Navy (19-6 / 11-1) at Bucknell (8-17 / 5-7)
Monday, Feb. 9  I  6 p.m.  I  Sojka Pavilion  I  Lewisburg, Pa.

TV / CBS Sports Network  I  Ed Cohen, Mo Cassara
Radio / WNAV, WFED  I  Matt Sabados

Five Starting Notes
•    Navy has scored 1,296 points against Bucknell (68.2 ppg) and the Bison have scored 1,278 points against the Mids (67.3 ppg) over the last 19 games of the series (starting with March 5, 2017).
•    Navy has played more games against Bucknell since the Mids joined the Patriot League than any opponent (79, including Monday) and more true road games in Lewisburg than any other league city (40, including Monday).
•    The last three Navy at Bucknell games have been determined by a total of 18 points (8, 4, 6, in chronological order).
•    Donovan Draper is averaging 13.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.6 assists a game over the last five games.
•    Aidan Kehoe entered his senior season having scored 380 points in 66 career games.  He has scored 381 points in 25 games this season. 

Game Information
•    The first of back-to-back road games for the Mids this week will be Monday night when Navy plays at Bucknell in a 6 p.m. game.
•    The CBS Sports Network will televise the game, with both WNAV and WFED providing radio coverage.

A Look Back
•    Aidan Kehoe and Donovan Draper each posted a double-double as Navy recorded an 82-73 victory over American Saturday in Annapolis.
•    The Mids led by as many as eight points in the first half before taking a 39-35 lead at the break.
•    The Eagles held several three-point leads in the opening minutes of the second half before a 14-3 run gave Navy a 61-53 lead.
•    It quickly became just a five-point lead before the Mids took leads of 68-57 and 72-59.
•    American made 12 three-point field goals, but Navy shot a season-high 56 percent from the floor.
•    Kehoe finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Draper filled the box score with 18 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks.

Bucknell Preview
•    Bucknell enters the game with an overall record of 8-17 and a home record of 5-5.
•    The Bison have tallied a 5-7 record in Patriot League games, which includes a 4-2 mark at home.
•    Bucknell had won back-to-back games before losing 78-59 to Colgate Saturday in Lewisburg.
•    The Bison have posted a 5-3 record in league games decided by single digits.

Series History
•    Navy and Bucknell first met on Jan. 31, 1920, and sporadically played 16 games against one another from then until both were members of the Patriot League starting in the 1991-92 season.
•    The Bison hold a 48-46 advantage in the overall series with the Mids.  This includes a 31-10 lead in games played in Lewisburg, as well as a 21-7 advantage in games played in Sojka Pavilion.
•    Bucknell is in front of the Mids, 39-30, in league regular season games.  That mark features a 25-9 lead for the Bison at home, including a 17-6 lead in games played in Sojka Pavilion.

Series Trends
•    The team leading at halftime has posted just a 4-3 record in the last seven games but a 12-5 record in the last 16 (one tie).
•    The team making more three-point field goals has compiled a 3-3 record in the last eight games (two ties) and a 6-6 record in the last 14 games (two ties).
•    The team grabbing more rebounds has tallied only a 3-4 record in the last seven games but also an 11-4 record in the last 15 games
•    The team committing fewer turnovers has posted a 6-4 record in the last 11 games (one tie) and an 8-10 record in the last 20 games (two ties).

Series of Streaks
•    The Navy-Bucknell series has consistently had extensive winning streaks compiled by each team.

1-31-1920 to 2-18-1964  / Navy, 12-1 (began with 10 wins)
2-10-1967 to 2-17-1993  / BU, 7-0
1-22-1994 to 1-12-2002  / Navy, 15-5 (ended with 6 wins)
2-06-2002 to 1-11-2008  / BU, 11-2 (ended with 7 wins)
2-9-2008 to 2-5-2010  / Navy, 5-1
1-8-2011 to 1-30-2019  / BU, 19-1 (ended with 11 wins)
2-27-2019 to 2-8-2023  / Navy, 9-0
1-24-2024 to 2-1-2025  / BU, 4-0
3-9-2025 to 1-7-2026  / Navy, 2-0

Navy 76, Bucknell 55
•    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 Jan. 7 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.

A Look Ahead
•    Navy heads back out on the road Saturday for a noon game at Colgate that also will be televised by the CBS Sports Network.

Navy-Bucknell on the Airways
•    Monday's game will be the sixth Navy-Bucknell game to be aired by the CBS Sports Network since its founding as CSTV (College Sports Television) in 2004-05.
•    The game will be Navy's 74th on the network since its inception as CSTV.
•    Game No. 75 will be Saturday at Colgate and No. 76 will be Feb. 21 at Army.

