Navy (17-6 / 9-1) at Lafayette (7-16 / 4-6)
Wednesday, Feb. 4  I  7 p.m.  I  Kirby Sports Center  I  Easton, Pa.

Video / ESPN+ I  Gary Laubach, John Leone
Radio / WNAV  I  Matt Sabados

Five Starting Notes
•    Navy's Class of 2026 enters the game with a combined 9,997 career minutes played.
•    Fifteen of the last 24 games in the Navy-Lafayette series have been decided by single digits.  
•    Navy has posted a 4-3 record against Lafayette in the last seven games played at the Kirby Sports Center.  The Mids are slightly outscoring the Leopards by 2.3 points per game over this span (65.0-62.7 ppg).
•    Lafayette's last four games have been decided by a total of 13 points. 
•    Future surface warfare officers Aidan Kehoe and Mike Woods will select their ship assignments Thursday night.

Game Information
•    The Navy men's basketball team starts a stretch in which it plays three road games in a span of four games Wednesday night when the Mids play at Lafayette.
•    ESPN+ will stream the 7 p.m. game from the Kirby Sports Center, and it also will be carried on WNAV.

A Look Back
•    Six players scored in double figures as Navy posted an 87-71 victory over Loyola Saturday in Alumni Hall.
•    Navy used a 15-3 and 22-6 run to turn an 11-8 deficit into 23-14 and 30-17 leads.  Loyola closed to within four points at 36-32 before the Mids took a 44-36 lead at the break.
•    The Mids scored those 44 points with Austin Benigni missing his only field goal attempt and being held scoreless.
•    The Greyhounds scored the opening basket of the second half (44-38), then the Mids went on an 11-2 run to take a 55-40 lead.
•    The lead grew to 68-52 only to have it cut to 68-58 and then 72-64.
•    The Mids scored the next seven points to finally separate from the Greyhounds.
•    Loyola was 8-17 from three-point range in the first half, but just 4-13 in the second half.
•    Navy shot 65.5 percent from the floor, which is a new school record for a Patriot League game.
•    Aidan Kehoe was 11-11 from the floor to tie the league record and fall one made basket short of tying David Robinson's Navy record for the most made field goals in a game without a missed shot.
•    Navy also held a 50-24 lead in points scored in the paint and a 36-24 advantage on the glass.

Lafayette Preview
•    Lafayette has posted an overall record of 7-16 this season, which includes a 5-5 record in home games.
•    The Leopards have won back-to-back games to raise their league record to 4-6.  Lafayette has split its four league home games to date.
•    Lafayette's last four games have seen them lose 77-73 in overtime to Boston, lose a 64-59 decision at Lehigh, defeat Bucknell 81-79 and beat American 67-65.

Series History
•    Navy and Lafayette first met on Jan. 10, 1920.
•    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 58-37, but Lafayette holds a 22-17 advantage in games played in Easton.
•    Navy narrowly leads Lafayette, 35-32, in Patriot League regular season games.  The Leopards are in front of the Mids 19-14 in league games played at the Kirby Sports Center.

Series Statistical Notes 
•    Fifteen of the last 24 games in the series have been decided by single digits.
•    The team winning the rebounding contest has posted an 8-1 record in the last nine games and a 24-4 record in the last 29 games (one tie).
•    The team holding the lead at halftime has posted a 6-0 record in the last six games, a 7-6 record in the last 13 games (one tie) and a 19-10 record over the last 30 games (one tie).  
•    The team making more three-point field goals has posted a 7-1 record in the last eight games and a 16-10 record over the last 29 games (three ties).  

