Navy (15-6 / 7-1) at Boston U. (8-13 / 3-5)
Wednesday, Jan. 28  I  7 p.m.  I  Case Gym  I  Boston, Mass.

Video / ESPN+ I  Brian Maurer, John Papale
Radio / WNAV, WFED  I  Matt Sabados

Five Starting Notes
•    Navy's Aidan Kehoe leads the NCAA in field goal percentage (.726) this season and Boston's Ben Defty ranks fourth (.677).
•    The team in the Navy-Boston U. series committing fewer turnovers has posted a 1-4 record in the last six games (one game in which the teams had the same number of turnovers).
•    Boston has compiled a 1-4 record in league games decided by five or fewer points.  This includes one loss by one point and two losses by two points.  Navy has tallied a 2-0 record in games decided by no more than five points.
•    Navy leads the Patriot League (in league games) in three-point field goal percentage (.385) and Boston U. ranks second (.380)
•    KenPom.com ranks Boston U. as having the slowest tempo in the league (63.7 possessions/game) but the best offensive efficiency (109.9 pts./100 poss.).  Navy is averaging 65.7 poss./game and 105.2 pts./100 poss).

Game Information
•    Navy makes its second trip of the season to Massachusetts for a Wednesday night game at Boston University.
•    The 7 p.m. game in Case Gym will be streamed by ESPN+.
•    WNAV and WFED will carry the game on the radio.

A Look Back
•    Five players scored in double figures as Navy registered an 84-56 victory over Army Saturday in Annapolis.
•    Navy turned a 19-18 deficit into 26-19, 30-22 and 37-26 leads before taking a 46-34 lead at the break.
•    After a three-point basket by Army to open the second half, Mike Woods scored the next seven points to boost the Navy lead to 53-37.  The lead ballooned to 66-46 and was at least 20 points over the last eight minutes of the game.
•    Army, which entered the game averaging 10.9 three-point field goals made a game in league play, made seven in the first half but only two in the second.
•    The Mids matched the seven first half triples made by Army and added four more in the second half.
•    Navy also held a 38-21 advantage on the glass.
•    Four of the five Mids to score in double figures were seniors: Austin Benigni, 19 points and six assists; Woods, 17 points; Aidan Kehoe, 13 points and 11 rebounds; and Donovan Draper, 11 points and five caroms.

Army-Navy Head Coaches
•    Former Navy head coach Ed DeChellis retired after coaching in his series record-tying 29th Army-Navy game last season (Navy's Don DeVoe).
•    First-year Navy head coach Jon Perry was alongside DeChellis for 25 of those games.  The Mids posted a 15-10 record with Perry on the staff.
•    Perry became the seventh Navy head coach to win his first Army-Navy game. 

Boston U. Preview
•    Boston will play host to the Mids with an overall record of 8-13 this season.  That includes a 5-4 record in home games.
•    The Terriers have posted a 3-5 record in league games, which includes a 2-2 record at home.
•    Each of the last two and three of the last four games for Boston have gone to overtime. Most recently, the Terriers lost an 80-79 game at Colgate on Saturday.
•    Six of the nine league games this season for Boston have been decided by single digits.  The Terriers have posted a 2-4 record in those games, which includes one loss by one point and two losses by two points.

Series History
•    The Navy-Boston U. series dates back to the 1959 NCAA Tournament when the Terriers defeated the Mids, 62-55 in overtime, in a regional semifinal round game played in Charlotte, N.C.
•    Boston U. leads the all-time series with Navy, 15-14.  Navy holds an 8-6 advantage in games played in Boston, which includes an 8-4 record in Case Gym. 
•    Navy has taken a 12-11 lead in Patriot League regular season games played between the teams.  The Mids have posted a 7-4 record in league games played in Boston, which includes a 7-2 record in Case Gym.

Series Trends
•    The team leading at halftime has posted a 9-1 record in the last nine games and a 22-5 record since the teams have been fellow members of the Patriot League.
•    The team making more three-point field goals has compiled a 16-7 record in the last 27 games (four ties).
•    The team grabbing more rebounds has tallied a 4-5 record in the last nine games and a 17-8 record in the last 27 games (two ties).
•    The team committing fewer turnovers has posted a 1-4 record in the last six games (one tie) and an 11-15 record in the last 27 games (one tie).
•    The home team in the Navy-Boston U. series has posted a 10-3 record in the last 13 games.  This is after the home team had compiled a 2-12 record in the first 14 games when the teams initially became fellow members of the Patriot League.
•    The team grabbing more offensive rebounds has posted a 1-6 record in the last seven games and a 6-10 record (one tie) in the last 17 games.

