Bears Put Four-Game Winning Streak on the Line at Canisius

Tuesday, January 8

Buffalo, NY

7:00 pm

Brown University

Canisius College

Photo by: David Silverman Photography

Bears Put Four-Game Winning Streak on the Line at Canisius

1/6/2019 7:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

MBB Game Notes Canisius 1 8 19

Providence, R.I. - In its final Division I non-league tune-up before the start of Ivy League play, Brown will put its four-game winning streak on the line with a Tuesday, January 8 match-up against Canisius in Buffalo, N.Y. Tip-off at the Koessler Athletic Center is 7:00 pm on ESPN+ and WPRV AM-790..

The Bears:  Brown (10-4) won for the fourth straight time and captured its school record 10^thgame of the season with a 75-67 win over Maine last Wednesday evening at the Pizzitola Sports Center. Desmond Cambridge led four double figure Brown scorers with 19 points, helping the Bears stay undefeated (7-0) at home. The Bears, who connected on 19-of-20 free throws against Maine, lead the Ivy League in scoring defense (66.3 ppg), 3-point defense (.263) and field goal defense (.390).

About the Golden Griffins:  Canisius (5-8), a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), is coming off a two-game road trip with a consecutive league wins over Marist (75-72) and Siena (70-66). The Golden Griffins have also registered wins over Bucknell (82-73), Robert Morris (68-62) and Elon (92-91), with losses to Albany (75-66), #13 Florida State (93-61), Villanova (83-56), Memphis (71-63), UAB (68-58), St. Bonaventure (70-55), Holy Cross (65-63) and #21 Buffalo (87-72).

The Brown-Canisius Series Record – 7^thMeeting:  Brown and Canisius have met six times, dating back to 1959-60, with the Golden Griffiths holding a 5-1 series advantage. Canisius has won the last four meetings, including a 59-55 decision in 2005-06, the last time the two teams met. Brown's win over Canisius came in 1967-68, an 81-62 Bears victory.

Obi Okolie – Veteran Scorer Returns:  Bears' senior guard Obi Okolie (Ajax, Ontario) is the steadying influence on the Brown team and is averaging 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Okolie ranks second in the Ivy League in 3-point shooting (.500). He scored 13 points with 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the three-point arc, grabbed four rebounds and handed out five assists in Brown's win over San Diego State. Okolie tossed in 10 points on perfect 4-of-4 shooting against Marist after scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds in Brown's win over Stony Brook.  He found his stroke vs. Butler with 11 points, knocking down a career high three treys on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. Okolie had seven rebounds vs. UMass Lowell and scored in double figures vs. Sacred Heart (11 points) and Army (10 points). He had six rebounds vs. Rhode Island and his four assists vs. Bryant led the Bears. Okolie opened the season with 17 points and six rebounds vs. LIU-Brooklyn.  Okolie has been a mainstay in the lineup since his freshman season, averaging 9.3 points per game.  Last year, Okolie grabbed 4.0 rebounds per game and scored in double figures nine times, scoring a season high 17 points, while grabbing nine rebounds, against Princeton on the final weekend of the season.

Joshua Howard Inside: Junior forward Joshua Howard (Charlotte, NC) leads the Bears and ranks fifth in the Ivy League in shooting percentage (.590).  Howard scored 10 points and pulled down a team high five rebounds in Brown's win over Maine. He tossed in 11 points vs. San Diego State on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, while grabbing five rebounds. Howard scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half on 5-of-6 shooting from the field to help Brown beat Marist. He scored nine points vs. Butler on 4-of-6 shooting from the field. Howard had 13 points vs. Navy on 5-of-9 shooting, while pulling down five rebounds and blocking a career high three shots. He tossed in 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds vs. Bryant and added eight points and five rebounds vs. Rhode Island.  Howard had 11 points and three rebounds in Brown's season opener vs. LIU-Brooklyn and came back by matching his career rebounding high with 11 rebounds vs. NJIT. He netted 11 points vs. Salve Regina on 3-of-3 shooting from the field, while grabbing four rebounds. Howard scored 10 points vs. Sacred Heart and just missed a double-double vs. Army with eight points and 10 rebounds.  He earned 16 starts for the Bears a year ago and averaged 5.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. His dad, Juwan Howard, was a member of Michigan's Fab Five and a 22-year NBA player.

