Bobcats Host Fairleigh Dickinson Wednesday in Season Opener

Quinnipiac Bobcats (0-0) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (0-0)
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020 | 4:30 PM
People's United Center | Hamden, Conn.
Game Notes: Quinnipiac | Fairleigh Dickinson

All-Time vs. FDU: 15-17
D1 Era vs. FDU: 14-10
Last Season vs. FDU: L, 78-77 (Dec. 3, 2019, Rothman Center)

Watch: ESPN3
Live Statistics: www.gobobcats.com
In-Game Updates: @QU_MBB
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HAMDEN, Conn. – After more than eight months without a game, Quinnipiac men's basketball returns to the floor to begin the 2020-21 season on Wednesday, Nov. 25 – hosting NEC foe Fairleigh Dickinson at the People's United Center (4:30 PM).

LAST SEASON (2019-20)

Quinnipiac went 15-15 (10-10 MAAC) last season, winning three consecutive contests to end the regular season.
The Bobcats earned a first-round bye in the MAAC Tournament for the second consecutive season under Head Coach Baker Dunleavy (No. 5 seed). The 2020 MAAC Tournament was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic before Quinnipiac participated in postseason play.
QU started the season 5-5 in non-conference action, earning wins vs. Albany, Presbyterian and New Hampshire at home. The Bobcats also won non-league games at Maine, and against Bowling Green at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
The Bobcats then won four straight MAAC games to begin the league schedule from Jan. 3-12, winning at Marist (Jan. 3), vs. Rider (Jan. 7), vs. Niagara (Jan. 10), and vs. Monmouth (Jan. 12).
Quinnipiac also won each of its last three regular season games. The Bobcats topped Fairfield on the road (Feb. 28) when Jacob Rigoni knocked down a three-pointer as time expired, defeated Marist (Mar. 1) at home, then knocked off reigning MAAC champion Iona (Mar. 4) on the road.

PROGRAM HISTORY

The Bobcats are set to begin the program's 70^th season on Wednesday.
Quinnipiac needs just 26 more victories to reach 1,000 in the history of its men's basketball program.
QU enters its 23^rd year as a Division I program in 2020-21. The Bobcats surpassed 300 D1 victories last year, as the program now owns 314 career victories at the NCAA's highest level.

QUINNI-THREE-AC

QU finished No. 5 nationally once again in made three-pointers, knocking down 10.3 triples per contest in 2019-20. The Bobcats made 10+ three-pointers in 16 games last year.
The Bobcats finished fifth in the country in triples per game two seasons ago, as well. Quinnipiac made 11.2 3-point field goals per game in 2018-19, as 43.4 percent of the Bobcats offense in 2018-19 came from 3-point distance last season according to KenPom – the fourth highest rate nationally.

SCOUTING FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON

FDU went 11-19 (9-9 NEC) last season. The Knights won three straight games to conclude the regular season, then lost at LIU (73-72) in the NEC Tournament Quarterfinals on March 4, 2020.
Fairleigh Dickinson was selected first in the NEC Preseason Poll.
Seniors Elyjah Williams (11.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.5 APG) and Jahlil Jenkins (16.0 PPG, 3.9 APG, 3.0 RPG) each earned a spot on the Preseason All-NEC Team.
FDU ranks first in the conference preseason poll for the first time since 2016, and the program returns four of five starters from a year ago.
Head Coach Greg Herenda enters his eighth season with the program. He has guided the Knights to two NEC titles (2016 and 2019), and 92 total wins since taking over in 2013.
Herenda led FDU to its first NCAA Tournament win in program history in 2019.

PRESEASON ALL-MAAC HONORS

The Bobcats are led by returning junior Tyrese Williams (Preseason All-MAAC Second Team) and senior Jacob Rigoni (Preseason All-MAAC Third Team), who both earned Preseason All-MAAC honors.

BAKER'S BOBCATS

The 2020-21 season marks the fourth year at the helm of the Bobcats' program for Baker Dunleavy, a very successful former player and coach under Jay Wright at Villanova.
Quinnipiac has earned 43 total wins during Dunleavy's first three seasons as a collegiate head coach.
The Bobcats have earned a bye in the first round of the MAAC Tournament in two consecutive seasons, and QU has been ranked fifth nationally in three-pointers per game in each of the last two years.
During his playing days – behind future NBA guards Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry – the Wildcats were an Elite Eight team in 2005-06. In his four seasons as an associate head coach from 2013-17, Villanova compiled an overall record of 129-17, including a national title in 2016 and four straight BIG EAST regular season titles. He is only the seventh head coach in Quinnipiac's history (since 1951-52).
Dunleavy agreed to a five-year contract extension through the 2022-23 season, Quinnipiac Director of Athletics and Recreation Greg Amodio announced in August of 2018.
He has been consistently ranked among college basketball's top young head coaches. Dunleavy earned a spot on Seth Davis' "40 under 40" list published by The Athletic in October of 2020, and was also selected to ESPN's "40 under 40" in May of 2020.

