WASHINGTON – Coming off an exciting, 78-58 win over Siena that gave American University men's basketball's
Duane Simpkins his first head coaching victory, the Eagles return to the friendly confines of Bender Arena for a 7 p.m. game against NJIT on Thursday, Nov. 16.
Quick Info
- Date/Time: Thursday, November 16; 7 pm
- Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
- Series History: American leads, 3-0
- TV: ESPN+
- Talent: Dan Laing and Gordon Austin
Tickets
- A limited amount of premium location sideline tickets remain for Thursday's game, and can be purchased by clicking HERE.
- Additionally, money-saving full-season tickets valid for admission to all 14 home games this 2023-24 campaign, as well as 10-voucher flex plans are still available by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at (202) 885-TIXX (8499).
Inside the Series
- AU has won all three games against NJIT in the series history, including a 58-53 road victory last season.
- The other two wins both came on the Highlanders' home court, one in 2006 and one in 2007.
What to Know About American
- The Eagles got their first win in Monday's home opener against Siena, giving Duane Simpkins the first win of his head coaching career. Simpkins, hired at American in April, is familiar to fans in the DMV after playing at prep power DeMatha Catholic and for Gary Williams at Maryland, where he scored more than 1,100 points in the mid-1990s.
- In the second half against Siena, the Eagles shot nearly 64 percent from long range. Sophomore Geoff Sprouse hit 4-of-8 three-pointers in the 78-58 win, finishing with 16 points. Senior Matt Rogers led all scorers with 19 points, and freshman Matt Mayock hit 4-of-8 for 10 points.
- Rogers is leading the team with 11 points per game, followed by sophomore Jermaine Ballisager Webb at 10.7 ppg and Sprouse with 10 ppg.
- The Eagles hung with #22/20 Villanova early in their season opener, but the game got away in the second half. Senior Colin Smalls led all players with 16 points, while Ballisager Webb tied his career high with 13 points.
- The Eagles suffered a second loss at William & Mary in game two due to shooting struggles and foul trouble. Ballisager Webb once again led AU, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field.
- Despite the change at the top, the Eagles returned four of their top five scorers and have a strong core of leaders with five seniors on the roster. It's a team that defeated both Georgetown and GW last year and made a late-season run to the Patriot League semifinals.
- AU's leading scorer last season was Rogers (14.1 ppg), who has returned for his fourth year and still has one remaining in 2024-25. Rogers was an All-PL Second Team pick as a junior, and a Preseason All-PL selection this season.
- Junior guard Elijah Stephens now has 100 career steals and came close to cracking the all-time single-season steals list with 60 steals as a sophomore last year. Stephens also dished seven assists in AU's win over Siena on Nov. 13, and is second in the Patriot League with 5.3 assists per game.
- American had the advantage extra practices for a foreign trip this past summer, as the Eagles embarked on a nine-day trip to Italy in August. AU flew to Naples and also spent time in Rome and Florence, playing three games against international competition.
What to Know About NJIT
- NJIT comes into Thursday's game in search of its first victory. The Highlanders lost their opener at No. 13 Miami (Fla.), 101-60, before dropping a 75-48 decision at home against St. Peter's on Saturday.
- Grad student Adam Hess is the only Highlander to score in double figures in each of the first two games, netting 14 at Miami and 12 against St. Peter's.
- The Highlanders are in their first season under new head coach Grant Billmeier. Billmeier comes to NJIT from Maryland, where he helped the Terrapins to a 22-13 record in 2022-23, earning an NCAA Tournament at-large berth.
- The Highlanders finished 7-23 last season, going 4-12 in America East play to finish eighth in the conference.
- NJIT's roster features nine freshmen and five grad students, with one junior, one senior, and no sophomores rounding out the mix.
- Graduate student Kjell de Graaf is the longest-tenured Highlander, now in his sixth year with the program. Last year, he made nine starts while appearing in all 30 games, averaging 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds a contest.
- Graduate student transfer Elijah Buchanan averaged 13.8 points per game for Manhattan last year before an injury ended his season. He followed assistant RaShawn Stores to NJIT after Stores served as Manhattan's interim head coach last season.
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