WASHINGTON – American University men's basketball (12-5, 4-2 PL) returns to Bender Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 18 for a 7 p.m. test against Lafayette College (4-14, 3-3 PL). The Eagles won the first matchup of the season against the Leopards in Easton, 60-47, but the Eagles enter Wednesday's game after dropping their last two games on the road while the Leopards are riding a three-game win streak.
QUICK INFO
- Date/Time: Wednesday, Jan. 18; 7:00 PM
- Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
- Series History: American leads, 39-29
- TV: ESPN+
- Talent: Dan Laing and Gordon Austin
INSIDE THE SERIES
- American leads the all-time series 39-29.
- The Eagles lead the series 19-10 in D.C., while the Leopards hold the 17-16 lead in Easton, Pa.
- The last meeting between the two programs was on Dec. 30, 2022 in Easton. American won the meeting 60-47. Junior Matt Rogers led American with 14 points while junior Johnny O'Neil recorded a double double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. For Lafayette, sophomore CJ Fulton led the Leopards with 12 points.
- American's last win over Lafayette in Bender came on Feb. 26, 2020 by a 79-59 final. Sa'eed Nelson led all scorers with 30 points.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT AMERICAN
- American enters Wednesday's game with a 12-5 overall record and a 4-2 mark in Patriot League play.
- The Eagles are coming off a road loss to Lehigh on Saturday, falling to the Mountain Hawks 78-62. Sophomore Elijah Stephens led the Eagles with 14 points while junior Johnny O'Neil recorded his second double double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
- O'Neil leads the Patriot League in blocks, averaging 1.8 per game and is second in the league in rebounds averaging 6.8 per game. Stephens is second in the league in steals averaging 2.0 per game.
- American leads the league in blocks, averaging 3.59 per game, and steals averaging 7.88 per game.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT LAFAYETTE
- Lafayette enters Wednesday's game with a 5-14 overall record and a 3-3 mark in Patriot League play. The Leopards are riding a three-game win streak, beating Bucknell in overtime (76-67), Navy (59-50), and Holy Cross (62-48).
- The Leopards are led by a trio of scorers averaging double figures, with senior Leo Boyle leading the way with 12.6 points per game followed by Fulton and sophomore Kyle Jenkins averaging 11.1 points per game each.
- As a team, the Leopards lead the Patriot League in three-point shots, averaging 9.6 per game. They are second in the league in assists averaging 15.58 per game.
- Next up for the Leopards is a trip across the Lehigh Valley for a game against Lehigh.
TOP OF THE LEAGUE
- Junior Matt Rogers is ninth in the Patriot League in scoring (13.5 points per game) and third in field goal percentage (61.4 percent).
- Junior Johnny O'Neil is tied for second in rebounds (6.9 per game) and first in the league in blocks (1.8 per game)
- Sophomore Elijah Stephens is fourth in assists (4.1 per game) and second in steals (2.0 per game).
- As a team the Eagles lead the league in blocks (3.59 per game) and steals (7.88 per game).
TICKETS
- Season tickets, mini-plans and individual game tickets in premium seating locations are still at AUeagles.com/Tickets.
- AU students are admitted FREE with a valid undergraduate, graduate, or WCL ID.
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