ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany men's basketball program, fresh off its second and last bye, begins its final stretch of regular-season games this week hosting red-hot NJIT and visiting UMBC.
 
Game Info
February 15, 2024 vs. NJIT (7:00 pm)
Live Stats | ESPN+ | 104.5 FM The Team | Game Notes | Tickets
 
February 17, 2024 at UMBC (1:00 pm)
Live Stats | ESPN+ | 104.5 FM The Team | Game Notes
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany is 5-3 at home this season and 5-9 on the road; NJIT is 2-9 on the road; UMBC is 5-8 at home
• UAlbany ranks fourth in the America East in scoring offense and eighth in scoring defense
• NJIT ranks eighth in the America East in scoring offense and sixth in scoring defense
• UMBC ranks third in the America East in scoring offense and ninth in scoring defense
• Thursday is men's basketball's annual Spread Respect game

Scouting NJIT
The Highlanders are the hottest team in the America East, with its last two wins coming at home against two of the league's three top teams, Vermont and UMass Lowell.  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.  Freshman Tariq Francis has emerged as one of the league's best players, earning both Player and Rookie of the Week honors following the Highlanders two big victories.  Francis, who 14.3 points per game, has won seven Rookie of the Week honors this season, and leads a contingent of five Highlanders who average double-figure scoring.  UAlbany is 12-1 in 13 games against NJIT since the 2013-14 season.
 
Last Time vs. NJIT
January 6, 2024 | UAlbany opened America East play at NJIT, outlasting the Highlanders by six, 79-73, after playing a close game through most of regulation.  After being held to just two points in the first half, Jonathan Beagle scored 17 after halftime, and secured his sixth double-double of the season with a career-high 16 rebounds.  Sebastian Thomas scored 22 points to lead UAlbany players, and Aaron Reddish, returning to the starting lineup, scored 16, including 10 in the first half, while grabbing nine rebounds.
 
Thursday's America East Games

• UMBC at Binghamton, 6:07 pm
• Maine at Bryant, 7:00 pm
• NJIT at UAlbany, 7:00 pm
• New Hampshire at Vermont, 7:00 pm

Common Opponents

• Binghamton
  • UAlbany: 1/13 vs. Binghamton, W, 95-75; 2/8 at Binghamton, L, 57-69
  • NJIT: 2/1 at Binghamton, L, 66-75

• UMass Lowell
  • UAlbany: 1/18 vs. UMass Lowell, L, 76-97
  • NJIT: 1/11 at UMass Lowell, L, 62-70; 2/10 vs. UMass Lowell, W, 71-64
• Bryant
  • UAlbany: 1/20 vs. Bryant, L, 89-98
  • NJIT: 1/25 vs. Bryant, L, 55-70
• Maine
  • UAlbany: 1/25 at Maine, L, 73-81
  • NJIT: 1/20 vs. Maine, L, 64-70
• New Hampshire
  • UAlbany: 1/27 at New Hampshire, W, 86-79
  • NJIT: 1/18 vs. New Hampshire, L, 62-70
• Vermont
  • UAlbany: 2/1 at Vermont, L, 59-81
  • NJIT: 1/13 at Vermont, L, 55-76; 2/8 vs. Vermont, W, 63-61
• UMBC
  • UAlbany: 2/3 vs. UMBC, L, 102-114
  • NJIT: 1/27 at UMBC, W, 75-74

Scouting UMBC
UMBC allows 83 points per game, the most in the America East by four-and-a-half points, but has close defeats against the top three teams in the league, seven points combined in two games against Vermont, and four points each at UMass Lowell and at Bryant.  UMBC was picked to finish sixth in the 2023-24 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll, just ahead of UAlbany.  Five of the Retriever's seven victories this season have come at home, though just one of those victories has come against an America East opponent, Maine, on January 18.  Since their win over the Black Bears, UMBC has lost each of its last four at home.  The Retrievers are led by Dion Brown, who averages 17.8 points per game, one of four UMBC players who average double-figures in scoring.  In 45 games against UMBC, UAlbany is 29-16.
 
Last Time vs. UMBC
February 3, 2024 | UAlbany hosted its 2024 Big Purple Growl, welcoming UMBC to Broadview Center.  In front of the largest crowd to date at the Broadview Center, the Great Danes jumped out to an early 11-point lead in the first three-and-a-half minutes, and led by as many as 13 in the first half.  Tyler Bertram set UAlbany's single-game program record for three-pointers made, with 10, and three-pointers attempted, with 16.  UMBC methodically chipped away at UAlbany's lead to hold a one-point advantage at halftime, and pulled away in the second half, leading by as many as 17 before winning by 12, 114-102, in the highest-scoring regulation game between America East opponents in conference history.
 
