FLUSHING, NY – The College of Staten Island men's basketball team will travel to Queens College for its final matchup against the Knights of the 2025–26 regular season. The Dolphins and Knights bring a long-standing history into Thursday's contest, and their first meeting on Jan. 28 showcased the competitiveness between the two programs.

Jan. 28, 2026 Matchup – Dolphins Erase 15-Point Deficit to Defeat Queens

In the first meeting this season, the Dolphins trailed the Knights for much of the game. CSI entered halftime down five, 40–35, and the deficit grew to 15 points during the opening 10 minutes of the second half. With 12 minutes remaining, the Dolphins faced a 56–41 deficit. Each time CSI attempted to cut into the lead, Queens responded to maintain its double-digit advantage. However, momentum began to shift after strong interior play from Andrew Benedict and Asa Kone trimmed the deficit to 58–50. 

Mitchell Wiggan, Aaron Goldstein, and JJ Chestnut then delivered consecutive baskets to erase the gap and tie the score at 58. After another tie at 64, Goldstein converted two key late buckets before Chestnut sealed the win from the free-throw line. Kone led the Dolphins with 21 points and two blocks, while Goldstein added 20 points, four assists, and three steals. Wiggan and Chestnut each finished with 11 points.

Dolphins Lead All-Time Series

With the Jan. 28 victory, the Dolphins bounced back after being swept by the Knights during the 2024–25 regular season. CSI now holds a 14–6 advantage in the all-time series and will look to extend that lead while building momentum heading into the postseason.

Individual Scoring Comparison

With two regular-season games remaining, Aaron Goldstein leads the conference in scoring at 21.3 points per game while pacing the Dolphins offensively. His scoring average currently ranks 12th nationally. JJ Chestnut is second on the team with 12.2 points per game and also ranks fourth in the conference with 4.8 assists per game. Wiggan follows with 12.0 points per game, while Kone averages 11.7.

Queens is led by three players averaging double figures in scoring, posting 18.8, 10.8, and 10.2 points per game, respectively.