Dec. 4, 2003
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THE STORY LINE: Lafayette faces its first Friday-Sunday weekend of the 2003-04 season, the same format employed during conference play. The Leopards host Centenary on Friday at 7 p.m. and Binghamton on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Leopards are coming off a one-point win at Drexel on Tuesday. Centenary comes in with a 1-2 record while Binghamton entered the weekend with a 2-3 mark.
A STRONG START: Coming into the weekend at 3-1, Lafayette is off to its best start since the 1999-00 season when the Leopards began that season at 3-1. The last time Lafayette initiated a season with a 4-1 mark was 1998-99 when the Leopards went 6-1, with the only loss on the road at No. 15 Purdue.
DAVIS PLAYER OF WEEK: Senior guard Winston Davis is the reigning Patriot League Player of the Week. Davis is coming off a 2-0 week against St. Peter's and La Salle, when he scored 20 and 19 points, respectively. He was held to a season-low six points at Drexel, but hit two crucial free throws in the one-point win.
HUGHES' LINE: Junior Jamie Hughes' line on the box score at Drexel would not impress the average person -- two points, six rebounds, one turnover and one block in just eight minutes. Those watching the game, however, know just how crucial he was to the win. Hughes' block came on Drexel's final attempt at the game-winning shot and his six rebounds proved crucial. What doesn't show up on the box score was the 7-0, 280-pounder's dive for a loose ball and his defense on Drexel's Sean Brooks in the final minutes.
ON THE SIDELINE: Head coach Fran O'Hanlon (Villanova, 1970) is in his ninth season as the Leopards' mentor. He has twice been named Patriot League Coach of the Year as head of Lafayette's non-scholarship program and lists two NCAA Tournament appearances and three Patriot League regular-season titles among his credentials. O'Hanlon's career record stands at 126-108, a mark that includes two 20-win seasons.
COMING UP: The Leopards tip off their longest homestand of the season with a four-game stint that begins with Centenary on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. Lafayette also plays host to Binghamton on Dec. 7, Lycoming on Dec. 17 and Cornell on Dec. 20 during the stretch.
TAKING BETTER CARE OF THE BALL: If you asked head coach Fran O'Hanlon about the Leopards' lone loss at Rutgers, he would immediately point to the team's 25 turnovers. Limiting turnovers has been a focus for Lafayette since, as Lafayette sliced its game total to 19 vs. St. Peter's 16, vs. La Salle and a season-low 15 at Drexel.
GARNERING A GRAND: With his first basket against La Salle on Saturday, Nov. 29, senior Justin DeBerry became the 33rd player in Lafayette history to eclipse the 1,000 point plateau. DeBerry currently has 1,031 career points and is averaging 17.0 ppg.
KNOCKING IT DOWN: Lafayette has shot the ball well from the floor this season, shooting 51 percent for the year. The Leopards opened the year with a 48 percent effort at Rutgers (24-50) followed by 51 percent (28-55) vs. St. Peter's, 61 percent (27-44) vs. La Salle and 45 percent (25-26) at Drexel.
CLEANING THE GLASS: Rebounding was not a strength of Lafayette's squad last season, but has been thus far in 2003-04. The Leopards have out-rebounded three of their four opponents, the only exception being Drexel. Lafayette held a 40-33 advantage at Rutgers, a slight 38-37 margin vs. St. Peter's, dominated La Salle 36-23, but was out-rebounded 46-34 at Drexel. The rebounding duties have been spread around, as four different players are averaging 4.0 rebounds per game or more. Winston Davis leads the way with 6.0 rebounds per game followed by Mike Farrell (6.0 rpg), Sean Knitter (4.5 rpg) and Rob Dill (4.3 rpg).
INJURY REPORT: As a team, Lafayette is fairly healthy entering the weekend despite a string of preseason sickness and injuries. - Grant Gibson (Fr.,G) - Out indefinitely, lower back
BOMBING AWAY: Senior Justin DeBerry needs three three-pointers to move into sole possession of third place on the career three-point field goals list at Lafayette, a spot currently occupied by Brian Ehlers '00 (162). DeBerry has 160 career trifectas and needs eight to move into second spot held by Tim Bieg '01 with 167. Tyson Whitfield '01, who had 271 career three-pointers, holds the all-time record...DeBerry's 69 three-pointers in the 2002-03 season ranked him fourth all-time at Lafayette for single-season performances.
