Friday, January 5
Hamden, CT
7:30 PM
Quinnipiac University
vs
Rider
Photo by: Rob Rasmussen / P8Photos.com
Quinnipiac Returns to MAAC Play, Set to Host Rider Friday Night
1/4/2024 6:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Quinnipiac (9-4, 1-1 MAAC) vs. Rider (3-10, 0-2 MAAC)
Friday, Jan. 5, 2024 | 7:30 PM
M&T Bank Arena | Hamden, CT
Game Notes: Quinnipiac | Rider
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Click Here
Tickets: Click Here
In-Game Updates: @QU_MBB
HAMDEN – Quinnipiac Men's Basketball begins the 2024 calendar on Friday at M&T Bank Arena, as the Bobcats are set to return to MAAC play against Rider at 7:30 PM on ESPN+.
Quinnipiac is 1-1 in league play entering Friday night's matchup, while Rider carries an 0-2 MAAC record thus far.
NEWS AND NOTES
Friday, Jan. 5, 2024 | 7:30 PM
M&T Bank Arena | Hamden, CT
Game Notes: Quinnipiac | Rider
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Click Here
Tickets: Click Here
In-Game Updates: @QU_MBB
HAMDEN – Quinnipiac Men's Basketball begins the 2024 calendar on Friday at M&T Bank Arena, as the Bobcats are set to return to MAAC play against Rider at 7:30 PM on ESPN+.
Quinnipiac is 1-1 in league play entering Friday night's matchup, while Rider carries an 0-2 MAAC record thus far.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Preseason All-MAAC First Team selection Matt Balanc leads the Bobcats with 18.4 PPG and 4.8 RPG on 44.7% shooting. He's tallied double-digit scoring totals in all but one game this year. Balanc currently ranks second in the MAAC in scoring.
- Point guard Savion Lewis ranks fourth nationally in assists, dishing out 7.3 helpers per game thus far. The graduate guard is averaging 8.2 PPG, 7.3 APG and 3.3 RPG in 2023-24. He was named MAAC Player of the Year on Nov. 20 following a strong week vs. UMass, Army and UAlbany.
- Transfer Amarri Tice ranks second on the team in scoring (11.0 PPG), while leading QU in rebounding thus far (6.5). Tice registered back-to-back double-doubles against Holy Cross and Lafayette during December.
- Big man Paul Otieno has chipped in with 9.6 PPG & 5.8 RPG, shooting 55.4% from the field.
- Alexis Reyes has chipped in with 8.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 1.6 APG.
- Tom Pecora, a veteran with 14 years of experience as a head coach at the Division I level, will take over at the helm of the Quinnipiac program in 2023-24. He assumed the role of Quinnipiac Men's Basketball Head Coach on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Pecora is entering his seventh season with the Bobcats in total.
- Pecora served as the head coach at Hofstra for nine years (2001-2010) and at Fordham for five seasons (2010-15). Prior to taking over the head coaching position at Hofstra, Pecora served as the associate head coach under Jay Wright for seven seasons, the last two of which resulted in America East Conference titles and NCAA Tournament berths.
- As a head coach at Hofstra, he compiled a 155–126 mark in nine seasons, leading the Pride to four postseason appearances (three NIT and one CBI), more than any team in New York City over that nine-year span. In 16 years at Hofstra with Pecora on the staff (nine years as a head coach, seven as an assistant), the Pride averaged 19 wins a season (246-161).
- During his time in Hempstead, Hofstra was the winningest program in the Metropolitan New York area. Over his last six years, Hofstra won 121 games, including four 20-win seasons. In 2006 and 2009, he was named Coach of the Year by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) and he also received regional Coach of the Year honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY).
- Prior to joining the staff at Hofstra, Pecora also had previous experience in running a program, serving as head basketball coach at the State University of New York at Farmingdale from 1989-92. In three seasons at Farmingdale, the Rams posted a 62-24 record, captured the Region 15 championship in 1992 (when they finished 20-9), advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament and were ranked as one of the nation's top 20 junior college programs.
- Pecora reached the 200-win mark as a Division I head coach after the Bobcats defeated Coast Guard in the season opener on Nov. 6, 2023. He won 155 games at Hofstra over 9 seasons, then tallied 44 victories at Fordham over five years.
- The Broncs enter action at 3-10 overall (0-2 MAAC). The Preseason MAAC favorite dropped its latest contest at Penn State, 90-63, on Dec. 29.
- Rider is led offensively by Mervin James, who is scoring 19.2 PPG to go along with 7.4 RPG in 2023-24. James has scored at least 10 points in each game this year for Rider.
- Allen Powell has chipped in with 10.2 PPG.
