Presbyterian College (0-6) at Army (1-3)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Christl Arena
Capacity: 5,043
Location: West Point, N.Y.
Series: First Meeting
Radio: WLBG Real Radio 860
Internet: www.GoBlueHose.com
SATURDAY'S GAME: Presbyterian College travels to West Point, N.Y. to take on the Army Knights for the first time in program history. The Blue Hose are still looking for their first win as an NCAA Division Iinstitution.
COACHES: PC head coach Gregg Nibert has the most wins in PC history with 327. He is the only coach in school history to reach the 200 and 300 win plateau and he is one season away from his third decade as the man in charge of the PC men's basketball program as the 2007-08 PC basketball season will be his 19th season at the helm of the Blue Hose. The Blue Hose have compiled a record of 327-212 during his tenure and have tallied six 20-win campaigns in his 18 years. Currently one of the top 50 winningest coaches in NCAA Division I, Army coach Jim Crews is in his seventh season in charge of the Army basketball prorgam. Crews is 36-107 at Army entering the PC game. Overall in over 23 years as a head coach, Crews is 330-316.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Black Knights are the seventh opponent for the Blue Hose this season. PC has yet to play at home in its current campaign and still has two road tilts before finally returning to the Templeton Center for its first home game of the year against Radford at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1.
A FIRST: PC is playing 21 first time opponents this season. The Blue Hose entering the Army game have played five first time opponents in the 2007-08 season. PC has only played Clemson in its history among its first six opponents.
YOU NEVER FORGET: In Clemson, the Blue Hose faced off against their first ever NCAA Division I nationally-ranked opponent. Clemson is currently ranked 22nd in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, while the Tigers check in at No. 24 currently in the Associated Press rankings.
INSIDE MAN: Freshman Al'Lonzo Coleman continued his progression towards being a strong low post threat for PC against Clemson, setting a career-high in points with 18 against the Tigers. Coleman had one of the best all around lines for a Blue Hose player against Clemson as he had 18 points, four steals and six rebounds against the Tigers.
0-6: PC's 0-6 start marks the first time under Nibert that the Blue Hose have started with six consecutive losses. Prior to this season in Nibert's 18 years the Blue Hose had only inaugurated a season with four straight losses just once, losing four consecutive to open the 1998-99 season. Despite the 0-4 loss that season, PC finished the year 20-10, promptly kicking away the sluggish start by winning seven straight games after the 0-4 start.
ALL-TOURNAMENT: Pat Kiscaden had one of the best three-game showings of his career as he ended the three games of the Basketball Travelers Invitational with a grand total of 60 points, including a career-high tying 27 in the loss to LMU on Saturday. His exploits in the three-day tournament earned him All-Tournament team plaudits. Kiscaden had a team game-high 18 points in PC's loss to New Mexico in its first game of the event on Friday and a team game-high 15 points in PC's narrow loss to St. Bonaventure on Sunday afternoon at The Pit. In total on the year, Kiscaden has led or tied for the Blue Hose team lead in scoring in four of PC's six games.
KEEP IT GOING: Kiscaden has scored 76 points overall in PC's last four games for an average of 19 points per game. Kiscaden had 16 in the Clemson game.
GETTING INTO GAME SHAPE: After trying to get back into game shape after offseason surgery, Bryan Bostic had his best game in a Blue Hose uniform in the 2007-08 season against St. Bonaventure as he finished with a season-best 12 points and six rebounds. The junior continued his strong play against Clemson as he finished as one of three Blue Hose in the Clemson game in double figures. Bostic had 10 in the game.
DOUBLE DIGITS: The Blue Hose have had three players finish in double digits in four of PC's six games. The Blue Hose have had two or more finish with 10 or more points in five of their six games. PC did not have anyone reach double figures against Radford.
PERFECT: The Blue Hose finished a game perfect from the charity stripe for the first time against Clemson. PC was a perfect 7-for-7 in the game from the free throw line.
SECONDS: The Blue Hose will have two games against two first time opponents in 2007-08 as they will play Radford twice and Army twice in a home and away series between the two schools.
THE “STUDENT” IN STUDENT-ATHLETE: All five PC seniors from last year's PC men's basketball squad graduated last May. In total, all 51 of 51 seniors during the Gregg Nibert tenure at PC have graduated.
