Men’s Basketball Set for New Year’s Eve Clash at #10 Kentucky

Tuesday, December 31

Lexington, Ky.

2:00 p.m.

Brown University

Kentucky

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Photo by: Ryan Weaver

Men’s Basketball Set for New Year’s Eve Clash at #10 Kentucky

12/30/2024 11:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball

ESPNU Live Stats Varsity Network Tickets Game Notes

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Brown men's basketball team (7-4) will battle its second consecutive AP top-10 opponent when they travel to #10 Kentucky (10-2) on Tuesday, tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. from Rupp Arena.

Scott Cordischi and Russ Tyler '71 will bring you the action live on the Brown Varsity Network, fans can access the Brown Varsity Network via the Brown Bears app, Varsity Network app, or BrownBears.com. The game will also be broadcast live on ESPNU.

Last Time Out
Brown saw its six-game winning streak come to an end as they suffered an 87-53 loss at #8 Kansas (Dec. 22). Kino Lilly Jr. led the Bears offensively with 18 points and moved to third all-time in program history with 1,626 career points. N'famara Dabo had four blocks against the Jayhawks.

History Made, The Chase Continues
Kino Lilly Jr. is now the all-time leader in program history with 284 three-pointers made. Lilly Jr. also sits third all-time in program history with 1,626 career points, Lilly Jr. is 43 points away from being the second-leading scorer in program history.

Lilly Jr. will look to become the fourth Bear to earn First Team All-Ivy honors in three consecutive seasons, the last player to do so was Jason Forte (2003-05).

Lilly Jr. ranks fourth all-time on the Ivy League three-point field goals made list, he is four triples away from being third in Ivy League history.

Kino's World
On Nov. 19, Kino Lilly Jr. was named to the Lou Henson Award Early-Season Watch List. Lilly Jr. has scored 23 points in three out of the last four games.

The Glenn Dale, Md. native is averaging 20.0 points on 41.2 shooting from the field and 42.7 shooting from three-point range this season. Lilly Jr. is averaging 4.0 three-pointers per game and is on pace to hit 108 triples this season, which would break Brown's single-season record of 93 set by Sean McGonagill during the 2013-14 season.

Lilly Jr.'s 4.0 three-pointers per game ranks third in the nation and his 40 total triples sits 10th in the nation. His 20.0 points per game also ranks 17th nationally.

The senior also ranks third in the nation with 37.1 minutes played per game.

Cooley Continues To Impress
Aaron Cooley is averaging 12.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season, the Roxbury, Mass. native has double-digit scoring efforts in nine out of 11 games this season to go along with three double-doubles.

Cooley netted a career-high 19 points in Brown's win over Rhode Island (Dec. 10), he also had a career-high four blocks against the Rams. Cooley's 15 rebounds in Brown's season opener at Siena (Nov. 4) was a career-high and the most by an Ivy League player this season. He's also accumulated double-digit rebounds in four games this season.

Cooley leads the Ivy League with 5.82 defensive rebounds per game this season and is shooting 47.3 percent from the floor.

Lewis' Leap
In the absence of Nana Owusu-Anane, Landon Lewis has scored in double figures in 10 out of 11 games this season. Lewis netted a career-high 21 points in Brown's win at Bryant (Dec. 6) on 9-12 shooting from the floor.

Lewis recorded his first-career double-double in Brown's win over Sacred Heart (Nov. 17) with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Lewis' 3.0 offensive rebounds per game ranks first in the Ivy League and his 7.0 rebounds per game ranks fifth in the ivy League.

Lewis' 63.2 field goal percentage ranks 17th in the nation, he's averaging 13.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game this season.

On the defensive end, Lewis has recorded four or more blocks on three separate occasions this season; the junior rejected a career-high five blocks against Holy Cross (Nov. 16). Lewis' 1.82 blocks per game ranks second in the Ivy League.

Brown Against Ranked & SEC Opponents
This is the second time in program history that Brown will play a ranked opponent in back-to-back games, and the first time in program history that the Bears will play an AP top-10 team in back-to-back games. Brown has never defeated a ranked opponent.

The Bears are 3-6 all-time against the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Brown has earned two wins at Georgia and one neutral site win against Texas.

This will be the first contest between Brown and Kentucky.

These Bears
Brown's six-game winning streak was the second time under Mike Martin '04 that the Bears have won six consecutive games and the second time in as many seasons, Brown ended the 2023-24 regular season on a six-game winning streak.

This winning streak also matched the longest non-conference winning streak under Martin '04 (2018-19), this was the longest non-conference winning streak against D1 opponents. Brown's six-game non-conference winning streak during the 2018-19 season featured a win over Salve Regina (D3).

Brown's 7-3 record through the first 10 games of the season is the best 10-game start under Martin '04 and the best 10-game start since the 2001-02 season. After starting 0-2, Brown has rattled off six wins in the last eight games, including three consecutive road victories before falling at #8 Kansas (Dec. 22).

On Dec. 10, Brown knocked off previously unbeaten Rhode Island (9-0), 84-80 in double overtime at the Pizzitola Sports Center (Dec. 10) for its then sixth consecutive win.

Two out of the six wins came against the class of the America East in Vermont (Dec. 3) and Bryant (Dec. 6), both wins were on the road and both teams beat the Bears during the 2023- 24 season.

