ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany end 2023 with its second trip to the Barclays Center to play NEC opponent LIU.
 
Game Info
December 28, 2023 at LIU (7:00 pm – Barclays Center)
Live Stats | NEC FrontRow | 104.5 FM The Team | Game Notes
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany is 2-5 on the road this season; LIU is 0-1 at home
• LIU has lost each of its last six
• UAlbany ranks fifth in the America East in scoring offense and sixth in scoring defense
• LIU ranks ninth in the NEC in scoring offense and seventh in scoring defense
• Jonathan Beagle leads the America East in rebounding
• Amar'e Marshall leads the America East in steals
• Sebastian ranks fifth in the America East in scoring
• Thursday's game will be broadcast on SNY on tape delay at 1:00 pm Friday

Scouting LIU
LIU, in year four of the unification of the LIU Brooklyn and LIU Post campuses, are 1-10 through 11 games this season.  The Sharks have played each of their last 10 games away from their home arena, and Thursday at the Barclays Center will be their 11th away from their primary venue, and only their second home game of the 2023-24 season.  LIU lost each of its first four games to open the season, and after claiming a neutral-site victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Kentucky, has lost each of its last six games, including against America East opponent UMass Lowell.  LIU was picked to finish seventh in the 2023-24 NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll after finishing last season with a record of 3-26, and 1-15 against NEC opponent.  Three Sharks, Erick Acker, Tai Strickland, and Tana Kopa, average double-figure scoring this year.  As the Sharks, UAlbany is 1-0 against LIU, and previously went 0-1 against LIU Brooklyn and 0-4 against Long Island.
 
Last Time vs. LIU
December 14, 2022 | After leading by just one at halftime, UAlbany surged in the second half, outscoring the Sharks by 16 to win 76-56.  The Great Danes shot 61.5% from the floor after halftime.  Four Great Danes scored in double-figures, led by Jonathan Beagle with 17 and Aaron Reddish with 15.  The game, which was played at McDonough Sports Complex at HVCC, was the first between the teams since LIU became the Sharks.
 
Last Time Out
UAlbany kicked off a four-game road swing with a trip to Tampa to play South Florida.  The Great Danes kept pace with the Bulls for much of the game, and trailed by just one after a high-scoring first half, until USF surged in the second half.  UAlbany trailed by just six with 10 minutes remaining, but the Bulls pulled away to outscore UAlbany by 15 after halftime to win 89-73.  USF's defense held UAlbany to 27.3% shooting in the second half.  Amar'e Marshall scored 19 points, while Jonathan Beagle scored 17 and grabbed nine rebounds.
 
Around the America East
Vermont suffered a last-second defeat at Miami (OH) and has narrowly fallen out of the top spot in the America East standings as non-conference schedules begin to wrap up.  In the Catamounts' place, New Hampshire and UMass Lowell are tied for first at 8-4, just ahead of Vermont at 9-5.  The Catamounts are the only team in the league with nine wins, while four, New Hampshire, UMass Lowell, Bryant, and Maine, have eight.  Binghamton is fourth at 7-5, ahead of 8-6 Bryant and Maine.  UAlbany trails at 7-6, followed by UMBC and NJIT.
 
Thursday's America East Games

• UAlbany at LIU, 7:00 pm

Common Opponents

• Columbia
  • UAlbany: 11/11 at Columbia, W, 78-75
  • LIU: 11/21 at Columbia, L, 67-77

Double Trouble
In UAlbany's final home game of 2023, and before a four-game road swing to close out the nonconference schedule, the Great Danes dispatched NEC rival Sacred Heart by 14 points, 93-79, bouncing back after stumbling at Drexel 71-52.  Against the Pioneers, UAlbany saw four players score in double figures, while two, Jonathan Beagle and Marcus Jackson, recorded personal double-double.  Beagle, who recorded his fourth of the season, scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, leading UAlbany in both categories, while Jackson, recording his first career double-double, scored 15 points to go with 10 rebounds.
 
Helping Hand
Junior guard Sebastian Thomas tied the UAlbany men's basketball single-game record, recording 10 assists in the Great Danes' victory over Boston University on November 29.  Thomas is the first Great Dane to record 10 assists in a game since Ahmad Clark did so at Niagara on December 31, 2018, and is the sixth player in program history to hit the mark, with Jamar Wilson doing so twice in his career.
 
Three-for-Three
With the victory over Boston University, the UAlbany men's basketball team has won three-straight games.  The last three-game winning streak the Great Danes had was January 12-19, 2022, when they defeated UMass Lowell, NJIT, and UMBC.
 
Opening Night
The UAlbany men's basketball team was hosted the first game in the newly renovated Broadview Center on November 29, 2023.  It was the Great Danes' first true home game since hosting Hartford on March 1, 2022.  Playing in front of a debut crowd of 3,103, The Great Danes defeated former America East rival Boston University 86-72.
 
Player of the Week
For his efforts against Siena in the 2023 Albany Cup, as well has his performance against Army West Point in the previous game, Amar'e Marshall was named America East Offensive Player of the Week.  He averaged 24.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in two wins for the Great Danes, going off for a game- and career-high 33 against Siena.  Marshall is UAlbany's first Player of the Week since Cameron Healy on January 27, 2020.
 
For the Cup
UAlbany reclaimed the Albany Cup, defeating Crosstown Rival Siena 86-51 at MVP Arena.  It was UAlbany's first win in the series since the 2017-18 season, but their third in the last four meetings, and sixth in the last nine against the Saints.  Amar'e Marshall led all scorers with 33 points, and UAlbany shot 70% from the floor in the second half, going off for 58 points after holding a five-point lead at halftime.
 
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 visits Harvard on January 2, 2024, to close its non-conference slate.