Lafayette (4-12 / 1-2) at Navy (11-5 / 3-0)
Saturday, Jan. 10  I  2 p.m.  I  Alumni Hall  I  Annapolis, Md.

Video / ESPN+  I  Matt Sabados, Mike Heary
Radio / WNAV, WFED  I  Matt Sabados, Mike Heary

Five Starting Notes
•    The first game in the Navy-Lafayette series was played 106 years ago today, Jan. 10, 1920, in Annapolis.
•    This year marks the 58th season with at least one Navy-Lafayette game, and is the 45th season in the last 47 in which they are facing each other.  
•    Eight of the last nine and 10 of the last 12 Navy-Lafayette games played in Annapolis have been determined by single digits.
•    Current Navy players have totaled 201 career points against the Leopards and the Lafayette roster has amassed  103 career points against the Mids.
•    Lafayette has outscored Navy 301-299 in total points over the last five games in the series. 

Game Information
•    The Mids are back in Alumni Hall Saturday when they play host to Lafayette in a 2 p.m. game.
•    ESPN+ will provide a video stream of the game with both WNAV and WFED providing radio coverage.

Attending the Game
•    Only those vehicles driven by someone with a Department of Defense (DoD)-approved identification card will be allowed onto the USNA.
•    Fans without DoD approved vehicle access to the USNA must park outside of The Yard.  The simplest way to do this is to take the free shuttle bus, which starts running one hour before tip.
•    The shuttle bus will depart from and return to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (550 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, Md., 21401).  Enter the blue / west parking lot through gate 5 off of Taylor Avenue.  There is a $10 per vehicle parking fee.  The free fan shuttle bus will leave from and return to the Blue Angel jet.  
•    Whether a visitor rides the shuttle bus or walks through one of the USNA gates, everyone ages 18 and over must have a valid picture ID (i.e.: State issued driver's license with REAL ID or a government issued passport). Visitors ages 17 and younger who do not have a valid picture ID must be accompanied by an adult. Foreign passports are not permitted for general access.

A Look Back
•    Three Mids scored at least 20 points in a game for the first time in nearly a decade as Navy posted a 76-55 win over Bucknell Wednesday in Annapolis.
•    Navy closed the first half on a 10-4 run and then began the second half with a 20-3 run to turn a 28-23 deficit into a 53-35 lead.
•    Jordan Pennick made a career-high seven three-point field goals in tying a career best with 23 points.
•    Aidan Kehoe was 8-9 from the floor and 4-4 from the foul line in scoring 20 points to go along with his 12 rebounds.
•    Austin Benigni tallied 23 points, six assists and six rebounds.
•    Navy shot 53.6 percent from the field in the second half and ended the game with a 42-27 rebounding lead.

Lafayette Preview
•    Lafayette has posted a 4-12 overall record on the season and a 1-2 record in Patriot League games.
•    The Leopards have lost their two home games in league play to Colgate (85-77) and Boston (83-67) and won their lone road game to date at Loyola (79-64).
•    Lafayette dropped non-league games to, among others, Saint Joseph's, Texas, West Virginia, Charlotte and Georgia Tech.

Series History
•    Navy and Lafayette first met on Jan. 10, 1920, exactly 106 years ago from Saturday's game.
•    This year marks the 58th season with at least one Navy-Lafayette game, and is the 45th season in the last 47 in which they are facing each other.  The teams have played at least once in all but two seasons since the 1979-80 campaign (1988-89 and the 2020-21 COVID season).
•    Navy leads the overall series by a count of 57-37.  This includes a 39-15 lead in games played on The Yard and a 22-12 advantage in games played in Alumni Hall.
•    Navy narrowly leads Lafayette, 34-32, in Patriot League regular season games.  The Mids have compiled a 20-13 record against the Leopards in league games played in Annapolis.