Dunleavy Season-by-Season at QU:

YEAR 1 at QU: In his first season with the Bobcats, Dunleavy led the program to the MAAC semifinals for just the second time since Quinnipiac joined the conference in 2013-14. Quinnipiac went 12-21 in 2017-18 (7-11 MAAC), topping No. 10 Siena and No. 2 Canisius in the MAAC Tournament to advance to the Semifinal Round.
YEAR 2 at QU: The Bobcats then went 16-15 in Dunleavy's second season at the helm, going 11-7 in MAAC play to earn the No. 3 seed in the postseason tournament. The Bobcats won eight of their last 12 regular season contests, helping the program achieve its first winning season since 2013-14.
YEAR 3 at QU: Quinnipiac went 15-15 (10-10 MAAC) in 2019-20, earning the No. 5 seed in the MAAC tournament. The Bobcats earned a first round bye in the conference postseason tournament for the second straight season under Dunleavy, winning three straight games to finish the regular season.

FAMILY TIES

Quinnipiac head coach Baker Dunleavy's father, Mike, enjoyed a long NBA coaching career, including stops with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. Baker's older brother, Mike Jr., had a 16-year NBA career (most recently with the Atlanta Hawks) after winning a national title in college with Duke in 2001.
Mike Jr. is currently the Assistant General Manager for the Golden State Warriors, while Mike Sr. last served as Head Coach at Tulane from 2016-19.

BUILDING A WINNING STAFF

After being hired as the Quinnipiac head coach in March of 2017, Baker Dunleavy quickly assembled a very successful coaching staff.

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH TOM PECORA

Associate Head Coach Tom Pecora, an assistant to Jay Wright at Hofstra (before taking over the head coaching duties when Wright left for Villanova) served as the head coach at Hofstra for nine years (2001-2010) and at Fordham for five seasons (2010-15).
Pecora was a part of seven 20-win seasons with Hofstra (four as a head coach, three as an assistant). He had two 26-win teams (one as a head coach, one as an assistant) at Hofstra – the program's highest win total at the Division I level. As a head coach at Hofstra, Pecora compiled a 155-126 mark in nine seasons, leading the Pride to four postseason appearances (three NIT and one CBI) – the most for any New York City team over that nine-year span. Pecora also had tremendous success in developing guards while at Hofstra. As an assistant he recruited NBA guards Speedy Claxton and Norman Richardson, while as a head coach he recruited three guards who scored over 2,000 career points: Loren Stokes, Antoine Agudio and Charles Jenkins. Claxton, Richardson, Stokes and Jenkins all won their conference Player of the Year Awards, while Jenkins also played in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers.
Pecora took over as Head Coach at Fordham prior to the 2010-11 season, joining a program that was at the basement of the A10 (2-29, 0-16 A10) just a year prior. During his tenure at Rose Hill, Pecora recruited Jon Severe - a Parade All-American and the 2013 New York City and New York State Player of the Year from Christ the King High School in Queens. He also brought in Eric Pascall (later transferred to Villanova) and Joseph Chartouny (later transferred to Marquette), laying the ground work for the program's first winning season in 2015-16.

THE REST OF THE STAFF

Shaun Morris, who was an associate head coach at Boston University for Joe Jones (another of Jay Wright's former assistants at Villanova), helped the Terriers to their winningest season ever (24) in 2013-14. During his time with the Terriers, Morris helped guide his teams to three postseason berths, the 2016 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and the 2013 CIT. In 2013-14, Morris helped the Terriers earn their first regular season league championship, capturing their first conference regular season title in 10 years, while finishing with 24 wins, the second-highest total in program history. Prior to joining the staff at Boston University, Morris spent the previous two years at Division III powerhouse Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., where he was an assistant for former Marist head coach Mike Maker. The Ephs reached the NCAA Division III Final Four both years, including a runner-up finish in 2010.
Dwayne Lee officially joined the Bobcats' staff as an assistant coach in July of 2019. Most recently, Lee spent two seasons as an assistant on Mark Schmidt's staff at St. Bonaventure (2017-18, 2018-19). In his first season at SBU, he helped the Bonnies to a program-record 26 wins as well as an NCAA Tournament victory in the First Four over UCLA in 2017-18. Lee and the Bonnies then went 18-16 in 2018-19 (12-6 A10), advancing to the conference championship game at the Barclay's Center vs. Saint Louis. From Feb. 6 to March 16, the program won 10 of 12 games en route to claiming the No. 4 seed in the ACC Tournament.
Prior to joining the St. Bonaventure staff, Lee served as an assistant coach at Fairleigh Dickinson for four seasons. A graduate of famed St. Anthony's (N.J.) and Saint Joseph's University, Lee has roots in the Atlantic 10 Conference and throughout the northeast.
Director of Operations Ryan Harkins is reunited with Head Coach Baker Dunleavy at Quinnipiac, after spending two years (2014-15, 2015-16) as a graduate assistant and video coordinator at Villanova while Dunleavy was the program's associate head coach. Harkins was on the staff for Villanova's 2016 national championship, when the Wildcats defeated North Carolina at the buzzer 77-74.