- Kevin Baggett is in his 12th season as the Head Coach at Rider in 2023-24. The 2023-24 season is the 18th for Baggett as a member of the Rider staff, serving two as an assistant coach and four as an associate head coach. In the last 17 years, Rider has compiled 288 wins, the third-most in the MAAC behind only Iona (322) and Siena (290). Baggett has coached on the Division I level for 27 years and has been on the Rider staff since the 2006-07 season.
- Quinnipiac is 10-12 against Rider during the Bobcats' Division I era. The Bobcats are 10-11 against the Broncs since QU joined the MAAC (2013-14). QU has taken each of the last six meetings.
- The Bobcats enter the matchup with Rider ranking seventh in all of Division I basketball in free throw percentage (78.6%). Quinnipiac has made 220-of-280 free throw attempts in 2023-24.
- Quinnipiac Men's Basketball dropped its final non-conference contest of the 2023-24 campaign, falling 97-72 against Florida in Gainesville on Saturday afternoon.
- Matt Balanc led the Bobcats with 15 points (3-7 3FG), while Alexis Reyes added 14 points (6-11 FG) to go along with eight rebounds.
- Amarri Tice chipped in with eight points and four rebounds, while Paul Otieno recorded six points and five rebounds.
- QU earned another road victory on Thursday afternoon, downing Lafayette by the final score of 78-60 to improve to 9-3 on the season.
- Amarri Tice recorded his second consecutive double-double in the win, tallying a career-high in both points (21) and rebounds (15).
- Matt Balanc led all scorers with 22 points (7-of-14 FG).
- The Bobcats outscored the Leopards 44-32 during the second half of play. QU shot 17-of-32 (53.1%) during the second half.
- QU earned a road win on Monday, Dec. 18, cruising past Holy Cross by the final score of 77-57 in non-conference play.
- Quinnipiac shot 29-of-58 (50.0%) from the floor in the win. Matt Balanc led the scoring charge once again with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting.
- Amarri Tice chipped in with a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds) in 25+ minutes on the floor, while big man Paul Otieno recorded 13 points and six rebounds in the victory.
- Savion Lewis – the nation's leader in assists per game – stuffed the stat sheet once again with 10 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
- QU dropped a non-league battle vs. Yale, 73-66, on Monday evening at M&T Bank Arena in Hamden.
- Matt Balanc led QU with 25 points, knocking down five 3-pointers for the night. Doug Young chipped in with a career-high 18 points in 25 minutes off the bench.
- The Bobcats led 35-29 at the break in action, then Yale outscored QU 44-31 during the second half of action. The Bulldogs shot 15-for-28 during the second half.
- Yale was led by Danny Wolf (22 points, 12 rebounds).
- Quinnipiac Men's Basketball kept its perfect home record intact on Friday night in Hamden, as the Bobcats downed Navy by the final score of 71-68 at M&T Bank Arena.
- QU is now 5-0 at home so far this year (7-2 overall). Matt Balanc led the scoring charge with 18 points and six rebounds for the Bobcats.
- Paul Otieno chipped in with 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Amarri Tice recorded 12 points and nine rebounds, and Rihards Vavers added 10 points.
- Quinnipiac went 31-of-36 from the free throw line to help earn the non-league victory. The last time Quinnipiac made 30+ foul shots came on Jan. 12, 2020 vs. Monmouth.
- The Bobcats move to 5-0 at home to start a new season for the first time since 2009-10. The '09-10 Quinnipiac squad went a perfect 14-0 at home.
- Quinnipiac earned a road win in overtime on Sunday afternoon, downing Niagara by the final score of 75-68 at the Gallagher Center. The Bobcats outscored Niagara 12-5 in overtime. Matt Balanc hit a pair of key 3-pointers to put QU ahead at the start of the extra frame.
- Balanc led the way for QU with 19 points and seven rebounds, going 8-of-18 from the floor.
- Savion Lewis stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
- Paul Otieno chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Amarri Tice recorded 10 points and nine rebounds.
- The Bobcats split the weekend trip to Western New York to start MAAC play, falling vs. Canisius on Friday, Dec. 1, then downing Niagara on Sunday, Dec. 3.
- Quinnipiac Men's Basketball dropped its MAAC opener at Canisius, 93-73, on Friday night at Koessler Athletic Center.
- Alexis Reyes led the Bobcats with 14 points (career-high) and eight rebounds off the bench, shooting 5-for-8 from the floor. Paul Otieno chipped in with 12 points and four rebounds.
- QU moves to 5-2 on the season with the result.
- Matt Balanc paced the Bobcats with 24 points on 6-of-9 shooting, leading Quinnipiac Men's Basketball past Stonehill by the final score of 80-69 on Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Arena.
- The Bobcats shot 49.1% in total during the wire-to-wire victory. QU led by as many as 28 points in total.
- Quinnipiac wrapped up the month of November with a 5-1 record heading into the start of MAAC play on Friday.
