WASHINGTON - The defending Patriot League champions return to Bender Arena on Sunday as the American University men's basketball team hosts Penn in its 2025-26 home opener and banner unveiling. Game time is set for 1:02 p.m., with the 2025 Patriot League Championship banner to be unveiled in a short ceremony at 12:54 p.m.

Quick Info

• Date/Time: Sunday, November 9; 1 pm
• Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
• Series History: Penn leads, 6-0
• TV: ESPN+
• Talent: Dan Laing, Gordon Austin

Banner Unveiling and Mini Banner Giveaway

• In a special, short ceremony prior to the start of Sunday's game, the 2025 Patriot League Championship banner will be unveiled from above the home team bench in Bender Arena. 
• The first 500 fans in attendance will be given a mini replica championship banner to take home.

Parking Information

• Parking on campus is $10 per contest for games held after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends, available through the PayByPhone app in any garage using code (211950).
• Standard hourly garage rates apply from 8 am-10 pm in the Katzen Arts Center and School of International Service garages.

Bender Bites and The Perch

• The Perch is returning for a second year, offering a special section behind the north basket where fans ages 21 and over can purchase beer, wine and seltzers.
• New this season to the concessions area is Bender Bites, in partnership with AU Kitchen. The menu is expanded from past offerings, and there will be multiple areas for purchasing food, snacks and drinks around the arena.

Inside the Series

• American and Penn are meeting for the seventh time in program history, but the first since 2003.
• The Quakers have come out on top in all six prior meetings, winning four in Philadelphia and two in D.C.
• Most recently, Penn beat AU 66-55 on Jan. 8, 2003 in Philly.

What to Know About American

• American is coming off a season-opening, 88-74 loss at ACC powerhouse Wake Forest on Nov. 3. The Eagles scored 40 points in the second half, and got a career-high 22 from sophomore Wyatt Nausadis.
• The Eagles won their fourth Patriot League Championship in program history last season, finishing 22-13 overall. Their run ended in the NCAA First Four with an 83-72 loss to Mount St. Mary's.
• Four consistent starters were lost to graduation including All-PL First Team selection and PL Tournament MVP Matt Rogers, who finished his career as the sixth-leading scorer in school history.
• Head coach Duane Simpkins returns for his third year at the helm of the program along with associate head coaches Nate Bollinger and Jackie Manuel, and assistant coach Isaiah Tate.
• AU returns four of its top eight leading scorers, however, including junior Greg Jones who was named PL Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 10.3 points per game last season and earning PL All-Defensive Team honors as a sophomore.
• Last year, AU had its first 22-win season since a 22-9 record in 2010-11, and it's first 20-win season since 2013-14. The Eagles finished with 13 PL wins, also the most since 2013-14, with both 2024-25 and 2013-14 tying 2008-09 for most PL wins in program history (13).
• On this year's roster of 19, nine are true freshmen including six scholarship players. With the freshman class making up nearly half the team, some of these talented newcomers are expected to make an immediate impact.

What to Know About Penn

• Penn lost three starters from last year's 8-19 team, but returns 11 letterwinners overall. 
• The Quakers began their season on Nov. 7 with a 119-72 thumping of Division III Rowan.
• The Quakers are under the direction of first-year head coach Fran McCaffery, who brings in 29 years of head coaching experience at Iowa, Siena, UNC Greensboro, and Lehigh.
• Penn's last winning season was in 2022-23 with a 17-13 record.
• Senior guard Ethan Roberts returns for the Quakers after averaging a team-best 16.8 points per game along with 5.6 rebounds per game last season. Roberts' 59 three-pointers made last season tied for sixth in the Ivy League. 
• Roberts scored 28 points in the season-opening win over Rowan, hitting 8-of-11 from the field.

Keep Up With Us

• For the latest on American University Men's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Instagram (@au_mbasketball), X (@AU_MBasketball), and Facebook (/AU.MBasketball).