Bobcats Host Niagara on New Year's Eve

Quinnipiac (6-4, 1-1 MAAC) vs. Niagara (5-6, 0-2 MAAC)
Friday, Dec, 31, 2021 | 2:00 PM
People's United Center | Hamden, Conn.
Game Notes: Quinnipiac | Niagara

Watch: ESPN+
Live Statistics: www.gobobcats.com
In-Game Updates: @QU_MBB

QU vs. Niagara Since Joining D1 ('99-2000): 12-8
Last 5 vs. Niagara: 3-2
Last Meeting: W, 78-69 (1/23/21)

HAMDEN, Conn. – Quinnipiac men's basketball returns to the court following a 19-day hiatus, hosting Niagara in MAAC play on New Year's Eve in Hamden.

THE MATCHUP: vs. NIAGARA

The Purple Eagles are 5-6 (0-2 MAAC) to begin the season. They've won two straight games vs. Buffalo State and Albany.
Niagara lost against Monmouth (12/3) and Fairfield (12/5) to begin league play earlier this month.
Greg Paulus is in his third year as Head Coach at Niagara. He previously served as an assistant basketball coach for Louisville, Ohio State, and George Washington. Paulus is a former multi-sport athlete, playing college basketball as a point guard at Duke and later football at Syracuse.
Senior guard Marcus Hammond currently leads the MAAC in scoring (17.5 PPG). He's shooting 46.0% from the floor, recording double-digit point totals in every game so far this year.
Quinnipiac is 12-8 vs. Niagara since 2010. The Bobcats split the season series last year in Hamden.

THREE-GAME WINNING STREAK

The Bobcats have won three straight games, dating back to Dec. 5.
Quinnipiac defeated Manhattan on the road in MAAC play (12/5), earned a road victory at Dartmouth (12/8), then topped Maine in Hamden (12/11)
The Bobcats have shot 49.7% from the floor during the three-game winning streak, knocking down 30 3-point field goals.
Matt Balanc has scored 21.0 PPG during the last three games, and Kevin Marfo has recorded 13.0 PPG on 78.9% shooting.

RIGONI POISED TO BREAK QU MILESTONE

Graduate forward Jacob Rigoni has played 126 games at QU, needing to appear in just two more contests to break James Johnson's ('12) record for total games played (127 GP).
He started his 100^th career game on 11/15 vs. Holy Cross.

HEAD COACH BAKER DUNLEAVY

Head Coach Baker Dunleavy – a very successful former player and coach under Jay Wright at Villanova – is in his fifth season at Quinnipiac in 2021-22.
Dunleavy joined the Bobcats after spending seven years on the men's basketball staff at Villanova University, where under Jay Wright, he helped the Wildcats capture the 2016 national championship with a 77-74 win over North Carolina. He began at Villanova as the director of basketball operations in 2010, before being elevated to assistant coach in 2012 and to the associate head coach position in 2013.
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 appeared in 28 games over his four seasons for the Wildcats (2006 graduate). As a senior, he was part of the first Villanova team to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2006.
During his playing days – behind future NBA guards Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry – the Wildcats were an Elite Eight team in 2005-06.

BAKER'S BOBCATS

Quinnipiac men's basketball has won 58 total games under Dunleavy since 2017.
Dunleavy led the Bobcats all the way to the MAAC Semifinals during his first year with the program in 2017-18 – defeating No. 10 Siena and No. 2 Canisius in the postseason.
Dunleavy 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.

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.

BREAKOUT YEAR FOR BALANC

Redshirt junior Matt Balanc has enjoyed a great start to the 2021-22 campaign, leading Quinnipiac in scoring (16.2 PPG) off the bench.
Balanc ranks 4^th in the MAAC in scoring.
He has registered seven games of 10+ points of the bench for QU, including a career-high 31 points in QU's MAAC victory at Manhattan (12/5).
He has also recorded point totals of 25 (at Maryland, 11/9), 20 (vs. Saint Peter's, 12/3), and 23 (at Dartmouth, 12/8).
The QU guard threw down an emphatic slam during the season opener in College Park, earning the #2 spot on SportsCenter Top 10.

MIGHTY MARFO

Kevin Marfo is back with the Bobcats for a 5^th season of eligibility.
So far this season (2021-22), Marfo ranks 1^st in the MAAC and 6^th nationally in rebounding (10.8 RPG).
The New Jersey-native led the nation in rebounding while at Quinnipiac in 2019-20 (13.3 RPG), then transferred to Texas A&M for the 2020-21 season before returning to QU.
Marfo played in 17 games last year for the Aggies, making eight total starts. He finished second on the team in field goal percentage (46.4%) and third in rebounding (3.7 RPG).
Marfo played in all 30 games for QU in 2019-20, earning All-MAAC Second Team status.
The 6-foot-8 forward recorded 17 double-doubles during his junior season – the most of any MAAC player. He scored 10.2 points per game and shot 48.4% from the floor.

