ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's basketball team is set to travel to Baltimore, Md., to take on the UMBC Retrievers on Thursday night. The game is the second conference matchup for both teams. Tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+ and ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team in Albany.
 
Game Info
Thursday, January 5 – at UMBC
7:00 p.m. EST
ESPN+ | ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team | Live Stats
 
Leading the Pack

• Gerald Drumgoole Jr. continues to lead the team in scoring, averaging 13.9 points per game. The Rochester native is shooting 37.6% from the field and 38.4% from three and leads the team in time on the court, averaging 30.2 minutes. He has scored at least 13 points in five of his last seven outings.
• Freshman Jonathan Beagle sits second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.8 points. Beagle leads the team and sits tenth in the conference with 6.38 rebounds per game. The big man from Hudson Falls has already collected three America East Rookie of the Week awards.
• Da'Kquan Davis has once again found his stride, scoring in double digits in his last three outings. The graduate transfer is shooting 35.9% from the field and 33.9% from beyond the arc.
• 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 40.2% from the field, 32.2% from three, and 67.7% from the charity stripe.
• UAlbany is averaging 65.6 points per game while opponents are averaging 73.8. UAlbany is averaging 33.8 rebounds while opponents average 34.9.  

 
Last Time Out
The UAlbany men's basketball team fell to the University of New Hampshire Wildcats on New Year's Eve by a score 67-51. UNH jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, establishing a 25-point lead by the half. UAlbany was unable to find a rhythm on the offensive side, while the Wildcats shot over 40% from beyond the arc to run up the score.

• Gerald Drumgoole Jr. led the team in scoring with 15 points. The Rochester native shot 6-13 from the field and went 2-4 from deep. He had a team-high three steals.
• Da'Kquan Davis finished with 11 points on 5-14 shooting. He added a rebound, a steal, and an assist.
• Jonathan Beagle had a team-high three assists. He added five points and three rebounds.
• Tairi Ketner finished with the most rebounds, grabbing nine.
• UAlbany shot 35.2% (19-54) from the field and 23.1% (3-13) from three. UNH shot 44.4% from the field and 43.5% (10-23) from deep.
• UNH won the rebounding war, 37-36.
• UAlbany finished with 13 turnovers, UNH had 10.

 
Scouting UMBC
The Retrievers come into Thursday's game with an overall record of 9-6, having gone just 0-1 in conference play. The team was riding a six-game winning streak throughout the month of December before Maryland snapped it with an 80-64 victory on Dec. 29. To start off the new year, the Retrievers fell to perennial America East power Vermont on New Year's Day, 61-74, at home to begin conference play.   

• As a team, the Retrievers are averaging 75.6 points per game with opponents averaging 73.3. The team grabs 35.2 rebounds and commits 10.8 turnovers per game.
• Colton Lawrence leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.5 points. After having a hot start to the season, the graduate student has been limited to single digits in three of his last five outings.
• Lawrence is followed by Jacob Boonyasith (11.5 ppg) and Matteo Picarelli (11.3 ppg). Boonyasith is the only UMBC player to play in and start all 15 games. Picarelli leads the team in both three pointers (39) and three-point attempts (88).
• Former Great Dane Jarvis Doles transferred to UMBC this past summer. He is averaging 9.4 points, 22.0 minutes, 4.5 rebounds, and is shooting 42.5% from the field.

 
#AEHoops Notes (1.3.23)
Conference play got underway in men's #AEHoops action last week. Bryant, UMass Lowell, New Hampshire, and Vermont picked up wins in their openers.

• UNH held UAlbany to 35 percent shooting in a 67-51 win on Saturday.
• Bryant exploded for 82 points, 29 of which came from Sherif Gross-Bullock, in an 82-78 win over Binghamton on Saturday.
• UMass Lowell closed on a 13-0 run in a 67-64 win over NJIT.
• Vermont shot 53 percent from the field in a 74-61 win at UMBC.

 
This week's action is highlighted by Bryant visiting Vermont on Thursday at 7 p.m. in a rare conference title between reigning league champions. The game will air on ESPNU.
 
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. 3)
Player of the Week
Sherif Gross-Bullock, Bryant – Sr., Guard, Washington, D.C.

• Scored a career-high 29 points to lead Bryant to a win over Binghamton in its conference opener on Saturday.
• Added six rebound and two steals.
• This is Gross-Bullock's second #AEHoops Player of the Week honor of the season.

 
Rookie of the Week
Ridvan Tutic, New Hampshire – Fr., Forward, Novi Pazar, Serbia

• Grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds and helped key a strong defensive effort in UNH's win over UAlbany.
• Helped hold the Great Danes to 35 percent shooting and only 51 points.
• Scored five points.
• This is Tutic's first 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.
 
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.