Showing posts with label Stony Brook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stony Brook. Show all posts
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Live Blog: Stony Brook University Seawolves vs. Boston University Terriers
Starting lineups:
Stony Brook University Seawolves
F Dallis Joyner
F Tommy Brenton
G Bryan Dougher
G Marcus Rouse
G Muhammad El-Amin
Boston University Terriers
F Jake O'Brien
F John Holland
C Jeff Pelage
G Corey Lowe
G Tyler Morris
Final score: SBU 84, BU, 75
Team leaders:
Points
SBU: Bryan Dougher, 30
BU: Jake O'Brien, 27
Rebounds
SBU: Tommy Brenton, 11
BU: Jake O'Brien, 8
Assists
SBU: Tommy Brenton, 5
BU: Tyler Morris, 5
Links:
Men's basketball drops America East opener to Stony Brook, 84-75
Chambers: Brittain likely lost for season
Monday, November 9, 2009
Nine Teams, Nine Days: Stony Brook
Last season: 16-14 (8-8 America East), lost in America East quarterfinals to New Hampshire.
Head coach: Steve Pikiell, 5th season, 36-81 record (17-47 AE).
Departing players: Marques Cox, Jonathan Moore, Jermol Paul, Michael Tyree, Demetrius Young, Michal Zylinski.
Incoming players: Patrick Dame, Leonard Hayes, Eric McAllister, Preye Preboye, Marcus Rouse.
Expected starting lineup (position, name, year, 2008-09 stats):
G Bryan Dougher, sophomore, 11.2 PPG, 1.9 APG, 1.6 RPG
G Muhammad El-Amin, senior, 15.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.2 APG
F Tommy Brenton, sophomore, 6.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.8 SPG
F Preye Preboye, freshman, no previous college experience
F Dallis Joyner, sophomore, 6.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.6 BPG
Player to watch: Tommy Brenton. Brenton wasted no time establishing himself as a force on the interior last year, grabbing 16 rebounds in his first collegiate game against Maryland-Eastern Shore. While his six offensive rebounds against the Hawks is still a career best, Brenton continued to work the glass over the next four months, emerging as one of the best defensive rebounders in the entire country -- on a per-possession basis, he grabbed more defensive boards than Cole Aldrich or DeJuan Blair. Brenton's scoring contributions, however, aren't quite where they need to be. With Mr. Efficiency, Demetrius Young, gone to graduation, Stony Brook needs Brenton to up his production and become a complete player instead of just a rebounding savant.
Biggest strength: Forcing turnovers. Brenton is an outstanding defensive rebounder, but Stony Brook was only third in defensive rebounding percentage among AE teams. More impressive is the Seawolves' ability to force turnovers. Stony Brook forced turnovers on 23.4 percent of opponents' possessions last year, ranking just outside the nation's top 25 teams. No other AE team ranked among the top 50. Marques Cox was the team's best thief, but while Cox was lost to graduation, there are several other players on the roster with active hands. The Seawolves' success last year was overwhelmingly due to their defense; if that strength remains intact, Stony Brook should be competitive in even its toughest games.
Biggest weakness: Interior scoring. Demetrius Young was far and away the Seawolves' most efficient offensive player last year. Young scored 9.2 points per game, many on easy layups and uncontested dunks, while converting almost 65 percent of his shot attempts. Despite having an incredibly efficient interior scorer, Stony Brook still made just 43.7 percent of its two-point attempts, ranking 306th out of 344 Division-I teams -- and now Young is gone. The Stony Brook frontcourt has its strengths, rebounding chief among them, but an inability to get points from shots near the rim threatens to render the Seawolves' offense one-dimensional. Unless incoming freshmen, Preye Preboye chief among them, can make an immediate impact at the offensive end, it's hard to see how this weakness will be remedied.
Guards: Muhammad El-Amin took a month to assert himself as the Seawolves' go-to player on offense, and consistent starts didn't arrive until after Christmas. As time progressed, however, it became increasingly clear that El-Amin was Stony Brook's best perimeter option. The senior guard has excellent accuracy from beyond the arc, hitting more than 38 percent of his shots from there, but takes the majority of his attempts from closer. El-Amin also gets to the free throw line regularly, where he connects more than 80 percent of the time. The junior college transfer ended every conference game with double figures in scoring, and a repeat performance wouldn't surprise anyone.
