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Monday, January 09, 2006
AU plays host to Yale
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This beautiful virtual Hoop Time-Basketball U. Challenge trophy is presented to the winner of the season series between the Patriot and Ivy Leagues

Yale at American, 7:30 p.m.: A must-win for the Patriot League if they are to claim the coveted Hoop Time-Basketball U. Challenge trophy. The series between the two leagues is tied at 11-11, with only two inter-league contests left on the schedule.

Of course that hardly matters to Jeff Jones and his Eagles. They probably don't even know we made up such a trophy. What they do know is that coming off their first home loss of the season, a 70-59 setback at the hands of Lehigh in the Patriot League opener for both teams, the Eagles need a win to get headed in the right direction. Especially with league favorite Bucknell coming to town Wednesday.

At 4-9 overall, 0-1 in the league, AU would need to win this game, and finish 9-5 in the league, to record its fifth straight winning season.

Winning this one will not be an easy task. Yale comes in at 7-7 following an 87-46 loss at Kansas last week. The top Ivy League's highest scoring team, Yale averages 68 points per game. Three Bulldogs average double figures in scoring, led by 6-7 junior forward Sam Kaplan, who is hitting at a 12.6 ppg clip. Senior center Dominick Martin (6-10, 11.1 ppg) and 6-1 sophomore guard Eric Flato (10.4 ppg) also are averaging in doubles.

The 1-2 frontcourt punch of Kaplan and Martin should pose a particular challenge for American, which is still waiting for 6-11 South Carolina transfer Paulius Joneliunas to get into game shape. Joneliunas has appeared in four games since becoming eligible at the end of the first semester, but he has yet to make the kind of impact some folks expected. Joneliunas is playing about 16 minutes per game, averaging about 3 points and 3 rebounds. AU will need more from him if they expect to contend in the conference.
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Published at 7:29 AM by Hoop Time.
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