Series Statistical Notes 
•    Fifteen of the last 22 games in the series have been decided by single digits. Eight of the last nine and 10 of the last 12 games played in Annapolis have been determined by nine or fewer points.
•    The team winning the rebounding contest has posted a 7-1 record in the last eight games and a 23-4 record in the last 28 games (one tie).
•    The team holding the lead at halftime has posted a 5-0 record in the last five games, a 6-6 record in the last 12 games (one tie) and an 18-10 record over the last 29 games (one tie).  
•    The team making more three-point field goals has posted a 6-1 record in the last seven games and a 15-10 record over the last 28 games (three ties).  

A Look Ahead
•    Navy stays local for a Monday game at American. The 7 p.m. rematch of the championship game of the 2025 Patriot League Tournament in Bender Arena will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.

Home in Alumni Hall
•     Alumni Hall has been home to the Navy basketball teams since the 1991-92 season.
•    The Mids have compiled an overall record of 293-190 record in the facility.  This includes a 140-112 record in Patriot League regular season games.
•    There have been 61 future NBA players to play in Alumni Hall since it opened.

Patriot League Players of the Week 
•    Navy has received a trio of Patriot League Player-of-the-Week accolades this season.
•    Austin Benigni earned the award on Dec. 8 after he averaged 18.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in Navy's wins over Delaware State and Air Force.
•    Aidan Kehoe garnered his first career weekly award on Dec. 22 after he averaged 15.5 points and 11.0 rebounds a game in wins over Coppin State and Rosemont College.
•    Benigni was tabbed for his second nod of the season and sixth of his career on Jan. 5 following a week that saw him average 25.0 points, 6.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds a game in wins over Boston and Holy Cross.

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 +1,086 in offensive rebounding margin over the last 12 seasons.
•    Navy has regularly turned those second-chance opportunities into points as it is +974 in second-chance points scored over this span.

Three Mids With 20 Points
•    Austin Benigni (23), Jordan Pennick (23) and Aidan Kehoe (20) each scored at least 20 points in Navy's Jan. 7 game win over Bucknell.  
•    It was the sixth time in Navy history in which three Mids scored at least 20 points in a game.
•    It was accomplished for the first time in nine seasons and the first time during a 40-minute game in 41 seasons.

Games with Three Mids Scoring 20 Points
Jan. 8, 1965    at Rutgers
Jan. 12, 1966    George Washington
Nov. 29, 1984    Drexel
Feb. 16, 1985    William & Mary
Jan. 21, 2017    at Army (OT)
Jan. 7, 2026    Bucknell --- Benigni 23, Pennick 23, Kehoe 20

Benigni Scores 1,500th Point, Nears 1,600th
•    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. 
•    He ranks among the Navy scoring leaders for both all games and Patriot League games.

Navy Career Scoring List -- All Games
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Years
1.    2,669    David Robinson, 1984-87
---------------------------------------------
5.    1,635    Chris Harris, 2007-10
6.    1,597    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

Navy Career Scoring List -- Patriot League Games
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Years
1.    937    Greg Sprink, 2005-08
2.    811    Chris Harris, 2007-10
3.    803    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

•    Benigni ranks seventh at Navy with 77 games of scoring in double figures and is in fifth place with 35 career games with 20 or more points.  

10-Point Games - Career
Rnk.    No.    Player, Years
1.    108    David Robinson, 1984-87
2.    98    Vernon Butler, 1983-86
3.    85    Greg Sprink, 2005-08
4.    83    Kevin Sinnett, 1976-79
5.    78    Chris Harris, 2007-10
    78    Kaleo Kina, 2006-09
7.    77    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

20-Point Games - Career
Rnk.    No.    Player, Years
1.    68    David Robinson, 1984-87
2.    46    John Clune, 1952-54
3.    40    Vernon Butler, 1983-86
4.    36    Greg Sprink, 2005-08
5.    35    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

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.

