WASHINGTON – The momentum is strong for both teams heading into a Saturday showdown in Bender Arena between American University men's basketball and visiting Colgate. The Eagles (11-9, 5-2) have won four straight and rank in a tie for second in the Patriot League, while the Raiders (9-11, 6-1), winners of five of the last six PL Championships, have won five straight since a PL-opening loss to Bucknell.
Quick Info
- Date/Time: Saturday, January 25; 4 pm
- Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
- Series History: AU leads, 33-18
- TV: ESPN+
- Talent: Dan Laing, Gordon Austin
All-Alumni Day and Game of the Week
- The Eagles are looking to fill Bender Arena on Saturday for Alumni Day, and there are a number of student promotions.
- The first 500 students will get a free AU Eagles ski cap courtesy of DC Trails, and there will also be free Blue Crew t-shirts, slices of Potomac Pizza, and Robeks Smoothies for students as well while supplies last.
- As always, students gain free admission with a valid AU ID.
Inside the Series
- This will be the 52nd meeting between American and Colgate, with the Eagles leading 33-18.
- Colgate has won 11 of the last 13 meetings, but the Eagles scored a huge win on the road near the end of last season on Feb. 25, snapping the Raiders' 12-game win streak.
- Elijah Stephens (17 points) hit a jumper with two seconds left in that 66-64 victory, while Matt Rogers led AU with 23 points.
- American's other win the 11-2 advantage by Colgate in the last 13 meetings was also a recent one, as the Eagles pulled out a 61-60 home win on Feb. 4, 2023.
What to Know About American
- The Eagles bring a four-game win streak into Saturday's game against league-leading Colgate, coming off a thrilling, buzzer-beating victory over Lehigh on Wednesday. Graduate student Lincoln Ball hit a floater as time expired for a 68-67 win after the Eagles had trailed by seven with 28 seconds remaining. AU is now 6-1 at home, while Patriot League teams overall are 27-8 at home.
- Senior guard Elijah Stephens is the fourth player in program history to eclipse both 1,000 points and 400 assists. Grad student Matt Rogers is just the sixth player in program history with both 1,500 points and 500 rebounds. Stephens ranks 32nd with 1,031 points, while Rogers is eighth with 1,589 points. In career assists, Stephens ranks seventh with 416. Rogers ranks sixth all-time with 628 field goals made, and is also sixth with 122 games played.
- Rogers, the Patriot League's Preseason Player of the Year, leads AU and ranks fourth in the Patriot League with 16.0 points per game. He also ranks in the top 10 in the Patriot League in rebounding (9th, 5.4 rpg), field-goal percentage (5th, .533), and free-throw percentage (8th, .754). Stephens is fourth in the PL with 1.4 steals per game and fifth with 3.8 assists per game, and Lincoln Ball is eighth with 5.6 rebounds per game.
- American leads the Patriot League in free-throw percentage at 75.5. Sophomore Greg Jones is second individually at 87.3, while Stephens is third at 85.4. Grad student Colin Smalls is right there as well, in fifth at 80.7. AU hit 9-of-9 at UVA, 15-of-17 at home against Holy Cross, 12-of-13 at BU, and 14-of-16 on the road at Holy Cross. The Eagles rank second in the PL in opponent three-point percentage at .332 after placing a strong emphasis on perimeter defense.
- AU's success so far comes despite a number of injuries. Stephens missed nearly three full games and then had to wear a face mask for six more after a fractured nose and concussion. Three-point specialist Geoff Sprouse has missed six straight games with an ankle injury, Smalls missed the Loyola Maryland game, and freshman Eric Michaels missed six games between Dec. 4 and Jan. 11 after MCL surgery on his knee.
What to Know About Colgate
- The defending Patriot League champion Colgate Red Raiders, who have won five of the last six league crowns, are off to another strong start in league play this year.
- Colgate is 6-1 in Patriot League play after going just 3-10 in non-conference action. The Raiders lost at Bucknell on January 5 but have since won five straight – including a rematch with the Bison earlier this week.
- Fifth year forward Jeff Woodward leads the Raiders with 13.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game so far this season. Woodward missed eight games in November and December, but has boosted his output to 16.9 points per game since the start of league action. • Senior guard Nicolas Louis-Jacques adds 12.4 points a contest, and sophomore guard Jalen Cox chips in 10.5. Cox adds 3.9 assists per game, tops on the team and second in the Patriot League.
- Matt Langel is in his 14th season in Hamilton and has been the winningest coach in program history. He has led the team to five of its seven NCAA Tournament appearances all-time, and is a five-time Patriot League Coach of the Year.
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