Game #19 / Patriot League Game #8 • Loyola
Saturday, Jan. 27 • 1 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 and Loyola are each averaging 66.1 possessions a game this season, according to KenPom.com.  That ranks 276th in the country.
2 – Thirteen of the last 15 games in the series have been decided by single digits.
3 – Austin Inge has totaled 34 of the 40 career points scored among current Mids in games against Loyola.  Golden Dike leads Loyola with 66 of the current team's 171 career points scored against Navy.
4 – Navy and Loyola first met during the 1909-10 season, but this is only the 34th season of a game between the teams.  
5 – This is the 11th season in which the two teams are members of the Patriot League.

Game Information
•    Navy's lone home game in a four-game span will be Saturday when the Mids (8-10, 4-3) play host to Loyola (3-17, 1-6) at 1 p.m. in Alumni Hall.
•    ESPN+ will stream 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 three 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 
•    Navy could not match the Bucknell offense in a 71-63 win by the Bison over the Mids Wednesday.
•    Bucknell took an early 19-10 lead and eventually built a 30-15 first-half cushion.
•    It was a 32-30 game in favor of Bucknell after the first possession of the second half, but the Bison answered with a 10-0 run to take a 42-32 lead.
•    The margin grew to as many as 16 points before (55-39) before the Mids cut it to eight at 59-51, and then six at 65-59.  Bucknell regained a 69-60 lead.  Navy made it a 69-63 game, but with only 27 seconds left.
•    Bucknell shot 62 percent from the field in the second half and 49 percent for the game. The Bison made 10 three-point field goals on the night.
•    Austin Benigni totaled 22 points and Donovan Draper finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

About Loyola
•    Loyola makes the drive to Annapolis with an overall record of 3-17 and a Patriot League mark of 1-6.
•    The Greyhounds dropped a 70-44 decision to Lafayette at home Wednesday night.

Series History
•    Navy holds a 35-11 advantage in the all-time series with Loyola.  The Mids lead the Greyhounds, 21-4, in games played in Annapolis.  This includes an 11-2 advantage in games played in Alumni Hall.
•    The teams originally met during the 1909-10 season when Navy defeated Loyola, 36-10, in Baltimore.
•    Navy leads Loyola, 15-6, in Patriot League regular season games played between the teams.  The Mids hold a 10-1 advantage in league regular season games played in Annapolis.
•    Thirteen of the last 15 games have been decided by single digits (98 points total, 6.5 points per game), including six that were determined by five or fewer points.

On This Date
•    Navy has posted an 14-11 record in games played on Jan. 27.  This includes a 3-5 record in Patriot League games.
•    This will be the first Navy-Loyola game to be played on Jan. 27.

Against This State
•    Navy has posted a 195-77 record in games played against opponents located in Maryland.

Up Next
•    Navy takes to the road for a pair of games next week.  First up will be a Wednesday game at Lehigh.

Benigni Rarely on the Bench Recently
•    Austin Benigni has been Navy's Ironman over the last number of games.
•    He has been on the court for 94 percent of the team's minutes since the start of the league season.
•    He currently is at Navy's highest percentage of minutes played during the Patriot League regular season.

At 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 102nd nationally in free throws attempted (21.1) and 134th in free throws made (14.5) per game. Though ranking somewhat low nationally, those averages lead the Patriot League.
•    Compared to their opponents this year, the Mids are +18 in free throws attempted and +14 in free throws made.

Close Games by Patriot League Teams
•    Navy's five Patriot League games this season decided by single digits is tied for second among league teams. 

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 419-244 this year.
•    Navy ranks third in the Patriot League and 108th nationally in bench scoring this season.

3-Point Percentage Low in Navy Games
•    Navy ranks 21st nationally in defensive three-point field goal percentage as opponents are shooting 29.3 percent from beyond the arc against the Mids. 
•    Navy ranks 330th in the country in offensive three-point field goal percentage.  The Mids are making 29.2 percent of their three-point field goal attempts.

Positive Turnover Margin
•     Navy is on pace to again have a positive turnover margin (fewer turnovers committed than forced).
•    The Mids lead the Patriot League and rank 10th nationally with a 4.7 turnover margin this season.
•    The Mids are scoring an average of 6.2 points per game after turnovers more than their foes this year.

Good Again on the Offensive Boards
•     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 12.11 offensive rebounds per game.

Second-Chance Points 
•     Navy has scored more second-chance points than its foes in 189 of the 282 games (67.0%) it has played since the start of the 2014-15 season.  
•     52 of the 160 career points (32.5%) scored by Mike Woods have been second-chance points.
•    Navy has scored on 33 of the 58 (56.9%) career possessions in which Woods has grabbed an offensive rebound.
•    Navy has scored on 31 of the 59 (52.5%) possessions in which Donovan Draper has grabbed an offensive rebound.
•    Draper's offensive rebound average (3.38 org) currently third by a Mid in a season since it became an official statistics with the 1986-87 season.
•    Draper's defensive rebound average (6.28 drg) currently ranks second by a Mid in a season since it became an official statistics with the 1986-87 season.
•    Draper has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 10 games this season.  That is tied for second for the most by a Mid during Navy's Patriot League era.
•    Draper also ranks among the leaders for the most double-doubles during Navy's Patriot League era.  His eight double-doubles is two away from the current standard of 10.

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 277th in the country with an average of 66.1 possessions a game.
•    Loyola ranks 276th nationally with an average of 66.1 possessions a game.