Benigni in Annual NCAA Rankings for FT Shooting
        2023-24    2024-25    2025-26
FTM    22nd    5th    4th
FTA    38th    5th    26th
FT%    96th    56th    57th

•    He ranks among the NCAA's active career leaders in both free throws made and attempted.

Active NCAA Career Leaders for FTM
Rnk.    FTM    Player, School
1.    551    PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
2.    545    Austin Benigni, Navy
3.    535    Freddy Hicks, Tarleton State

Active NCAA Career Leaders for FTA
Rnk.    FTA    Player, School
1.    730    Freddy Hicks, Tarleton State
2.    702    PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
3.    663    Ezra Ausar, USC
4.    662    Graham Ike, Gonzaga
5.    634    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.    545    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.    545    Austin Benigni, Navy, 2023-pres.

Most Free Throws Made - Career at Navy (PL Games)
Rnk.    FTM    Player, Year 
1.    262    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.    634    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.    648    Gary Winton, Army, 1975-78
6.    634    Austin Benigni, Navy, 2023-pres.

Most Free Throws Att. - Career at Navy (PL Games)
Rnk.    FTA    Player, Year
1.    313    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.    .860    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.    .860    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 has totaled both 10 or more points and 5 or more assists in 32 career games.
•     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 (since 1971-72)
Rnk.    Asts.    Player, Years
1.    714    Doug Wojcik, 1985-87
---------------------------------------------
7.    421    Mickey Hampton, 1973-75
8.    409    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

•     Benigni is one of eight active players who have only played on the NCAA Division I level with both 1,500 points and 400 assists.

Active NCAA Players with 1,500 Points and 400 Assists  (only played on the Division I level)
Player, School    Points    Assists
Nijel Peck, Oklahoma    1,983    411
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State    1,787    467
Boopie Miller, SMU    1,691    546
Jacari Lane, Texas A&M    1,602    417
Austin Benigni, Navy    1,597    409
Donovan Dent, UCLA    1,589    584
Braden Smith, Purdue    1,575    900
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee    1,544    471

•     He is the seventh Patriot League player -- during each team's Patriot League era -- with 1,500 points and 400 assists. 

Patriot League Players with 1,500 Points and 400 Assists (league era only)
Player, School, Years    Points    Assists
Marquis Hall, Lehigh, 2007-10    1,514    566
Sa'eed Nelson, American, 2017-20    2,116    521
Nick Lindner, Lafayette, 2014-17    1,509    519
Tommy Funk, Army, 2017-20    1,544    728
Jordan Burns, Colgate, 2018-21    1,666    503
Tucker Richardson, Colgate, 2019-23    1,740    626
Austin Benigni, Navy, 2023-pres    1,597    409

•     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    6th / 1,597    8th / 409

Benigni Among Minutes Played Leaders
•     Austin Benigni enters the game leading the Patriot League and ranked 29th nationally with an average of 35:02 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.    3,473    Greg Sprink, 2005-08
4.    3,461    Cliff Rees, 1985-88
5.    3,448    Chris Harris, 2007-10
6.    3,389    Kaleo Kina, 2006-08
7.    3,369    Eddie Reddick, 1988-91
8.    3,321    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
---------------------------------------------
7.    22    Chris Reddington, 1964-66
8.    21    Hassan Booker, 1995-98
9.    19    Jay Metzler, 1958-60
10.    15    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
    15    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.

Kehoe's 20-Point Double-Doubles
•    Aidan Kehoe has posted seven double-doubles this season, four of which saw him score at least 20 points.
•    That effort ties him for the most 20-point double-doubles by a Mid in a season during the post-David Robinson era (who had 16, 20 and 18 such double-doubles in his last three seasons).

