Nov. 21, 2011
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GAMEDAY INFO
Navy (2-2) vs. Tulane (3-0)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Annapolis, Md. • Alumni Hall (5,710)
Radio: WNAV (1430 AM / 99.9 FM / wnav.com), SIRIUS (Channel 138)
Announcers: Pete Medhurst, Michael Heary
Video Streaming: www.NavySports.com (Navy All-Access)
Gametracker: www.NavySports.com
Tickets: Available at Alumni Hall Box Office one hour prior to game or by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY.
Series: First Meeting
PROMOTIONS
BRING YOUR "A" GAME -- All youth 12 and under can receive FREE Admission to the game by showing an A on a graded assignment from their school! Bring the assignment to the ticket window at Alumni Hall to get your free ticket!
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY SCHOOLS FACULTY / STAFF NIGHT -- All AACPS Employees are invited to the game and can purchase up to four (4) $3 discounted tickets to the game by showing their ID badge at the Alumni Hall Box Office.
LOCKOUT PROMOTION -- Fans that show an article of clothing, game program or old ticket stub with a professional basketball team logo on it at the Alumni Hall Box Office on game day can purchase a ticket for just $3.
SECURITY REGULATIONS
Fans are reminded that only those vehicles with a Department of Defense sticker affixed to it will be allowed to drive onto the grounds of the USNA. All other visitors to The Yard have the option of either finding parking in downtown Annapolis and walking through the Academy's gates, or else parking at nearby Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium's blue side ($5 per vehicle) and riding the free shuttle bus to and from Alumni Hall.
TUESDAY'S GAME BASICS
Navy returns home after a tough road swing to face a strong Conference USA squad in Tulane on Tuesday night at Alumni Hall. The Midshipmen enter the contest with a 2-2 mark, while the Green Wave arrive with a 3-0 record. The contest will be broadcast on WNAV (1430 AM, 99.9 FM, wnav.com) and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Ch. 138), beginning at 6:45 pm with Pete Medhurst and Michael Heary on the call courtside. It will be streamed online as part of the Navy All-Access package on www.NavySports.com(.)
MIDSHIPMEN UPDATE
• After starting the season 2-0, Navy has dropped its last two contests against strong opponents. The Midshipmen's late rally against Siena came up short last Wednesday night as the Saints scored the last five points of the game in a 65-56 decision to hand Navy its first loss. Then on Saturday, Quinnipiac started the game on a 16-3 run and Navy could get no closer than nine points the rest of the way in a 78-54 setback.
• The Midshipmen have struggled in their last two games, connecting on just 42-of-104 (.404) field goal attempts and just 10-of-44 (.227) from beyond the three-point line. Navy has been slow-starting in the first half over the last two games, making just 18-of-51 (.353) field-goal attempts in the opening 20 minutes. Navy also has just 23 assists in the last two games after having 41 in the first two outings. Lastly, Navy is getting outrebounded by 17 boards over the last two contests after outrebounding its first two opponents by 25.
• J.J. Avila continues to lead Navy in points (12.0 ppg), rebounding (6.0 rpg) and assists (3.5 apg). He had scored in double figures in every game this year before being shut down against Quinnipiac, tallying just four points with three rebounds and two assists. Jordan Sugars averages 10.8 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game, but is just 7-of-23 (.304) from the field and 2-of-14 (.143) from three-point range while averaging 7.3 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game in the last three games. Eight other players average at least 3.5 points per game.
• Navy is looking a return to Alumni Hall can reverse its fortunes. The Midshipmen have won four games in a row at the facility, dating back to last year, by an average margin of 19.0 points per game. Three of the wins (Army, Colgate and Penn State Altoona) have come by at least 17 points and the other, a 57-52 win over Lafayette, came when Navy led by 15 at the halftime break. It will be a challenge, however, as Tulane is from the highest-profile conference (Conference USA) to visit Alumni Hall since Big East member Georgetown beat Navy, 72-49, in Alumni Hall in the 2005-06 season opener.
QUINNIPIAC RECAP
Navy fell behind 16-3 just five minutes into the game and could not get closer than nine points in its 78-54 loss at Quinnipiac on Saturday afternoon. Head coach Ed DeChellis knew coming in that rebounds and turnovers would play a major role and they did. The Midshipmen were outrebounded, 47-32, including 17-4 on the offensive glass. The Bobcats' 17 offensive rebounds resulted in 22 second-chance points, while Navy was guilty of 22 turnovers which turned into 24 points for the Bobcats. Quinnipiac made 11 more field goals and five more three-pointers while having 18 more field goal attempts than the Midshipmen. Navy shot a season-low 38.0 percent from the field and was 5-of-22 from three.