Saturday's America East Games

• UAlbany at UMBC, 1:00 pm
• Vermont at Maine, 3:00 pm
• Binghamton at NJIT, 3:30 pm
• UMass Lowell at Bryant, 4:00 pm

Common Opponents

• Sacred Heart
  • UAlbany: 12/19 vs. Sacred Heart, W, 93-79
  • UMBC: 11/17 vs. Sacred Heart, W, 85-80
• NJIT
  • UAlbany: 1/6 at NJIT, W, 79-73
  • UMBC: 1/27 vs. NJIT, L, 74-75
• UMass Lowell
  • UAlbany: 1/18 vs. UMass Lowell, L, 76-97
  • UMBC: 1/13 at UMass Lowell, L, 82-86; 2/8 vs. UMass Lowell, L, 80-93
• Bryant
  • UAlbany: 1/20 vs. Bryant, L, 89-98
  • UMBC: 1/6 vs. Bryant, L, 67-81; 2/1 at Bryant, L, 95-99
• Maine
  • UAlbany: 1/25 at Maine, L, 73-81
  • UMBC: 1/18 vs. Maine, W, 70-65
• New Hampshire
  • UAlbany: 1/27 at New Hampshire, W, 86-79
  • UMBC: 1/20 vs. New Hampshire, L, 58-64
• Vermont
  • UAlbany: 2/1 at Vermont, L, 59-81
  • UMBC: 1/11 at Vermont, L, 72-77; 2/10 vs. Vermont, L, 70-72

Last Time Out
UAlbany began its second half of the 2024 America East schedule with a visit to Binghamton, their first repeat opponent of the year.  The Great Danes fell to the Bearcats 69-57, with their second-lowest points total of the season.  Amar'e Marshall led UAlbany with 14 points, while Sebastian Thomas scored 13 and added nine assists, his second-straight game reaching that total.  Aaron Reddish scored six points but grabbed 10 rebounds.  Four Bearcats scored in double-figures, with a fifth just missing and finishing with nine points.
 
Around the America East
Vermont's lead in the conference standings has been cut in half following a surprise defeat at NJIT.  The Highlanders, who had been ninth in the league during much of the conference season, swept both the Catamounts and UMass Lowell in back-to-back games in Newark last week.  Bryant, winners of two-straight since losing to Vermont at home, hold sole possession of second place.  The River Hawks have fallen to third, followed by New Hampshire in fourth.  One game each separates each of the top four teams in the standings.  Maine and UAlbany are tied for fifth at 3-6, one-half game ahead of 3-7 Binghamton and NJIT, with UMBC falling into the last spot at 2-8.
 
Record-Setting
UAlbany's game against UMBC saw numerous records set.  Tyler Bertram broke UAlbany's single-game program record for three-pointers made (10) and attempted (16), surpassing the previous marks in the former, 9, set in 2001 by E.J. Gallup and matched in 2019, and in the latter, 15, set in 2001, twice, by Gallup and equaled by Healy in 2019.  Bertram's 36 total points were tied for the eighth-highest single-game total in program history.  The game saw the first 100-point performance from a team in the new Broadview Center, UMBC (114), matched later in the game by UAlbany (102).  UMBC's 114 points were the most UAlbany had conceded to an opponent in program history, surpassing the 111 points given up at Duke in 2007.  UMBC's 69 points in the second half were the most conceded in a half in program history, surpassing the 62 given up at Syracuse in 2002.  Finally, the 216 total points were the highest total in program history, surpassing the 198 from the Great Danes' game against UMES in 2001 in triple-overtime, and was the highest-scoring game between America East teams in conference history trailing just the 224 combined points set in overtime in 1995 between New Hampshire and Delaware.
 
Charity Stripe
Junior guard Sebastian Thomas played all 80 minutes for UAlbany in consecutive road games at Maine and at New Hampshire over three days.  During that time, Thomas shot a combined 22-23 from the free throw line.  Dating back to the previous game against Bryant, Thomas hit 20 consecutive free throws over three games, before missing his 12th attempt against the Wildcats.  And in that Bryant game, Amar'e Marshall went 13-13 from the line, the second-most free-throws in a single game without a miss in the program's Division I era.  After hitting his last four free throws against UMass Lowell, Marshall boasted a consecutive free-throws streak of 17 before missing.
 
Player of the Week III
Sebastian Thomas became the third Great Dane this season to earn America East Player of the Week accolades, doing so after scoring 30 points and recording seven assists in a 20-point victory over Binghamton.  Thomas shot 12-21 from the floor and surrendered just one turnover in 36 minutes of play against the Bearcats.
 
Moving on Up
With its ninth with of the season on January 6, a six-point victory at NJIT to open America East play, UAlbany surpassed their win total from the 2022-23 season in just its 16th game.  The Great Danes eclipsed last year's win total thanks in part to a five-game winning streak in the middle of non-conference play, the longest since winning six-straight during the 2017-18 season.
 
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 defending champion Vermont on February 22.