Men's Basketball Concludes 2015 Home Non-Conference Slate with Niagara on Wednesday Night

SEASON TICKETS | EVENT TICKETS | FAMILY FOUR PACK 

ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men's basketball (8-4) hosts its final home game of 2015 on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. against cross-I-90 foe Niagara (3-8). The Great Danes look to avenge a 65-49 loss at Niagara last season.  

LINKED-IN

LAST TIME OUT

FAMILY 4 PACK 4 UALBANY

UAlbany men's basketball games from Wednesday, Dec. 23  - Monday, Jan. 18 for the Family Four Pack. The Family Four Pack includes four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for $40. Visit UAlbanySports.com or call (518) 442-DANE to purchase. Game dates include:

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

The Purple & Gold has won 10 consecutive games at home, dating back to February of last season. The Danes won five straight games at SEFCU Arena to wrap up 2014-15, sealing their third consecutive America East Championship. Will Brown & co., is 5-0 with home court advantage so far this season.

ROLLIN ROWLEY

Junior forward Mike Rowley is nine rebounds away from 100 through the non-conference slate.  Rowley ranks 42nd nationally in offensive rebounds per game (3.42), and has posted five consecutive games with seven rebounds or more, including three or more offensive boards in that streak.

SANDERS SEEING 20/20

Senior 2015 all-conference selection Ray Sanders is the only player in the league to total 20+ assists (28) and 20+ steals (20) to date. He leads the league in steals after totaling three against Saint Francis (Pa.). Sanders has strung together four straight multi-assist games, and looks to rank among UAlbany's Division I single-season steals leaders.

SCOUTING NIAGARA

Niagara leads the Division I series 3-1, a series that dates back nearly 100 years to UAlbany's Albany State days. After picking up the match-up for the first time in his coaching reign, Will Brown saw 2014 end with a 64-47 loss at Niagara last season. Peter Hooley did not make the trip, and UAlbany shot just five free throws in that contest.

The Purple Eagles mark the fourth and final MAAC team the Danes will face in the regular season for 2015-16. The Purple & Gold is 2-1 against the MAAC, while Niagara in 1-1 in conference to date. The Purple Eagles took a 76-72 victory over Quinnipiac on Dec. 4.

Led by Matt Scott in scoring and in rebounding, Niagara posts wins against Brown, North Carolina A&T and Quinnipiac. In the midst of a three-game losing streak, Niagara has lost its last two games by a combined five points, including a 48-44 loss to the BIG EAST's St. John's and LIU Brooklyn 80-79 in overtime.

BY THE NUMBERS

DIVISION I LEADING CAREER SCORERS

SHAKING THE 60'S

For the first time this season, UAlbany emerged victorious when scoring in the 60's on Saturday against Saint Francis (Pa.). The Danes were previously 0-3 when scoring in the 60's, totaling 65 points at Kentucky, 64 at Boston University and 61 at USF. Last season, UAlbany went 13-2 when scoring between 60 and 69 points. The only 2014-15 losses in the 60's came at the hands of Providence 64-60 in the season opener, and against Oklahoma 69-60 in the NCAA Second Round.

NATIONAL DANES

UAlbany currently ranks seventh nationally in free throw attempts with 327 and 10th in free throws made (228). Free points account for 25.7% of the Purple & Gold's point total through 12 games (228-823), averaging 74.0 points per game.

AMERICA EAST STAT UPDATE

TEAM

INDIVIDUAL