Most 20-Point Double-Doubles in a Season / Post-David Robinson Era (1987-88 to present)
Rnk.    No.    Player, Years
1.    4    Hassan Booker, 1997-98
    4    Greg Sprink, 2007-08
    4    Aidan Kehoe, 2025-26

Kehoe's 20-Point Double-Doubles This Season
21 pts. / 12 rebs.    Nov. 22, NJIT
20 pts. / 14 rebs.    Nov. 26 vs. Gardner-Webb
22 pts. / 12 rebs.    Dec. 19, Coppin State
20 pts. / 12 rebs.    Jan. 7, Bucknell

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
---------------------------------------------
7.    216    Worth Smith, 2012-15
8.    209    Francis Ebong, 2000-03
9.    208    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
10.    204    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.    2.55    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
3.    2.54    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.

Most Offensive Rebounds / PL Season (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Year    
1.    72    Aidan Kehoe, 2025
2.    69    Evan Wieck, 2019
3.    57    Donovan Draper, 2024

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.    454    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

Highest DR/G Average / Career (since 1986-87)
Rnk.    OR/G    Player, Years    
1.    5.68    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.    
2.    4.91    Eddie Reddick, 1988-91    
3.    4.36    Sitapha Savane, 1998-00    
4.    4.25    J.J. Avila, 2011-12    
5.    4.13    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.    

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

•    Draper is the second Mid to have totaled over 500 points and 500 rebounds in their first two seasons with the team.

Mids with 500 Pts. & 500 Rebs. in First 2 Seasons
Vernon Butler – 1983, 1984
Donovan Draper – 2024, 2025

•    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 (games)
1.    1,314    David Robinson, 1984-87 (127)
---------------------------------------------
7.    702    Larry Wigley, 1952-55 (85)
8.    658    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres. (80)

Most Career Rebounds (PL Games)
Rnk.    Rebs.    Player, Years
1.    348    Worth Smith, 2012-15
2.    342    Greg Summers, 2019-22
3.    335    Tom Lacey, 2015-18
4.    325    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

•    Draper is one of 12 Mids to have totaled both 600 points and 600 rebounds in a career.

Mids with 600 Points and 600 Rebounds / Career
Player, Years    Points    Rebounds
Don Lange, 1952-54    1,344    785
Richard Brown, 1958-60    657    645
Hank Kuzma, 1975-78    1,388    749
Kevin Sinnett, 1976-79    1,687    797
Vernon Butler, 1983-86    1,952    1,115
David Robinson, 1984-87    2,669    1,315
Eddie Reddick, 1988-91    1,366    875
Hassan Booker, 1995-98    931    628
Jordan Sugars, 2009-12    1,346    624
Worth Smith, 2012-15    1,172    603
Tom Lacey, 2015-18    679    611
Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.    688    658

•    This is the second year in a row in which Kehoe ranks among NCAA leaders in all three rebounding statistics.

Kehoe in Annual NCAA Rankings for Rebounding
        2024-25    2025-26
Off. Reb. / G    19th    48th
Def. Reb. / G    79th    19th
Total Reb. / G    39th    21st

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.    142    Hassan Booker, 1995-98 (101)
8.    140    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres. (80)

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.    1.75    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
7.    1.74    Brian Walker, 1994-97

•     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    7th / 142
Donovan Draper, 2024-pres    8th / 658    7th / 140
** Steals began being tracked with the 1982-83 season

Kehoe Shooting
•    Aidan 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
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.    .642    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
2.    .625    Evan Wieck, 2017-20
3.    .613    David Robinson, 1985-88

Highest Field Goal Pct. / Career - PL  (Min. 150 FGA)
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, Years
1.    .625    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
2.    .618    Evan Wieck, 2017-20
3.    .610    Richard Njoku, 2019-22

•    Kehoe ranks among the NCAA leaders for field goal percentage this season.

Highest Field Goal Pct. / 2025-26
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, School (FGM-A)
1.    .812    Cooper Bowser, Furman (69-85)
2.    .719    Aidan Kehoe, Navy (97-135)
3.    .679    Michael Nwoko, LSU (93-137)
    .679    Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan (76-112)
5.    .672    Rafael Castro, George Washigton (92-137)