WASHINGTON - Just two weeks after a narrow loss to Colgate on the road, American University men's basketball has a chance at redemption as the Eagles get set to host the Raiders at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21 in Bender Arena. Both teams are coming off back-to-back Patriot League victories, with Colgate tied for first at 5-1 and American alone in third at 4-2.

Quick Info

• Date/Time: Wednesday, January 21; 7 pm
• Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
• Series History: American leads, 36-19
• TV: ESPN+
• Talent: Dan Laing, Gordon Austin

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 has returned 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.

Series History

• This will be the 56th meeting between American and Colgate, with the Eagles leading 36-19.
• Now in his third year, head coach Duane Simpkins is 4-2 all-time against the Raiders and had won four straight before a narrow, 64-62 road loss on January 7. Prior to Simpkins' arrival, the Eagles had gone 1-10 in their previous 11 meetings against Colgate.
• American swept Colgate in three meetings last season, winning 81-77 at home, 67-59 on the road in the final regular-season contest, and 72-62 in the PL Tournament semifinals.

What to Know About American

• The Eagles and Raiders are both coming off back-to-back wins, and are meeting for a second time just two weeks after the first. 
• AU took down first-place Navy, 65-51, behind a career-high 23 points from Greg Jones, holding the Mids to 22.5 points below their season average. Later in the week, AU got a career-high 26 points from Julen Iturbe in a 78-67 win at Army.
• The Eagles are 9-2 at home in Bender Arena this season.
• Seven players—Wyatt Nausadis, Madden Collins, Kade Sebastian, Jones, Iturbe, Geoff Sprouse, and Dean Hogans—have been leading scorers for AU so far this season.
• Jones and Collins are leading AU with 12.6 points per game. Iturbe is in third at 10.2 points per game along with a team-best 5.2 rebounds per game.
• As a team, AU leads the Patriot League in turnover margin (2.47), and steals (8.21 per game). The Eagles rank second in scoring (76.7 ppg), scoring margin (4.5 ppg), and free-throw percentage (.754). Sophomore Wyatt Nausadis ranks third in 3-point FG pct at .441.
• American is forcing an average of 13.6 turnovers per game while committing just 11.2 per game. The Eagles' turnover margin of 2.47 leads the PL by more than two per game, and ranks 61st in NCAA DI.
• The Eagles' 8.21 steals per game lead the PL and ranks 73rd in the nation.

What to Know About Colgate

•  Colgate has opened Patriot League action with victories in five of its first six games, including a 64-62 win over American in Hamilton on January 7. 
• The Raiders are now tied atop the Patriot League with Navy at 5-1, a game ahead of the Eagles, alone in third at 4-2.
• Scoring 77.1 points per game, Colgate is the highest-scoring offense in the Patriot League to date, just 0.4 points better than second-place American. 
• Junior guard Jalen Cox leads the way with 16.1 points per game, fourth in the league. His 5.6 assists a game are tops in the league. Freshman forward Andrew Alekseyenko adds 14.7 points per game and a team-best 6.3 rebounds a contest.
• Matt Langel, now in his 15th season in Hamilton, is the winningest coach in Colgate men's basketball history, sitting at 252-211 overall. A five-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, Langel has led Colgate to five NCAA Tournament appearances in the last seven years.

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).