Game 18  ·  American (11-6, 4-3 PL) vs. Navy (6-13, 3-6 PL)
Saturday, January 29  ·  2 p.m. ET  ·  Bender Arena (Washington, D.C.)
Talent: Dan Laing (pxp) and Jody Patrick (analyst)

WASHINGTON - The American University women's basketball team (11-6, 4-3 PL) will look to pick up its fifth consecutive home win on Saturday as the Eagles host Navy (6-13, 3-6 PL) at 2 p.m. in Bender Arena.

UPDATED COVID PROTOCOLS FOR BENDER ARENA

• In response to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in our region, American University Athletics is announcing increased safety measures for events at Bender Arena
• Concessions: Due to health and safety protocols related to COVID-19, concessions will temporarily not be available to patrons for home events at Bender.
• Eagles Club Hospitality Suite: Due to health and safety protocols related to COVID-19, there will be a temporary pause on all Eagles Club Hospitality operations for men's and women's basketball games.
• These measures are in addition to the ones already in place, which include all patrons wearing masks at all times while inside Bender Arena, and proof of vaccination required prior to entering the gym.

NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY

• Saturday will also serve as the team's National Girls and Women in Sports Day game. Celebrated across the country on February 2, NGWSD is a national day of observance recognizing the importance of equal opportunities in sport for girls and women. This year marks the 36th annual NGWSD and coincides with the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which will be celebrated in June.
• Although AU will not be able to host its normal youth clinic after Saturday's game due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team will celebrate the achievements of female athletes - past, present, and future - with special shooting shirts and videos to be played in the arena throughout the game.

CONGRATS, JADE

• Senior Jade Edwards will be recognized prior to tip-off on Saturday with a ball presentation celebrating her 500th career rebound and 1,000th career point.
• Edwards became the 20th player in program history to reach the 500 rebound milestone during the 66-52 win over Colgate in Bender Arena on Jan. 5. 
• She added her name to the 1k point list on Jan. 12 during the 52-39 home win over Holy Cross - she is the 20th player to reach 1,000 career points and the 11th player to add her name to both milestone lists.

THE STARTING FIVE

• American is still looking for its first road Patriot League win of the season after falling to a second-half push from Holy Cross on Wednesday, 55-44. The Eagles now sit in fifth in league play with a 4-3 record.
• Senior Jade Edwards and sophomore Emily Johns led the team in scoring with 10 points each while Edwards added a team-high eight rebounds and three steals. Senior Taylor Brown was held to single-digits for the second time in the last 14 games after she hit a 12-game run scoring 10+ points.
• This was the second consecutive game in double-figures for Johns after she led the team for the first time during the win over Loyola Maryland on Saturday with a season-high 12 points.
• American has led the Patriot League in field goal percentage through most of the season but dropped back to third after being held to a season-low 26.7 percent (16-60) by the Crusaders on Wednesday. The Eagles continue to rank first in the PL for steals, though, averaging 8.9 per game, and are third in assists (13.2).
• This is the ninth season for head coach Megan Gebbia and her staff, all of whom arrived together in 2013 with the exception of director of operations Nicole Krusen, who joined in 2016. Gebbia has already had a historic career at the helm and will look to add to that this year as she sits three wins away from becoming in the winningest coach in program history.

SCOUTING THE MIDS

• Navy is 3-6 in the Patriot League after falling in a second half surge to Bucknell on Wednesday, 53-43.
• The Mids split the series against the Bison after toppling Bucknell in Lewisburg, 57-55, earlier in the month.
• Senior Jennifer Coleman led the team with her 14th double-double of the season, scoring 19 points alongside her 11 rebounds. She also added four assists and two steals on the day.
• Kristina Donza was next with nine points.
• Navy closed shooting 26.6 percent (17-64) on its home floor, including 30 percent (6-20) from three. The Mids went to the line only three times.
• Coleman is third in Division I for double-doubles, leads the country for field goal attempts (370), and is second for total points with 443.
• The senior also ranks fifth in the nation for scoring average (23.3) and is 24th for rebounds per game (10.6). She is one of three players in the league averaging a double-double but has gapped the rest of the league by 6.5 ppg and 0.2 rpg.
• Coleman also leads the Mids in assists (87) and steals (54).
• Sydne Watts is No. 2 on the team in both scoring (9.4) and rebounding (3.8).

SERIES HISTORY vs. NAVY

• American continues to lead the series against Navy, 38-24 after going 2-1 during the shortened season last year.
• Both teams lead on their respective home floors with AU holding a dominant 24-5 lead in Bender Arena while Navy is 18-12 in Alumni Hall.
• Before the loss last season in Annapolis, the last time AU fell to Navy was the 2018 regular-season finale, 76-49, also in Annapolis.
• Head Coach Megan Gebbia holds a 15-5 record against the Mids since 2013-14.