IN THE PAINT: The Blue Hose went into halftime against Clemson having been outscored in the paint by the Tigers 22-10. PC forced its way inside against the strong Clemson interior in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 20-12 in the second half to finish just behind what many consider the strongest front line in the ACC in Clemson at 34-30 in favor of the Tigers in points in the paint.
NO PLACE LIKE IT: PC concluded its 2006-07 regular season campaign with a win over Tusculum to finish the season 12-1 at the Templeton Center. If you included the SAC Tournament quarterfinal victory over Newberry the Blue Hose ended the year 13-1 at home. Overall, at the Templeton Center over the last three years the Blue have gone 38-3 at home since the beginning of the 2004-05 basketball season.
MAKE IT SIX: The 20 wins obtained by the Blue Hose in the 2006-07 season garnered Nibert his sixth 20-win season in his 18 years at the helm of the Blue Hose.
VERY SLY: Travis Sligh finished the Clemson game with a career-high tying eight rebounds.
PC LAST TIME OUT: Presbyterian College pulled to within three in the second half but could not get any closer as No. 22 Clemson pulled away for a 74-57 victory over the Blue Hose before 7,313 on Wednesday evening Littlejohn Coliseum. The Blue Hose fell to 0-6 on the season with the loss, while Clemson stayed perfect with the victory, improving to 4-0. PC Freshman Al'Lonzo Coleman continued his strong progression into an inside presence for the Blue Hose against Clemson, scoring a career-best 18 points. Coleman also had four steals and six rebounds in the game. Coleman was 7-for-12 from the field in the game and a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Pat Kiscaden (Oviedo, Fla.) continued his recent string of stellar play in the loss, finishing the game with 16 points. Kiscaden had all four Blue Hose three-pointers in the game. In total, three Blue Hose finished in double digits as Bryan Bostic had 10 in 29 minutes of action for PC.
ON THE RADIO: The 2007-08 season will mark the beginning of a new era of radio for PC men's basketball as it will be the first season that new radio flagship Real Radio 860 WLBG will broadcast PC men's basketball. John Avery will provide play-by-play for the majority of the games, while Erskine College Vice President for Advancement and Mayor of Due West, S.C. Ralph Paterson will join Avery for many Blue Hose men's basketball games. When Patterson is not available, PC Director of Sports Information and Game Operations Brian Hand will join Avery to help cover all the Blue Hose action. Avery will be on the call for PC's first ever tilt with the Black Knights.
ARMY LAST SEASON: The Black Knights had one of their best seasons in quite some time in the 2006-07 season, claiming 15 wins last year for the first time since the 1984-85 season. The Black Knights concluded the year 15-16 overall, which included a 4-10 mark in Patriot League action. The Black Knights were 10-4 overall at home last season, including 6-1 against non-conference opponents.
ARMY THIS SEASON: Army welcomes Presbyterian College to Christl Arena owning a 1-3 record in the 2007-08 season. The Black Knights have a win over Sacred Heart, but have fallen to Minnesota, Long Island and Cornell. PC is Army's second home game of the season. The Black Knights are 0-1 on the year at Christl after their loss to Long Island on Friday, Nov. 16.
ARMY LAST TIME OUT: The Army men's basketball team had its highest offensive output of the season, but it was not enough in a 93-78 loss to the Cornell Big Red on Tuesday night. Senior guard Jarell Brown led the Black Knights with 30 points, tying his career high. Brown scored 19 of his points in the second half, hitting 5-of-7 shots, including two of his three attempts from behind the arc after halftime. He finished the game 9-of -14 from the field, including 5-of-7 from deep. Brown also hit 7-of-8 foul shots. Sophomore guard Josh Miller posted the exact same stat line of 14 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists for the second straight game, tying his career best in each category.
ARMY STATISTICALLY: A second-team All-Patriot League selection last season, Brown from his guard position is leading the Black Knights for the second straight season in scoring. Brown is currently averaging 16.3 points per game. The 6-foot-2, 183-pound preseason All-Patriot League selection is shooting 43 percent from the field overall and from three-point range. Brown forms a strong backcourt tandem with Josh Miller, who at 6-foot and 185 pounds is Army's leading rebounder with 21 plucked in the 2007-08 season for an average of 5.3 caroms per contest. Miller is averaging a team second-best 10.8 points-per-game. The duo is two of three Black Knights currently averaging double figures as 6-foot-5 junior forward Kenny Brewer enters Saturday's game against PC averaging 10.5 points per game.
