ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Jacob Iati’s health was a question mark heading into Friday evening’s game.

Iati scored a career-high 26 points, despite being nagged by a sore right calf and Achilles, as the University at Albany downed Navy, 71-61, at Alumni Hall.   

The Great Danes (10-3) have now won 10 non-conference games for the first time in the program’s 14-year Division I history.

“Any time you win on the road, you take it and move on to the next one,” said UAlbany coach Will Brown.

Iati was coming off of a season-low scoring peroframance, finishing with just five points in the team’s loss against Quinnipiac before Christmas. He bounced back strong, with a large contingent of his friends and family in the crowd, making the trip from nearby York, Pa.

“Anytime we’re in the state of Maryland, Iati’s going to play well,” said Brown.

Iati, one of the nation’s leaders in 3-pointers made, knocked down six treys and helped carry the UAlbany offense.

The Midshipmen (6-8) kept it close and when Brandon Venturini hit a 3-pointer, with eight minutes to play, the lead was trimmed to eight, 51-43.

Iati responded with a 3-pointer of his own and then junior Luke Devlin knocked down a triple to put the Great Danes back up by 10, 57-47.

“The one good thing is Navy plays extremely hard and physical and they play well in this building,” Brown said. “I’m proud of my guys.”

Iati’s two free throws in the final minute gave him a career-high. His previous high of 24 came against the University of Missouri-Kansas City, earlier this season.

UAlbany got a great contribution from Devlin, who finished with a season-high 13 points.

“It was nice,” Brown said. “We got the old Luke tonight. He played terrific and I couldn’t be happier for a better kid.”

The Great Danes also got six points off the bench from Chris Page.

“I thought Chris did a good job,” Brown said. “This was the perfect opportunity to get him some minutes.”

Tilman Dunbar led Navy with 17 points.

UAlbany closes out the non-conference portion of the schedule, besides the BracketBusters game, when they host Brown on New Year’s Eve at 4 p.m.

Courtesy UAlbany Athletics

ALBANY - Peter Hooley wasn't suited up for the home-opener on Friday afternoon, instead he sat on the bench, in a shirt and tie.

Hooley has been dealing with a foot injury and it was decided that he will take a medical redshirt this year because of a stress fracture in the left foot.


"He's going to be out, which hurts us because he's a pretty good player," said University at Albany coach Will Brown.

Hooley started feeling the pain, in preseason, before the Purple/Gold scrimmage, but fought through it.

Before the George Mason game, he came to Coach Brown and said it was too painful.

"He started not making shots in practice, not playing well, limping," Brown said.

An MRI revealed the stress fracture and it looks like next week, he'll have to screws put into the foot.

Brown said that freshman Tanner Gibson, who was going to be redshirted, will likely see more minutes now with Hooley out. 

Gibson played his first minutes of the year on Friday, getting in 10 minutes against Navy.

"I thought he was very poised today, but I need him to be more aggressive," Brown said.

Brown thinks that Gibson will be able to help out the team.

"He might be as good of an athlete that we have," Brown said;.

Brown also said that freshman Chris Page will redshirt. Page has been one of the better shooters in practice. 

"I don't want to burn a year, if he's not going to play," Brown said.

Earlier in the year, Brown said he didn't necessarily want to redshirt players because the Great Danes currently don't have any seniors.With that fact, if a player is seeing limited action this season, they would likely see the same amount of time next year.

ALBANY - The University at Albany rode its four-headed scoring machine to the finish line on Friday afternoon.

It wasn't easy in the end, but the Great Danes (3-3) did enough. 

Gerardo Suero, Logan Aronhalt, Mike Black and Luke Devlin combined for 67 of the team's 69 points.

Navy made it interesting, going on a 21-5 run late in the second half, but UAlbany made its free throws down the stretch.

Suero led the way with 21 points, while Aronhalt scored 18 and Black chipped in 16. Both Aronhalt and Black knocked down four 3-pointers and the Great Danes finished with 10 on the afternoon.