WILLIAMS' WAY

Two-year starter Tyrese Williams is back for the Bobcats in 2020-21 as a junior.
Williams averaged 9.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last year. The Preseason All-MAAC Second Team selection played in all 30 games for the Bobcats in 2019-20, knocking down 57 three-pointers. He scored a career-high 26 points at Canisius on Jan. 13, 2020, shooting 8-of-11 from three-point distance.
The Bobcats are 12-1 over the last two seasons when Williams knocks down three or more three-point field goals.
Last year, Williams recorded three-straight games of 10+ points during the Bobcats Invitational in Hamden (Nov. 22-24), scoring 62 points on 52.7 percent shooting.
Williams had 20 points in Quinnipiac's win over Monmouth on Jan. 12, 2020, going 5-of-7 from 3-point distance.
He scored a career-high 26 points in the Bobcats' win at Canisius on Jan. 31, 2020, shooting 9-of-14 from the floor and 8-of-11 from three-point distance.
Williams was also a MAAC All-Rookie selection, stuffing the stat sheet with 8.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in 2018-19.

THREE-GONI

Jacob Rigoni is back for his senior season. He's played in 94 career games (75 games started) over his first three seasons in Hamden.
The Australia-native enters his final year at Quinnipiac with 897 career points, needing just 103 more to reach 1,000.
He's also just 47 made three-pointers away from the Bobcats' career record.
Rigoni is a 43.8 percent (92-of-210) shooter from three-point distance during his career at the People's United Center in Hamden. He poured in a career-high 30 points in the MAAC Tournament vs. Monmouth on Feb. 24, 2019.
Rigoni started all 30 games for the Bobcats last year, posting 8.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. He finished his junior year shooting a team-best 40.2 percent (66-of-164) from three-point range, recording 13 games of 10+ points. The forward tallied a season-high 21 points vs. Rider on Jan. 7, 2020 in Hamden, knocking down each of his first seven attempts from distance.

BIG MAN ON CAMPUS

7-foot-1 first-year forward Seth Pinkney played in all 30 games as a first-year student in 2019-20, logging 11.2 minutes per contest.
The big man recorded 43 blocks off the bench, which ranked third in the MAAC.
Pinkney blocked four shots in two separate games during his first collegiate season.
He also grabbed 5+ rebounds in four games.

SAVION SAVES THE DAY

Savion Lewis is back for his redshirt sophomore season. The point guard played in eight games last season, recording 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
He recorded 10+ points twice for QU in 2019-20. Lewis scored 16 points at Miami (Nov. 16), and also stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists at FDU (Dec. 3).
Lewis was voted New York's 2018 Mr. Basketball after recording 34.0 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 steals per contest as a senior at Half Hollow Hills East High School in 2017-18. He scored 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting at Miami on Nov. 16. He then added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists at Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 3, and is averaging 6.5 points, 2.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds a night in eight games played.

MIGHTY MATT

Matt Balanc will also play as a redshirt sophomore in 2020-21. He played in all 30 games last year, making six starts as a first-year guard. He averaged 7.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per contest.
Balanc recorded 12 games of 10+ points, including a career-high 23 points (9-13 FG) in his collegiate debut at Brown on Nov. 13, 2019.
Balanc earned his first collegiate double-double on Jan. 10, 2019 vs. Niagara, scoring 12 points and adding 10 rebounds.
Balanc posted 17.6 points per contest as a senior at Springbrook High School in 2017-18, the same school attended by former Bobcats Aaron Robinson and Andrew Robinson.