THREE-GONI BACK FOR 5^th SEASON

Australia-native Jacob Rigoni returns for his fifth year at Quinnipiac in 2021-22.
The All-MAAC Second Team selection led the Bobcats in scoring (11.8 PPG) and rebounding (6.3 RPG) in 2020-21.
Last year, Rigoni surpassed 1,000 career points with the Bobcats and set a new program record for career three-point field goals (259). He's up to 276 career triples.
The 6-foot-6 forward also currently owns Quinnipiac's program record from the free throw line, going 181-of-214 (84.6%) from the charity stripe.
Rigoni is a career 40.0% shooter from three-point range (276-696).
He has checked in to 126 games at QU, needing to appear in just two more contests to break James Johnson's ('12) record for total games played (127 GP). He started his 100^th career game on 11/15 vs. Holy Cross.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT

The Bobcats had two MAAC All-Rookie selections last season – Luis Kortright and Tymu Chenery.
Kortright averaged 10.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 2.7 APG during his first season at QU in 2020-21. He tallied double-digit point totals in five of the last seven games of the season.
Chenery posted 9.7 PPG and 3.8 RPG, playing in all 22 games (18 starts) for the Bobcats.

WILLIAMS' WAY

Three-year starter Tyrese Williams also returns to QU for his senior campaign.
The native of Beacon, New York has played in 90 total games, making 87 starts for the Bobcats. He has 803 career points (8.9 PPG) during his career.
The Bobcats are 17-3 over the last three seasons when Williams knocks down three or more 3-point field goals.
Williams was a MAAC All-Rookie selection, in 2018-19 stuffing the stat sheet with 8.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG and 2.4 APG.

OTHER PLAYER NOTES

Savion Lewis: 4^th season with the Bobcats… started in 20 of 22 games during '20-21 season… averaged 8.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, team-best 3.4 APG last year
Matt Balanc: 4^th season with the Bobcats… scored career-high 23 points in collegiate debut at Brown (11/13/19)… averaged 3.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG in '20-21
Brendan McGuire: Played in 45 career games at QU… stuffed stat sheet with 6.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.4 APG in '20-21, shooting 45.0% from the floor
Elias King: Played in four games for QU last season before missing the rest of the season… averaged 8.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG on 57.9% shooting… posted 11 points, nine rebounds in Quinnipiac debut (11/25/20)
JJ Riggins: Played in 17 games off the bench for QU in '20-21, scoring 52 total points (3.2 PPG)

THE NEWCOMERS

Dezi Jones: Bobcats Sign Guard Dezi Jones

Native on Hannibal, Missouri most recently played for Moberly Area Community College in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
Most recently, averaged 17.5 points, 4.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game in 22 contests as a sophomore at MACC in 2020-21 – shooting 41.5% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range.
Former Hannibal High School star, leaving as the program's all-time leading scorer. As a senior at Hannibal, the guard helped lead his squad to a North Central Missouri Conference title. Scored 30.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game during that season (2018-19). Also set a Hannibal High School record for points in a single game (50) against Marshall on Feb. 9, 2019.
Scored 2,153 career points for his career at Hannibal High School, and 721 points as a senior.

Bernie Blunt: Bobcats Ink Guard Bernard "Bernie" Blunt

Scored over 1,000 points during the 2020-21 season at Rocktop Academy in Prussia, Pennsylvania. Averaged 29.5 points and 6.0 assists per game.
Recorded 20+ points in 15 separate games during '20-21, highlighted by a 50-point performance against #1 IMG Academy Postgrad (Florida).
Prior to playing at Rocktop Academy as a postgrad, Blunt played at Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey (2019-20). Averaged over 20.0 points per game at Peddie School in 2019-20, dropping 47 points in a single game. Blunt scored over 1,500 points at Peddie.

Brody Limric: Bobcats Sign In-State Forward Brody Limric

Manchester, Connecticut-native played his high school basketball at East Catholic. Named All-State in the in 2020-21 after averaging 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per contest.
Helped lead East Catholic High School to a CCC Region C Regular-Season title as a senior in 2020-21, as the Eagles were also CCC Championship Tournament finalists.
As a junior in 2019-20, posted 16.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per contest as the Eagles went 23-1.
The Connecticut-native came up the ranks playing AAU basketball for Connecticut Elite, while also playing this spring for House We Built and BABC.

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 groundwork 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.

LAST SEASON (2020-21)

The Bobcats earned nine wins last season, including an 8-5 record at the People's United Center in Hamden.
Under Dunleavy's guidance in 2020-21, Quinnipiac won four of its last seven regular season MAAC games.
The Bobcats ranked No. 8 nationally in defensive field goal percentage last season, as opponents shot just 39.0% from the field against QU.
Quinnipiac also grabbed 28.32 defensive rebounds per game in 2020-21, which ranked best in the MAAC and No. 17 nationally.

QUINNI-THREE-AC

Quinnipiac currently ranks first in the MAAC in 3-pointers per game (9.6) so far this season.
Tyrese Williams has hit on 45.1% of his 3-point attempts, and Matt Balanc has knocked down 43.8% of his triples.
QU finished No. 5 nationally in 3-pointers per game in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. The Bobcats made 11.2 triples per game in 2018-19, then sunk 10.3 triples per night in 2019-20.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE

The Bobcats ranked No. 8 nationally in defensive field goal percentage last season, allowing opponents to shoot just 39.0 percent from the floor.

Schedule

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Players Mentioned

Matt Balanc

Bernie Blunt

Tymu Chenery

Dezi Jones

Elias King

Luis Kortright

Savion Lewis

Brody Limric

Kevin Marfo

Brendan McGuire

JJ Riggins

Jacob Rigoni

Tyrese Williams

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