ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's basketball program closes a four-game road swing with a visit to NJIT to kick off America East competition.
 
Game Info
January 6, 2024 at NJIT (2:00 pm)
Live Stats | ESPN+ | 104.5 FM The Team | Game Notes
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany is 3-6 on the road this season; NJIT is 3-2 at home
• UAlbany ranks fifth in the America East in scoring offense; NJIT ranks eighth
• UAlbany ranks sixth in the America East in scoring defense; NJIT ranks seventh
• Jonathan Beagle leads the America East in rebounding
• Amar'e Marshall leads the America East in steals
• Sebastian Thomas ranks second in the America East in scoring and ranks fourth in steals
• NJIT's Adam Hess leads the America East in 3FG%
• Saturday's game was moved up 90 minutes from its original 3:30pm start due to inclement weather in the forecast

Scouting NJIT
The Highlanders finished their nonconference slate at 4-8 overall, but won each of their last two games, against Medgar Evers and Morgan State.  After finishing last season 7-23 overall and 4-12 against America East opponents, NJIT was picked to finish ninth in the 2023-24 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll.  Four Highlanders average double-figure scoring, led by Adam Hess and Elijah Buchanan each averaging 12.7 points per game, with two other players averaging over nine points per game.  UAlbany is 11-1 lifetime against NJIT since the 2013-14 season.
 
Last Time vs. NJIT
February 25, 2023 | UAlbany built a big first-half lead against NJIT at home at the McDonough Sports Complex at HVCC to knock off the Highlanders 82-68 in their penultimate game of the regular season, recording their eighth and final win of the year.  The game saw six lead changes in the first five minutes, and remained tight until UAlbany went on a 13-0 run kicked off by Sarju Patel.  UAlbany led 44-32 at halftime.  Patel finished with 25 points on 7-10 shooting, leading four players in double-figures on the night.  Jonathan Beagle recorded a double-double for the third-straight game, finishing with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
 
Last Time Out
UAlbany closed its nonconference schedule with a visit to Harvard, falling to the Crimson in Cambridge by five, 76-71.  Harvard led by as many as 11 in the first half, and took a nine-point lead into halftime.  UAlbany surged in the second half, closing within one mid-way through the period.  Harvard remained resolute, never conceding the lead, and pulling away to win by five.  Sebastian Thomas led the Great Danes with 24 points, five assists, and five steals.  Jonathan Beagle scored 10 of his 16 points in the first half.
 
Around the America East
UMass Lowell is the leader in the clubhouse through the nonconference schedule, narrowly topping the standings at 9-4 overall.  Defending champion Vermont is the only team to have reached 10 wins in nonconference play, next to five losses, to land just behind the River Hawks.  Binghamton and New Hampshire are each 8-5 and tied for third, followed by a three-way tie for fifth between Bryant, Maine, and UAlbany, each 8-7.  UMBC has lost five-straight and dropped to 5-10, with NJIT rounding out the standings at 4-8.
 
Saturday's America East Games

• UMass Lowell at New Hampshire, 12:00 pm
• Bryant at UMBC, 1:00 pm
• Maine at Vermont, 2:00 pm
• UAlbany at NJIT, 2:00 pm

Player of the Week II
Jonathan Beagle recorded his fifth double-double of the season, scoring 21 points and recording 12 rebounds in a come-from-behind victory at LIU at the Barclays Center.  Beagle's performance garnered America East Player of the Week honors, the first of his career.  Last season as a freshman, Beagle set a record with nine America East Rookie of the Week accolades.
 
Double Trouble II
For the second time in three games, UAlbany saw two players record a double-double in the same game.  Against LIU, at the Barclays Center, Jonathan Beagle scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season.  Amar'e Marshall scored 12 and added 10 boards, his first double-double as a Great Dane.  Marshall is the fourth player this season to record a double-double, behind Beagle, Sebastian Thomas, and Marcus Jackson.
 
Slamming the Door
Trailing 68-61 with 7:22 remaining against LIU at the Barclays Center, UAlbany ended the game on a 25-1 scoring run to win by 17 points, 86-69.  Aaron Reddish hit a three to start the comeback.  Sebastian Thomas, who scored a game-high 32 points, hit a jumper in the paint with 5:36 to go to give UAlbany a one-point lead that they would never relinquish.  LIU scored its only point in the final 7:22 with 1:54 to go, a free throw, after UAlbany had scored 21-straight.
 
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 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 Binghamton on January 13.