Game #12 / Patriot League Game #1 • Boston University
Wednesday, Jan. 3 • 7 p.m. • Alumni Hall • Annapolis, Md.

Multimedia Information
Live Streaming - ESPN+ / Pete Medhurst, Mike Heary
Navy Radio - WNAV AM-1430, FM-99.9, www.iheart.com/live/999-wnav-9420, Audacy app / Pete Medhurst, Mike Heary
Live Statistics - NavySports.com

Five Starting Notes
1 – Navy will be starting its 33rd season in the Patriot League and Boston U. is beginning its 11th season in the league.  The league as a whole is in its 34th season of sponsoring basketball.
2 – This is the second time Navy and Boston U. are playing each other in a Patriot League opener as the teams also began last season with a game in Boston.  That leaves American as the only team Navy has not played in the first game of a Patriot League season.  Conversely, the Mids have played Bucknell 15 times in a league opening game.
3 – Navy has posted a 15-17 record in its first Patriot League game of a season.  This includes a 10-8 record when that first game is played in Annapolis.  The Mids have won their last five league openers and have won three-straight league openers that were played at home.
4 – Boston U. has compiled a 7-3 record in its Patriot League opening games.  The Terriers have split their four previous games when opening a season on the road.
5 – Only three current Navy players have scored a point in their respective careers in games against Boston U.  Austin Inge has totaled 27 points, Austin Benigni has scored seven points and Mike Woods has recorded six points.  An additional four players have appeared in games against the Terriers but have not scored.

Game Information
•    The 2024 Patriot League season begins Wednesday night when Navy (4-7, 0-0) plays host to Boston U. (5-8, 0-0) in Alumni Hall.  The game will tip at 7 p.m. 
•    ESPN+ will provide a video stream of the game.
•    WNAV will carry the game on the radio.
•    Links to live statistics from the game can be accessed at NavySports.com.

Accessing the USNA
•    Vehicle access to the USNA is limited to those with an approved ID card.  All others must park outside of the USNA.
•    Fans can park ($10 / vehicle) at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (550 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, MD, 21401) and ride the free shuttle bus. 
•    The shuttle bus service begins one hour prior to the start of the game and ends four hours after the game begins.
•    Fans also can park downtown and walk through the gate one visitors center (52 King George St., Annapolis, MD, 21402).
•    Regardless of how one accesses the USNA, those ages 18 and over must have a government issued photo identification card, such as a driver's license, and visitors ages 17 and under who do not have a valid photo ID must be accompanied by an adult.

Last Game
•    A back-and-forth game for almost 30 minutes ended with the Mids recording a 77-65 win over William & Mary on Dec. 30 in Alumni Hall.
•    There were 11 lead changes in the first half and eight more in the first seven minutes of the second half.
•    The Mids went on a 12-0 run to take a 53-42 lead only to see the Tribe climb back to within 56-54.  
•    Navy built a 68-56 lead and led by at least 10 points over the rest of the game.
•    Austin Benigni scored a career-high 28 points.  He was 12-12 from the foul line including 9-9 in the second half. He was the first Mid to be perfect from the foul line with at least 12 attempts since Chris Harris was 14-14 vs. Lehigh on Jan. 14, 2010.
•    Donovan Draper scored a career-best 21 points and added 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double in a five-game span against Division I opponent.

Benigni Earns Patriot League Nod
•    Austin Benigni was named the Patriot League Player of the Week on Jan. 2 for his efforts in the game against the Tribe.
•    He is the 11th Mid to have been named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week and Patriot League Player of the Week during a career.
 
Opening Night
•    Navy has posted a 15-17 record in its first Patriot League game of the season and has won its last five opening games.
•    The only other span in which Navy won its league opener in as many as five-straight years was when it won six in a row from 1996-01.
•    The Mids have compiled a 10-8 record when opening the league season at home.  Navy has won its last three games when playing its first league game of a season in Alumni Hall.
•    Last season was the first time the Mids and the Terriers met in a season opener.

About Boston U.
•    Boston U. travels to Annapolis with an overall record of 5-8 and a road record of 2-6.
•    The Terriers snapped a two-game skid with a 74-63 win over Merrimack on Dec. 30.