Navy 76, Lafayette 50
•    A 17-0 run in the game's opening minutes propelled Navy to a 76-50 victory over Lafayette Jan. 10 in Alumni Hall.
•    The Mids used that 17-0 run to take a 20-2 lead eight minutes into the game.  Navy then led by as many as 19 points before going into halftime with a 39-20 lead.
•    The Mids shot 56 percent from the floor in the first half and limited the Leopards to a 23.1 percent effort. Lafayette had six made field goals and six made free throws in the first half.
•    Navy opened the second half on a 10-3 run to build a 49-23 lead less than four minutes into the frame.
•    Navy shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half and ended the game 9-21 (42.9%) from three-point range.
•    Aidan Kehoe was 10-10 from the field in scoring a career-high 23 points to go along with 11 boards.
•    Jordan Pennick was 5-8 from three-point land on his way to scoring 20 points.

A Look Ahead
•    Navy returns home for a Saturday late afternoon game against American in Alumni Hall.

Tied for Best 10-Game Start
•    Navy's 9-1 record matches the program's best 10-game record in league play.  The Mids also started the 1997-98 and 2020-21 seasons with a 9-1 record.

Shooting Notes vs. Loyola
•    Navy shot 65.5 percent from the floor (38-58) in its Jan. 31 game against Loyola.  That effort is the best by a Navy team in a Patriot League regular season game and is tied for 12th place in any game.

Navy's Best FG Pct. in a Patriot League Game
1.    .655    Loyola, Jan 31, 2026
2.    .649    American, Jan. 28, 2015
3.    .646    Lehigh, Feb. 8, 1997

•    Navy had six players score in double figures against the Greyhounds.  The was one Mid away from tying the school record of seven double figures scorers.
•    Additionally, it was the first time it was accomplished in 20 seasons and the first time it was done against a Division I opponent in 25 seasons.

Most Players in Double Figure Points
7    McDaniel    Dec. 3, 1952
6    St. Francis Brooklyn    March 3, 1973
6    Penn State    Feb. 10, 1960
6    St. Lawrence    Nov. 25, 1983
6    vs. Cleveland State    Dec. 1, 1990
6    vs. George Mason    March 3, 1991•
6    Northeastern    Nov. 20, 1998
6    Colgate    Jan. 27, 2001
6    Washington, Md.    Dec. 18, 2005
6    Loyola    Jan. 31, 2026

Few Free Throws at Boston
•    Navy entered the Jan. 28 game at Boston leading the Patriot League and ranked 93rd nationally with an average of 23.1 free throw attempts a game.
•    The Mids went to the foul line just one time, and that was with 28.1 seconds remaining.  Austin Benigni made both foul shots on that lone trip.
•    It was one the lowest free throw attempt totals in Navy history.

Fewest Free Throw Attempts (since 1951-52)
1.    1    at UMBC,Dec. 30, 2013
2.    2    Bucknell, March 2, 2013
    2    at Boston, Jan. 28, 2026

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 +1,088 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 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
•    Benigni ranks among the Navy scoring leaders for both all games and Patriot League games.
•    Benigni ranks 21st 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.    1,735    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

Navy Career Scoring List -- Patriot League Games
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Years
1.    941    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.
2.    937    Greg Sprink, 2005-08

3-Point Progression
•    One of the reasons behind Benigni's scoring success this season has been his improved three-point shooting.
•    He has made more three-point baskets through 23 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.
•    He also ranks among the Navy and service academy leaders for the most foul shots made and attempted in a season and career.
•    Benigni ranks among the Navy and Patriot League leaders for career free throw percentage.

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 33 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.
•     Benigni is the second Mid with 1,500 points and 300 assists in a career and the first 1,600 / 400 Mid.
•     He ranks among the Navy leaders for career assists.
•    He is the first Mid to have three seasons with both 400 points and 100 assists.
•     Benigni is one of six active players who have only played on the NCAA Division I level with both 1,700 points and 400 assists.
•     He is the third Patriot League player -- during each team's Patriot League era -- with 1,700 points and 400 assists. 
•     Benigni is one of four players to rank in the Patriot League's top-25 lists in both points and assists.
•     Benigni is one of three Mids to rank among Navy's top-10 statistical leaders in both career points and assists.

