HUMBER vs. SHERIDAN: THE RIVALRY RESUMES THURSDAY

The Storyline
Humber men's basketball (9-4, 4th West) will conclude its three-game homestand Thursday evening when No. 9 Sheridan (11-1, 2nd West) visits the North Campus Gym.

The game will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network at 8 p.m. with Matt Hammel and Zach Bader on the call, and Danielle Dupuis reporting from the sidelines.

Last Time Out
On Jan. 19, Humber fell to Lambton (8-5, 5th West), 103-97, in overtime. The Hawks shot a season-low 35.2 percent (32-for-91) from the floor, and Lambton won for the first time at the North Campus Gym.

'The Game'
The Humber/Sheridan game – considered by many as the fiercest rivalry in the CCAA – resumes Thursday for the 102nd regular-season edition. Since 2000, these two programs have combined for 13 provincial championships and 26 combined titles since 1967.

In postseason play, Humber owns a 12-4 (.750) record against the Bruins, including a 55-51 win in the 2001 CCAA title game.

Scouting Sheridan
The Bruins enter the game as the second-highest scoring offence in the country, averaging 103.0 ppg. Sporting a balanced attack, four student-athletes average double figures for the Bruins, led by Nick Campbell and his 17.0 ppg.

Sheridan's 96-78 loss to No. 8 Redeemer (11-1, 1st West) on Dec. 1 snapped its 40-game OCAA win streak.

Last Meeting
At Davis Gym, Sheridan led for all 40 minutes, cruising to an 88-73 victory and its fifth consecutive win over Humber. Kenny Ejim, C.J. Bennett, and DeQuon Cascart all finished in double figures, with Ejim tallying a game-high 18 points, including ten in the second half. Bennett finished with 17 points, while Cascart added 16 on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor.

Nick Campbell paced the way for the Bruins in the win, finishing with a team-high 16 points.

Home Is Where the Heart Is
All-time, Humber owns a 28-23 (.550) record against the Bruins at the North Campus Gym, winning seven of their last ten meetings.

Both Ends
Averaging 97.4 ppg, the Hawks feature the fourth highest scoring offence in the country but continue to struggle on the defensive end of the ball. In its four losses this season, Humber has allowed an average of 95.3 ppg.

Ball Distribution
Humber averages 21.6 assists per game, the second-best average in the CCAA. Third-year forward C.J. Bennett leads the team with 61 assists, the fifth-best mark in the OCAA.

From Deep
Humber continues to hit more 3-pointers than any OCAA team while leading the league in efficiency at 37.8 percent (123-for-325). Kenny Ejim has hit 38 triples this season, tying R.J. Ramirez (2013-14) for third-most in program history.

Century Mark
The 2017-18 Humber Hawks are scoring at an unprecedented rate, recording seven 100-plus point games this season. That mark ties the program record set during the 1990-91 season, the same year Humber captured its first national title.

Career Year
Four Humber student-athletes have surpassed their career-highs in scoring this season:

1. DeQuon Cascart (2016 – 66pts | 2017 – 137pts)
2. C.J. Bennett (2016 – 189pts | 2017 – 209pts)
3. Curwin Elvis (2014 – 105pts | 2017 – 121 pts)
4. Kenny Ejim (2014 – 111pts | 2017 – 240 pts)

Humber 500
On Jan. 13, C.J. Bennett became the 29th player in program history to score 500 career points. Bennett now sits 26th all-time in scoring, 14 points behind Mike Dvorak's (2007-11) mark of 537.

Kenny Ejim needs 60 more points to join Bennett in the 500-point club.

What's Next
Humber will head on the road Jan. 30 to play Mohawk (7-7, 6th West) at the David Braley Athletics & Recreation Centre. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.