Holy Cross Visits SEFCU Arena for First Time in Wednesday Men's Basketball Match-Up on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel

UALBANY GAME NOTES | HOLY CROSS GAME NOTES | TWITTER | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men's basketball (2-3) hosts Holy Cross (3-1) in their first all-time meeting at SEFCU Arena on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.   

LAST TIME OUT

Senior forward Sam Rowley tallied his second straight double-double of the season and 10th in his career in a 59-75 loss at UNLV on Saturday, Nov. 29. Rowley had 17 points and 10 boards, going 7-for-14 (.500) from the field. Peter Hooley led all UAlbany scorers with 18 points, while adding on seven rebounds. The Great Danes shot a season-low 9-for-31 (.290) in the first half, but bounced back in the second half to shoot 13-for-28 (.464). 

SERIES HISTORY

Despite their close geographic proximity, UAlbany and Holy Cross met for the first time last season. The Crusaders hosted the Great Danes at the Hart Center in Worcester, earning a 62-57 victory. Peter Hooley and Sam Rowley combined for 33 of the team's 57 points, with 19 and 14, respectively. Holy Cross took a 20-8 advantage in points off the bench, and a 18-11 edge in points off turnovers in the win.

Dave Dudzinksi dropped 22 points on UAlbany in last season's meeting, but has since graduated. Holy Cross returns three of its starters from 2013-14.

AUSSIES ON A HOT STREAK

Senior captains Peter Hooley and Sam Rowley have posted impressive performances in consecutive games. Rowley recorded his second straight double-double at UNLV with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and is now averaging 12.0 and 8.8, respectively. Hooley has scored 10 points or more in each of the team's first five games. The America East Preseason All-Conference pick scored a season-high 18 at UNLV on Saturday.

AMERICA EAST STAT CHECK

UAlbany leads the America East in three-point FG percentage, going 34-for-89 (.382) over five games. Junior college transfer Ray Sanders is third (6-11, .545) and freshman Wheeler Baker ranks fifth individually in the category (7-14, .500).

Peter Hooley ranks fourth in the league in scoring (14.8 ppg), while Sam Rowley is sixth (12.0 ppg). Evan Singletary (14th, 11.0 ppg) and Ray Sanders (20th, 9.4 ppg( round out the top-20.

The Rowley's both place among the top-10 in rebounding. Sam is second (8.8 rpg), while Mike is in the No. 8 slot (5.2 rpg). Sam is also second in offensive rebounds (2.8 pg), and Mike ranks fourth (2.4 pg).

First-year point guard Singletary tops the league in assist-turnover ratio (3.2), and ranks tied for third with Hooley in assists per game (3.2 apg).

MILESTONES TO WATCH

Head Coach Will Brown is en route to his 200th career win this season, notching 193 so far. In his 14th season, Brown stands to become the second UAlbany men's basketball coach to reach the 200-win mark.

Peter Hooley and Sam Rowley are gradually approaching the 1,000-point mark. The Aussie pair will become the eighth and ninth players in the America East era to score 1,000 points. Hooley has scored 853 points to date, while Rowley has 795 to his credit. Hooley has already dished out over 200 assists and made more than 100 three-point field goals in his career. The junior guard will become the sixth player in the Division I era to score 1,000 points while tallying 200 or more assists and 100 or more three-pointers. Hooley also stands to reach the 1,000-point acheivement faster than any Division I Great Dane. 

SCOUTING HOLY CROSS

• Holy Cross started the season 3-0, with a marquee win over Preseason AP Top-25 squad Harvard in the season-opener.
• The Crusaders were handed their first loss at RV/RV Syracuse last Friday night, 48-72. Malcolm Miller had 18 points on 7-for-11 from the field in the loss.
• Milan Brown's Crusaders are shining on the defensive side of the ball, forcing opponents into an average of 20 turnovers per game behind 13 steals per game. Holy Cross ranks third nationally in steals per game.
• Not only is Holy Cross forcing its opponents into turnovers, the Crusaders are also only committing 12.5 turnovers per game for a turnover margin of +7.5 to rank fifth nationally.
• Miller leads Holy Cross with 12.3 points per game. He also has a team-high five blocks on the season.
• With six seniors and just one freshman this season, the Crusaders were picked to finish third in the Patriot League, garnering two first-place votes.