The American Eagles men's basketball team represents American University in Washington, D.C. in NCAA Division I competition. The school's team competes in the Patriot League and play their home games in Bender Arena. Their rivals include the Boston University Terriers, Bucknell Bison, and Navy Midshipmen. Duane Simpkins was appointed the program's 18th head coach on April 1, 2023.[2]
| American Eagles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| University | American University | ||
| Head coach | Duane Simpkins (2nd season) | ||
| Conference | Patriot | ||
| Location | Washington, D.C. | ||
| Arena | Bender Arena (capacity: 3,044) | ||
| Nickname | Eagles | ||
| Student section | Blue Crew | ||
| Colors | Blue, white, and red[1] | ||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
| NCAA tournament Elite Eight | |||
| 1958*, 1959*, 1960* | |||
| NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen | |||
| 1958*, 1959*, 1960* | |||
| NCAA tournament appearances | |||
| 1958*, 1959*, 1960*, 2008, 2009, 2014 *at Division II level | |||
| Conference tournament champions | |||
| 2008, 2009, 2014 | |||
| Conference regular season champions | |||
| ECC: 1975, 1981, 1983, Patriot League: 2002, 2004 (co-champion), 2008, 2009 | |||
Postseason history
editNCAA Division I Tournament results
editThe Eagles have appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament three times. Their combined record is 0–3.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | #15 | First round | #2 Tennessee | L 57–72 |
| 2009 | #14 | First round | #3 Villanova | L 67–80 |
| 2014 | #15 | First round | #2 Wisconsin | L 35–75 |
2007–08 season
editIn 2008, the Eagles earned their first ever bid to the NCAA Division I tournament by defeating Colgate in the final round of the Patriot League tournament. The Eagles were seeded 15th against #2 Tennessee. American held tight against the Volunteers most of the game, but Tennessee pulled away to win 72–57.
2008–09 season
editIn 2009, the Eagles would again earn entry to the NCAA Division I tournament by defeating Holy Cross 73–57 to win the Patriot League tournament for a second consecutive year. They were seeded 14th and faced off against #3 Villanova. The Eagles held a lead for most of the game and led by 10 points at halftime, but eventually lost 80–67 after a significant Wildcats comeback.
2013–14 season
editAmerican earned the Patriot League's automatic berth to the NCAA men's basketball tournament with a 55–36 win over Boston University on Wed., March 12 at Agganis Arena in Boston, Mass in the Patriot League tournament final.
In their first season under coach Mike Brennan, the second-seeded Eagles led from start to finish in the decisive victory while holding the top-seeded Terriers to the lowest point total in Patriot League Championship game history. American point guard Darius Gardner scored 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and was named Tournament MVP.
The Eagles advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since winning their second of back-to-back titles in 2009. They played Wisconsin and lost 75–35
NCAA Division II Tournament results
editThe Eagles have appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament three times. Their combined record is 6–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight |
Buffalo Wagner Evansville |
W 77–60 W 72–65 L 72–82 |
| 1959 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight |
Adelphi Hofstra North Carolina A&T |
W 80–73 W 66–65 L 70–87 |
| 1960 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight |
Upsala Fairfield Evansville |
W 83–74 W 75–74 L 91–101 |
NAIA Tournament results
editThe Eagles have appeared in the NAIA tournament two times. Their combined record is 0–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | First round | Pepperdine | L 53–54 |
| 1951 | First round | Baldwin–Wallace | L 66–67 |
NIT results
editThe Eagles have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) three times. Their combined record is 0–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | First round | Louisville | L 84–97 |
| 1981 | First round | Toledo | L 83–91 |
| 1982 | First round | Bradley | L 65–76 |
CIT results
editThe Eagles have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) one time. Their record is 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | First round | Buffalo | L 61–78 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ American University Creative Style Guide. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
- ^ "Duane Simpkins Selected as 18th Head Coach of American University Men’s Basketball," American University Athletics, Saturday, April 1, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