Brandon Anderson – Ivy League's Third Leading Returning Scorer:  Junior guard Brandon Anderson (Mahwah, NJ) ranks eighth in the Ivy League with 3.2 assists per game and fourth in the league with 1.5 steals per game. He hit 6-of-6 free throws in scoring eight points against Maine. Anderson scored nine points vs. San Diego State and had five points and five assists vs. Marist. He matched his career high with seven assists vs. Navy while adding 10 points. Anderson opened the season by scoring 17 points and handing out four assists vs. LIU-Brooklyn. He was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Brown Tip-Off Classic after scoring 12 points vs. UMass Lowell, 10 points vs. Sacred Heart and a game high 16 points vs. Army. Anderson tossed in 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field vs. Bryant and registered 11 points and handed out five assists vs. Salve Regina. Last year, he ranked third in the Ivy League in scoring with 17.3 points per game and was second in the conference with 3.9 assists per game. He connected on 169-of-196 free throws (.862), third best in the Ivy League. His anticipation also helped his overall game, ranking second in the conference with 1.5 steals per game. He tossed in a career high 26 points against Northwestern.
Anderson's Career Points:    841                  Anderson's Career Assists:   201

Choh – Ivy League's Leading Rebounder:  Sophomore forward Tamenang Choh (Lowell, MA) leads the Ivy League in rebounding (7.9 per game), ranks sixth in blocked shots (1.1 per game) and 10^th in assists (3.1 apg.).  He scored 11 points in Brown's win over Maine. Choh sparked the Bears to a win over San Diego State with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field, including 2-of-2 from beyond the three point arc, while grabbing six rebounds and handing out six assists. He dominated Stony Brook with a double-double - 20 points and 12 rebounds.  Choh pulled down a game high 10 rebounds vs. Butler, while adding eight points and three assists. He scored eight points, grabbed eight rebounds, handed out four assists and made a career high three steals vs. Navy.  Choh posted a double-double performance with 12 points and a career high 13 rebounds vs. Rhode Island. He blocked a career high five shots vs. Bryant, while scoring 12 points against the Bulldogs. Choh was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Brown Tip-Off Classic after scoring 10 points and grabbing nine rebounds vs. Sacred Heart, and coming back with a double-double vs. Army (12 points, 10 rebounds). He scored a team high 13 points vs. Salve Regina and had a big game vs. LIU-Brooklyn with nine points, and then career highs in rebounds (12), assists (6) and blocked shots (3).  Choh scored a team high 17 points against NJIT. Last year, he came on strong down the stretch in a starting role, scoring a career high 23 points, while grabbing nine rebounds in Brown's final game against Penn.  A relentless rebounder, he led the Bears with 5.4 rebounds per game, 7.0 rebounds in conference play. He was Brown's fifth leading scorer (7.2 ppg) a year ago.

