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Jan. 6, 2004
GAME INFORMATION
Match Up: Lafayette (9-3) at Penn (5-4)
Tip: 7:00 p.m. E.S.T.
Site: Philadelphia, Pa.
Arena: Palestra (8,722)
Series: Penn leads, 34-3
Radio: WEST-AM 1400, www.goleopards.com
Commentators: Dick Hammer, Phil LaBella
TV: Lafayette Sports Network (RCN-4, WBPH-60)
Commentators: Gary Laubach, John Feinstein, Dan Mowdy
THE STORY LINE: Lafayette (9-3) closes out its four-game road swing and its non-conference slate on Wednesday when the Leopards travel to the Palestra to face Penn. The game is the annual meeting of Lafayette head Fran O'Hanlon and Penn head man Fran Dunphy. O'Hanlon served as an assistant coach on Dunphy's staff for six seasons. Penn (5-4) comes in having won its last three games. The Quakers recently claimed the tournament title at the Dreyfus Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden, beating Manhattan and St. John's.
NOT AFRAID TO PASS, EITHER: Senior guard Justin DeBerry's ability to score has never really been in question, but as his career has progressed he has drawn increasing defensive attention. This season, frequent double teams have allowed him to dish off and create easy baskets for his teammates. DeBerry is coming off back-to-back career-high passing performances. In the Leopards' last game at Columbia, he dished off nine assists, a mark that followed an eight-assist effort at Cal State Northridge. He leads the team with 60 assists (5.0 apg). He is also third in the Patriot League in scoring (16.3 ppg).
DEBERRY PLAYER OF WEEK: Justin DeBerry has been named the Patriot League Player of the Week. He collected 35 points and 17 assists as the Leopards split a pair of games last week. He hit 7-of-10 field goals, including 5-of-7 three-pointers, in a 21-point, eight-assist performance at Cal State Northridge. In the Leopards' 82-73 win at Columbia, DeBerry tallied 14 points and handed out a career-high nine assists. He also grabbed five rebounds against the Lions.
STRONG START: The Leopards' 8-1 start this season marked the best start in program history, equalling the 8-1 mark from Tom Davis' 1971-72 squad. The Leopards are 9-3.
ON THE SIDELINE: Fran O'Hanlon (Villanova, 1970) is in his ninth season as Lafayette's head coach. He has twice been named Patriot League Coach of the Year as the mentor 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 132-110, a mark that includes two 20-win seasons.
COMING UP: Lafayette returns to Kirby Sports Center on Saturday to open the Patriot League portion of the 2003-04 schedule against Colgate. Saturday's game is a doubleheader. The women will tip off at 1 p.m. followed by the men.
ABOUT PENN: The Quakers, 5-4 overall, enter Wednesday's contest on a three-game winning streak. Penn won a pair of games over St. Johns, 63-61 in double overtime, and Manhattan, 49-47, on Dec. 28-29 at Madison Square Garden to capture the ECAC Holiday Festival championship. Senior guard Jeff Schiffner (14.2 ppg., 3.0 rpg.) was named tournament MVP after knocking down the game-winner at the second-overtime buzzer in the semifinal, while junior guard Tim Begley (10.3 ppg., 5.7 rpg.) was named to the all-tournament team. Rounding out the starting five for Penn are senior center Adam Chubb (10.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg), senior guard Charlie Copp (7.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and freshman forward Mark Zoller (3.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg). Penn is shooting just 41.3 percent from the floor, but is hitting 36.7 percent from beyond the arc. The Quakers have connected on at least 10 three-pointers three times this season, including a season-high 13 against St. Joseph's. Fran Dunphy is in his 15th season at the helm of the Penn program. With a career record of 258-139, Dunphy is second all-time in the Ivy League in wins. He has coached the Quakers to five undefeated Ivy League campaigns and seven NCAA Tournament appearances.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES: This is Lafayette's 38th all-time meeting with Penn in the Leopards' 94 seasons of basketball. The Leopards are 3-34 all-time versus the Quakers (see series breakdown above)...Lafayette and Penn have played each other every season since 1988-89. Penn has won the last six meetings, including last year's 76-66 decision at Kirby (see box score to left). The first series meeting was Feb. 3, 1917, as the two teams squared off in Easton in a game the Quakers won by a touchdown 23-17.
KNOCKING IT DOWN: Lafayette has shot the ball extremely well from the floor this season, hitting 49 percent for the year. The Leopards have shot a better percentage than their opponents in 11 of 12 games, the only exception being USC. Lafayette's best effort came at Cal State Northridge when it shot 63 percent (29-46). The Leopards' worst performance came at USC when they shot 33 percent (22-66) and missed their first 12 shots. Lafayette has shot over 50 percent in six games this season and has twice shot over 60 percent.
DILL ON THE BLOCK: Senior center Rob Dill has 147 career blocked shots, ranking second all-time at Lafayette 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 35 blocks. He swatted away a career-high seven shots in a win over St. Peter's (11/24), and in his most recent outing at Columbia, he was credited with six blocks. Dill currently leads the Patriot League in blocks, and as of the last NCAA statistics update (12/15), ranks 11th in the nation (2.9 bpg).