Isaiah Roberts paced Navy with eight points, while Jordan Sugars added seven. Worth Smith had six points and Jordan Brickman, Donya Jackson, Kevin Alter and Brandon Venturini each had five points. Jackson paced Navy with four rebounds.
NOTEWORTHY
• Navy failed to have a player score in double figures for the first time since Feb. 15, 2007, against Holy Cross (loss, 68-40) in the setback to Quinnipiac. Isaiah Roberts led Navy with eight points.
• Navy's 18 points in the first half were the fewest in a half since scoring just 17 in the first half against UC Irvine last year (Nov. 19, 2010). The 19-point halftime deficit was the largest since trailing Buffalo, 42-16, at the break last year (Nov. 13, 2010). Navy's 54 points were the fewest since scoring 49 against Bucknell last year (Feb. 5, 2011).
• Navy has made at least one three-pointer in 249 straight games, dating back to 2003. The Midshipmen have made at least five three-pointers in 15 straight games, dating back to last year.
• Navy's bench scored 28 of Navy's 54 points against Quinnipiac. For the season, the bench has scored 136 points for an average of 34.0 points per game, while shooting 50-of-101 (.495) from the field and 10-of-32 (.313) from three-point range. Navy's starters are shooting just 54-of-115 (.470) from the field and 12-of-45 (.267) from three-point range for an average of 35.0 ppg.
• Navy's freshmen class scored 22 of Navy's 54 points while shooting 7-of-16 (.438) from the field. The group is averaging 17.8 points per game in four outings this year. The class made four of Navy's five three-pointers against the Bobcats.
• No Navy player played more than 27 minutes against Quinnipiac and of the 15 players that saw action, 13 players scored.
• Navy has had nine players score in double figures already this year. Nine players reached double figures for the entire season a year ago.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE THREE-POINT LINE
The NCAA-approved, standard three-point line is 25 years old on Nov. 22 and Navy played in the first game featuring the line. Twenty-five years ago to the date, the No. 9-rated Midshipmen faced 17th-rated North Carolina State in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic in Springfield, Mass., on Nov. 22, 1986.
Trailing by two at 84-82, the Wolfpack's Kenny Drummond ironically buried a three-pointer with 14 seconds left to lift N.C. State to an 86-84 victory. The Midshipmen were led by David Robinson with 36 points. Navy was 3-of-4 from long distance in the contest, while N.C. State went 10-of-20.
Navy has used the three-point line extensively during the 25 years, going 4,148-of-12,177 (.341) from three-point range during that tenure.
POINT GUARD COMPETITION
• Navy has started three different lineups in four games already this year and the starts are almost serving as an audition for the point guard spot. Kevin Alter (2.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.8 apg and 1.50 assist-to-turnover ratio) started the opener against Longwood. Brennan Wyatt (2.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.33 assist-to-turnover ratio) started against Penn State Altoona and Siena. Jordan Brickman (3.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.17 assist-to-turnover ratio) started against Quinnipiac. The other four starting positions on the floor have remained the same.
• So far the three main points guards have combined for 8.5 points per game (34 total), 3.5 rebounds per game (14) and 3.5 assists per game (14) for an assist-to-turnover ratio of 14-to-11 (1.27). The trio is shooting 9-of-28 (.321) from the field and 4-of-16 (.250) from three-point range.
YOUNG GUNS STEPPING UP AGAIN
Navy had a strong freshman class a year ago and early on, it appears this year's class may be on par with that group. This year's group is averaging 17.8 points per game while shooting 26-of-57 (.456) from the field and 9-of-25 (.360) from three-point range, while the rest of the team is shooting just 13-of-52 (.250) from beyond the arc.
Last year's group of freshmen set a school record by scoring 762 points and was second in points per game average at 24.7 points per game. Through the first four games last year, this year's current sophomore class averaged 17.0 points per game.
The two classes combined have scored 201 of Navy's 276 points (72.8 percent), averaging 50.3 points per game among them.
SUGARS JOINS ELITE GROUP
• Jordan Sugars became the ninth player in school history to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds when he did so against Siena. Sugars now has 1,058 points (20th on Navy career list) and 511 rebounds (20th). He is the shortest player (6-3) in school history to be part of the club that features David Robinson, Vernon Butler, Greg Sprink, Chris Williams, Eddie Reddick, Kevin Sinnett, Hank Kuzma and Don Lange.
• With 442 points and 89 rebounds, Sugars would join Robinson, Butler and Sinnett as the only players in school history with 1,500 points and 600 rebounds. All three players have their jerseys hanging in the Alumni Hall rafters.
