WASHINGTON – The start of a four-game road swing for American University men's basketball has the Eagles heading back to Philadelphia, this time to take on Saint Joseph's out of the Atlantic 10. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and the game will air live on ESPN+.
Quick Info
- Date/Time: Wednesday, December 6; 7 pm
- Site: Philadelphia, Pa. (Hagan Arena)
- Series History: Saint Joseph's leads, 17-5
- TV: ESPN+
- Talent: Matt Martucci, Joe Lunardi
Inside the Series
- Saint Joseph's has a 17-5 lead all-time against American dating back to 1955, but the most recent meeting was over 10 years ago.
- The teams split a home-and-home series in 2011 and 2012, with each winning on its home court. AU got a 66-60 win in DC on Dec. 4, 2011, and the Hawks won 74-55 a year later in Philadelphia.
- American's last victory over Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia was an 84-83 overtime decision at the Palestra on Feb. 24, 1981.
What to Know About American
- American is still looking for its first win on the road, coming up just short in its most recent two attempts. The Eagles were undefeated at home before having their streak snapped with a 75-73 loss to Saint Francis (Pa.) this past Saturday. Wednesday's contest at Saint Joseph's marks the first of four straight road games for AU—all non-conference—before the Eagles start Patriot League play at home on Jan. 3.
- Senior Matt Rogers leads AU and ranks fourth in the PL with 15.9 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game, and averaged a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds in losses to Harvard and St. Francis. His field-goal percentage of .509 leads AU and ranks third in the PL.
- Coming up against a tough Harvard team in its most recent road game, AU fell behind by 14 before nearly coming all the way back. It was a different story at home vs. Saint Francis, as AU led by 20 in the first half before losing the lead and the game in the final minute.
- On Nov. 26 against Hood College, AU scored the most points in a single game in 28 years, winning 103-74. AU made a program-record 19 three-pointers, with sophomore Geoff Sprouse hitting seven of those. Sprouse ranks second in the PL with 2.6 3-pt FG per game.
- With 51 assists in nine games this season, junior point guard Elijah Stephens leads the Patriot League with 5.7 assists per game. He dished a career-high nine assists in the Eagles' OT loss at Georgetown on Nov. 19, and totaled eight assists in wins over NJIT (Nov. 16) and Hood College (Nov. 26).
- First-year head coach Duane Simpkins has four career victories and has brought a new energy to the program. The Eagles run a faster offense and so far are averaging 11 more points per game than in 2022-23, and making four more 3-point field goals per game.
What to Know About Saint Joseph's
- Saint Joseph's has gone 6-2 so far this season. The Hawks have won three in a row, most recently netting a pair of rivalry victories over #18 Villanova and Temple which helped the Hawks claim the Philadelphia Big Five title.
- The Hawks also beat Penn earlier in the year en route to their first solo Big Five title since 2003-04. They also shared the championship with Temple in 2011-12.
- St. Joe's nearly has a pair of ranked wins to its credit already this year. The Hawks fell in overtime at No. 17 Kentucky on Nov. 20, 96-88.
- Junior guard Erik Reynolds II is scoring a team-best 16.5 points per game. He is one of six players averaging double figures for the Hawks, who post 76.0 points per game so far this year. Reynolds, a Second Team All-Atlantic 10 performer as a sophomore last year, was tabbed for the First Team in this year's Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll. Graduate student guard Cameron Brown was picked as a third-teamer in the Preseason Poll.
- Brown has spent his entire career on Hawk Hill, now in his fifth season with 1,240 career points to his credit, five points ahead of Delonte West for 37th place on the Saint Joseph's all-time list.
- Billy Lange is in his fifth season at Saint Joseph's. A native of nearby Haddon Heights, N.J., Lange has spent his career in Philadelphia basketball. He graduated from Rowan University and, prior to taking over the Hawks, spent time on the coaching staffs at Bishop Eustace High School, Philadelphia University, La Salle, Villanova, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Keep Up With Us
