Men’s Basketball Preview

By Brogan Larose Last updated Nov 17, 2025

Adam Dudzinski ’26 goes to shoot free-throw during last year’s LL match vs. Vassar. PHOTO CREDIT: CA HILL PHOTO.

As Fall Sports Come To An End, Excitement Is In The Air For Winter Sports Season To Begin

Hello, fellow Saints. With the winter season just around the corner, it’s a good time for a preview of the men’s basketball team, starting their on Saturday. There is certainly a lot of excitement and enthusiasm surrounding the team this year, as basketball is a more sought-after sport on campus. This preview will highlight the schedule (more so this semester) and some of the key pieces that will contribute to the team this season.

Last season, the Saints finished with a record of 16-10 and went 10-10 in conference play. They entered the Liberty League tournament as the sixth seed and went on to defeat the third seeded Vassar College. While they did lose to Ithaca in the semifinals, the standard has been high for the Saints over the last three years, having made two appearances in the Liberty League championship game and three consecutive appearances in the Liberty League semifinals.

This year, the roster features several veteran players who are expected to make an immediate impact. First, Adam Dudzinski ’26 enters his senior year and third year here at St. Lawrence. Dudzinski will look to continue his scoring output from last season, averaging 14.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and connecting on 44 total three-pointers. Standing at 6’8”, Dudzinski is a tough cover for a lot of defenders in the Liberty League with his ability to put the ball on the floor and facilitate and knock down threes both off the dribble and catch and shoot. Another key piece who will look to contribute is guard Dan Anderson’26. Anderson, a two-sport athlete who is also on the men’s lacrosse team, transferred from The University of Denver to St. Lawrence and made an immediate impact for the Saints. His impact included averaging 11.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, and shooting 44% from the field and 40% from the three-point line. His ability to be very crafty with the basketball, along with his consistent shooting and high athleticism for his size, aids Anderson when matched against opposing guards. He will look to build on this momentum from the upcoming season and will undoubtedly be a key player for SLU.

Another veteran who will play a key part for the Saints this year includes Chris Downs Jr. ‘26 After coming down with an illness to start last season’s campaign, Downs went on to play a key role as a vital piece off the bench. His stats include averages of 4.4 PPG and 2.4 RPG, which include key performances of nine points and eight rebounds against SUNY Poly, eight points and six rebounds against Ithaca, and multiple eight-point games against Rochester Institute of Technology and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and being a spark plug for the Saints. Downs plays with an intensity that pursues the boards both offensively and defensively, and is recognized as an energy player who can make an immediate impact on the court. As a senior this year, Downs will undoubtedly play a leadership role and be a key piece as the Saints enter conference play. Moreover, the Saints hit the recruiting circuit hard over the summer, with seven first-year players coming in to play for St. Lawrence. Time will tell how the first years can adapt to the college game and be a vocal point while building a foundation for the four years they are on the team.

As for the schedule for St. Lawrence, they will play SUNY Geneseo on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 3:00 p.m. to kick off the 2025 season. What follows are two road games against Oswego State University and Route 11 Rival, Clarkson University. For the first half of the season, the Saints will be on the road for most of their games, facing off against teams such as Nazareth University, St. John Fisher University, RPI and WPI, to name a few. After their long road trip, they will continue to play in conference play, with six home games scheduled for January alone. As you can see, the Saints have a unique schedule, with most of their games on the road for the first half of the season, while they have a lot of home games for the second half. It will certainly be exciting to watch the Saints compete this year, and we look forward to seeing how they perform in the 2025-2026 campaign.