Last Week: Albertus Magnus defeated in-state foe Mitchell, 99-91, in non-conference action last week to improve to 2-0 on the season. In the victory, five Falcons scored in double figures, as the team surpassed the 90-point plateau for the second straight game. It was a tale of two halves against the Mariners, as the Falcons jumped out to a 56-33 lead at halftime. During the first half, Albertus Magnus shot just under 49 percent from the field, highlighted by hitting seven three pointers, and forced eight Mitchell turnovers.
This Week: The Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team opens its 2015-16 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) slate with a home tilt against Norwich on Tuesday, November 24, at 7:00 pm. The team is looking to start 3-0 for the fourth time in the last five years.
Match-up:
Albertus Magnus (2-0, 0-0) vs. Norwich (1-3, 0-0)
Tuesday, November 24, 2015 at 7:00 pm
The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center
New Haven, Conn.
Live Stats: Click here (All links will become active at the start of the contest)
Live Video: Click here
Last Meeting with the Cadets: Albertus Magnus swept Norwich last season, beating the Cadets, 89-72, in Vermont before cruising to a 99-72 win at home in late January. Jaqhawn Walters is the top returner from those games for the Falcons, he averaged 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench. In the two victories, Albertus Magnus was a combined +19 on the boards and forced 38 turnovers.
Scouting Norwich: The Cadets are coming off back-to-back double digit losses at the Charlie Ryan Classic over the weekend. Last time out, Norwich fell to Thomas (Maine), 79-59. In the setback, sophomore guards Ryan Booth and Ryan Fitzgerald each scored a team-high 12 points. In four games this season, the Cadets are being outrebounded by an average of 13 boards per contest. Norwich is shooting just over 40 percent from the field and 68 percent from the free-throw line in 2015-16. Sophomore center Mike Hogervorst in leading the team with 16.5 points per tilt and 5.8 rebounds a game. The second-year big man is shooting 54 percent and averaging six field goals a game.
Series History: Albertus Magnus leads the all-time series, 19-12, highlighted by winning the last 14 match-ups. The last victory for Norwich against the Falcons came in January of 2008 in New Haven.
Albertus Notes:
- The home win against Purchase State to open the season marked the 58th consecutive for Albertus Magnus on its home floor, which is the best active streak at any level in the NCAA.
- The Falcons received votes in the D3Hoops.com Preseason Poll released in early November. The first poll of the regular season will be released next Monday, November 30.
- Freshman forward Shontaey Lovell paced the Albertus attack once again with his second consecutive double-double. Lovell scored a game-high 25 points off the bench on 10-of-15 shooting and pulled down a game-best 17 rebounds. On the defensive end, he blocked a pair of shots and recorded one steal. He currently leads the country in rebounds per game.
- Walters continued his strong play, recording his first double-double of the year. Walters had 21 points thanks to 4-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe and grabbed 12 boards, 10 of which were on the defensive end.
- Other players in double figures last time out were sophomores Chaunce Dunbar and Luciano Martinez and junior transfer Bernard Kline. Dunbar poured in 12 points, thanks to a quartet of first-half treys, while Martinez hit 6-of-7 free throws and 4-of-7 shots from the field for 14 points to go along with six rebounds. Off the bench, Kline scored 12 and registered a team-high seven assists.
- Albertus Magnus is outrebounding the competition 106-76 this season, the +15 rebounding edge per game is good for 23rd best in the country.
- As a team, the Falcons are averaging 100 points per game, which ranks 15th in the nation. This winter, Albertus Magnus is shooting over 51 percent from the field, including 30 percent from beyond the arc.
