The Saint Augustine's University men's basketball team will host Virginia State University at Emery Gymnasium on the Harvey D. Heartley, Sr. Court in Raleigh, N.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.
Records
The Falcons are 5-4 overall. The Trojans are 5-2 overall, 1-0 in the CIAA and 1-0 in the Northern Division.
Media Coverage
Live stats - http://hbculivestats.com/staug/mbball/
Ticket Prices
Ticket prices are $13 for general admission and $8.50 for faculty, staff, military personal with identification (ID), visiting college students with ID and children ages 6 to 12. The doubleheader is free for Saint Augustine's University students with ID and children ages 5 and under.
Story Line
The contest is the CIAA opener for the Falcons, who are on a two-game win streak.
Last Meeting
The Falcons lost to Virginia State 71-53 in Ettrick, Va., on Feb. 4, 2015. Anthony Gaskins scored 14 points and Quincy January had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Last Game
Keith Crawford (Sr./Richmond, VA) scored a career-high 21 points and Quincy January (So./Atlanta, GA) added 16 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks as the Falcons came from behind to down Morris College 73-67 at Emery Gymnasium on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015. The Falcons rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half to gain its second straight victory. Trailing 57-46 with 13:15 remaining, the Falcons outscored the Hornets 18-6 for a 64-63 lead. Crawford scored 10 consecutive points during the run. His second consecutive three-pointer gave the Falcons a 64-63 lead with 6:24 remaining in the contest. The score was tied twice before the Falcons finished off the Hornets. With the game tied 67-67, the Falcons scored six points in the final 2:10 including 4 of 4 free throw shooting by Crawford in the last 27 seconds.
About the Falcons' Head Coach
MarQus Johnson is in his second season as the Falcons' head men's basketball coach. In his first season, Johnson coached guard Raheem Jolliffe to All-CIAA honors and forward Quincy January to CIAA Rookie of the Year honors. Johnson was elevated to head coach after two seasons as assistant men's basketball coach for the Falcons from 2012 to 2014. He was previously an assistant coach at Saint Augustine's University from 2008 to 2010. In the 2009-10 season, Johnson helped direct the Falcons to their second CIAA championship in school history. That squad advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament and earned a national top 25 ranking.
Falcons Stingy On Defense
The Falcons rank second in the CIAA in points per game allowed (66.7). They rank second in the conference and 14th nationally in Division II in three-point field goal defense (28.7 percent). The Falcons are fourth in the conference in field-goal defense (40.1 percent).
Falcons Aggressive On The Boards
The Falcons are third in the league in rebound margin per game (5.7).
Falcons Accurate From Three-Point Range
The Falcons are third in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (35.4).
January Records Four Straight Double-Doubles
Quincy January (So./Atlanta, GA) has been on a tear of late. He has posted double figures in points and rebounds the past four games. The second-year forward is averaging 18.3 points and 13.8 rebounds in the last four games. He has five double-doubles in nine games this season which ranks 10th nationally in Division II.
January Leads The CIAA In Rebounding
Quincy January (So./Atlanta, GA) is a big reason why the Falcons are among the CIAA rebounding leaders. The high-leaping forward leads the CIAA in rebounds per game (9.6). He also is the team's second-leading scorer with a 14.0 average on 55 percent field goal shooting. January is a Preseason All-CIAA pick who was the league's rookie of the year last season.
Gaskins Leads Falcons In Scoring
Preseason All-CIAA pick Anthony Gaskins (Jr./Greenville, NC) is picking up where he left off last season. He leads the Falcons in scoring with a 17-point average despite missing four games due to injury.
Crawford Steady In Backcourt
Keith Crawford (Sr./Richmond, VA) is a veteran floor leader for the Falcons. He is third on the team in points per game (13.0) and is second in assists per game (3.1). He also averages 3.1 rebounds and one steal per game.
Blow, Jr. Returns To Emery Gymnasium
Tuesday's contest marks the return of Virginia State Head Coach Lonnie Blow, Jr. He was the head coach at Saint Augustine's University from 2008 to 2010 and the 2012-13 season. Blow was the head coach and current Falcons' coach MarQus Johnson was the assistant when the Falcons claimed the 2010 CIAA championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The conference title was the second in school history. This will be Blow's second appearance at Emery Gymnasium as the Trojans' head coach.
About The Opponent
Elijah Moore leads the Trojans with a 12-point average. Walter Williams and Kevin Williams average 11.6 and 11 points per game, respectively. The Trojans rank first in the CIAA and fifth nationally in Division II in field goal percentage defense (36.3). They also rank second in the conference and fifth nationally in offensive rebounds per game (16.0).