Navy 82, Boston U. 77 (Dec. 31)
•    Navy led for the final 26 minutes of an 82-77 victory over Boston University Dec. 31 in the Patriot League opener for both teams.
•    The Terriers sliced a 35-30 halftime deficit down to one point at 37-36 in the early moments of the second half.  Navy answered by taking leads of 45-38, 50-41 and 57-45 before building a 65-49 lead with five minutes remaining.
•    Boston was able to chip away late and it was a 79-74 game with 24.3 seconds left.  The Mids were 3-4 from the foul line down the stretch to seal the win.
•    Navy was led by Austin Benigni with 27 points and eight assists and by Aidan Kehoe with 15 points and 15 rebounds.  Jordan Pennick also tallied 18 points.
•    The Mids held a 37-28 lead on the glass and were 22-30 from the foul line in contrast to the 10-12 effort by Boston.

A Look Ahead
•    Navy returns to Alumni Hall Saturday when the Mids play host to Loyola.

Navy 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 are +1,091 in offensive rebounding margin over the last 12 seasons.
•    Navy has regularly turned those second-chance opportunities into points. 
•    The Mids are +1,009 in second-chance points over the last 12 years.
•    Aidan Kehoe had 15 second-chance points in Navy's double overtime win at Lehigh on Jan. 17.

Benigni Named to Lou Henson Award Watch List
•     Austin Benigni was named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List earlier this season.
•    The award, presented by CollegeInsider.com, is given annually to the top mid-major player in the country.

Benigni Surpasses 1,700 Points
•    Austin Benigni became the 27th Mid to score 1,000 career points during Navy's Jan. 18, 2025, game at Bucknell.
•    He reached the milestone in his 81st career game  (12th fewest games needed to score 1,000 points).
•    He then reached the 1,500-point plateau during Navy's Dec. 19, 2025, game against Coppin State, surpassed 1,600 points Jan 10 against Lafayette and scored his 1,700th point Jan. 24 against Army
•    He ranks among the Navy scoring leaders for both all games and Patriot League games.
•    Benigni ranks 20th in Patriot League history in career points.

Navy Career Scoring List -- All Games
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Years
1.    2,669    David Robinson, 1984-87
2.    1,952    Vernon Butler, 1983-86
3.    1,785    Greg Sprink, 2005-08
4.    1,704    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

Navy Career Scoring List -- Patriot League Games
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Years
1.    937    Greg Sprink, 2005-08
2.    910    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

•    Benigni is in fifth place at Navy with 82 games of scoring in double figures and fourth place with 37 career games with 20 or more points.  
3-Point Progression
•    One of the reasons behind Benigni's scoring success this season has been his improved three-point shooting.
•    He has made as more three-point baskets through 21 games this year than he made in 34 games last season.

At the FT Line – Austin Benigni
•    This is the third season in a row in which Austin Benigni ranks among the NCAA leaders in all three free throw shooting statistics.
•    He ranks among the NCAA's active career leaders in both free throws made and attempted.

Active NCAA Career Leaders for FTM (D1 only)
Rnk.    FTM    Player, School
1.    578    PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
2.    566    Austin Benigni, Navy
3.    535    Freddy Hicks, Tarleton State

Active NCAA Career Leaders for FTA (D1 only)
Rnk.    FTA    Player, School
1.    744    PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
2.    730    Freddy Hicks, Tarleton State
3.    700    Ezra Ausar, USC
4.    663    Graham Ike, Gonzaga
5.    659    Austin Benigni, Navy

•    He also ranks among the Navy and service academy leaders for the most foul shots made and attempted in a season and career.

Most Free Throws Made in a Season at Navy (all)
Rnk.    FTM    Player, Year
1.    220    Austin Benigni, 2025
2.    208    David Robinson, 1986
3.    203    David Robinson, 1987

Most Free Throws Made - Career at Navy (all)
Rnk.    FTM    Player, Year
1.    605    David Robinson, 1984-87
2.    568    Vernon Butler, 1983-86
3.    566    Austin Benigni, 2023-pes.

Career Free Throws Made - Service Academy Players
Rnk.    FTM    Player, School, Years
1.    650    Kevin Houston, Army, 1984-87
2.    605    David Robinson, Navy, 1984-87
3.    568    Vernon Butler, Navy, 1983-86
4.    566    Austin Benigni, Navy, 2023-pres.