PATRIOT PRESEASON POLL: Lafayette has been picked to finish second in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Leopards received two first-place votes in the poll voted on by the conference coaches and sports information directors.
DILL ON THE BLOCK: Rob Dill has 125 career blocks, ranking second all-time behind Frank Barr '01 (160). Dill blocked 54 shots as a junior, the second-best single-season effort at Lafayette. This season, Dill already has 13 blocks and swatted away a career-high seven shots in a win over St. Peter's (11/24).
IN THE HOUSE THAT THE KIRBYS BUILT: Lafayette has enjoyed plenty of success in Kirby Sports Center. Since the building's inaugural season in 1973-74, the Leopards have posted a 265-113 record in 30 seasons. Twenty-three of those seasons have been winning campaigns. Last season, Lafayette finished 9-5 at home. In 2003-04, Lafayette will play 13 home games, having already beaten St. Peter's (74-71) and La Salle (83-63).
THE STARTING FIVE: Four senior players installed themselves into the starting lineup following the 2002-03 season. Justin DeBerry and Winston Davis fill two of the starting spots in a three-guard offense. Mike Farrell and Rob Dill re-take the floor at the forwards. A sophomore, Pat Betley, has started the first four games at point guard, averaging 29 minutes an outing.
PRESEASON LAURELS: Senior guards Justin DeBerry and Winston Davis have both been selected to the Preseason All-Patriot League First Team as voted on by the conference coaches and SIDs. DeBerry was tabbed as the Patriot League Preseason player of the year by two publications, Lindy's and Basketball News.
THE REAL "IRON MIKE": Despite having to deal with the daily physical challenges posed by diabetes, senior forward Mike Farrell has never missed a game in three-plus seasons on College Hill. Farrell played in 28 games and started four as a freshman, played in 29 games and started 28 as a sophomore and started 28 of 29 games in his junior season. Friday's game vs. Centenary will mark the 91st straight game.
PATRIOT LEAGUE TOP SCORERS RETURNING: Lafayette features both of the top two returning scorers in the Patriot League. Justin DeBerry led the team and finished second in the Patriot League last season with a 16.3 ppg average. Winston Davis is the second leading returning scorer this season, having dropped in 13.8 ppg as a junior.
THE LONE CAPTAIN: Senior Mike Farrell is in his second season as team captain. The DeLand, Fla. native has played in 90 straight games since beginning his career at Lafayette. The only two starts he has missed in his sophomore and junior seasons were to give way to seniors on Senior Day.
LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT: Junior center Sean Knitter is looking to make an impact on the Lafayette offense this season. Knitter, who is eligible in 2003-04 after transferring from Delaware, brings added size to the frontcourt and is able to extend the post defense by knocking down jumpers. This season, Knitter has averaged 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds while playing 13.3 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 11 points, including the game-winning basket, and grabbed four rebounds in 17 minutes at Drexel.
ACCURATE THREATS: Lafayette's post players were extremely accurate last season and that has continued on in 2003-04. Rob Dill, who led the team and finished second in the league in field goal percentage last season, is currently shooting 68 percent from the floor. Mike Farrell, who ended fourth in the Patriot League last season, is currently shooting 60 percent from the floor.
THE HALF OF IT: Getting a strong start from the opening tap was a key in Lafayette wins in 2002-03. Lafayette was 9-2 when leading at halftime, the only losses coming against Holy Cross (1/18/03) after holding a five-point lead at intermission and at Navy (2/27/03) after leading 41-31. This season, Lafayette has only led at halftime in one of its games.
BOMBING AWAY UNDER O'HANLON: Perimeter shooting, specifically from three-point land, has been a hallmark of Fran O'Hanlon's offenses. O'Hanlon squads have hit at least one three-pointer in every one of O'Hanlon's 234 games. In his first season, Lafayette connected for 201 three-pointers, surpassing the previous team record by 54 three's. Lafayette has since eclipsed the 200-three-pointer plateau in all but one of his eight seasons. The Leopards have set three new season marks, with the top one coming in 1999-00 when Lafayette dialed up long distance 249 times. In 2002-03, Lafayette hit 209 three-pointers and is averaged 7.2 three-pointers per game. This season the Leopards have hit seven three-pointers at Rutgers, five vs. St. Peter's, a season-high 11 vs. La Salle and six vs. Drexel.