Navy-Boston U. Series
•    Boston U. leads the all-time series with Navy by the count of 12-10.  This includes a 7-3 advantage in games played in Annapolis.  The Mids have won the last three games played in Alumni Hall and five games overall.
•    The teams have split the 18 prior Patriot League regular season games played in the series.  The Terriers lead the Mids, 7-2, in league regular season games played at Navy, with the two wins coming in 2022 and '23.
•    Conversely, the Mids have posted a 7-3 record against the Terriers in games played in Boston, which includes a 7-2 record in league regular season games.
•    The teams originally met in the regional semifinal round of the 1959 NCAA Tournament. The Terriers defeated the Mids, 62-55 in overtime, in the game that was played in Charlotte, N.C.
•    The only additional meeting of the teams prior to Boston U. joining the Patriot League took place on Dec. 30, 1988, when the Terriers defeated the Mids, 75-54, in a game played in Santa Clara, Calif.
•    Eight of the last 13 games in the series have been decided by single digits.

On This Date
•    Navy has posted a 10-6 record in games played on Jan. 3.  This includes a 3-0 record in Patriot League games.

Against This State
•    Navy has posted a 62-70 record in games played against opponents located in Massachusetts.

Up Next
•    Navy's three-game homestand ends Saturday at 1 p.m. when the Mids play host to Colgate.  

Not Getting to the FT Line
•    Navy ranked 343rd nationally during the 2022-23 season with an average of 13.5 free throws attempted a game, and 344th with an average of 9.5 free throws made a game.
•    In 2023-24, the Mids rank 185th nationally in free throws attempted (19.5) and 161st in free throws made (14.2) per game. Though relatively low nationally, both of those averages lead all Patriot League teams.
•    Compared to their opponents this year, the Mids are -4 in free throws made and -15 in free throws attempted.
•    Boston U. is averaging 11.2 fee throws made a game (fifth in the Patriot League) and 17.2 free throws attempted a game (second to Navy in the league).  The Terriers are -32 in free throws made and -28 in free throws attempted compared to their opponents.

Navy Bench Has Been a Strength
•    The Mids have received an average of at least 20 points a game from their bench since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
•    The Navy reserve players have outscored their foes 301-120 in this year.
•    Navy ranks first in the Patriot League and 57th nationally in bench scoring this season at 27.4 points per game.

3-Point Percentage Low in Navy Games
•    Navy ranks third nationally in defensive three-point field goal percentage as opponents are shooting 25.2 percent from beyond the arc against the Mids. 
•    Navy ranks 334th (out of 351 teams) in the country in offensive three-point field goal percentage.  The Mids are making 27.6 percent of their three-point field goal attempts.
•    Boston U. ranks 231st nationally with its offensive three-point field goal percentage of 32.4 percent and 200th in defensive three-point percentage with a mark of 33.1 percent.

Rebounding
•     Navy has been very good over the last number of years at winning the offensive rebound margin.
•    The Mids rank first in the Patriot League and 77th nationally this season with an average of 12.4 offensive rebounds per game.

Second-Chance Points 
•     Navy has scored more second-chance points than its foes in 184 of the 276 games (66.7%) it has played since the start of the 2014-15 season.  
•     30 of the 89 career points scored by Mike Woods have been second-chance points.
•    Navy has scored on 20 of the 39 career possessions in which Woods has grabbed an offensive rebound.
•    Navy has scored on 18 of the 32 possessions in which Donovan Draper has grabbed an offensive rebound.
•    Draper lead the Patriot League in total rebounds per game (9.0), offensive rebounds per game (3.1) and defensive rebounds per game (5.9). He also ranks 50th nationally in total rebounds, 53rd in offensive rebounds and 74th in defensive rebounds.  Additionally, he is first in the league and 25th nationally with an average of 2.4 steals per game.

Navy Pace
•    Navy traditionally has been one of the more deliberate teams in terms of possessions per game under head coach Ed DeChellis.  
•    The Mids rank 275th with an average of 67.5 possessions a game this season.
•    Boston U. ranks 262nd nationally with an average of 67.8 possessions a game.