THE LAST TIME WE MET...

• The Eagles went a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line en route to a 65-59 win over Navy to clinch the top seed in the PL South Division.
• Emily Fisher led AU with a season-high 16 points and six assists. She also added five boards and two steals.
• Three Eagles joined her in double-figures for one of the best all-around shooting performances of the season - Taylor Brown (13), Karla Vres (12), and Jade Edwards (11), who also added a career-high seven assists.
• Edwards also added 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.
• AU held Navy to a season-low 32.8 percent (20-61) from the floor and 16.7 percent (3-18) from three.

#AUWBB vs. THE PATRIOT LEAGUE

• American holds a 204-106 (.658) record in Patriot League play, and an overall record of 261-138 (.654) against Patriot League opponents.
• Included in that are winning records against each team in the conference with the exception of Holy Cross, who has a five-game advantage over the Eagles.
• Head Coach Megan Gebbia has a 96-46 (.676) record in conference play since arriving at AU in 2013-14, and is 13-6 in the Patriot League Tournament, including the program's only two PL titles in 2015 and 2018.

THE LAST TIME OUT

• American had its lowest field goal percentage of the season on Wednesday, hitting only 26.7 percent (16-60) during the 55-44 loss at Holy Cross.
• The Eagles led at the half after a stellar 21-9 run through the second quarter, including 10 points behind Jade Edwards, but couldn't replicate the 47.1 percent (8-17) shooting in the second half.
• Edwards closed with a team-high 10 points alongside Emily Johns who scored all 10 of her points in the fourth quarter.
• Edwards also added eight boards and three steals while Emily Fisher led with four assists.
• American nearly matched Holy Cross on the boards, 37-40, and gave up 14 turnovers to the Crusaders' 17.
• Avery LaBarbera led Holy Cross with her 12th double-double of the season, scoring 17 points alongside her 12 rebounds. Ezemma Oluchi also closed in double-figures on the boards with 10 while Janelle Allen added 10 points.

SHOOT YOUR SHOT

• The Eagles are averaging only 52.3 FGA per game, but they know how to make them count with a 42.0 FG%, to rank third in the Patriot League.
• AU was back atop the league rankings until Holy Cross held the team to its lowest field goal percentage of season (.267).
• This was the second time this season that the Eagles closed shooting below 30 percent. They went 27.1 percent during the loss at Boston U. on Jan. 8.
• The Eagles have put in four games shooting 50 percent or higher so far this season - Army (.549), Colgate (.518), George Mason (.511), and Radford (.500).
• Only five teams have shot better than AU so far this season - UMBC (.373/.432), Towson (.429/.449), Boston University (.271/.464), Bucknell (.340/.467), and Holy Cross (.267/.415).
• American's .447 field goal percentage in the non-conference was the team's highest since Gebbia took the reins in 2013.
• Jade Edwards leads the team shooting 49.4 percent (80-162), which would lead the league if she averaged 5 FGM/game (currently at 4.9).
• As it stands, Edwards leads the league in conference-only play with 49.3 percent.

IT'S ALL ABOUT CONTROL...

• AU has struggled with turnovers in the early part of the season, averaging 19.3 through the nonconference.
• They've cleaned up the miscues since the start of league play, though, averaging 14.1 in the last seven outings.
• The Eagles have also made their opponents pay for their mistakes, though, forcing a league-high 19.0 turnovers in conference play.
• American leads the league with 8.9 steals per game, including 9.3 per game against PL opponents.

CLOSE 'EM OUT

• AU has struggled from three-point range all season, hitting only 25.8 percent (66-256) behind Maddie Doring's 33.3 percent (15-45).
• But while AU ranks 10th in the league from the perimeter, they are second in 3-point defense, allowing opponents 4.5 made per game for 26 percent.
• American also ranks 30th in Division I for 3FG defense.

February 4-Pack Ticket Mini-Plans Now Available

• This February don't miss any of the action on the hardcourt inside Bender during the stretch run of Patriot League play by purchasing AU Basketball's February 4-Pack Ticket Mini-Plans! 
• For just $20 for women's...and starting at just $30 for men's, you get a ticket to all four February men's home games, and your choice of any four remaining women's regular season home games through the regular season finale March 2nd.  Purchase this special limited time money saving offer at AUeagles.com/Tickets to reserve your Eagles Basketball February 4-Pack Ticket Mini-Plan

NEXT UP
The Eagles head out for a two-game roadstand next week, starting with a trip to Lafayette on Tuesday. AU will then head up to Colgate on Saturday before returning home to host Bucknell and Boston University on February 9 and 12, respectively.

For the latest on American University Women's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WBasketball) and Instagram (@auwbasketball).