Most Free Throws Made - Career at Navy (PL Games)
Rnk.    FTM    Player, Year 
1.    283    Austin Benigni, 2023-pes.
2.    245    Greg Sprink, 2007-10

Most Free Throws Attempted - Season at Navy (all)
Rnk.    FTM    Player, Year
1.    331    David Robinson, 1986
2.    317    David Robinson, 1987
3.    256    John Clune, 1954
4.    255    Austin Benigni, 2025

Most Free Throws Attempted - Career at Navy (all)
Rnk.    FTA    Player, Years
1.    964    David Robinson, 1984-87
2.    777    Vernon Butler, 1983-86
3.    659    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

Career Free Throws Att. - Service Academy Players
Rnk.    FTA    Player, School, Years
1.    964    David Robinson, Navy, 1984-87
2.    777    Vernon Butler, Navy, 1983-86
3.    748    Kevin Houston, Army, 1984-87
4.    681    Otis Jones, Air Force, 1992-95
5.    659    Austin Benigni, Navy, 2023-pres.

Most Free Throws Att. - Career at Navy (PL Games)
Rnk.    FTA    Player, Year
1.    338    Austin Benigni, 2023-pes.
2.    297    Shawn Anderson, 2015-18

•    Benigni ranks among the Navy and Patriot League leaders for career free throw percentage.

Highest Free Throw Pct. - Career at Navy
Rnk.    FT%    Player, Years    
1.    .859    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.
2.    .856    John Tolmie, 1967-69
3.    .848    Chris Harris, 2007-10

Highest Free Throw Pct. - Career Patriot League
Rnk.    FT%    Player, Years    
1.    .870    Chris Spatola, Army, 1999-02
2.    .865    Brett Eppehimer, Lehigh, 1996-99
3.    .858    Austin Benigni, Navy, 2023-pres.
4.    .848    Chris Harris, Navy, 2007-10

Benigni Leading in Points and Assists
•     Austin Benigni typically has led the Mids in either points or assists –– and occasionally both –– in a game, especially since the start of his 2023-24 season.
•     Benigni became the third Mid to lead the team in total points and assists in multiple seasons since assists began being tracked with the 1972-73 season.
•     He ranks among the Navy leaders for career assists.

Most Career Assists / All Games (since 1971-72)
Rnk.    Asts.    Player, Years
1.    714    Doug Wojcik, 1985-87
---------------------------------------
6.    434    Tilman Dunbar, 2013-16
7.    425    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

Most Career Assists / PL Games
Rnk.    Asts.    Player, Years
1.    270    Brian Walker, 1994-97
2.    210    Hasan Abdullah, 2016-19
3.    207    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

•     Benigni is one of five active players who have only played on the NCAA Division I level with both 1,700 points and 400 assists.

Active NCAA Players with 1,700 Points and 400 Assists  (only played on the Division I level)
Player, School    Points    Assists
Nijel Peck, Oklahoma    2,058    429
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State    1,878    482
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis    1,795    409
Boopie Miller, SMU    1,750    567
Austin Benigni, Navy    1,704    425

•     He is the third Patriot League player -- during each team's Patriot League era -- with 1,700 points and 400 assists. 

Patriot League Players with 1,700 Points and 400 Assists (league era only)
Player, School, Years    Points    Assists
Sa'eed Nelson, American, 2017-20    2,116    521
Tucker Richardson, Colgate, 2019-23    1,740    626
Austin Benigni, Navy, 2023-pres    1,704    425

•     Benigni is one of three Mids to rank among Navy's top-10 statistical leaders in both career points and assists.

Navy's Top-10 Players in Points and Assists  
Player, School, Years    Points    Assists
Rob Romaine, 1981-84    10th / 1,394    3rd / 523
Kaleo Kina, 2006-09    9th / 1,528    9th / 392
Austin Benigni, 2023-pres    4th / 1,704    7th / 425

Benigni Among Minutes Played Leaders
•     Austin Benigni enters the game leading the Patriot League and ranked 35th nationally with an average of 35:22 of playing time a game this season.
•    He ranks among the Navy leaders for the most minutes played in a career.

Most Minutes Played / Career (since 1982-83)
Rnk.    MP    Player, Years
1.    4,391    Vernon Butler, 1983-86
2.    3,795    David Robinson, 1984-87
3.    3,503    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

Draper and Kehoe -- Double-Doubles
•    Donovan Draper and Aidan Kehoe each rank among the Navy leaders in career double-doubles. 

