District of Columbia Men’s Basketball Visits NYIT in ECC Clash

2012-13 University of the District of Columbia Men's Basketball Game Notes

District of Columbia (1-9, 0-2 ECC) at NYIT (7-4, 2-0 ECC)

Saturday, January 5^th – Recreation Hall (Old Westbury, NY)

Opening Tip-Off

District of Columbia returns to East Coast Conference play on Saturday, January 5^th as it visits a streaking NYIT squad at Recreation Hall. Tip-off is at 2 p.m. Follow Live Stats and Live Video, courtesy of NYIT.

Updating the Firebirds

District of Columbia currently owns the East Region's longest losing streak of eight straight games after a back-breaking, 91-90 loss to UMass Lowell on Sunday afternoon. The Firebirds, who came back from a 21-point second half deficit to pull within one, looked as if they might pull out of their early-season funk with a spirited comeback win, but alas, they surrendered two consecutive offensive rebounds when the Riverhawks clanked four straight free-throws in the waning moments of regulation, and allowed UMass Lowell to escape with a one-point victory. Junior transfer guard Quasim Jones (Business Management – Philadelphia, PA/Johnson CC) was named ECC Honorable Mention on Monday for his performance at UML of 24 points, seven assists and four rebounds. He continues to lead the team with 13.8 points and 4.6 assists per-game. Fellow junior transfer backcourt mate Michael Terry (Criminal Justice – Philadelphia, PA/Boston U.), who scored 21 points and was critical in leading the Firebirds back from their 21-point hole at Lowell, is close behind, averaging 12.6 points per-game.

Scouting NYIT

The Bears come into Saturday's game having won four of their last five, including a 71-57 victory over Nyack on its home floor, Wednesday night. Four different NYIT players scored in double-figures as the Bears defeated Nyack for the second time this season. They are led by 6-foot-5, 225 lb. senior swingman Kayvon Roberts, who ranks 6^th in the league in scoring with 16.1 points per-game and 9^th in rebounding with 7.1 rebounds per-game. Also having a big season for NYIT is former Firebird, Phil Izevbehai.  A guard out of Huntington, NY, Izevbehai played the last two seasons at District of Columbia before transferring closer to home to play for NYIT.  He currently ranks 12^th in the league in scoring with 13.5 ppg and ranks 7^th in three-point FG pct., shooting at a 37-percent clip. Also, Azel Prather, Jr., a 6-foot-6, 230 lb. senior forward/center, has been a force inside, averaging nearly a double-double of 9.8 ppg and an ECC-4^th best 8.0 rpg.

The Matchup

Saturday's game pits the 2-0 Bears vs. the 0-2 Firebirds, as NYIT looks to stay unbeaten in conference play and District of Columbia seeks its first conference win of the season. The Firebirds have dominated the all-time series, 10-1, including a season-sweep last season. District of Columbia blew out the Bears, 109-73 at Rec Hall the last time these two schools met.