Cambridge- Top 10 Mid Major Prospect To Watch:  One of the most dynamic and explosive players in Brown history, sophomore forward Desmond Cambridge (Nashville, TN) was named a Top-10 Mid-Major Prospect to Watch for 2018-19.  His 18.0 points per game are third in the Ivy League, and he ranks second in the league in blocked shots (1.7 per game) and fifth in 3-point field goals made (2.6). He tossed in a team high 19 points in Brown's win over Maine.  Cambridge dominated and was named the Ivy League Player of the Week for his play vs. San Diego State with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field, including a sizzling 7-of-11 from beyond the three-point arc. His seven treys against the Aztecs are eighth in the Brown record book and matched his career high.  He was named the Ivy League Player of the Week after scoring 30 points on the road against Marist on 12-of-18 shooting from the field, including 6-of-11 from beyond the three point arc. Cambridge scored 16 points and blocked a career high five shots vs. Stony Brook. Cambridge exploded for a season high 29 points vs. Navy, connecting on 12-of-18 field goals, including 5-of-11 treys, while pulling down seven rebounds. His 15 points vs. Butler led the Bears. He scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots in Brown's win over Bryant. Cambridge was named the MVP of the Brown Tip-Off Classic after scoring 23 points vs. UMass Lowell, 23 points vs. Sacred Heart and 13 points with three blocked shots vs. Army. Cambridge opened the season with 13 points and four blocked shots vs. LIU-Brooklyn. Cambridge was the unanimous Ivy League Rookie of the Year after setting a Brown freshman scoring record with 468 points, eclipsing the previous mark of 460 points by Brown's all-time leading scorer Earl Hunt in 2000. A six-time Ivy League Rookie of the Week, Cambridge, who also earned Second Team All-Ivy honors, ranked third in the Ivy League in overall scoring with 17.3 points per game and second in conference scoring with 18.6 points per game. The only Brown player to start all 27 games, he scored in double figures in 24 of Brown's 27 games and scored 20 or more points eight times, including a career high 33 points against Marist.

Sullivan Takes Leadership Role:Senior guard and two-year team captain Chris Sullivan (Wilmette, IL) played in all 27 games a year ago and is effective coming off the bench to provide a defensive presence for the Bears.  Sullivan had three points and three rebounds vs. Stony Brook and netted three points and two rebounds vs. Maine. He knocked down a trey and had two assists vs. Navy and scored four points vs. NJIT and a season high 11 points vs. UMass Lowell. Last year, he helped the Bears topple UMass Lowell with 11 points, connecting on 3-of-3 treys. He is the third Sullivan brother to play for Brown, following in the footsteps of brothers Peter '11 and Matt '13.
Hunsaker In The Backcourt: Junior guard and two-year captain Zach Hunsaker (North Salt Lake City, UT) has earned a spot in the Bears' starting lineup.  Hunsaker, who has started Brown's last four games, had four rebounds and three assists vs. San Diego State and scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds and handed out three assists vs. Stony Brook.  He netted 10 points and grabbed four rebounds vs. Maine. Hunsaker had seven points and three rebounds in Brown's win over Marist. He connected on a key trey in Brown's win over Sacred Heart and netted 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field vs. Army. He tossed in seven points vs. Bryant and nine points vs. Salve Regina. Last year, Hunsaker ranked second on the Brown team in treys (46) and assists (46) last year and ranked third on the Brown team with 9.7 points per game. Hunsaker, who connected on a coast-to-coast game winning shot to beat Dartmouth at the buzzer, tossed in a season high 21 points vs. Bryant last year, knocking down 5-of-10 treys.

First Career Points:  Four different Brown players scored for the first time in their careers vs. Salve Regina – freshman Thomas Shaughnessy (7), sophomore Jake Shaper (4), freshman Jaylan Gainey (4) and freshman Davis Franks (2).

DeWolf Inside:  Sophomore forward Matt DeWolf (Barrington, RI), who is averaging 3.2 rebounds per game, pulled down six rebounds vs. Butler and four rebounds vs. Stony Brook. He hit all three of his shots in scoring six points vs. Bryant. DeWolf had six points and four rebounds vs. Sacred Heart, and six points and six rebounds vs. Army. He had two points and five rebounds in Brown's season opener vs. LIU-Brooklyn and came back with six points vs. NJIT. Last year, his 4.4 rebounds per game were third on the Brown team, including a career high 13 rebounds against Dartmouth. Last year, he posted back-to-back eight rebound performances against Providence and UMass Lowell.

