American (13-11 / 6-5) at Navy (18-6 / 10-1)
Saturday, Feb. 7  I  4 p.m.  I  Alumni Hall  I  Annapolis, Md.

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

Five Starting Notes
•    Saturday's game will be the 110th in the Navy-American series.  The only opponent Navy has faced more often than the Eagles is Army (144 games).  American also has played 110 games against Loyola.
•    Fourteen of the last 23 games in the Navy vs. American series have been decided by single digits.  However, only two of the last five games have been determined by single digits. 
•    This is the 25th season in which the two schools are members of the same conference. 
•    Navy (1st, 61.7 pg) and American (2nd, 66.7 ppg) lead the Patriot League in scoring defense during the league season.
•    The Mids also rank first (39.5%) and the Eagles second (43.0%) in the league in opponent field goal percentage.

Game Information
•    Navy returns to Alumni Hall Saturday for a 4 p.m. game against American in what is the lone home game for the Mids in a span of four games and 17 days.
•    The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and also aired on WNAV.

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 U.S. 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
•    Navy shot 57.7 percent from the field in the second half while maintaining a strong defensive effort to defeat Lafayette 65-50 Wednesday night in Easton, Pa.
•    Navy held a 26-24 lead at halftime as each team shot roughly 35 percent from the floor.
•    The score was tied at 34 in the early moments of the second half when the Mids went on an 11-2 run to build a 45-36 lead.  The Leopards countered and within 80 seconds it was a 45-43 game.
•    Navy scored the ensuing eight points to take a 53-43 lead with a little more than five minutes left to play.
•    The Mids were just 1-12 from three-point range for the game, but held the Leopards to a 6-30 mark as part of their overall shooting effort of 36.5 percent.  Navy ended the game shooting 45.8 percent overall.
•    Aidan Kehoe registered 16 points (7-8 from the floor), 15 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.  
•    Donovan Draper led Navy in scoring with 17 points and also contributed seven boards and two blocks.
•    Austin Benigni scored 12 of his 16 points after halftime.

American Preview
•    American has compiled an overall record of 13-11 this season and a 3-7 record in road games.
•    The Eagles have posted a 6-5 record in Patriot League games, a mark that includes a 3-2 record on the road.
•    American has lost three games in a row –– all by single digits –– with the last two defeats coming to Lafayette (67-65) and Bucknell (60-59).
•    The Eagles have tallied a 2-3 record in league games decided by four or fewer points.

Series History
•    Navy holds a 55-54 advantage in the series with American, which began Feb. 18, 1931.
•    The Mids lead the Eagles 34-24 in games played in Annapolis, but American leads Navy 15-12 in games played in Alumni Hall.
•    The teams have been fellow members of the Patriot League since the 2001-02 season.
•    American holds a 31-20 edge in league games played between the teams, which includes a 14-11 lead in games played in Alumni Hall.
•    The teams also met annually for seven years (1985-91) as members of the ECAC South Conference / Colonial Athletic Association.  Navy posted an overall record of 8-7 against American during that span

Series Longevity
•    Navy has faced American the second-most times of any opponent in school history.

Most Navy Games vs. One Opponent
1.    144    Army
2.    109    American (110 will be on Saturday)
3.    96    Lafayette
4.    94    Lehigh

Series Trends
•    Fourteen of the last 23 games in the series –– but only two of the last five –– have been decided by single digits. 
•    The team leading at halftime has posted a 36-6 record over the last 43 games (one game tied).
•    The team making more three-point field goals has compiled a 25-13 record over the last 39 games (one game tied).
•    The team with more rebounds has posted a 29-11 record over the last 42 games (two games tied).
•    Navy has finished with more rebounds in 18 of the last 26 games (two games tied).
•    The team with fewer turnovers has posted a 3-6 record over the last nine games, but an 18-10 record over the last 28 games.
•    Navy has finished with fewer turnovers in 12 of the last 16 games.

American 65, Navy 51
•    American took a 7-0 lead and maintained an advantage over the rest of a 65-51 victory over Navy Jan. 12.
•    The Eagles held the Mids to a 4-14 shooting effort in the first half while also building an 11-0 lead in offensive rebonds on their way to taking a 33-17 lead at the break.
•    The Mids had averaged 10.8 turnovers a game through four league games, but committed 11 turnovers in the first half.    
•    Navy drew to within seven points midway through the second half, but back-to-back triples gave American a 50-37 lead with 9:20 left.
•    The Mids later made it a nine-point game with five minutes left and had a possession to potentially draw closer, but the opportunity was squandered by a turnover.  The Eagles scored five points on their ensuing two possessions to seal the win.
•    American held only a 37.9%-32.7% advantage in shooting percentage, but the Eagles had 20 more shots than Navy (66-46).
•    Cam Cole led Navy with 13 points and Aidan Kehoe grabbed 15 rebounds.

A Look Ahead
•    Navy has a short turnaround as it will next play Monday night at Bucknell on the CBS Sports Network.

Tied for Best 11-Game Start
•    Navy's 10-1 record matches the program's best 11-game record in league play.  The Mids also started the 1999-00 and 2020-21 seasons with a 10-1 record.

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 297-190 record in the facility.  This includes a 144-112 record in Patriot League regular season games.
•    There have been 61 future NBA players to play in Alumni Hall since it opened.

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 +1,018 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.

500-Point Seasons
•    Austin Benigni scored 526 points during his 2023-24 sophomore season and 638 points in 2024-25 as a junior. 
•    He became the fourth Mid to have scored 500 points in multiple seasons and has 440 points this year.

Multiple 500-point Seasons at Navy
3    David Robinson - 1985, 1986, 1987
2    Vernon Butler - 1985, 1986
2    Greg Sprink - 2007, 2008
2    Austin Benigni - 2024, 2025

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 is tied for 18th place 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.    1,751    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

•    Benigni is tied for third place at Navy with 85 games of scoring in double figures and fourth place with 38 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 more three-point baskets through 24 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 (second) and attempted (fifth).
•    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.

Highest Free Throw Pct. - Career at Navy
Rnk.    FT%    Player, Years    
1.    .861    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.    .861    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 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 (sixth, 438).
•    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 35th nationally with an average of 35:31 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.

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.    3,613    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

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.    .743    Aidan Kehoe, Navy (156-210)
2.    .703    Armani Mighty, Mercer (128-182)
3.    .693    Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan (115-166)
4.    .690    Ben Defty, Boston U. (127-184)
5.    .678    Ven-Allen Lubin, NC State (122-180)

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

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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8.    21    Hassan Booker, 1995-98
9.    19    Jay Metzler, 1958-60
    19    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
11.    15    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

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 now ranks eighth at Navy and Kehoe 10th for the most career caroms.
•    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 fourth 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.
•    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
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6.    160    David Robinson, 1984-87
7.    154    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres. 

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.    83    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres. 

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