MEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTS AQUINAS AHEAD OF THANKSGIVING

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. - Men's Basketball (6-0, 1-0) will look to remain undefeated when the team takes on the Aquinas Saints (3-1, 1-0) on Tuesday night in Garth Pleasant Arena. After strong performances across the team against Concordia on Saturday, the Warriors will look to continue that momentum in front of the Crimson Crazies.

THREE KEY THINGS

SCORING GUARD MATCHUPS

Both teams will feature talented scorers at the guard position, with the Warriors' Brody Parker and Gunner Walters taking on Donovan Brown-Boyd and Devon Boyd. All four players have posted strong scoring outings recently, with Walters and Parker combining for 37 points in Rochester's win at Concordia.

Brown-Boyd had 23 points in the Saints' 63-54 victory over Siena Heights - 16 of which were scored in the second half. Boyd has shown his ability to affect all three levels of the game, recording seven points, five assists, and two steals off the bench in the matchup.

SIZE MISMATCHES

It'll be a tale of two contrasting styles between the teams in this matchup, with the Saints having no player above six foot seven following the graduation of talented big Gabe Overway. Rochester's big-man tandem of Stavros Polatoglou and James Fisher has had plenty of success this season, with both among the conference leaders in rebounding.

Despite the size advantage on paper, the Saints have several formidable two-way players, including Brown-Boyd, who has shown plenty of defensive prowess over the last two years. For Rochester, efficiency in the paint will be necessary.

WALTERS CONTINUES STRONG SOPHOMORE CAMPAIGN

As the season has progressed, Walters has continued to show why he was named 2022-23 WHAC Newcomer of the Year, currently sitting at the top of the conference in several major statistical categories. Walters has especially found success on the playmaking side, leading the conference in total assists while keeping turnovers to a minimum.

COACH'S CORNER

Ahead of the Thanksgiving festivities, Head Coach Klint Pleasant had this to say about why he's thankful to coach at Rochester:

"I wake up every morning excited to get to work. Growing up, the basketball players at RU were my heroes. And now I get to coach my heroes.

52 years of either me or my dad leading this program. Sometimes, I have to stop and remind myself how unique and special that really is.

I believe that we are in the business of shaping young lives, and not just playing basketball and trying to win games. What can be better than that? I love my job, and I'm thankful every day."

SPORTS INFORMATION SPOTLIGHT

Gunner Walters currently ranks second in the conference in assists per game at 6.5.

AROUND THE CONFERENCE

#24 Lourdes, Rochester, Aquinas, and Cornerstone are the current undefeated teams in WHAC play. During tonight's matchup, Cornerstone will take on 2022-23 WHAC Tournament Champion Madonna.

Hussein Murray - RU Athletic Communications

Featured Image: Hanna Swanson - RU Athletics