Bryan Dougher received much praise as a freshman, starting every game for the Seawolves, running the point, and eventually winding up on the America East All-Rookie team. One has to wonder how much of that praise is deserved. Dougher scored a lot of points, to be sure -- he finished second on the team in scoring with 11.2 points per game -- but doing so required a lot of shots. Dougher actually shot less than 30 percent from the field during conference play, a rate dragged down by his inability to score from inside the arc. Players rarely qualify for any all-conference team while shooting so poorly, except perhaps the All-Defense team. Dougher displayed shooting ability while in high school, but if his rates don't improve as a sophomore he needs to concentrate more on creating more for others (less than two assists per game last year as the starting point guard) instead of taking -- and missing -- so many shots.
Chris Martin appeared in 27 games for the Seawolves, coming off the bench to provide instant offense. Like Dougher, Martin was plagued by relatively poor shooting. However, Martin's shooting performance was at least passable, and the then-sophomore guard possesses the ability to get to the free throw line with regularity (where he shot just under 74 percent), increasing his effectiveness. Martin was forced to deal with family issues throughout last season, which may have impacted his performance. The value of a high-volume, inefficient scorer is debatable, but no one questions Martin's ability to change a game when his shots find the twine.
Marcus Rouse is one of three new guards on this year's Seawolves squad. He profiles as a combo guard at this level -- while he is neither a natural point guard nor a natural off-guard, he is capable of logging minutes at either position. Head coach Steve Pikiell cited Rouse's defense when he committed to Stony Brook in the early period. As a combo guard, Rouse was noted for his shooting -- he was the top scorer for a DeMatha High School team that was ranked among the top 25 high school teams in the nation. Rouse should see immediate minutes.
Leonard Hayes arrives on Long Island as a 6-foot-4 wing capable of playing the two or three. Hayes reportedly brings a well-developed offensive game with him to Stony Brook. The Seawolves lack a second scorer capable of playing the wing, so Hayes' ability to create his own shot should benefit Stony Brook.
Patrick Dame is a junior college transfer from the Community College of Rhode Island. Dame played very well in community college, scoring more than 17 points per game in 2007-08 while adding more than seven assists per game. The Seawolves have enjoyed recent success identifying junior college players -- El-Amin wound up in Stony Brook by way of Lansing Community College -- but it's difficult to say how well Dame will make the transition.
Two years ago, Eddie Castellanos was averaging nearly 20 minutes per game, and while the results weren't eye-popping, he was at least earning some playing time. Last year, with several new arrivals in the backcourt, Castellanos' playing time significantly decreased. This year shouldn't be any different.
Forwards: In case you missed it, Tommy Brenton is a rebounding machine. Although he isn't a prolific scorer, Brenton does a pretty good job of making the shots he takes -- his eFG% was 52.3 -- and he does virtually everything else at least reasonably well with the exception of shooting free throws. As previously mentioned, Stony Brook needs Brenton to score more. That most likely involves Brenton shooting more, which is probably a good thing, as every additional shot Brenton takes is one less shot taken by one of the Seawolves' several inefficient backcourt scorers.
Dallis Joyner, at 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, has the physical gifts to be an excellent power forward in America East. His best skill is probably his shot-blocking -- he's probably the second-best shot-blocker on the team after Desmond Adedeji, and with a year of experience should only get better. The offensive game, however, isn't quite there yet for Joyner. As a freshman, the forward shot just 41 percent from the field while attempting exclusively twos. That, combined with mediocre rebounding for a player of Joyner's height and build, does not amount to an outstanding player. Still, Joyner's had a pretty good season for his first year, one that would have warranted more attention on teams without two more high-profile freshmen. Improvement on the offensive end should be the goal.
Brenton's rebounding successes are a combination of positioning and relentless effort. In Preye Preboye, Stony Brook may have another player in the same mold. At Winchendon, a prep school in Massachusetts, Preboye regularly went up against taller players and owned the boards. Unlike Brenton, however, Preboye comes with a scorer's reputation, and while he does most of his damage near the rim, he has enough range to take longer jumpers and even 3-point shots. Interior scoring is what Stony Brook needs, so Preboye stands a good chance of starting from day one.
If Preboye doesn't start, the most likely player to find a spot in the starting lineup is Danny Carter. Carter is tall and lean, standing 6-foot-9 but weighing just 210 pounds. Carter shot well from closer range, hitting more than 50 percent of his twos, but was largely ineffective when he attempted shots from farther out. As a freshman Carter showed the ability to score in bunches when given the opportunity -- he dropped 20 in the Seawolves' blowout loss at UConn -- and was also an effective shotblocker in limited minutes. Carter needs to improve his play somewhat in order to deserve a starting role, but he should be at worst the first forward off the bench for Stony Brook.
