ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's basketball team travels to Newark, New Jersey, for a matchup with NJIT on Saturday night. Tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3 and ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team in Albany.
 
Game Info
Saturday, January 14 – at NJIT
7:00 p.m. EST
ESPN3 | ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team | Live Stats
 
Leading the Pack

• Gerald Drumgoole Jr. continues to lead the team in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game. That mark places him in the top 10 in the America East. Drumgoole Jr. is currently shooting 37.3% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc. He has scored 20+ points in seven games this season.
• After a week in which he averaged a double-double, Jonathan Beagle was named the America East Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this season. The big man from Glens falls is averaging 11.8 points while shooting 51.5% from the field, both team highs. He sits sixth in the America East in rebounding, averaging 6.7 per contest.
• Sarju Patel enjoyed his best game as a Great Dane on a week ago against UMass Lowell, scoring a team-high 23 points with five rebounds and two assists in the win. He has scored 23 points twice this season, the first coming against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 26.
• After a slow start to the season, Malik Edmead carved out a pivotal spot on the team in recent games. He had scored at least nine points in eight-straight games before being sidelined against UNH with a hand (finger) injury. He is currently listed as week-to-week.
• As a team, the Great Danes are shooting 41.0% from the field, 33.8% from three, and 70.1% from the charity stripe.
• UAlbany is averaging 67.9 points per game while opponents are averaging 74.8. The Great Danes have scored 80+ in two of their last three outings.
• UAlbany is averaging 33.9 rebounds while opponents average 34.2. 

 
Last Time Out
The UAlbany men's basketball team fell into an early hole Wednesday night against new America East opponent Bryant, a deficit in which the team was unable to overcome. The Great Danes trailed by about 10 points for much of the first half before Bryant was able to increase the lead in the second with an 86-69 victory. Freshmen Jonathan Beagle (21 points) and Marcus Jackson (15 points) both had career night for the Great Danes.  

• Jonathan Beagle led the UAlbany offense with a career high 21 points. The four time America East Rookie of the Week went 9-15 from the field, collecting four rebounds abd dishing out four assists.
• Marcus Jackson had a career high 15 points in 28 minutes of action. He added four rebounds and two assists, going a perfect 6-6 from the field and 2-2 from three.
• ­Sarju Patel went 4-8 from beyond the arc, finishing with 12 points.
• Gerald Drumgoole Jr. had a team-high six rebounds and a team-high five assists, finishing with six points.
• UAlbany shot 44.3% (27-61) from the field and 29.2% (7-24) from three. Bryant shot 53.3% (32-60) from the field and 48.4% (15-31) from three.

 
Scouting NJIT
NJIT comes into Saturday's matchup with an overall record of 4-12, having gone 1-2 in America East play so far. The Highlanders started conference play with a 64-67 home lost to UMass Lowell before taking down Maine on the road in overtime, 91-83. Most recently, the Highlanders fell at home to Binghamton in extra time, 71-72.

• NJIT averages 66.1 points per game, allowing opponents to score 70.0 points.
• The team is shooting 42.1% from the field, 32.2% from beyond the arc, and 64.0% from the free throw line.
• Miles Coleman is the team's leading scorer, averaging 15 points per contest. IN his last three outings he has scored 18 (UMass Lowell), 22 (Maine), and 17 (Binghamton).
• Kevin Osawe is one of the conference's top rebounders, averaging 8.0 per game. He's brought down 37 offensive boards and 91 defensive boards for a total of 128 over 16 games.
• Adam Hess is the Highlanders' second leading scorer, averaging 9.7 points. He is shooting 46.5% from the field and 42.0% from three. He has the most three-pointers (29) of anybody on the team.

 
#AEHoops Notes (1.9.23)
Through only two weeks of conference play, there are no more unbeaten teams. In fact, all but one men's #AEHoops squad is 2-1, 1-1 or 1-2.

• UMBC was the lone team to go 2-0 last week as the Retrievers posted wins over UAlbany and Bryant.
• Binghamton and NJIT were also unbeaten posting wins over UNH and Maine, respectively.
• In all, seven of America East's nine teams posted wins last week.
• UNH beat Vermont for the first time in 16 tries on Sunday behind 16 points and 16 rebounds from Nick Johnson.
• In a battle of reigning conference champions, Vermont knocked off Bryant at home on ESPNU on Thursday.
• Binghamton, UAlbany, UMBC and NJIT picked up their first conference wins last week.

 
Conference positioning will again prove key for the Jersey Mikes #AEPlayoffs. Every round of the Jersey Mikes #AEPlayoffs will take place on the higher seed's home court and earning home court advantage will prove crucial once again.
 
The league champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, where America East teams have won nine games all-time, including UMBC's historic upset of Virginia in 2018.
 
2022-23 Weekly Award Winners (Jan. 9)
Player of the Week
Miles Coleman, NJIT - Sr., Guard, West Palm Beach, Fla.

• Provided 22 points, six rebounds and four assists in a key NJIT win at Maine.
• Shot 50 percent from the floor.
• his is Coleman's first #AEHoops Player of the Week honor of the season.

 
Rookie of the Week
Jonathan Beagle, UAlbany - Fr., Forward, Hudson Falls, N.Y.

• Averaged a 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in a 1-1 week.
• Had 17 points and 12 boards in win over UMass Lowell on Sunday.
• This is Beagle's fourth career #AEHoops Rookie of the Week honor.

 
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.
 
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.
 
More UAlbany Men's Basketball
Drive the Lane with UAlbany Hoops
Postgame Show Presented by Northwestern Mutual – Capital Region
Season Tickets
SEFCU Arena Renovation
 
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.