Christian Berardi Drafted By Brown Basketball Through Team IMPACT:Boston-headquartered national nonprofit Team IMPACT, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing serious and chronic illnesses through the power of a team, along with Brown University Men's Basketball, held a special Draft Day celebration for 7-year-old Christian Berardi of North Providence, RI on November 13 at the Pizzitola Sports Center. Christian was diagnosed in 2014 with Eosphilic Esophagitis and Malignant Hyperthermia.  Through Team IMPACT's program at Brown, the top recruit will become an official member of the men's basketball team. As a team member, Christian will attend the Bears' practices, games, team dinners, events, and more.

Newcomers:Coach Martin welcomes four talented newcomers to College Hill, including 6-8 freshman forward Davis Franks (New York, NY), 6-9 freshman forward Jaylan Gainey (Goldsboro, NC), 6-6 freshman guard David Mitchell (Roxbury, MA) and 6-0 freshman guard Thomas Shaughnessy (Needham, MA).

Okolie, Sullivan and Hunsaker Repeat As Brown Basketball Captains:   Brown men's basketball head coach Mike Martin announced that senior Obi Okolie, senior Chris Sullivan and junior Zach Hunsaker have been elected tri-captains of the 2018-19 team for the second straight season.

Fuller Up:  Senior forward Travis Fuller (Encinitas, CA) scored four points against Army in the Brown Tip-Off Classic. Last year, Fuller earned three starts and posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds against LIU Brooklyn.  He finished the season with an average of 3.2 rebounds per game.

Head Coach Mike Martin:Former Brown basketball standout Mike Martin '04, the 31st head men's basketball coach in the program's 111-year history, has changed the direction and culture of the program in six years as head coach of the Bears, with the building blocks in place to develop an Ivy Championship team. He has assembled a young and talented 2018-19 squad that includes Desmond Cambridge, last year's Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Martin took over the reins of the program in 2012-13 and was named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Award as the nation's outstanding first-year head coach after leading the Bears to a turnaround season with a 13-15 overall record, including a fourth-place finish in the Ivy standings with a 7-7 mark after winning four of its last five games. Martin's 2013-14 team posted a 15-14 overall record and hosted Brown's first-ever postseason game, playing Holy Cross in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament at the Pizzitola Sports Center. In addition, he guided two-time Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Cedric Kuakumensah, the Ivy League's all-time leader in blocked shots. A four-year starter at Brown, Martin was part of the winningest class in Bears' basketball history, posting a 63-45 four-year record from 2000-04. He also helped the Class of 2004 to a school-record 39-17 Ivy League mark during that period -- the best by an Ivy League team, other than Penn and Princeton, since 1970. An Agawam, Mass., native, Martin launched his coaching career at Brown as an assistant coach in 2005-06, and was an assistant coach at Penn from 2006-12.

The Ivy League on ESPN:  Video of all home contests and all Ivy League games, home and away, will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can subscribe and view games by purchasing a monthly package for $4.99 or a yearly package for $49.99. ABC6 Sports anchor Nick Coit will call the play for all Brown home games with Adam Giardino providing the analysis.

Bears On The Air:  Brown's entire schedule, home and away, is being broadcast on WPRV-AM 790 with Scott Cordischi, the voice of Brown basketball and football, calling all the action. Former Brown basketball star Russ Tyler '71 (1,133 career points) provides the color analysis. Brown fans can also listen to the broadcast on http://www.790business.com.

Ivy League Tournament: The 2019 Ivy League Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament will be held on the campus of Yale University at the John J. Lee Amphitheater at Payne Whitney Gymnasium March 16 and 17. The League's unique tournament format has enhanced the importance of the regular season as seven of the eight squads had an opportunity to earn a berth into the four-team tournament heading into the final week of the regular season.

Next Game:  Brown closes out its non-league slate at home on Monday, January 14, hosting Johnson & Wales at the Pizzitola Sports Center. Tip-off is 7:00 pm with broadcast on ESPN+ and WPRV AM-790.