Most Double-Doubles - Career at Navy
Rnk.    No.    Player, Years
1.    74    David Robinson, 1984-87
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7.    22    Chris Reddington, 1964-66
8.    21    Hassan Booker, 1995-98
9.    19    Jay Metzler, 1958-60
10.    18    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
11.    15    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

Kehoe's 20-Point Double-Doubles
•    Aidan Kehoe has posted 10 double-doubles this season, six of which saw him score at least 20 points.
•    He is in a tie for seventh place at Navy for the most 20-point double-doubles in a season.

Kehoe's 21-21 Double-Double
•    Aidan Kehoe recorded 21 points and 21 rebounds in Navy's double overtime win at Lehigh on Jan. 17.
•    Kehoe is the fifth Mid to have recorded a 20-20 game and the first since David Robinson went for 45 and 20 at James Madison on Jan. 10, 1987.

Mids with a 20-Point, 20-Rebound Game
Rnk.    No.    Player, Years
1.    8    Don Lange, 1952-54
2.    4    David Robinson, 1984-87
3.    1    John Kretching, 1962-64 
    1    Vernon Butler, 1983-86
    1    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.

•    Kehoe broke his own Navy record for the most rebounds by a Mid in a Patriot League game and tied the school record (since 1986-87) for the most offensive rebounds in a game.

Most Rebounds -- Patriot League Games
1.    21    Aidan Kehoe at Lehigh, 1-17-2026 (2ot)
2.    20    Aidan Kehoe at Army, 1-26-2025
3.    19    Matt Fannin, American, 1-12-2005

Most Offensive Rebounds -- All Games (since 1986-87)
1.    11    Tom Lacey, Bryant, 12-6-2016
    11    Aidan Kehoe at Lehigh, 1-17-2026 (2ot)
2.    10    Alex Kohnen, St. Mary's, Md., 12-5-1995
    10    Tom Lacey at American, 1-25-2017

Draper and Kehoe -- Rebounds
•    Aidan Kehoe set a Navy record in 2024-25 for the most offensive boards by a Mid in a season.
•    Both he and Donovan Draper rank among the Navy leaders in Navy season and career leaders in multiple rebounding categories.

Most Offensive Rebounds / Season (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Year    
1.    115    Aidan Kehoe, 2025
2.    109    David Robinson, 1987

Most Offensive Rebounds / Career (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    OR    Player, Years
1.    331    Eddie Reddick, 1988-91
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4.    247    Evan Wieck, 2017-20
5.    238    Wes Cooper, 1992-95
6.    231    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
7.    225    Tom Lacey, 2015-18
8.    216    Worth Smith, 2012-15
9.    215    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

Highest OR/G Average / Career (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    OR/G    Player, Years
1.    2.98    Eddie Reddick, 1988-91
2.    2.66    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
3.    2.56    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

Most Offensive Rebounds / PL Season 
Rnk.    OR    Player, Year    
1.    72    Aidan Kehoe, 2025
2.    69    Evan Wieck, 2019
3.    57    Donovan Draper, 2024

Most Offensive Rebounds / PL Career
Rnk.    OR    Player, Year    
1.    157    Evan Wieck, 2017-20
2.    127    Worth Smith, 2012-15
    127    Aidan Kehoe, 2024-pres.
4.    121    Wes Cooper, 1992-956
5.    118    Tom Lacey, 2015-18
6.    116    Alex Kohnen, 1993-96
7.    114    Daniel Deaver, 2020-23
8.    113    Donovan Draper, 2023-pres.

Most Defensive Rebounds / Season (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    DR    Player, Year    
1.    269    David Robinson, 1987
2.    193    Donovan Draper, 2025
3.    189    Donovan Draper, 2024
4.    187    Aidan Kehoe, 2025

Most Defensive Rebounds / Career (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    DR    Player, Years
1.    544    Eddie Reddick, 1988-91
2.    467    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

Highest DR/G Average / Career (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    DR/G    Player, Years
1.    5.56    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
2.    4.91    Eddie Reddick, 1988-91
3.    4.38    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
4.    4.36    Sitapha Savane, 1998-00
5.    4.25    J.J. Avila, 2011-12

Most Defensive Rebounds / PL Season (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Year    
1.    117    Donovan Draper, 2025
2.    112    Aidan Kehoe, 2025
3.    104    Donovan Draper, 2024

Most Defensive Rebounds / PL Career
Rnk.    DR    Player, Year    
1.    239    Greg Summers, 2019-22
2.    236    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
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8.    215    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.

•    Draper is one of five Mids to have posted 500 points and 500 rebounds by the end of their junior season.