ALL-TIME AT LAFAYETTE: In the 94 seasons of men's basketball at Lafayette College, the Leopards hold an overall record of 1136-983 (.536). Lafayette's first season of basketball was in 1900-01.
CoSIDA HONORS FARRELL: Senior Mike Farrell was named to the 2003 CoSIDA Academic All-District II Men's Basketball Team, one of just five student-athletes selected. Farrell maintains a 3.29 GPA while majoring in American Studies. Nominees for the award must have a minimum GPA of 3.20 and be a starter or key reserve. The All-District II team is selected by a vote CoSIDA membership in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington D.C.
INTERNATIONAL FEEL: Lafayette has two players who hail from foreign countries on the roster. Senior Rob Dill is a native of Isernhagen, Germany. Sophomore Andrei Capusan comes from Bucharest, Romania, home country of former Patriot League Player of the Year Stefan Ciosici '00 who was from Timisoara, Romania. Capusan spent the 2001-02 academic year attending a school in the United States as Dill had two years prior.
FARRELL ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB: For the second straight season, Mike Farrell will be writing a weekly journal for Lafayette's official athletics website www.GoLeopards.com. Farrell runs down the season and gives insight into the life of a student-athlete. His first journal entry discusses his summer and also Jamie Hughes' Karaoke exploits.
LAFAYETTE ATHLETICS ON THE WEB: The quickest and most comprehensive source for information on Lafayette athletics is the world wide web. Go to www.lafayette.edu and click on "Sports." The athletics site is continuously updated with gameday press releases, schedules and results, rosters, statistics, player features, photos and more. On gameday, you can listen to the radio broadcast of all of Lafayette's men's basketball games and watch a live stats feed of home games.
DILL ON THE BLOCK: Rob Dill has 125 career blocks, ranking second all-time behind Frank Barr '01 (160). Dill blocked 54 shots as a junior, the second-best single-season effort at Lafayette. This season, Dill already has 13 blocks and swatted away a career-high seven shots in a win over St. Peter's (11/24).
IN THE HOUSE THAT THE KIRBYS BUILT: Lafayette has enjoyed plenty of success in Kirby Sports Center. Since the building's inaugural season in 1973-74, the Leopards have posted a 265-113 record in 30 seasons. Twenty-three of those seasons have been winning campaigns. Last season, Lafayette finished 9-5 at home. In 2003-04, Lafayette will play 13 home games, having already beaten St. Peter's (74-71) and La Salle (83-63).
THE STARTING FIVE: Four senior players installed themselves into the starting lineup following the 2002-03 season. Justin DeBerry and Winston Davis fill two of the starting spots in a three-guard offense. Mike Farrell and Rob Dill re-take the floor at the forwards. A sophomore, Pat Betley, has started the first four games at point guard, averaging 29 minutes an outing.
PRESEASON LAURELS: Senior guards Justin DeBerry and Winston Davis have both been selected to the Preseason All-Patriot League First Team as voted on by the conference coaches and SIDs. DeBerry was tabbed as the Patriot League Preseason player of the year by two publications, Lindy's and Basketball News.
THE REAL "IRON MIKE": Despite having to deal with the daily physical challenges posed by diabetes, senior forward Mike Farrell has never missed a game in three-plus seasons on College Hill. Farrell played in 28 games and started four as a freshman, played in 29 games and started 28 as a sophomore and started 28 of 29 games in his junior season. Friday's game vs. Centenary will mark the 91st straight game.
PATRIOT LEAGUE TOP SCORERS RETURNING: Lafayette features both of the top two returning scorers in the Patriot League. Justin DeBerry led the team and finished second in the Patriot League last season with a 16.3 ppg average. Winston Davis is the second leading returning scorer this season, having dropped in 13.8 ppg as a junior.
THE LONE CAPTAIN: Senior Mike Farrell is in his second season as team captain. The DeLand, Fla. native has played in 90 straight games since beginning his career at Lafayette. The only two starts he has missed in his sophomore and junior seasons were to give way to seniors on Senior Day.
LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT: Junior center Sean Knitter is looking to make an impact on the Lafayette offense this season. Knitter, who is eligible in 2003-04 after transferring from Delaware, brings added size to the frontcourt and is able to extend the post defense by knocking down jumpers. This season, Knitter has averaged 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds while playing 13.3 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 11 points, including the game-winning basket, and grabbed four rebounds in 17 minutes at Drexel.