Vermont has won the America East in five out of the last six seasons, including three in a row. The Catamounts' loss to the Bears snapped their 14-game home winning streak and they suffered just their third loss at Patrick Gymnasium in the last three seasons.

In-state rival Bryant was picked third in the America East, Brown's win at Bryant featured 26 lead changes and Kino Lilly Jr.'s go-ahead three-pointer with 2.2 second left gave the Bears a 76-75 win. Brown also earned wins against Sacred Heart (Nov. 17), at Canisius (Nov. 23), and against Stony Brook (Nov. 27) during its streak, the win against Canisius was on the road.

Brown is 13-4 in its last 17 regular season games.

The Emergence Of Dabo
N'famara Dabo had a career night in Brown's 84-80 double overtime win over Rhode Island. The sophomore had a career-high seven points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and two steals in a career-high 24 minutes played.

Against Bryant (Dec. 6), Dabo had seven rebounds in 21 minutes played. Six of Dabo's seven rebounds came in the second half, he played 14 minutes and was +11 in the second half, which was a game-high.

Dabo also had two rejections in the second half at Bryant. Dabo recorded four blocks at #8 Kansas and has nine blocks to go along with three steals in the last three games.

Block Party
Brown ranks 15th in the nation and first in the Ivy League with 5.6 blocks per game, the Bears have accumulated at least five blocks in seven out of 11 games this season.

Brown recorded a season-high 11 blocks against Rhode Island (Dec. 10). The Bears have two players who have recorded at least five blocks in a game this season: N'famara Dabo (Nov. 15) and Landon Lewis (Nov. 16).

Lewis and Dabo have recorded three or more blocks in three games this season. Dabo leads the Ivy League in blocks per game with 2.0, Lewis ranks second in the Ivy League with 1.82 blocks per game.

Brown has the top-four games in total blocks by an Ivy League team this season.

Road Dogs
The Bears have won three out of the last four games away from the Pizzitola Sports Center, their three-game road winning streak was snapped with an 87-53 loss at Kansas (Dec. 22).

The last two wins on the road came against Vermont (Dec. 3) and Bryant (Dec. 6). Brown won its last four road games to wrap up the 2023-24 regular season and have won seven out its last nine road games dating back to last season.

During its three-game road winning streak, the Bears shot 48.9 percent (24-49) from three-point range and averaged 13 assists.

Defensive Prowess
The Bears rank second in the Ivy League in scoring defense (69.7). Brown's three-point percentage defense ranks second in the Ivy League (31.8%). In its win over Vermont, the Bears held the Catamounts to just six points in the final 8:18 of the contest.

Brown held Stony Brook to just one three-pointer made (1-16), the fewest since the Bears allowed one triple against Colorado (Nov. 22, 2021). Brown is averaging 5.6 blocks per game and 6.4 steals per game. Brown has the four games with the most blocks in a single game by an Ivy League team this season.

The Bears' 11 blocks against Rhode Island (Dec. 10) is the most blocks by an Ivy League team this season, followed by their nine blocks at Siena (Nov. 4), their eight blocks against New Hampshire (Nov. 15) and their seven blocks against Holy Cross (Nov. 16).

Landon Lewis (Holy Cross) and N'famara Dabo's (New Hampshire) five blocks are the most in a single game by an Ivy League player this season. Lewis' four blocks (at Siena & Rhode Island) along with Aaron Cooley's four blocks (Rhode Island) is the second-most blocks by an Ivy League player this season.

Against Rhode Island, Brown had three players (Cooley, Lewis, Dabo) have at least three blocks and five players (Lewis, Jenkins, Lilly Jr., Erold, Dabo) have at least two steals. Cooley and Jenkins led the way with four steals each. Brown forced a season-high 21 turnovers against Rhode Island.

Sharing The Wealth
Brown tallied 27 assists on 31 made field goals in its 89-70 win over Sacred Heart. The Bears' 27 assists was the most since they recorded 26 assists in an 88-42 win against Lyndon State (Jan. 12, 2015).

Brown has had double-digit assists in nine out of 11 games this season and 20 or more assists three times. Brown had 20 assists in its win over Stony Brook and had 14 assists on 17 made field goals in the first half against the Seawolves.

The Bears also had 20 assists on 32 made field goals in their win over Rhode Island, Kino Lilly Jr. matched a career-high with 10 assists in the win. Brown is averaging 13 assists over the last four contests.

Providence Three Party
The Bears shot 40.6 percent (59-145) from distance during their six-game winning streak, they recorded double-digit made triples in three games during the streak.

Brown's 15 three-pointers against Sacred Heart was the most since they hit 16 against Dartmouth (Mar. 2, 2024), this is the only time Brown has connected on more than 15 three-

pointers since the 2008-09 season. Since the 2015-16 season, Brown has hit 15 triples on five separate occasions.

Scouting Kentucky (10-2)
The Wildcats welcome the Bears with a perfect 8-0 record at Rupp Arena, this will be the last non-conference game for Kentucky before they begin non-conference play.

In its last contest, Kentucky suffered an 85-65 loss to Ohio State at the CBS Sports Classic (Dec. 21).

What's Next
Brown will return home to conclude non-conference play against Johnson & Wales on Sunday, Jan. 5, tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Pizzitola Sports Center, fans can purchase tickets here.

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