played since Saturday, December 8, when they suffered a 95-47 loss at Mercyhurst.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Bloomsburg is just 5-18 lifetime against California in the all-time series. Last season, the Vulcans defeated the Huskies, 94-79, at the Nelson Field House. Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) led Bloomsburg with 31 points while Kyle-Michael Rose (Middletown, Del./Sanford School) had 12 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocked shots. The Vulcans, meanwhile, had five players in double figures led by Jahmere Howze's 24 points in 29 minutes off the bench. Isaiah Lewis flirted with a triple-double as he finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists.

Against Slippery Rock, the Huskies are 12-13 in 25 previous meetings. Last season, The Rock edged Bloomsburg, 77-74, at the Nelson Field House. The Huskies had a chance to tie the game, or take the lead, with six seconds left before a turnover ended Bloomsburg's thoughts of last-second heroics. Ky Mauras (Reading, Pa./Reading) led the Huskies with 21 points while Hashim Moore (Sunrise, Fla./Hun School) finished with 17 and Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) added 12. Micah Till had a monster game for Slippery Rock as he led the visitors with 32 points and 14 rebounds
 
SCOUTING BLOOMSBURG
Bloomsburg has not played since Saturday, December 8, when it suffered a 95-47 loss at Mercyhurst. Freshman Travis Elmore (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) reached double figures for the seventh straight time to start his collegiate career as he led the Huskies with 12 points and five rebounds. Fellow freshman Sekou Fofana (Upper Darby, Pa./Springfield Commonwealth) made his first career start and finished with a career-high 11 points to go along with five rebounds. Junior Austin Harriott (Philadelphia, Pa./Hun School) added seven points, four rebounds, and four blocked shots. The trio combined for 30 points and shot 10-of-19 (52.6%) from the field. The rest of the team combined to score 17 points on 6-of-33 (18.1%) from the floor. In his first collegiate season, Elmore is averaging 14.1 points - second on the team - and a team-high 7.1 rebounds. He ranks in the top 25 in the PSAC in both points and rebounds and is tied for fourth in the league by averaging 1.4 blocks per game. Junior Ky Mauras (Reading, Pa./Reading) scored a season-low three points against the Lakers and dropped to seventh in the league in scoring at 19.3 points per game and has scored at least 20 points in four of his six games played. Mauras also averages 4.5 rebounds and leads the team with 21 assists. Redshirt junior Sam Saxton (York, Pa./Central York) is also in double figures by averaging 10.7 points per game while also pulling down 5.3 boards per contest. He leads the team with eight triples and had a career-high 24 points against Edinboro on December 2. Harriott chips in 7.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest while ranking second on the team with eight blocks. The Huskies are tied for 14th in the PSAC in scoring offense (70.6) and are 16th in the league in scoring defense (85.7). Bloomsburg has struggled shooting the basketball as it ranks last, or second-to-last, in field goal percentage (41.2%), three-point percentage (24.6%), and free-throw percentage (58.0%). The Huskies have also struggled with turnovers as they average 17.0 miscues per game while ranking last in turnover margin (-4.43).

SCOUTING CALIFORNIA
The Vulcans are 2-6 overall and 0-2 in the PSAC West but are coming off of a 90-84 victory over Kentucky State on day two of the Joe Manchin Classic, hosted by Salem, on Sunday, December 9. California's other victory came against Davis & Elkins by the final of 63-55 back on November 27. Only eight players have seen the floor at some point for the Vulcans this season but five of those players are averaging double figures in scoring. Brent Pegram leads the way at 13.6 points per game. He also leads the team with 37 assists and is tied for the team lead in both three pointers (12) and steals (16). Jermaine Hall Jr. averages 12.9 points with a team-high 7.6 rebounds. Zyan Collins (12.4), Collin MacAdams (11.8), and Donte' Williams (10.3) also average double digits on the year. California is 16th in the PSAC in scoring offense (66.5 ppg) and 11th in scoring defense (76.8 ppg). California's main weakness thus far has been on the glass as it ranks 16th in the conference in rebounding margin (-8.9).

SCOUTING SLIPPERY ROCK
Slippery Rock, which plays Lock Haven at home on Tuesday night, enters the two-game stretch with a 4-5 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the PSAC West. The Rock are coming off of a 79-51 victory at Salem University on December 15. The offense runs through two players - Micah Till and Jared Armstrong. Till is second in the league in scoring at 21.1 points per game while ranking sixth in the league in rebounding at 8.6 board per contest. He has two double-doubles this season and shoots 52.7% from the field. Armstrong is 11th in the conference at 17.9 points per game on the season. He shoots 54.7% from the field and is fifth in the league in three-point percentage at 45.2% (28-of-62). The duo averages 39 of the team's 81.1 points per game which ranks fifth in the league. Five other players average at least five points per game. Also keep an eye on Vinny Lasley who averages 6.7 points but is third in the PSAC in rebounding at 9.2 boards per contest. Defensively, Slippery Rock is eighth by allowing 71.4 points per contest. The Rock are fifth in the league in rebounding margin (+4.9) and fourth in turnover margin (+2.67).

UP NEXT
The Huskies will be off until Wednesday, January 2, when they return to the Nelson Field House to host Lock Haven University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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