Men's Basketball Slated to Play Yale on December 18

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (August 21, 2012) – For just the second time in program history, the Albertus Magnus men's basketball team will take on a Division I opponent in the upcoming 2012-13 season, as announced Tuesday by the Albertus Magnus Athletic Department. Yale University will host the Falcons on December 18 at 7:00 p.m. in their Payne Whitney Gymnasium.

"This is a great opportunity for our men's basketball program to not only compete against a fantastic Division I program, but to also provide a lot of excitement for those who follow basketball in the greater New Haven area," said Director of Athletics Michael Spinner. "I am tremendously thankful to Yale University Athletic Director Thomas Beckett, head coach James Jones and the Yale University athletic staff for hosting us once again. I hope every college basketball fan in the New Haven area comes out to see us play on December 18."

The non-conference match-up will mark the second time playing Yale in the last four years as the Falcons' January 7, 2010 meeting against the Bulldogs has remained the first and only Division I contest for the Albertus program.

"We are very excited for the opportunity to compete against such a prestigious University, basketball program and Coach," added Albertus Magnus head coach Mitch Oliver. "It is a well earned reward for everyone here at Albertus Magnus College that has helped build the men's basketball program."

In their last meeting in 2010, the Falcons put up a good fight, trailing by just five at the half before the Bulldogs came out with a 92-71 victory. Ray Askew, the program's first-ever All-American and a 2012 Albertus graduate, led the Falcons in the loss with a game-high 19 points along with 17 rebounds.

Five Falcons slated to be on the 2012-13 roster were a part of the squad that took on Yale in 2010, while then freshman and current senior Jefferson Lora (Bronx, N.Y.) also scored in double digits for Albertus as he tallied 11 points and pulled down nine boards.

Yale's Austin Morgan, then a freshman, recorded a team-high17 points against the Falcons. He enters his senior season in 2012-13 and is currently seventh all-time with 139 career three-pointers for the Bulldogs.

With an overall record of 28-2 in 2011-12, the Falcons are coming off their most successful season in program history. En route to their second Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship title in the last three years and third overall, the Falcons went a perfect 18-0 in league regular-season play before earning their second-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

Oliver, who enters his sixth season as the head coach for the Falcons, led his team last year into the National rankings for the first time in program history as the Falcons were ranked as high as 15thin the country on February 20 before finishing the season at No. 20.

The Falcons' complete 2012-13 schedule will be released next month and can be found at AlbertusFalcons.com.