WASHINGTON – Looking for its first 4-0 start at home since the 2014-15 season, the American University men's basketball team is set to host Hood College at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26 in Bender Arena. The Eagles (3-3) are coming off a 68-65 win over Mount St. Mary's earlier this week, while the Blazers (5-1) most recently beat Cal Lutheran 78-75 on Nov. 24 but have not faced a Division I opponent so far this season.
Quick Info
- Date/Time: Sunday, November 26; 4 pm
- Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
- Series History: First meeting
- 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
- American and Hood College are meeting for the first time on Sunday.
What to Know About American
- The Eagles have established home-court advantage with wins over Siena, NJIT and Mount St. Mary's to improve to 3-0 in Bender Arena this season. Senior Lorenzo Donadio had a career game against Mount St. Mary's, going 8-of-11 including 5-of-7 from long range for 22 points.
- AU started 3-0 at home last season, but its last 4-0 home start was in the 2014-15 season when the Eagles were 5-0 in Bender before dropping a game.
- Senior forward Matt Rogers is the Patriot League Player of the Week after averaging 21.3 points per game and eight rebounds per game over the last three contests. He shot 58 percent from the field and had a double-double of 28 points and 11 rebounds in a win vs. NJIT.
- American led for over 27 minutes at Georgetown on Nov. 19, and never trailed by more than five points in the game. Late three-pointers by the Hoyas sent the game to overtime, and the Eagles' shooting went cold in the extra frame as they lost 88-83.
- First-year head coach Duane Simpkins now has three career victories and has brought a new energy to the program. The Eagles run a faster offense and so far are averaging seven more points per game than in 2022-23, and making three more 3-point field goals per game.
- 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.
- Junior guard Elijah Stephens (8.3 ppg) dished seven or more assists in three of the last four games, and leads the Patriot League with 6.0 assists per game.
- Rogers is leading the team with 14.7 points per game, followed by sophomore Geoff Sprouse at 10.5 ppg and Donadio with 9.2 ppg.
What to Know About Hood College
- Hood is 5-1, but will be playing its first game of the season against a DI opponent. The Blazers sport wins over Lehman, Wilson, Gallaudet, Catholic, and Cal Lutheran, and fell to Mary Washington.
- Hood's recent 65-63 win over Catholic gave the Blazers the title in the Battle of DC and Maryland Tournament. Hood fended off a late run by Catholic, which is ranked No. 17 in the Division III poll, to preserve the upset victory.
- Chad Dickman is now in his ninth season at the helm of the Blazers. He led them to the MAC Commonwealth conference title in 2021-22, and is coming off a 16-10 season in 2022-23.
- Senior Trumane Strickland, who has not appeared in a game since the win over Wilson in the second game of the season, leads Hood with 18 points per game. Grad student Justin Gielen and junior Garrison Linton are next at 11.7 ppg and 10.8 ppg, respectively, with Linton having started all five contests.
- Hood is outscoring opponents by 15.2 points per game thus far this season. The Blazers are averaging 82.2 points of offense. They are also grabbing 36.8 rebounds a game compared to 33.3 for their opponents, and boast a 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio.
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