<p>Game Specifics
Date and Tip Time Nov. 14, 2007 at 7:00 pm EST
Location Annapolis, Md. | Alumni Hall<br>
Tickets 1-800-US4-NAVY
Television None
Video Streaming Navy All-Access
Radio WNAV (1430 AM) | SIRIUS Channel 130<br>
Webcast WNAV ([1430</a> WNAV Your Hometown Station Annapolis, Maryland](<a href=“http://www.wnav.com%5D1430”>http://www.wnav.com))
Gametracker Gametracker / [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.navysports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.navysports.com)</p>
<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy men’s basketball will host Robert Morris for its home opener on Wednesday night, as part of the prestigious Philly Hoop Group Classic. The Mids are 1-1 on the young season after defeating Longwood, 88-72, last Friday, before falling in the first game of the Philly Hoop Group Classic at Drexel, 86-70, on Sunday. Robert Morris is 1-0 after defeating Iona, 72-66, on Saturday night in its opener.</p>
<p>DOUBLEHEADER FEATURES GREAT ENTERTAINMENT
The men’s game with Robert Morris will be the second game played at Alumni Hall on Wednesday, as the women’s team will host Howard at 5:00 pm.
In addition to two exciting basketball games, The King BMX Stunt Show will showcase their talents at the halftime of both games. The King BMX Stunt Show is one of the top stunt bike shows in the nation featuring some of the best ramp BMX riders as well as inline skaters and skateboarders.</p>
<p>MIDS OPEN WITH DIFFICULT STRETCH
Navy has jumped right into its 2007-08 schedule, playing in its third game in six days. The Mids have had a whirlwind beginning to the year that will continue until early December.
Navy opened the year at Longwood on Nov. 9, driving to Farmville, Va., on Thursday night. After defeating the Lancers, Navy stayed the night and bussed the five-plus hours to Philadelphia on Saturday morning to play 2007 NIT Participant Drexel on Sunday, returning to Annapolis after the game.
The Mids will play Robert Morris on Wednesday night, then leave for San Antonio on Thursday night and play UTSA on Saturday. Returning to Annapolis on Sunday, Navy will then battle Canisius on Tuesday, before returning to Philadelphia on Thanksgiving Day to play Seton Hall and either Virginia or Penn on Friday and Saturday.
Following those games, Navy will then play at Howard on Tuesday, Nov. 27, and host Towson and Mount St. Mary’s on Nov. 29 and Dec. 3, before taking off two weeks for finals.</p>
<p>ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS
Robert Morris is 1-0 after opening the Mike Rice-era with a 72-66 win over Iona on Saturday night. The Colonials, who were picked second in the Northeaset Conference preseason poll, were led by Jeremy Chappell, who came off the bench to score 20 points. A.J. Jackson added 16 and Tony Lee contributed seven points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. RMU went 16-11 a year ago.</p>
<p>NAVY vs. ROBERT MORRIS: THE SERIES
Navy leads the all-time series against Robert Morris, 2-0, but this will be the two team’s first meeting in over 25 years.
The Mids topped the Colonials in Annapolis, 71-67, on Dec. 13, 1980, behind freshman Rob Romaine’s 20 points.
Navy then edged RMU, 60-53, on Feb. 22, 1982, in Moon Township, Pa. Romaine again led Navy with 18 points.
This will mark the 391st game against a team from the state of Pennsylvania. Navy is already 0-1 against teams from Pennsylvania, falling to Drexel, 86-70, on Sunday. Pennsylvania is the most-frequently played state in school history, and the 205 wins are the most for the Navy program against any state.
Billy Lange is 8-15 against Division I teams from Pennsylvania.
Lange is also 1-0 against teams from the Northeast Conference, defeating Mount St. Mary’s, 90-81, on Dec. 21, 2004.</p>
<p>ON THIS DATE
Navy is 1-0 all-time on November 14, defeating Brown, 70-47, last year. Trey Stanton led the Mids with 16 points, while Greg Sprink and Kaleo Kina added 10 each.</p>
<p>NAVY STOCK TIPS
Navy is currently in its 101st season, with an all-time record of 1,238-854 (59.2 percent). The Mids own eight 20-win seasons, and have recorded a winning record in 67 of their first 100 seasons.
Lange welcomes back six of the top eight scorers from last year’s squad, including two starters.
Under head coach Billy Lange, the Mids are 25-9 when leading at halftime and have won 12 games in a row, including an 11-0 mark a year ago. Conversely, the Mids are 9-42 when trailing at halftime under Lange, and have lost 12 in a row.
Navy is 26-8 under Lange when leading with 10:00 left with 12 wins in a row and are 30-3 when leading with 5:00 left with 13wins in a row.
When Navy attempts more free throws than its opponent, the Mids are 21-5 under Lange with nine straight wins. Navy went 8-0 in games last year when attempting more free throws.
Navy is 16-7 under Lange when shooting better than 45.0 percent. On the flipside, Navy is just 7-34 under Lange when opponents shoot better than 45.0 percent.