LAFAYETTE VS. THE IVY LEAGUE: Lafayette has played 187 games against the eight members of the Ivy League all time, and has a 74-113 (.396) record in those contests. Under Fran O'Hanlon, the Leopards are 24-21 (.533) versus the Ivy League. Last season, Lafayette played four games against Ivies, finishing 1-3. This season, Lafayette is 3-0, having beating Cornell, Princeton and Columbia with Penn remaining.
Brown 11-8 Columbia 24-10 Cornell 10-6 Dartmouth 3-2Harvard 2-3 Princeton 15-41 Pennsylvania 3-34 Yale 6-9
MOVIN' ON UP ON A GRAND SCALE: With his first basket against La Salle on Nov. 29, senior Justin DeBerry became the 33rd player in Lafayette history to eclipse the 1,000 point plateau. DeBerry currently has 1,159 career points and is averaging 16.3 ppg this season. He needs 10 points at Penn to move into 18th all-time.
TURNOVER TRENDS: Taking a look at the Leopards' three losses this season, one statistical category stands out -- turnovers. In those losses, they have turned it over an average of 24 times. On the other side of things, Lafayette has averaged 15.1 turnovers per game in its nine wins. The Leopards season low of nine turnovers came against Binghamton on Dec. 7 and the season high of 29 occurred at C.S. Northridge on Dec. 30.
RECEIVING VOTES: Lafayette has received votes in two of the Associated Press Top 25 polls (Dec. 15, 22). The last time Lafayette received a vote prior to that was Nov. 6, 2000 in the AP Preseason Poll. Prior to that in the 1999-2000, Lafayette received multiple votes in several of the final weeks of the season, last earning votes March 13, 2000. In a related note, Lafayette was also ranked 25th in the Dec.22 Mid-Major Top 25 Poll from Collegeinsider.com.
PULLING IT OUT: Lafayette has won three games by three points or less this season. The Leopards notched a three-point victory over St. Peter's (74-71), a one-point win at Drexel (69-68) and a three-point win at Princeton (47-44).
INJURY REPORT: As a team, Lafayette has suffered some bumps and bruises lately. The only regular contributors not available tonight, however, are Jamaal Hilliard and Jamaal Douglas.
- Jamaal Hilliard (Fr., G) - Out four to six weeks ankle fracture - Jamaal Douglas (Fr., F) - Doubtful; missed last three games with illness
THEY'RE GONNA SCORE: Lafayette has had nine or more players score at least one point in eight of its last 10 games, the only exceptions at USC and Columbia when eight players scored.
KNITTER NAMED PLAYER OF WEEK (12/22): Junior center Sean Knitter was named the Patriot League Player of the Week for Dec. 22. Knitter scored a career-high 24 points against Cornell (Dec. 20) and grabbed seven boards in 26 minutes off the bench.
IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?: Rebounding was not a strength of Lafayette's squad last season, and has been a mixed bag thus far in 2003-04. The Leopards have equalled or surpassed the rebounding output of seven of their 12 opponents, the exceptions being Drexel, Binghamton, Lycoming, Cornell and USC (the Leopards are 4-1 in those games). The rebounding duties have been spread around, as four different players are averaging 4.0 or more rebounds per game. Mike Farrell Winston Davis and Rob Dill lead the way with 4.8 rebounds per game followed by Sean Knitter with 4.3.
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 as a junior. Wednesday's game at Penn marks his 99th straight game.
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.
BOMBING AWAY: Senior Justin DeBerry ranks second on the career three-point field goals list at Lafayette, with 174. He recently passed Tim Bieg '01 for sole possession of second place. Tyson Whitfield '01, who had 271 career three-pointers, holds the all-time record. DeBerry ranks 14th all-time in the Patriot League...DeBerry's 69 three-pointers in the 2002-03 season ranked him fourth all-time at Lafayette for single-season performances. He has 22 three' this season.
FARRELL ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB: For the second straight season, Mike Farrell is 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 third journal entry discusses the Holidays, the team's trip to California and statistical discrepancies at the Columbia game.
THE LONE CAPTAIN: Senior Mike Farrell is in his second season as team captain. The DeLand, Fla. native has played in 98 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. 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 shooting 63 percent and currently ranks second in the league. Mike Farrell, who ended fourth in the Patriot League last season, is currently shooting 61 percent from the floor.
DAVIS -- PLAYER OF WEEK (12/1): Senior guard Winston Davis was named Patriot League Player of the Week. Davis led Lafayette to 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.
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 269-113 record (.704) 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), La Salle (83-63), Centenary (96-54), Binghamton (77-72), Lycoming (84-73) and Cornell (87-79) at home.
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 every game at point guard.
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 four of its games.
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.
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 241 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 averaged 7.3 three-pointers per 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.
ALL-TIME AT LAFAYETTE: In the 94 seasons of men's basketball at Lafayette College, the Leopards hold an overall record of 1141-985 (.537). Lafayette's first season of basketball was in 1900-01.
HUGHES' LINE (12/2): 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.
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. Jamaal Douglas, who currently lives in Miami, Fla., originally hails from Nassau, Bahamas.
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 of CoSIDA membership in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington D.C.
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, all of 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 most road contests by Phil LaBella (Lafayette SID).
