ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's basketball team makes its return to MVP Arena for a showdown with Crosstown Rival Siena with the 2023 Albany Cup on the line.
 
Game Info
November 26, 2023 at Siena (5:00 pm)
Live Stats | ESPN+ | 104.5 FM The Team | Game Notes
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany is 1-3 on the road this season; Siena is 1-0 at home
• UAlbany has won five of the last seven games against Siena
• Three Great Danes average double-figure scoring
• Siena returns only one of its top nine scorers from last season, and a total of 20% of its scoring

Scouting Siena
After winning their season opener against Holy Cross, Siena has dropped each of its next four, at Richmond and at American, followed by Central Michigan and Milwaukee in the Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach.  Their last game, against the Panthers, saw the Saints fall on a last-second putback.  Siena went 17-15 in 2022-23, and 11-9 in the MAAC, finishing tied for third in the league before falling against five-seed Niagara in the MAAC quarterfinal round.  The Saints were picked to finish fourth in the 2023-24 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll after losing 80% of their scoring output from last year.  Siena does return 2022-23 MAAC Rookie of the Year Michael Eley, a Preseason All-MAAC Second Team selection this year, but Eley has not played since scoring 24 points in the Saints' opener against Holy Cross.  Since 2001, UAlbany is 7-11 against Siena, but has won five of the last seven.
 
Last Time vs. Siena
November 12, 2022 | Following a five-year layoff, the UAlbany men's basketball team renewed its series with Crosstown Rival Siena in a neutral-site game at MVP Arena in Albany.  The Great Danes jumped out to a 38-27 lead at halftime, and led by as many as 14, 50-36, early in the second half.  Siena came alive, going on a 10-5 run, and then scoring 18-straight, to take a 59-55 lead.  Siena further extended its lead, holding UAlbany to just 24 points in the second half, and won by a final margin of 75-62.  Gerald Drumgoole Jr. led all scorers with 22 points.
 
Last Time Out
UAlbany hosted a neutral-site game at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls, N.Y. as part of the inaugural Doc Sauers Classic.  UAlbany's opponent, Army West Point, was winless in its first four games, but had given Indiana a scare, falling at the Hoosiers by just eight points.  In the first half, scoring came at a premium.  UAlbany jumped out to a 17-3 in just over seven minutes, but Army clawed back to lead 28-25 at the break.  The Great Danes retook the lead within the first three minutes of the second half, but gave it up again with just under 11 minutes remaining.  In total, the game featured nine ties and nine lead changes, before Sebastian Thomas iced the win for UAlbany with a three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining.
 
Around the America East
A week after UMass Lowell recorded the biggest result of the season, defeating Georgia Tech on the road and nearly defeating Arizona State on the road two days later, Bryant outdid the River Hawks, upsetting #10 and 2023 national semifinalist Florida Atlantic 61-52 in Boca Raton.  Meanwhile, Vermont made a run to the finals of the Myrtle Beach Invitational, defeating Charleston and Saint Louis before falling by 10 against Liberty.  Vermont shares the best record in the conference with UMass Lowell, 4-1.  New Hampshire holds sole possession of third place a 3-2, ahead of a four-team logjam of 3-3 teams: Binghamton, Bryant, Maine, and UMBC.  UAlbany trails at 2-3, ahead of 1-3 NJIT.
 
Sunday's America East Games

• UAlbany at Siena, 5:00 pm

Picked Seventh
The Great Danes were picked to finish seventh in the 2023 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll.  UAlbany drew 23 total points, just two behind projected sixth-place finisher UMBC, and ahead of both New Hampshire, with 18 points, and NJIT, with 10.  Defending champion Vermont was the preseason favorite, drawing 62 points and six of a possible eight first-place votes.  UMass Lowell trailed in second, with 55 points and the remaining three first-place votes.
 
Doc Sauers Classic
Created this season to honor legendary UAlbany men's basketball coach Richard "Doc" Sauers, the Classic, a multi-team event presented by the Albany Med Health System, will feature the Great Danes, Quinnipiac, and Army West Point.  UAlbany will first play Quinnipiac on the road on November 19, before returning to the Capital Region two days later for the program's first-ever game played at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls.
 
Barclays
The UAlbany men's basketball team will play a game this season in Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  On December 10, the Great Danes will take part in the NABC Brooklyn Showcase against Temple.
 
Broadview Center
The Great Danes are set to open the brand-new Broadview center in a Nov. 29 matchup against Boston University.  Formally SEFCU Arena, Broadview Center underwent transformational renovations over the past year, upgrading fan amenities and installing new basketball locker rooms while also rotating the aspect of the court.  The building is in the process of finishing construction, with the team's game against the Terriers marked as the first official event held in the arena.  Due to its construction, UAlbany played home games last season at Hudson Valley Community College.
 
New Look Danes
The Great Danes have an almost entirely new team, with nine new student-athletes joining the quad along with six returners.  Returning for UAlbany this year is Jonathan Beagle, Justin Neely, Marcus Jackson, Aaron Reddish, Ny'Mire Little, and Will Amica. New to the team is Marcus Filien, Amar'e Marshall, Sebastian Thomas, Jack Margoupis, Bautista Giralt, Muneer Newton, Zach Matulu, Tyler Bertram, and Zane Adnan.
 
Drive the Lane with UAlbany Hoops
Drive the Lane with UAlbany Hoops is officially back for a third season.  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
The UAlbany Basketball Postgame Show returns this season to 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio.  The show 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.
 
FREE with your ID
UAlbany 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 brand new Broadview Center.
 
Social Central
Stay up to date with UAlbany men's basketball by following the team on X (@UAlbanyMBB) and Instagram (@ualbany_mbb) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.
 
Next: UAlbany hosts the first game in the newly renovated Broadview Center on November 29 against former America East rival Boston University.