WASHINGTON - In the only home contest of a four-game stretch, American University men's basketball hosts Army West Point at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1 for the annual Pop Cassell "Hall of Fame" Day. The game, sponsored by Wegmans, sees the Eagles come in on a six-game win streak which is their longest in Patriot League play in 10 years.
The Market Food Pantry February Food Drive Presented by Wegmans
- All fans are encouraged to bring a canned or non-perishable food item to the game.
- AU Athletics & TEAM AU Corporate Partner Wegmans are sponsoring a February Food Drive in benefiting AU's 'The Market' student food pantry.
- Members of AU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will be on hand at the entrance to Bender Arena, helping to collect donations to combat food insecurity on AU's campus.
Special National Anthem Performance, Arrive Early!
- Arrive early by 1:50 p.m. for a special national anthem performance by the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.
- The performance is an annual tradition when the Eagles play host to Army West Point.
Stafford H. "Pop" Cassell Hall of Fame Day
- Fans are encouraged to stay seated at halftime as AU Athletics welcomes back former greats and honors Coach Jeff Jones and the other three newest inductees into the Stafford H. "Pop' Cassell AU Athletics Hall of Fame.
- Jones served as the head coach of AU men's basketball from 2000-13, leading the Eagles to their first and second Patriot League titles in program history in 2008 and 2009.
- All four inductees will be honored in a ceremony on Saturday night at AU's Washington College of Law. The other inductees are Alexis Dobbs ('14) of women's basketball, Ethan Bassett ('04) of men's swim & dive, and Daniel Waters ('05) of wrestling.
American Cancer Society's Suits and Sneakers Week
- American's men's basketball program is participating in Suits and Sneakers Week, the signature initiative of the American Cancer Society and the NABC's Coaches vs. Cancer Program.
- The nationwide campaign serves to unite coaches across all levels of basketball to raise funds and awareness about the fight against cancer and promote the American Cancer Society as a source of inspiration and hope for those facing cancer.
- The coaching staff will be wearing suits with sneakers on the sideline of Saturday's game, and the team will hold up signs during the national anthem for who they're playing for.
Quick Info
- Date/Time: Saturday, February 1; 2 pm
- Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
- Series History: American
- TV: ESPN+
- Talent: Dan Laing, Gordon Austin
Hospitality Offerings and Enhanced Fan Experience
- American has a new hospitality area for all fans this season, as well as revamped premium courtside seating as part of an upgrade to the fan experience in Bender Arena on game days.
- The Perch is a new game day hospitality area offering beer, wine and seltzers for purchase.
- In addition to our concession menu from Gregorio's Trattoria, fans can now enjoy select beverages and snacks just steps from the baseline in Bender Arena. Fans must be 21+ years old to enter.
- Additionally, Bender Arena's courtside seats have been moved closer to the action, with additional seating now available in the end zone baseline area for fans to experience all the action - up close and personal.
Inside the Series
- This will be the 51st meeting between American and Army, with the Eagles leading 34-16.
- AU swept the season series last year, winning 79-60 at home before using a big second half to win 73-51 at Army on Feb. 28.
- The Eagles are 20-6 all-time at home against the Black Knights and have won five in a row in Bender Arena.
- American boasts a 13-11 record when playing at West Point, but Army had won two in a row before the Eagles' victory last year.
What to Know About American
- The Eagles are in the midst of their longest Patriot League win streak in 10 years, since the 2013-14 team started conference play at 10-0 before going on to win the program's third PL title. AU came from behind in the final minutes at Lafayette on Wednesday, hitting 16-of-17 free throws including 12-of-12 in the final minutes for its sixth straight win. The Eagles now stand alone in first place in the Patriot League at 7-2, one game ahead of Army and Colgate at 6-3.
- AU returns home for the only time in a four-game stretch, hosting Army for Cassell Hall of Fame Day. The program is also celebrating Suits and Sneakers Week, the signature initiative of the American Cancer Society and the NABC's Coaches vs. Cancer Program. The coaching staff will be wearing suits with sneakers on the sideline of Saturday's game, and the team will hold up signs during the national anthem to show who they are playing for.
- Graduate student Matt Rogers, the Patriot League's Preseason Player of the Year, was named the PL's Player of the Week this week for the fourth time in his career. Rogers scored a game-high 26 points against Colgate, and ranks third in the PL with 16.6 points per game. He is just the fourth player in program history with both 1,500 points and 500 rebounds, now with 1,636 points (seventh all-time) and 691 rebounds (10th all-time).
- AU leads the Patriot League and ranks 32nd in NCAA DI in free-throw percentage at .768, a number that would break a 60-year-old program record, with the 1964-65 team currently holding that mark at .750. In PL games, AU has hit an impressive 132-of-161 free throws (.820). Greg Jones ranks second in the PL in free-throw percentage at .880, Elijah Stephens is fourth at .857, Colin Smalls is fifth at .813, and Matt Rogers is ninth at .776.
- Senior guard Elijah Stephens is the fourth player in program history to eclipse both 1,000 points and 400 assists. He ranks 30th with 1,068 points, and seventh with 424 assists. Stephens had zero turnovers in three of the last five games, and only one at Lafayette on Jan. 29. In PL games only, Stephens ranks third with 4.6 assists per game and second with an assist/turnover ratio of 2.6.
What to Know About Army West Point
- Saturday's matchup pits the Eagles against the only other Patriot League team with an overall record above .500, as Army West Point comes in at 12-9 overall. The Black Knights have won three of their last four and are coming off an 84-72 victory over Colgate at home on Wednesday that leaves them just one game behind American for first place in the Patriot League.
- Senior guard Jalen Rucker leads the Black Knights and the entire Patriot League with 17.9 points per game, though his output has slowed of late with just five points against Navy and nine against Colgate in his last two outings. He adds 3.2 assists a game.
- Sophomore forward Josh Scovens adds 16.0 a contest, sophomore guard Ryan Curry chips in 12.1, and senior forward AJ Allenspach nets 10.4. Curry's 4.1 assists and Allenspach's 7.8 rebounds a game are both second in the Patriot League.
- Kevin Kuwik is in his second year as the head coach at West Point. His team has already won two more games than it did in his entire first season.
Best Patriot League Start in 10 Years
- The Eagles' 7-2 start to Patriot League play is their best in 10 years, since the 2013-14 team won 10 straight games to open league play. That team finished 13-5 overall in the PL and went on to win the program's third Patriot League Championship.
- It has been a strong turnaround since AU started the PL season this year at 1-2, including a 23-point loss at Navy in the Eagles' conference opener on January 2.
- With its win at Lafayette on Jan. 29, AU now has its longest conference win streak since that 2013-14 season.
Make Your Free Throws
- AU's team free-throw percentage of .768 leads the Patriot League, ranks 32nd in NCAA Division I, and would break the previous program record of .750 from 1964-65 if it held through to the end of the season.
- The Eagles went 9-for-9 at Virginia, 15-for-17 against Holy Cross, 12-for-13 at BU, 14-for-16 on the road at Holy Cross, and 16-for-17 at Lafayette on Jan. 29. AU's shooting at the line was crucial in its win at Lafayette, as the Eagles hit 12-for-12 in the final minutes to help erase a seven-point deficit.
- Sophomore Greg Jones (2nd, .880), senior Elijah Stephens (4th, .857), grad student Colin Smalls (5th, .813), and grad student Matt Rogers (9th, .776) all rank in the top 10 in the Patriot League in free-throw percentage.
- Greg Jones hit 24 free throws in a row from Nov. 23 to Jan. 2, including an 8-of-8 performance in the OT win over GW on Dec. 4.
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