Luke Devlin played his best game of the season, scoring 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds.

Blake Metcalf grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for UAlbany.

Jordan Sugars finished with 14 for the Midshipmen (2-4), while J.J. Avila added 12.

ALBANY - The University at Albany showed they are the more talented team in the first half.

Despite leading scorer Gerardo Suero only playing eight minutes because of foul trouble, the Great Danes led by as many as 12 and led for virtually the entire half.

Logan Aronhalt leads the way with 10 points, while Luke Devlin had his most productive half of the year to date, scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds in 15 minutes.

Freshman Tanner Gibson also saw his first action, playing seven minutes.

Navy was led by Jordan Brickman and Donya Jackson, who each had two 3-pointers in the first half, finishing with six points.

Jackson hit two big treys to end the half and cut UAlbany's lead in half.

AP

After five road game, the University at Albany men's basketball team opens up the home portion of the schedule Friday afternoon, against Navy.

It's not great timing, as most of the students are likely home for Thanksgiving break, but there could be a good crowd because the Great Danes have shown a lot of offensive firepower so far this season.

UAlbany has already had three leading scorers in its five games (Logan Aronhalt, Jayson Guerrier & Gerardo Suero). The Great Danes are averaging 67.6 points per game, despite scoring just 46 in the last game against George Mason.

Here is a link to the game advance that ran in Friday's edition of The Record.

It'll be interesting to see how UAlbany bounces back against a Navy that has lost three in a row, including the Siena's season-opener, back on Nov. 16.

The Great Danes are certainly the favorite today, but they have to go out and take care of business.

ALBANY - Evan Hymes wouldn't admit to being nervous before his first college basketball game, but Siena's freshman point guard said he was excited to be out on the floor.

“The crowd gave the whole team energy,” Hymes said, following his 10-point performance in a 65-56 victory over Navy.

Hymes was pressed into duty because of the season-ending injury suffered by sophomore Rakeem Brookins.

Hymes looked very comfortable running the point and leading the Saints on this night.

“I was just playing my game,” he said.

Hymes was one of four freshmen who saw significant playing time for Siena.

“The four freshmen – we all played great,” Hymes said.

In the second half, after making a jumper Hymes wend down with a cramp and had to come out of the game.

He said that, while it was tight enough that he couldn't return to action, he should be fine for Saturday's road game against Mount St. Mary.

"I'll just need to get in the training room and get some treatment," Hymes said.

Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro talks about his team's victory over Navy on Wednesday .



Navy coach Ed DeChellis talks about the game.



Here is added video from inside the Siena locker room, following the game, thanks to Siena's athletic department.

ALBANY - It wasn't exactly the way they drew it up, but the Siena men's basketball team will take a victory to start the season.

Kyle Downey scored 19 points, Brandon Walters added 12 and Evan Hymes finished with 10 as the Saints improved to 1-0.

The Saints survived injures to Hymes and senior Owen Wignot, who had a contusion on his head after a hard fall in the first half.

Siena also dealt with foul trouble to Downey and OD Anosike.

J.J. Avila scored 19 points to lead the Midshipmen (2-1).

LOUDONVILLE - All things considered, Siena has played very well in the first 20 minutes.

All eight scholarship players played in the first 10 minutes for the Saints.

Owen Wignot was injured six minutes in, after crashing to the ground, following a layup and OD Anosike picked up his second foul, only five minutes in.

The fact that Wignot and Anosike combined for 11 minutes and four points in the first half and Siena still leads is incredible.

Kyle Downey has a team-high eight points for the Saints, while J.J. Avila leads Navy with 11.

Siena kicks off the 2011-12 season on Wednesday evening against Navy.

For the first time in a while, there are a lot of unknowns for the Saints.

I think it will be a very interesting season for coach Mitch Buonaguro and the players.

Our season preview stuff ran in Wednesday's paper edition.

Here are some links to stories from the preview package.

Walters looking forward to expanded role with Saints

Young Saints ready for opener