Navy is 28-9 (.757) since the start of the 1999-2000 season when shooting over 50.0 percent in a contest. Under Billy Lange, the Mids are 10-2, and have won nine straight games.
Navy lost for the first time since an 80-72 loss to Colgate on Feb. 25, 2006, when scoring at least 70 points. The Mids had won 11 games in a row when scoring 70 or more points, prior to their loss to Drexel.
Navy is just 4-40 under Lange, including 1-13 last year, when scoring under one point per possession.
Drexel became the first team in 34 games to score 80 points against Navy, dating back to the before-mentioned Colgate game.
Navy is 61-12 (.836) since the start of the 1999-2000 season when scoring at least 75 points in a game. Under Billy Lange, the Mids are 19-5 (.792) and have won seven games in a row when scoring at least 75 points.</p>
<p>DREXEL RECAP
Drexel surged to a 20-point halftime advantage, then withstood a Navy rally in the second half to hold on for an 86-70 decision on Sunday afternoon in Navy’s first game of the Philly Hoop Group Classic. Dragons’ center Frank Elegar tormented the Navy interior for 24 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks and the Dragons’ defense held Navy to just 36.6 percent shooting from the field. The difference in the game came at the free throw line, where Drexel outscored the Mids, 23-9.
The loss drops Navy’s record to 1-1 overall for the second straight season. It marks the third time in Lange’s four years that Navy has started 1-1.
Navy placed four players in double figures for the second straight game. Chris Harris led Navy with 16 points, while Greg Sprink, Kaleo Kina and Mark Veazey added 13, 10 and 10, respectively.
Navy’s 13 offensive rebounds were the most for the program since grabbing 14 against Washington College (Md.) on Dec. 20, 2006. It was the most against a Division I opponent since grabbing 17 against Colgate on Feb. 25, 2006. The 13 offensive rebounds produced 11 second-chance points, which equaled the most since scoring 14 second-chance points against Longwood on Dec. 1, 2006.
Navy’s 30 three-point attempts tied for the eighth most in school history.</p>
<p>BENCH PRODUCTION
Navy’s bench has been a strong point early on and if head coach Billy Lange can continue to get strong production from his reserves, it will keep the starters’ legs fresh as the season wears on.
Five Navy players came off the bench Friday night, accounting for 34 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals in 79 minutes. The fivesome was 14-of-23 (60.9 percent) from the field, including 5-of-9 (55.6 percent) from three-point range.
On Sunday, six players combined for 80 minutes to score 27 points on 11-of-26 (.423) shooting, with 17 rebounds, five steals and three assists.
So far this year, the group has scored 61 points on 25-of-49 (.510) shooting with 31 rebounds, 14 assists, nine steals and just nine turnovers in 159 minutes.</p>
<p>CENTER SPOT HAS BEEN AN EARLY SURPRISE
A big question mark in the preseason was how would senior Ben Biles and freshmen Mark Veazey and Jeremy Wilson would hold up at the center spot. After two games, the trio has played very well.
In the opener against Longwood, Biles and Veazey played 40 minutes, shooting 4-of-7 (.571) from the field with nine points, 11 rebounds, one steal and one block.
Then, in Sunday’s loss at Drexel, Biles and Veazey went 6-of-10 (.600) from the field with 14 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and a block in 40 minutes.
The duo is averaging 11.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg this year.
Perhaps the most encouraging sign is that the duo of Biles and Veazey have picked up just nine fouls combined in the two games, while committing just four turnovers.
Jeremy Wilson has not seen action this year, and junior Brian Richards is still recovering from a leg injury. Richards is expected to give the inside game a boost when he is cleared for action and will only strengthen the young frontcourt.</p>
<p>HARRIS PICKS UP HIS GAME
A year after struggling with his shot late in the season, Chris Harris has rediscovered his shooting stroke and is giving the Mids a viable scoring option.
In the opener against Longwood, Harris knocked down 5-of-11 shots from the field, including 2-of-5 from long distance, to score 12 points with two assists and two steals.
Then against Drexel, Harris paced the Mids with 16 points, including four three-point bombs, to help spur a second-half comeback against the Dragons.
Harris is currently shooting 45.8 percent (11-of-24) from the field, including 50.0 percent (6-of-12) from long distance. He is fourth on the team with four assists.
His defense has also improved dramatically, as he drew two charges against Drexel and played strong full-court man-to-man defense.</p>
<p>SPRINK PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF
Sprink closed his junior season in fantastic fashion, and has not missed a beat in the first two games this year.
In his last six games a year ago, Sprink averaged 19.2 ppg, including three efforts of 23 points or better.
If you include his first two games of this year, Sprink is averaging 19.5 ppg over his last eight games, dating back to last year, with four efforts of 23 points or better and three of 28 or better.
Sprink needs just 16 points to tie Cliff Rees for 15th place on the school’s all-time scoring list. He also needs just 27 points to become the 33rd player in Patriot League history to score 1,200 career points.
At his current pace (20.5 ppg), Sprink would end his career with 1,747 points, placing him third all-time at Navy.</p>