WASHINGTON – The American University men's basketball team will look to recover quickly after an emotional road win on Wednesday as the Eagles host Bucknell for a conference rematch at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. It will be the team's
Black History Month Celebration game, so make plans to arrive early.
In a road contest against the Patriot League-leading Lafayette Leopards on Wednesday, the Eagles were able to overcome injuries from
Jermaine Ballisager Webb,
Geoff Sprouse and
Colin Smalls. Junior
Elijah Stephens also briefly exited the game in the second half after hurting his ankle, although he was able to return and finish the game.
Quick Info
- Date/Time: Saturday, February 3; 4:00 p.m.
- Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
- Series History: Bucknell leads, 47-29
- TV: ESPN+
- Talent: Dan Laing and Gordon Austin
Earlier This Season
- American defeated Bucknell 71-63 at Sojka Pavilion on Jan. 6. Freshman Matt Mayock led all scorers with a career-high 20 points.
- American had four players reach double-figures scoring (Mayock, Sprouse, Donadio, Rogers) and never trailed during the game.
Inside the Series
- There are 76 games on record between American and Bucknell, with Bucknell leading 47-29.
- Bucknell has won three of the last five contests, but the two programs are tied with 19 wins apiece all-time at Bender Arena.
- Four of the last five contests have been decided by fewer than 10 points.
What to Know About American
- Five Eagles played more than 30 minutes in the win at Lafayette. Senior Matt Rogers scored a game-high 23 points with 8 rebounds and Stephens added 19 points and 5 assists.
- Rogers leads AU and ranks fourth in the PL with 15.4 points per game, adding 6.4 rebounds per game (fourth in PL). Rogers recently became the 15th player in program history to score 1,000 career points and grab 500 rebounds.
- Stephens leads AU and ranks second in the PL with 5.2 assists per game (41st nationally). His assist/turnover ratio of 2.3 ranks third in the PL, and his 12.4 points per game rank eighth in the PL. Stephens now ranks eighth all-time at AU with 326 career assists.
- American has made 10 or more three-pointers 10 times this season. The Eagles are 8-2 in games where they reach double-digit makes from three. AU leads the Patriot League with 9.4 threes per game and ranks second by making 36 percent of its threes.
- First-year head coach Duane Simpkins has 12 career victories and has brought a new energy to the program. The Eagles run a faster offense and so far are averaging 7.2 more points per game than in 2022-23, as well as making 3.0 more 3-point field goals per game.
Scouting the Bison
- Bucknell enters Saturday's game with a 9-13 record overall and a 6-3 conference record, which puts American and Bucknell in a tie for third place in the Patriot League.
- The Bison earned a marquee win on Dec. 2 when they defeated Penn State on the road, 76-67, after trailing by 10 points.
- In its last game, Bucknell defeated Loyola Maryland at home, 67-52. Sophomore Noah Williamson scored a career-high 28 points.
- Bucknell leads the PL and ranks 62nd nationally in free-throw percentage, making 74.6 percent of their shots from the stripe.
- Senior Jack Forrest leads the PL with 16.6 points per game. He shoots 83.3 percent from the free throw line and makes 2.7 threes per game, which leads the PL. He also leads the PL playing 36.2 minutes per game.
- Williamson adds 12.4 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game, while Josh Bascoe adds 9.8 points per game, as well.
- John Griffin III, a 2008 Bucknell graduate, is in his first season as a collegiate head coach. In four years as a player and four years as an assistant at Bucknell, he helped lead the Bison to four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Black History Month Celebration Game
- Saturday will be men's basketball's Black History Month Celebration game. Make plans to arrive early and get to your seats by 3:50 p.m. for a special performance of the Black National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," performed live by SOC '14 graduate Ms. Ryan Flood.
- At halftime, the Nu Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha will perform a traditional Fraternity Stroll, followed by a special performance from Les Coeurs D'Afrique, AU's African Diaspora dance troupe.
- For more information on how AU Athletics is celebrating Black History Month, click here.
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