Game #22 / Patriot League Game #11 • Bucknell
Wednesday, Feb. 7 • 1:30 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 – Wednesday's game is the first of just two home games for Navy in a seven-game span.
2 – Austin Benigni (29) and Austin Inge (28) have combined for 57 of the 101 points scored by current Mids in games against Bucknell.
3 – Three of the last four Navy-Bucknell games played in Alumni Hall have been determined by single digits.
4 – Navy and Bucknell have each allowed opponents to shoot 43.9 percent this season.
5 – Navy games average 65.5 possessions a game and Bucknell games are averaging 65.0 possessions.

Game Information
•    The Mids (8-13, 4-6) return home for a single game Wednesday night (7 p.m.) when they play host to Bucknell (9-14, 6-4).
•    ESPN+ will provide a live stream of the game.
•    Locally, WNAV will carry the game.
•    Links to live statistics from the game can be accessed at NavySports.com.

Last Game 
•    First-place Colgate extended its wining streak to seven games with an 88-64 win over Navy Saturday.
•    The Raiders started the game by sinking six of their first seven three-point field goal attempts as part of an 8-10 effort from the floor to build a 22-7 lead nine minutes into the game.  Colgate eventually took a 36-18 lead with five minutes remaining in the half. 
•    Navy closed to within 41-33 at halftime, then made it a 43-38 game early in the second half.  The Mids had two possessions to cut into the five-point deficit, but misfired each time.  Colgate made three-point field goals on its ensuing two possessions.
•    Colgate made 14 three-point field goals and shot just under 60 percent from the field overall.
•    Mike Woods scored 16 points for Navy and shared the rebounding lead with six caroms.

About Bucknell
•    Bucknell travels to Annapolis with an overall record of 9-14 (5-8 in road games) and a league mark of 6-4 (3-2 in road games).
•    The Bison saw their three-game winning streak end Saturday with a 75-66 overtime loss at American.

Series History
•    Navy and Bucknell first met on Jan. 31, 1920, when the Mids earned a 15-13 victory in Annapolis.
•    This is the 48th season in which the teams are meeting.
•    Bucknell leads the series, 45-44.  Navy holds a 35-13 lead in games played in Annapolis, which includes a 23-13 edge in games played in Alumni Hall.
•    Bucknell leads Navy, 36-29, in Patriot League regular season games played between the teams.  The Mids lead the Bison, 20-12, in league regular season games played in Alumni Hall.
•    Bucknell's victory earlier this season snapped a nine-game winning streak by the Mids in the series.
•    Navy has won the last five games played in Annapolis.

On This Date
•    Navy has posted an 22-8 record in games played on Feb. 7.  This includes a 7-1 record in Patriot League games.
•    This will be the second Navy-Bucknell game to be played on Feb. 7 (2009).

Against This State
•    Navy has posted a 388-266 record in games played against opponents located in Pennsylvania.

Up Next
•    Navy travels to West Point for the annual Star Game against Army Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

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 nearly 92 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 92nd nationally in free throws attempted (21.0) and 113th in free throws made (15.0) per game.  Those averages lead the Patriot League.
•    Compared to their foes this year, the Mids are +31 in free throws attempted and +25 in free throws made.

Close Games by Patriot League Teams
•    Navy's three Patriot League victories in games decided by no more than five points ranks second. 

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 465-297 this year.
•    Navy ranks fourth in the Patriot League and 118th nationally in bench scoring this season.

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 4.9 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 68th nationally this season with an average of 12.19 offensive rebounds per game.

Second-Chance Points 
•    Navy has scored more second-chance points than its foes in 192 of the 285 games (67.4%) it has played since the start of the 2014-15 season.  
•     64 of the 187 career points (34.8%) scored by Mike Woods have been second-chance points.
•    Navy has scored on 38 of the 64 (59.4%) career possessions in which Woods has grabbed an offensive rebound.
•    Navy has scored on 34 of the 66 (51.5%) possessions in which Donovan Draper has grabbed an offensive rebound.
•    Draper's offensive rebound average (3.29 org) currently ranks fourth by a Mid in a season since it became an official statistics with the 1986-87 season.
•    Draper's defensive rebound average (5.81 drpg) 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.

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 291st in the country with an average of 65.5 possessions a game this season.
•    Bucknell ranks 316th nationally with an average of 65.0 possessions a game.