ACCURATE THREATS: Lafayette's post players were extremely accurate last season and that has continued on in 2003-04. Rob Dill, who led the team and finished second in the league in field goal percentage last season, is currently shooting 68 percent from the floor. Mike Farrell, who ended fourth in the Patriot League last season, is currently shooting 60 percent from the floor.
THE HALF OF IT: Getting a strong start from the opening tap was a key in Lafayette wins in 2002-03. Lafayette was 9-2 when leading at halftime, the only losses coming against Holy Cross (1/18/03) after holding a five-point lead at intermission and at Navy (2/27/03) after leading 41-31. This season, Lafayette has only led at halftime in one of its games.
BOMBING AWAY UNDER O'HANLON: Perimeter shooting, specifically from three-point land, has been a hallmark of Fran O'Hanlon's offenses. O'Hanlon squads have hit at least one three-pointer in every one of O'Hanlon's 234 games. In his first season, Lafayette connected for 201 three-pointers, surpassing the previous team record by 54 three's. Lafayette has since eclipsed the 200-three-pointer plateau in all but one of his eight seasons. The Leopards have set three new season marks, with the top one coming in 1999-00 when Lafayette dialed up long distance 249 times. In 2002-03, Lafayette hit 209 three-pointers and is averaged 7.2 three-pointers per game. This season the Leopards have hit seven three-pointers at Rutgers, five vs. St. Peter's, a season-high 11 vs. La Salle and six vs. Drexel.
ALL-TIME AT LAFAYETTE: In the 94 seasons of men's basketball at Lafayette College, the Leopards hold an overall record of 1136-983 (.536). Lafayette's first season of basketball was in 1900-01.
CoSIDA HONORS FARRELL: Senior Mike Farrell was named to the 2003 CoSIDA Academic All-District II Men's Basketball Team, one of just five student-athletes selected. Farrell maintains a 3.29 GPA while majoring in American Studies. Nominees for the award must have a minimum GPA of 3.20 and be a starter or key reserve. The All-District II team is selected by a vote CoSIDA membership in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington D.C.
INTERNATIONAL FEEL: Lafayette has two players who hail from foreign countries on the roster. Senior Rob Dill is a native of Isernhagen, Germany. Sophomore Andrei Capusan comes from Bucharest, Romania, home country of former Patriot League Player of the Year Stefan Ciosici '00 who was from Timisoara, Romania. Capusan spent the 2001-02 academic year attending a school in the United States as Dill had two years prior.
FARRELL ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB: For the second straight season, Mike Farrell will be writing a weekly journal for Lafayette's official athletics website www.GoLeopards.com. Farrell runs down the season and gives insight into the life of a student-athlete. His first journal entry discusses his summer and also Jamie Hughes' Karaoke exploits.
LAFAYETTE ATHLETICS ON THE WEB: The quickest and most comprehensive source for information on Lafayette athletics is the world wide web. Go to www.lafayette.edu and click on "Sports." The athletics site is continuously updated with gameday press releases, schedules and results, rosters, statistics, player features, photos and more. On gameday, you can listen to the radio broadcast of all of Lafayette's men's basketball games and watch a live stats feed of home games.
LAFAYETTE ON TELEVISION: For the seventh-straight season, Lafayette features the most expansive television package in the Patriot League. The Leopards will have a minimum of 14 games televised with the possible addition of three more television contests in the Patriot League Tournament. The Lafayette Sports Network will air 13 games to more than 9.1 million viewers in the Lehigh Valley, Pocono region and Philadelphia, central New Jersey, New York City and Boston. Locally the telecasts can be seen on RCN Cable channels 4 and 60, Service Electric Cable channel 51, Blue Ridge Cable channel 5 and broadcast channel 60. Several of Lafayette's games that appear on the Lafayette Sports Network will also be picked up by Empire Sports Network which reaches more than 17.5 million viewers in Upstate and Western New York as well as more than 59.5 million potential viewers on DIRECTV (626) and Dish Network (432). Lafayette will have two games televised on the Patriot League Television Network on Jan. 23 vs. Lehigh and Feb. 6 at Colgate which will be available on DIRECTV (615) and will be carried locally by WFMZ-69.
ON THE RADIO: Today's game can be heard live on WEST-AM 1400, the 66th year of broadcasting Lafayette Athletics. Dick Hammer is in his 36th year of calling the play-by-play for Lafayette men's basketball. Hammer is joined by Carl Schumacher at home games and select road contests by Phil LaBella (Lafayette SID).