- Quinnipiac battled to an impressive comeback victory on Sunday afternoon in Hamden, downing Albany in non-conference action by the final score of 85-82.
- The Bobcats outscored UAlbany 18-8 over the last 5:10 of regulation to move to 4-1 so far this year.
- Paul Otieno led the Bobcats with a double-double, scoring a career-high 21 points to go along with 14 rebounds. Savion Lewis chipped in with 16 points and nine assists in the victory.
- Amarri Tice chipped in with 14 points, while Matt Balanc added 13 points.
- The Bobcats earned a road win on Friday night at Christl Arena, defeating Army West Point by the final score of 67-58.
- Savion Lewis (18 points) and Matt Balanc (17 points, 10 rebounds) paced the Bobcats in the victory.
- Quinnipiac used a 20-3 run over the final 9:40 of the first half to extend the lead to double digits. Army led 22-16 prior to the start of the run, then the Bobcats took a 36-25 lead into the break after a Savion Lewis layup at the rim.
- Quinnipiac men's basketball dropped a non-conference matchup at UMass by the final score of 102-81 on Monday inside the Mullins Center.
- Matt Balanc and Amarri Tice led the scoring charge for the Bobcats with 13 points each. Richie Springs chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor.
- QU won its second consecutive game to begin the 2023-24 season on Friday evening in Hamden, holding on late to defeat Central Connecticut State University 74-70 at M&T Bank Arena.
- The Bobcats assisted on 21 of 29 made baskets in total. Savion Lewis led QU with 11 total assists.
- Matt Balanc led the scoring charge for QU with 22 points (8-16 FG), while Rihards Vavers chipped in with 18 points and seven rebounds.
- Transfer forward Richie Springs recorded a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) in the victory.
- QU shot 29-60 (48.3%) in total, knocking down 10 three-pointers.
- The Bobcats opened up the 2023-24 season in impressive fashion on Monday, Nov. 6 in Hamden, cruising past Coast Guard by the final score of 116-48.
- The Bobcats shot 60.3% (38-63) in Tom Pecora's debut as Head Coach, setting a Division I program record for total points.
- With the victory, Pecora has reached 200 wins as a Division I Head Coach. He won 155 games at the helm of the Hofstra program (2001-10), then won 44 contests at Fordham (2010-15).
- Matt Balanc led the way with 20 points (6-11 FG) in just 17 minutes of action. The graduate guard knocked down five three-point attempts.
- Rihards Vavers chipped in with 15 points and seven rebounds and three blocks during his QU debut. The Latvia-native shot a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor, going 3-for-3 from three-point distance.
- Doug Young added 15 points and three rebounds off the bench in his first Divison I action.
- Amarri Tice recorded 11 points and seven rebounds over 18 minutes of playing time.
- Paul Otieno added 11 points and three rebounds.
- Former UConn forward Richie Springs scored 10 points to go along with four rebounds for the Bobcats.
- Alexis Reyes added eight points and six rebounds, knocking down a pair of triples in the victory.
- Savion Lewis impressed with eight assists in just 15 minutes.
- All 12 Quinnipiac players that saw the floor scored in the win. Six Bobcats reached double-digit scoring totals.
- The Bobcats blocked 10 shots in the season opener vs. Coast Guard, the most blocks of any team in the country on opening night.
- The last time Quinnipiac blocked 10 shots in a game was vs. New Hampshire on Dec. 6, 2020.
- Preseason All-MAAC Selection Matt Balanc returns for his graduate season to help lead the way for the Bobcats. The Maryland-native has recorded 1,112 career points over four seasons so far (10.1 PPG). Balanc averaged 12.0 PPG & 4.6 RPG in 2022-23.
- Point guard Savion Lewis will also return for his graduate season at QU. Lewis has played in 58 collegiate games over his career, averaging 6.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG & 3.1 APG to stuff the stat sheet.
- Big man Paula Otieno is back for the Bobcats after posting 7.2 PPG & 6.8 RPG during his first season in Hamden. Otieno started in all 32 QU games, and registered four double-doubles last year.
- QU also returns Alexis Reyes, JJ Riggins, Nicholas Margetson and Quinn Guth to this year's squad.
- The Bobcats have seven newcomers in 2023-24. Transfer additions include Richie Springs (previously at UConn), Doug Young (previously at Midland College), Arion Lewis (previously at Delaware State) and Amarri Tice (previously at Wofford State).
- Khaden Bennett, Rihards Vavers and Daemar Kelly are QU's three first-year student-athletes.
- Matt Balanc, Savion Lewis, and Paul Otieno will serve as QU's three captains for the 2023-24 season, as announced by Head Coach Tom Pecora during the preseason.
- Quinnipiac men's basketball has added Aaron Robinson to its coaching staff as Director of Player Development, as revealed by Head Coach Tom Pecora on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023.