Mids with 500 Pts. & 500 Rebs. through Jr. Year
Kevin Sinnett – 1976 to 1978 (3 seasons)
Vernon Butler – 1983 to 1984 (2 seasons)
David Robinson – 1984 to 1986 (3 seasons)
Eddie Reddick – 1988 to 1990 (3 seasons)
Donovan Draper – 2024 to 2025 (2 seasons)

•    Draper grabbed the 600th rebound of his career Nov. 18 at North Carolina and now ranks eighth at Navy for the most career caroms.
•    He snared the 600th board of his career in his 70th game, making him the third fastest to 600 rebounds.

Most Career Rebounds / All Games
Rnk.    Rebs.    Player, Years 
1.    1,314    David Robinson, 1984-87
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7.    702    Larry Wigley, 1952-55 
8.    682    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

Most Career Rebounds / PL Games
Rnk.    Rebs.    Player, Years
1.    349    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
2.    348    Worth Smith, 2012-15
3.    342    Greg Summers, 2019-22
    342    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.

•    Draper and Kehoe are two of 13 Mids to have totaled both 600 points and 600 rebounds in a career.
•    This is the second year in a row in which Kehoe ranks among NCAA leaders in all three rebounding statistics.
•    He also ranks fifth nationally in total rebounds.

Kehoe in Annual NCAA Rankings for Rebounding
        2024-25    2025-26
Off. Reb. / G    19th    19th
Def. Reb. / G    79th    10th
Total Reb. / G    39th    8th

Draper's Steals
•    Donovan Draper spent the 2021-22 academic year as a football player at the Naval Academy Prep School.  He then was wide receiver at Navy on the 2022-23 team.
•    Draper, who was an all-county basketball player in high school, joined the Navy basketball team in the spring of 2023.
•    After going 994 days between his last high school basketball game and first as a Mid, he made an immediate impact as he ranked among the Patriot League and NCAA leaders in multiple statistical categories (steals, offensive rebounds, total rebounds).
•    He ranks among the Navy career leaders in steals and steals per game.

Navy Career Steals List (since 1982-83)
Rnk.    Stls.    Player, Years (games)
1.    209    Chris Williams, 1998-01 (111)
---------------------------------------
6.    160    David Robinson, 1984-87 (127)
7.    144    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres. (84)

Highest Career Steals / Game (since 1982-83)
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Years    
1.    1.93    Skip Victor, 1996-99
2.    1.88    Chris Williams, 1998-01
3.    1.81    Corey Johnson, 2005-07
4.    1.79    Hasan Abdullah, 2016-19
5.    1.77    J.J. Avila, 2011-12
6.    1.74    Brian Walker, 1994-97
7.    1.71    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

•     Draper is the third Mid to rank among Navy's top-10 statistical leads in both career rebounds and steals**.

Navy's Top-10 Players in Points and Steals**  
Player, School, Years    Rebounds    Steals**
David Robinson, 1984-87    1st / 1,394    6th / 160
Hassan Booker, 1995-98    9th / 628    T7th / 142
Donovan Draper, 2024-pres    8th / 682    7th / 144
** Steals began being tracked with the 1982-83 season

Kehoe's Shooting Among the NCAA Leaders
•    Aidan Kehoe ranks first among all NCAA Division I players -- through games of Monday, Jan. 26 -- in field goal percentage this season.

Highest Field Goal Pct. / 2025-26
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, School (FGM-A)
1.    .726    Aidan Kehoe, Navy (135-186)
2.    .697    Armani Mighty, Mercer (115-165)
3.    .687    Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan (101-147)
4.    .677    Ben Defty, Boston U. (109-161)

•    Kehoe ranked second at Navy for the highest field goal percentage in a single season in 2024-25.

Highest Field Goal Pct. / Season (Min. 200 FGA)
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, Years
--    .726    Aidan Kehoe, 2026
1.    .644    David Robinson, 1985
2.    .621    Aidan Kehoe, 2025
3.    .620    Will Kelly, 2016

•    Kehoe also ranks among the Navy leaders for career field goal percentage.

Highest Field Goal Pct. / Career (Min. 300 FGA)
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, Years
1.    .653    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
2.    .625    Evan Wieck, 2017-20
3.    .613    David Robinson, 1985-88

Highest Field Goal Pct. / Season - PL (Min. 75 FGA)
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, Years
--    .775    Aidan Kehoe, 2026
1.    .673    Evan Wieck, 2019
2.    .639    Wes Cooper, 1995

Highest Field Goal Pct. / Career - PL  (Min. 150 FGA)
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, Years
1.    .650    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
2.    .618    Evan Wieck, 2017-20
3.    .610    Richard Njoku, 2019-22