PREVIEWING TULANE
Tulane is off to a tremendous start to its season, posting a 3-0 record with wins, all coming at home, over Alabama A&M (72-63), Nicholls State (96-50) and Md.-Eastern Shore (73-52). The Green Wave are among the nation's leaders in field goal percentage defense (31st), assists per game (26th) and defensive points per possession (22nd). Tulane has won its three games by an average of 25.3 points per game and is 3-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
Preseason all-Conference USA selection Kendall Timmons leads Tulane with an 18.7 points per game average and is shooting 66.7 percent (20-of-30) from the field, while sophomore Josh Davis, a transfer from North Carolina State, is averaging 17.7 ppg, 11.0 rpg and 3.3 apg while shooting 61.3 percent (19-of-31) from the field. Jordan Callahan is the third Tulane player in double figures, averaging 11.0 points per game.
NAVY-TULANE SERIES HISTORY / MISCELLANEOUS FACTS
• This will be the first meeting between the two teams. Navy will likely make a return trip to the Big Easy next winter.
• It will be Navy's first opponent currently in Conference USA since Dec. 31, 2003, a 68-54 loss to SMU. Navy is currently 18-21 (.462) against teams currently in Conference USA (1-1 vs. UCF; 12-8 vs. East Carolina; 0-1 vs. Memphis; 2-6 vs. Rice; 2-4 vs. SMU; 1-0 vs. Tulsa; 0-1 vs. UAB).
• Conference USA connections: Navy and East Carolina were members of the CAA together from 1986-91. Tulsa is coached by former Navy point guard Doug Wojcik (1985-87).
• Navy is 3-4 all-time on November 22, winning its last game on the date, a 102-99 triple-overtime decision over William & Mary in 2008.
DECHELLIS TAKES OVER NAVY HOOPS PROGRAM
• On May 23, Navy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced that Ed DeChellis was hired as the program's 19th coach in school history. DeChellis took over for Billy Lange, who left Navy to take the associate head coach position at Villanova. Lange served as the head coach for seven seasons, compiling a 92-115 record.
• DeChellis arrives at Navy from Penn State, where he led the Nittany Lions to a runner-up finish in the Big 10 Tournament, a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance and a 19-15 overall record. In 2009, DeChellis guided his alma mater to an NIT Championship and a school-record 27 victories while being named the league's Coach of the Year. He arrives in Annapolis with a 219-231 in 15 previous seasons as a collegiate head coach.
• DeChellis is just the sixth coach since 1995 to leave a BCS school for a mid-major program.
ALWAYS NEAR THE TOP
• Navy is 30-26 in the Patriot League since the start of the 2007-08 season, posting the third-best Patriot League record during that four-year span. The 30 wins are the third most in the Patriot League during that span, behind American (41-15) and Bucknell (32-24). From the 2001-02 season through the 2007-08 season (seven years), Navy won a combined 32 PL games.
• With Navy tying for fourth and American placing second in 2010-11, the two teams are the only programs in the league with top-four league finishes in each of the last four years.
THE FUTURE IS NOW
• When Navy takes the court in 2011-12, it will do so as one of the nation's youngest teams. Navy will have three seniors, one junior, six sophomores and six freshmen on the traveling roster entering the year. The total amount of games played by the nine returnees is just 306, with 87 of them coming from senior captain Jordan Sugars.
• The combined number of starts by the nine returnees entering the season was just 102, with 53 coming from Sugars.
• Navy ranks as the 10th-youngest, least-experienced team in America for the upcoming season. Of Navy's 16 players on the roster, 12 are freshmen or sophomores and the lone junior, Jordan Brickman, did not play basketball his first two years at Navy.
OUTPERFORMING EXPECTATIONS
Over the last eight years (including this year), Navy has been selected sixth or lower in every preseason poll to date. And in six of the seven years, Navy has outperformed its preseason placing. The lone exception came in the 2005-06 season, when Navy was picked sixth and finished seventh.
WHAT'S COMING BACK?
• Navy returns roughly 60.0 percent of its production from last year after graduating four seniors that played in a combined 379 career games.
• The Midshipmen return 1,217 of their 2,113 points scored from last year (57.6 pct.).
• Navy returns 62.9 percent of its 980 rebounds from last year (616 rebounds returning).
• The Midshipmen return just 55.5 percent of their 387 assists from a year ago (215 assists returning).
• The area that Navy returns the most is three-pointers made (67.8 pct.) and three-point attempts (66.9 pct.).
• The category that Navy returns the least is free throws made (49.3 pct.) and free throw attempts (50.6 pct.).
# GO NAVY #