B-MAC ON THE ATTACK

Sophomore guard/forward Brendan McGuire came on strong during the second half of the season last year, as the Long Island native finished with 3.0 points, 2.7 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.
McGuire dished out a career-high 10 assists on Jan. 10, 2020 vs. Niagara.
The first-year guard scored a career-high 15 points in QU's win on Jan. 31, 2020 at Canisius, adding six assists and six rebounds while shooting 6-of-7 from the floor.

TYREE'S TURN

Tyree Pickron is back for his junior season. He checked into 28 games as a first year, scoring 58 points for the Bobcats in 2018-19.
Last year, Pickron made his season debut in QU's win over Fairfield on Jan. 24 in Hamden, logging 28 minutes, three points, three assists and two rebounds.
He's played in 14 games in total during the 2019-20 season, scoring 4.1 points per night.

JJ Riggins

Jamil Riggins took a redshirt year last season. He has four full seasons of collegiate eligibility entering the new year.
Riggins played high school basketball at Imhotep Institute Charter. Helped lead the team to three straight Philadelphia Public League titles and 4A state championships during his time, as Riggins and the Panthers went undefeated at home during his career and a combined 57-8 over their last two seasons. Riggins is a two-time Imhotep Basketball Defensive Player of the Year

THE NEWCOMERS
The Bobcats added four newcomers to the roster ahead of 2020-21:

Tymu Chenery: Chenery – a versatile 6-foot-6 wing – will join the Bobcats ahead of the 2020-21 season after playing his high school basketball at Episcopal in Alexandra, Virginia. Chenery averaged 12.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game as a junior at Episcopal in 2018-19, recording double-digit point totals in 16 games. He scored a season-high 28 points vs. Flint Hill on Dec. 12, knocking seven 3-point field goals. In 2017-18 as a sophomore he averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest, knocking down 28 three-pointers for the year. He played on the AAU circuit for Team BBC, a member of the Adidas Gold Gauntlet Series based out of Baltimore, Maryland. Chenery is currently ranked inside Prep Hoops' Top-15 for all Virginia recruits.
Bol Akot: Akot joins the Bobcats after completing his senior season at Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire in 2019-20. He has been one of the top point guards in New England during his four years of high school, winning the MVP Award at the prestigious Deng Camp this summer. Akot demonstrated his well-rounded skillset, leading the camp in scoring (17.2 PPG) and passing (7.2 APG). The 6-foot-1 speedy point guard was a four-year starter at Proctor, scoring 1,223 career points. He served as team captain during his senior year in 2019-20, averaging 19.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. He was selected First Team All-NEPSAC AA this year for his efforts, and was tabbed as an All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention honoree as a junior in 2018-19. Akot played on the AAU circuit with the DC Blue Devils.
Elias King: King heads to Quinnipiac after spending his first collegiate season at Santa Monica, a JUCO in California. The 6-foot-9 versatile forward averaged 14.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, shooting 52.1 percent from the floor and 43.5 percent from distance. He scored 10+ points in 18 games, recording three double-doubles during the second half of the season. He made the JUCO California All-State Team for his efforts. King was one of only four freshmen selected to the team, while also earning First Team All-Conference honors. King was selected to the 2017-18 California All-State Boys Basketball team at Jesuit High School in Carmichael, Calif., recording 22 points and 11 rebounds per game. King earned Sacramento Bee All-Metro First Team honors that season, while also being named to the SportsStars Magazine All-NorCal Second Team.
Luis Kortright: The Bronx-native previously played at St. Raymond High School, earning Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) First Team All-League and All-State honors as a senior in 2019-20. Kortright recorded an impressive 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game this past season for the Ravens. For his efforts as a senior, Kortright was also named to the New York Sports Writers Association All-State First Team. He will join the Bobcats in 2020-21 as a freshman with four full years of eligibility.

To stay up-to-date with all Quinnipiac men's basketball news, visit www.gobobcats.com or follow the program on Twitter/Instagram @QU_MBB.

Schedule

Bobcats Host Fairleigh Dickinson Wednesday in Season Opener

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Bol Akot

Matt Balanc

Tymu Chenery

Elias King

Luis Kortright

Savion Lewis

Brendan McGuire

Tyree Pickron

Seth Pinkney

JJ Riggins

Jacob Rigoni

Aaron Robinson

Andrew Robinson

Tyrese Williams

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Bobcats Host Fairleigh Dickinson Wednesday in Season Opener

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Bol Akot

Matt Balanc

Tymu Chenery

Elias King

Luis Kortright

Savion Lewis

Brendan McGuire

Tyree Pickron

Seth Pinkney

JJ Riggins

Jacob Rigoni

Aaron Robinson

Andrew Robinson

Tyrese Williams

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