Benigni Among Minutes Played Leaders
•     Austin Benigni enters the game leading the Patriot League and ranked 33rd nationally with an average of 35:32 of playing time a game this season.
•    He has played all 40 minutes this season against Southeastern Louisiana, Air Force, both games against Boston and all 50 minutes at Lehigh.
•    He ranks among the Navy leaders for the most minutes played in a career.

Kehoe's Shooting Among the NCAA Leaders
•    Aidan Kehoe ranks first among all NCAA Division I players in field goal percentage this season.

Highest Field Goal Pct. / 2025-26
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, School (FGM-A)
1.    .738    Aidan Kehoe, Navy (149-202)
2.    .701    Armani Mighty, Mercer (124-177)
3.    .690    Ben Defty, Boston U. (127-184)
4.    .688    Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan (110-160)
5.    .682    Ven-Allen Lubin, NC State (118-173)

•    Kehoe was 10-10 from the floor in Navy's Jan. 10 game against Lafayette.  That effort immediately followed the Jan. 7 game in which he was 8-9 from the floor against Bucknell.
•    Kehoe then was 11-11 from the field against Loyola on Jan. 31.

Perfect FG Pct. by a Mid (Min. 10 attempts)
FG-A    Player, Opponent, Date    
12-12    David Robinson vs. East Carolina, March 7, 1985
11-11    Aidan Kehoe, Loyola, Jan. 31, 2026
10-10    Kevin Sinnett, Saint Francis, Jan. 14, 1978
10-10    Evan Wieck, Holy Cross, Jan. 29, 2020
10-10    Aidan Kehoe, Lafayette, Jan. 10, 2026

•    The 11-11 effort tied the Patriot League record for the most made field goals without a missed shot.

Highest FG Pct. by a Patriot League Players
11-11    Matt Wilson, Army, Nov. 17, 2018 (UMass-Lowell)
11-11    Nate Sestina, Bucknell, Jan. 14, 2019 (Holy Cross)
11-11    Aidan Kehoe, Navy, Jan. 31, 2026 (Loyola

•    Kehoe ranked second at Navy for the highest field goal percentage in a single season in 2024-25, and he has thus far bettered that in 2025-26.
•     Kehoe currently holds the top mark for the highest field goal percentage in a season by a Patriot League player.

Highest Field Goal Pct. / Season 
Rnk.    FG%.    Player, Years
--    .738    Aidan Kehoe, Navy, 2026
--    .690    Ben Defty, Boston U., 2026
1.    .680    A.J. Allenspach, Army, 2025
2.    .675    Keegan Records, Colgate, 2023

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.
•    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
------------------------------------------------
6.    749    Hank Kuzma, 1975-78
7.    702    Larry Wigley, 1952-55 
8.    693    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
9.    645    Richard Brown, 1958-60
10    628    Hassan Booker, 1995-98
    628    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.

Most Career Rebounds / PL Games
Rnk.    Rebs.    Player, Years
1.    360    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
2.    358    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
3.    348    Worth Smith, 2012-15

•    Draper and Kehoe are two of the 11 Mids to have totaled both 700 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 sixth nationally in total rebounds.

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 - All Games (since 1982-83)
Rnk.    Stls.    Player, Years
1.    209    Chris Williams, 1998-01
------------------------------------------------
6.    160    David Robinson, 1984-87
7.    153    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres. 

Highest Career Steals / Game (since 1982-83)
Rnk.    S/G    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.    1.78    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.
6.    1.77    J.J. Avila, 2011-12
7.    1.74    Brian Walker, 1994-97

Navy Career Steals List - PL Games
Rnk.    Stls.    Player, Years
1.    100    Hasan Abdullah, 2016-19
2.    99    Brian Walker, 1994-97
3.    90    Chris Harris, 2007-10
4.    82    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres. 

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