- Robinson – who played at Quinnipiac for four seasons from 2015-2019 – will assume his role immediately as the Bobcats prepare for the 2023-24 campaign. He has recently been working on the Basketball Operations staff for the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA.
- The Maryland-native enjoyed five seasons at the Division I level during his collegiate basketball career, including four full years as a Bobcat. Robinson played in 81 games at QU over four seasons, then took a graduate year at Coppin State. He scored 192 points to go along with 132 rebounds while at QU, knocking down 53 career triples.
- Robinson graduated with a degree in journalism from Quinnipiac. He was a member of Q30 Sports, an independent student media organization on campus, during his time in Hamden. Robinson also interned at NBC Sports (2021-22), and is the cofounder of AllFacts Media with his brother Andrew – who also played basketball at Quinnipiac.
- Most recently, Robinson has been serving as an intern in the Basketball Operations Department for the LA Clippers since September of 2022.
- Quinnipiac Men's Basketball has announced the promotion of Shaun Morris to Associate Head Coach, as revealed by Head Coach Tom Pecora and the Bobcats on Monday, July 10, 2023. Morris will enter his seventh season with the Bobcats in 2023-24.
- QU is coming off a 20-win season in 2022-23, marking the fourth time in the school's Division I history that it reached 20 total victories. QU won a pair of games against NCAA Tournament teams, went 9-4 in Hamden, and earned the No. 3 seed in the postseason league tournament.
- Morris was recently recognized by Silver Wave Media, earning a spot as one of the Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistant Coaches.
- Under the help of his guidance, Morris and the Bobcats have advanced to a pair of MAAC Semifinals over the last six years. QU won a pair of postseason games to reach the semifinal round in 2017-18, then the 2021-22 Bobcats became the first-ever No. 11 seed in MAAC Tournament history to advance to the semifinal round. Quinnipiac has won 86 total games during that span, tallying double-digit win totals in five of six seasons. The Bobcats have posted a 47-34 record in games played at M&T Bank Arena in Hamden during that time frame.
- 6 home dates at M&T Bank Arena in Hamden highlight the Quinnipiac men's basketball non-conference schedule.
- Quinnipiac has 11 non-conference matchups in total. The Bobcats' six home games are the most non-league dates in Hamden for the men's basketball program since 2014-15.
- QU's non-conference slate also features matchups against National Invitation Tournament opponents Yale (Dec. 11 in Hamden) and Florida (Dec. 30 in Gainesville).
- The Bobcats will begin the season in front of their home fans on Monday, Nov. 6 against Coast Guard.
- QU's six home dates in the non-league slate are: vs. Coast Guard (Nov. 6), vs. CCSU (Nov. 10), vs. Albany (Nov. 19), vs. Stonehill (Nov. 26), vs. Navy (Dec. 8) and vs. Yale (Dec. 11).
- The Bobcats will also be tested on the road during non-conference action, making trips to UMass (Nov. 13), Army (Nov. 17), Holy Cross (Dec. 18), Lafayette (Dec. 21) and Florida (Dec. 30).
- Quinnipiac has been tabbed No. 5 in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office as part of the inaugural MAAC Basketball Tipoff held at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ. on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
- Matt Balanc has been selected to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team, while Paul Otieno earns Second Team honors.
- The Bobcats were tabbed No. 5 in the preseason poll. Rider has been selected as the preseason league favorite.
- The Bobcats are coming off a 20-win season in 2022-23, marking the fourth time in the school's Division I history that it reached 20 total victories. It marks the 10th time in program history that QU has reached the 20-win mark.
- QU won a pair of games against NCAA Tournament teams, went 9-4 in Hamden, and earned the No. 3 seed in the MAAC Tournament a year ago.
- The Bobcats won each of their first seven games of the 2022-23 campaign – marking the best start to a new year for the program since 1969-70.
- QU began the season with a road win at A10-foe Rhode Island.
- The Bobcats wrapped up a 2-1 trip to Canada for The Northern Classic (Nov. 25-27, 2022). Quinnipiac downed both Stephen F. Austin and Montana State for impressive wins at Place Bell Arena in Quebec, before falling 72-70 vs. Hofstra on the final day of the tournament.
- Quinnipiac began the month of January with six straight wins, downing Manhattan (1/1), Rider (1/6), Iona (1/8), Saint Peter's (1/13), Mount St. Mary's (1/15) and Canisius (1/22) during that span.
- Quinnipiac recorded 37.41 rebounds per game last year – which finished first in the MAAC.
- Quinnipiac led the MAAC in 3-point shooting percentage (36.3%) last year.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballCoaches Road Show at Bears BBQ
Thursday, September 04
Quinnipiac Athletics 2024-25 Highlight Video
Tuesday, May 20
Back with the Bobcats - Amarri Monroe Interview
Wednesday, April 30
MBB Highlights vs. The Mount (3/6/25)
Friday, March 07
