ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's basketball team returns to Albany for two games. The Albany Cup returns on Saturday night as the Great Danes take on crosstown foe Siena in a rivalry renewed. The game will take place at MVP Arena, turned neutral for the night, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Great Danes return to action on Monday night for the team's 2022-23 home opener against Union.
 
Game One Info
Saturday, Nov. 12 – vs. Siena
MVP Arena in Albany, New York
7:30 p.m. EST
ESPN3| ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team | Live Stats
 
Game Two Info
Monday, Nov. 14 – vs. Union
McDonough Sports Complex on the campus of HVCC in Troy, New York
7:00 p.m. EST
ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team | Live Stats
 
First 1,000 Students are FREE
The first 1,000 students to the Albany Cup game will receive free admission. Students will need to bring their valid UAlbany IDs to the second level of the MVP Arena Atrium upon arrival to pick up their tickets before entering.
 
Students - Hop on the Bus!
Along with free tickets, students will have the opportunity to be bussed to the game on Saturday night on behalf of the University. The busses will leave from Collins Circle at the times listed below. To ride on the bus, students will have to present a valid UAlbany ID.
 
Bus Times:

• 5:30 p.m.
• 6:00 p.m.
• 6:30 p.m.
• 7:00 p.m.

 
Leading the Pack

• In two games this year, Aaron Reddish leads the team in scoring with 22 points. The sophomore put up 12 against Towson on Monday night before following up with 10 against Immaculata on Tuesday. He is currently shooting .571 (4-7) from beyond the arc.
• Justin Neely, the 2021-22 America East Rookie of the Year, did not play in the team's season opener against Towson, but returned to action against Immaculata. In that game, Neely led the team in both points (16) and rebounds (9) and was an impressive 7-10 from the field.
• Freshman Jonathan Beagle has been a force to start the season. In his first collegiate game against Towson, he was disruptive on both ends of the court. He recorded a team-high nine rebounds, scored nine points, and added an assist and a steal. He has started in both games so far this season.
• Transfer Da'Kquan Davis leads the team in time on the court with nearly 27 minutes per game. Against Towson, he scored 12 points, collected two assists, and nabbed two rebounds. He went 3-6 from three-point range in the outing.

 
Last Time Out
UAlbany started the season with back-to-back games on the road, facing the Colonial Athletic Association's (CAA) top team in Towson on opening night before traveling to face Immaculata on Tuesday.
 
Against Towson, the Great Danes found themselves in an early 15-point deficit. The team battled all the way back to take a lead late in the game, but would eventually fall to the top-ranked Tigers by a score of 62-27. Gerald Drumgoole Jr. led all UAlbany scorers with 15 points. Da'Kquan Davis and Aaron Reddish joined the double-digit club with 12 points each.
 
On Tuesday, UAlbany collected its first win of the season against Immaculata by a score of 74-47. The Great Danes shot 63% from the field in the second half while limiting the Mighty Macs to just 15 shots, expanding the lead to 30 points. Justin Neely, in his first game of the season, led the team with 16 points in 21 minutes of action. The win was the first regular season victory of interim head coach Bobby Jordan's career.

Scouting Siena
Siena heads into its 47th Division I campaign looking to build off of four straight top-three MAAC finishes. Predicted to finish sixth according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Saints return a pair of starters and 10 letterwinners from last year's squad which posted a 15-14 overall and finished third in the MAAC with a 12-8 league mark. Siena welcomes seven newcomers to the program this season, highlighted by six true freshmen.
The Saints starter their season on Monday with a 75-68 road win over Holy Cross. In that game, Siena's Javian McCollum led the team with 20 points. The Saints had three players in double-figures in McCollum, Andrew Platek (13), and Eduardo Lane (13) who also collected a double-double with 11 rebounds. The Saints shot an impressive 54.55% (28-54) from the field and 37.5% (7-17) from beyond the arc.

History of the Albany Cup
Crosstown rivals separated by just seven miles, Siena College and the University at Albany meet for the 55th time on the hardwood in a men's basketball series spanning 82 years. Siena, which captured the first-ever matchup by a score of 52-45 on Jan. 5, 1940, at UAlbany, leads the all-time series 30-24.
The programs have met more frequently in recent times, following UAlbany's elevation to the Division I level. The Saints and Great Danes battled for 17 consecutive seasons (2001-17) for Capital Region bragging rights, with Siena holding a 10-7 edge since the Albany Cup was rekindled. Of those 17 meetings, 11 have been decided by single digits, including three in overtime. UAlbany has prevailed in five of the past six matchups, including a 74-69 triumph in the most recent tilt back on Dec. 9, 2017.
The rivalry returns to MVP Arena this season, where the first 16 Division I meetings between the programs have drawn an average of 10,791 fans, with 12 of the 16 crowds exceeding 10,000 patrons. The programs will continue their rivalry in 2023 at SEFCU Arena, before returning to MVP Arena to conclude the current contract in 2024.:

Scouting Union
Union College was voted seventh in the Liberty League preseason poll, following the 2021-22 season where they finished 11-13 overall and 8-10 in conference play. Union closed out their 21-22 season with two home wins over Hobart and RIT, before falling to Clarkson and St. Lawrences to end the year. Returning for his senior season is Mike Manley, coming off a strong 21-22 season where he led the Dutchmen with 15.9 ppg, shot35% from the field, and 74% from the line.

#AEHoops Notes
Coming off winning it's league-best ninth men's basketball title, Vermont is the favorite in the 2022-23 America East Men's Basketball preseason poll. The Catamounts, who also claimed their league-record sixth-straight regular-season title last season, edged out league newcomer Bryant atop the poll. Vermont and Bryant combined to claim four of the six preseason All-Conference team members, which was also unveiled with the poll.
 
Binghamton's Jacob Falko is the lone returning first-team All-America East team member from last season on the preseason All-League squad. He is joined by UMass Lowell's Max Brooks along with Bryant's Charles Pride, a first-team all-NEC choice last year, and Earl Timberlake, as well as Vermont's Dylan Penn and Finn Sullivan.
 
Drive the Lane with UAlbany Hoops
It was announced this fall that UAlbany renewed its partnership with ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team and City Line Bar & Grill. Coaches Dwayne Killings and Colleen Mullen, along with select student-athletes, will join ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team's Charlie Voelker and Dan Bahl every Monday from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. live from City Line Bar & Grill for a weekly segment entitled 'Drive the Lane with UAlbany Hoops'. 
 
Fans are invited to come out to City Line Bar & Grill to join Coach Killings, Coach Mullen, student-athletes and the ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team crew. Food and drink specials will be available on a weekly basis as the teams embark on their new seasons and talk hoops every Monday. 
 
Postgame Show Presented by Northwestern Mutual – Capital Region
This fall, the UAlbany men's basketball team announced a new segment with ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team. The UAlbany Basketball Postgame Show Presented by Northwestern Mutual – Capital Region will begin immediately following all games, home and away, for fans to listen to as they commute home or tune in from a distance.
 
The show is set to run for 30 minutes following the final buzzer on 104.5 The Team. Fans will hear initial reactions and a game recap to start the segment followed by interviews with the team. Coach Dwayne Killings and select student-athletes will join ESPN Radio's Rodger Wyland and Michael Johnson Jr. to break down the contest, give insights, opinions, responses, and to discuss the team's next matchup.
 
Fans can tune in to ESPN Radio 104.5 the Team by turning the dial on their radio or by streaming on their computers or smart phones.
 
Home Game Location
Earlier this summer, the UAlbany Athletic Department announced transformational renovations of both SEFCU Arena and the Physical Education Building that will improve the fan experience and provide state-of-the-art facilities for the University's athletic programs and Capital Region community events. Due to the construction, the team will play all of its 2022-23 home games at the McDonough Sports Complex on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College.
 
FREE with your ID
UAlbany and Hudson Valley students can attend UAlbany basketball home games all season long for FREE. Students who attend games simply need to bring their school-issued ID cards to gain admission to the McDonough Sports Complex.
 
Roster Changes
In total, only seven Great Danes return from last year's roster. Those still with the program are Ny'Mire Little, Gerald Drumgoole Jr., Trey Hutcheson, Aaron Reddish, Tairi Ketner, Justin Neely, and Will Amica.
 
Six new faces join this year's team. Joining the program are transfers Da'Kquan Davis (Arcadia), Malik Edmead (Merrimack), Sarju "Juice" Patel (Cornell), and Japannah Kellogg (Green Bay). Freshman joining the team include local standouts Jonathan Beagle (St. Thomas More) and Marcus Jackson (Cushing Academy).
 
Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2022-23 season are now on sale. To purchase your season tickets, just log in to your online Ticket Return account and select 2022-23 men's basketball. Renewals can be processed online, and game tickets will be delivered to your mobile device or, if you choose, emailed. To start your season ticket renewal, click here. If you are a first-time season ticket buyer, click here.
 
Social Central
Stay up to date with UAlbany men's basketball by following the team on Twitter (@UAlbanyMBB) and Instagram (@ualbany_mbb) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the season.