ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's basketball team is set to travel to the state of Illinois for two games before the holiday break. The Great Danes take on Loyola Chicago on Sunday afternoon before facing Northern Illinois on Tuesday. Both games are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. EST with coverage on ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team.
 
Game 1 Info
Sunday, December 18 – at Loyola Chicago
2:00 p.m. EST
ESPN+ | ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team | Live Stats
 
Game 2 Info
Tuesday, December 20 – at Northern Illinois
2:00 p.m. EST
ESPN+ | ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team | Live Stats
 
Leading the Pack

• Gerald Drumgoole Jr. currently leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per outing. He leads the team three points made per game (2.8), free throws (40), assists (26), and minutes (29.3).
• Jonathan Beagle is now a two-time America East Rookie of the Week. He sits second on the team in scoring (11.0) and leads the team and sits fourth in the conference in rebounds (7.5). In his last game out, the big man led the team in scoring with 17 points, brining down six rebounds and dishing out five assists.
• Aaron Reddish dropped 15 points on Wednesday night against LIU, the third time this season he has scored 15+. The sophomore is averaging 9.9 points and 2.8 rebounds. He is shooting 50.8% from the field and 38.2% from beyond the arc.
• Sarju Patel has started seven of 12 contests for UAlbany and leads the team in steals with 14 on the year. The transfer is shooting 38% from the field and is still looking to find his stroke from beyond the arc, currently shooting 28.9% from deep.
• As a team, the Great Danes are averaging 67.8 points per game while allowing opponents to score 75.2.
• The team is shooting 41.1% from the field, 32.9% from three, and 68.3% from the free throw line.
• UAlbany is averaging 34 boards per game, with opponents averaging 34.6.

 
Last Time Out
The UAlbany men's basketball team collected its biggest win of the season Wednesday night with a 76-59 victory over Long Island University (LIU). The Great Danes rode a second have scoring wave to the win, shooting 61.5% from the field in the second half and outscoring LIU 44-28. Four Great Danes recorded double-digit scoring totals in Jonathan Beagle (17), Aaron Reddish (15), Gerald Drumgoole Jr. (13), and Malik Edmead (12).

• Jonathan Beagle led all UAlbany scorers with 17 points. He led the team in field goals (6), assists (5), and steals (3).
• Gerald Drumgoole Jr. led the Great Danes in time on the court with 34 minutes. He finished with 13 points, going 6-7 from the free throw line.
• Aaron Reddish finished with 15 points, going a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe. He collected six rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.
• Malik Edmead had his best day as a Great Danes to date, scoring 12 points off the bench. He played 26 minutes and dished out four assists.
• UAlbany finished shooting 47.3% (26-55) from the field and 23.5% (4-17) from three. LIU finished shooting 37.1% (23-62) from the field and 27.3% (3-11) from three.
• UAlbany won the rebounding war, 43-33. Six Great Danes finished with 5+ rebounds.
• The Great Danes finished with 17 assists, the Sharks dished out 12.
• UAlbany had 19 turnovers compared to LIU's 18.

 
Scouting Loyola Chicago
Loyola Chicago is coming off one of its biggest wins of the season, a 76-58 victory over the ACC's Clemson. The team shot a season-high 56 percent, while holding a vaunted Clemson attack to a 39-percent clip. The win brought the Ramblers to 5-5 overall on the year, with other victories coming against FDU, UIC, Central Arkansas, and Green Bay. Sunday's matchup will be the first time the Ramblers face an America East school since December of 2009 when the Great Danes were once again in town. Loyola Chicago got the better of that matchup, a 68-56 victory.

• Philip Alston leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.2 points per game. He has started every game for the Ramblers, shooting 52.8% from the field. He leads the team in rebounding, grabbing 5.5 boards per game, and has totaled 13 assists.
• Braden Norris is averaging 10.5 points per game this year and leads the team in assists (39) and steals (15). He has the most three-pointers made (220 on the team, shooting at a clip of 35.5%.
• The Ramblers are averaging 68.1 points per game while limiting opponents to 68.0 points. The team is shooting 48.0% from the field, 33.5% from three, and 69.4% from the charity stripe.

 
Scouting Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois goes into the weekend with an overall record of 3-7. The Huskies visit VCU in Richmond for a 3:00 p.m. game on Saturday before shifting their attention to UAlbany on Sunday. The team has dropped three of its last four, falling to Northern Iowa and winning against Eastern Illinois before falling to Idaho and #15 Gonzaga most recently on Monday night. In that game, Gonzaga shot 50% (19-of-38) from the field in the second half, including 45.5% (5-of-11) from three, to claim an 88-67 win. Keshawn Williams scored a team-high 25 points with eight rebounds and Anthony Crump added a career-high 20 with eight rebounds.

• The Huskies have three players averaging double figures in Keshawn Williams (18.2), David Coit (13.5), and Zarique Nutter (11.6). Following those three, the next highest scoring average falls to Anthony Crump with just 5.1 per game.
• Nutter and Crump lead the team in rebounding, both averaging 5.0 per game.
• The team is averaging 69.2 points while allowing opponents to score 76.1. The Huskies are shooting 43.5% from the field, 33.0% from three, and 67.3% from the line.

 
#AEHoops Notes (12.12.22)
It was a strong week for #AEHoops teams, who combined to go 12-7. UMass Lowell, New Hampshire and Vermont highlighted the week with strong wins.

• UMass Lowell posted its first-ever win over in-state foe UMass, 85-80, on Thursday.
• The River Hawks added a win over St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday to improve to 11-1 on the season.
• UML is the first #AEHoops team to ever start 11-1 and has a league-best net of 57.

 
Player of the Week
Clarence Daniels, New Hampshire – Jr., Forward, Brooklyn Park, Minn.

• Averaged 22.5 points and 11.5 rebounds last week.
• Scored a career-high 34 points, the most by an America East player this season in a win over Boston College, UNH's first in the Heights since 1986. Also added 14 rebounds in that contest.
• He followed up that performance with 11 points and 11 boards against Big East foe St. John's.
• This is Daniels' first career #AEHoops Player of the Week honor

 
Rookie of the Week
TJ Hurley, Vermont - Fr., Guard, Pelham, Ont.

• Scored 12 points off the bench to help lead Vermont to a win over Patriot League-favorite Colgate.
• Shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor.
• Added three rebounds.
• This is Hurley's second-straight #AEHoops Rookie of the Week honor (12/5).

 
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.