Tied for Best 12-Game Start
•    Navy's 11-1 Patriot League record matches the program's best 12-game record in its 45 seasons of conference play.

Navy's Best 12-Game Record in League Play
Year    League    12-Gm. W-L    Final W-L
1985-86    CAA    11-1    13-1
1986-87    CAA    11-1    13-1
1999-00    PL    11-1    11-1
2020-21    PL    11-1*    12-1*
2025-26    PL    11-1    --
*The PL played an unbalanced, abbreviated schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic with differing number of games.

Nearing 20 Wins
•    Navy needs one more victory to reach 20 victories in a season for the second time in five seasons and the 11th time in program history.

Navy's 20 Win Seasons (chronological order)
1983-84    24-8         1996-97    20-9
1984-85    26-6         1998-99    20-7
1985-86    30-5         1999-00    23-6
1986-87    26-6         2017-18    20-12
1994-95    20-9         2021-22    21-11

Atop the Standings
•     The Navy men's and women's basketball teams are each in first place in the Patriot League.  The Mids are one of nine teams to have both men's and women's teams in first place.

Men's and Women's Teams in First Place
Cal Baptist - Western Athletic Conference
College of Charleston - Coastal Athletic Association
Connecticut - Big East Conference
Duke - Atlantic Coast Conference
High Point - Big South Conference
Miami (Ohio) - Mid-American Conference
Navy - Patriot League
North Dakota State - Summit League
San Diego State - Mountain West Conference

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 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

Two Double-Doubles vs. American
•     Aidan Kehoe and Donovan Draper each recorded double-doubles in Navy's Feb. 7 game against American.  Kehoe finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds while Draper posted 18 points and 14 rebounds (plus 5 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks).
•    The last time two Mids posted a double-double in the same game was when Kehoe and Draper accomplished it in a Jan. 2, 2025 game against American.

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 +1,087 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.  He has scored 453 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 stands in 16th 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.    1,764    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.

Navy Career Scoring List -- Patriot League Games
Rnk.    Pts.    Player, Years
1.    970    Austin Benigni, 2023-pres.
2.    937    Greg Sprink, 2005-08

•    Benigni is in third place at Navy with 86 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 25 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 (tied for first, 580) and attempted (fifth, 674).
•    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 (third) and Patriot League leaders (first) for career free throw percentage (86.1%).

Benigni Leading in Points and Assists
•     Austin Benigni typically has led the Mids in either points or assists –– and occasionally both –– in a game 39 times.
•     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, 442).
•    He is the first Mid to have three seasons with both 400 points and 100 assists.
•     Benigni is one of seven 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 (16th) and assists (21st).
•     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 ranked second in the Patriot League and ranked 32nd nationally with an average of 35:38 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 (third, 3,651).

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.    .745    Aidan Kehoe, Navy (164-220)
2.    .693    Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan (115-166)
    .693    Ben Defty, Boston U. (133-192)
4.    .684    Flory Bidunga, Kansas (143-209)
5.    .679    Ven-Allen Lubin, NC State (127-187)

•    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 (62.1%), and he has thus far bettered that in 2025-26 (74.5%).
•     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
------------------------------------------------
8.    21    Hassan Booker, 1995-98
9.    20    Aidan Kehoe, 2023-pres.
10.    19    Jay Metzler, 1958-60
11.    16    Donovan Draper, 2024-pres.

Kehoe's 20-Point Double-Doubles
•    Aidan Kehoe has posted 12 double-doubles this season, seven of which saw him score at least 20 points.
•    He is in seventh place at Navy for the most 20-point double-doubles in a season.

Most 20-Point Double-Doubles in a Season
Rnk.    No.    Player, Years
1.    20    David Robinson, 1985-86
2.    18    David Robinson, 1986-87
3.    16    David Robinson, 1984-85
4.    14    Don Lange, 1953-54
5.    13    Don Lange, 1952-53
6.    10    Vernon Butler, 1984-85
7.    7    Aidan Kehoe, 2025-26

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 seventh at Navy and Kehoe ninth 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 ranks among the Navy career leaders in steals (158, seventh) and steals per game (1.80, fifth).
•    Draper is the third Mid to rank among Navy's top-10 players in both career rebounds and steals.

More Minutes for Cole
•    Cam Cole has moved into a more prominent role in the rotation since the start of the Patriot League season.
•    He has already surpassed all of the career totals he had recorded through the start of this season.