Eric McAlister took a year at prep school to improve his game, and he did so, emerging as a shot-blocker and rebounder who earned third-team All-State prep honors in New Jersey. Listed at 6-foot-8 and only 200 pounds, McAlister may need to add some muscle in order to reliably man an frontcourt position at this level, but his athleticism should help him make the occasional play while his body fills out.
Andrew Goba is a fifth-year senior. In four years of play he has averaged less than a point per game. Improvement at this stage seems unlikely.
Center: Desmond Adedeji had a rough transition to Stony Brook, in large part due to his DUI arrest. However, when on the court -- which wasn't often -- Adedeji's contributions were hard to ignore. In 125 minutes, Adedeji had 13 blocks. That's more than four per 40 minutes. Adedeji also grabbed 37 rebounds in that timeframe, which is about 12 per 40 minutes. While the 6-foot-10, 305-pound center isn't the poster child for conditioning and may never be capable of giving the Seawolves major minutes, in short spurts he can be very effective.
Outlook: It's difficult to say whether the Seawolves will make a serious run at the conference title this year, but they will most assuredly play very defense. That alone should be enough to separate the Seawolves from teams six through nine in this countdown. Defense was never Stony Brook's problem last year -- offense was the issue. The Seawolves rely on their perimeter players to create offense, and apart from El-Amin, those perimeter players miss too many shots. To be blunt, that's not the basis of any successful offensive strategy. Stony Brook's defense should keep it in virtually any game it plays this season, and defense alone may very well be enough to win several of them no matter how poorly the offense performs, but at some point other players have to start scoring. It's not particularly clear where the additional offense is going to come from, and it's that lack of scoring potential that separates the Seawolves from the remaining three teams.
Head coach: Steve Pikiell, 5th season, 36-81 record (17-47 AE).
Departing players: Marques Cox, Jonathan Moore, Jermol Paul, Michael Tyree, Demetrius Young, Michal Zylinski.
Incoming players: Patrick Dame, Leonard Hayes, Eric McAllister, Preye Preboye, Marcus Rouse.
Expected starting lineup (position, name, year, 2008-09 stats):
G Bryan Dougher, sophomore, 11.2 PPG, 1.9 APG, 1.6 RPG
G Muhammad El-Amin, senior, 15.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.2 APG
F Tommy Brenton, sophomore, 6.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.8 SPG
F Preye Preboye, freshman, no previous college experience
F Dallis Joyner, sophomore, 6.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.6 BPG
Player to watch: Tommy Brenton. Brenton wasted no time establishing himself as a force on the interior last year, grabbing 16 rebounds in his first collegiate game against Maryland-Eastern Shore. While his six offensive rebounds against the Hawks is still a career best, Brenton continued to work the glass over the next four months, emerging as one of the best defensive rebounders in the entire country -- on a per-possession basis, he grabbed more defensive boards than Cole Aldrich or DeJuan Blair. Brenton's scoring contributions, however, aren't quite where they need to be. With Mr. Efficiency, Demetrius Young, gone to graduation, Stony Brook needs Brenton to up his production and become a complete player instead of just a rebounding savant.Biggest strength: Forcing turnovers. Brenton is an outstanding defensive rebounder, but Stony Brook was only third in defensive rebounding percentage among AE teams. More impressive is the Seawolves' ability to force turnovers. Stony Brook forced turnovers on 23.4 percent of opponents' possessions last year, ranking just outside the nation's top 25 teams. No other AE team ranked among the top 50. Marques Cox was the team's best thief, but while Cox was lost to graduation, there are several other players on the roster with active hands. The Seawolves' success last year was overwhelmingly due to their defense; if that strength remains intact, Stony Brook should be competitive in even its toughest games.
Biggest weakness: Interior scoring. Demetrius Young was far and away the Seawolves' most efficient offensive player last year. Young scored 9.2 points per game, many on easy layups and uncontested dunks, while converting almost 65 percent of his shot attempts. Despite having an incredibly efficient interior scorer, Stony Brook still made just 43.7 percent of its two-point attempts, ranking 306th out of 344 Division-I teams -- and now Young is gone. The Stony Brook frontcourt has its strengths, rebounding chief among them, but an inability to get points from shots near the rim threatens to render the Seawolves' offense one-dimensional. Unless incoming freshmen, Preye Preboye chief among them, can make an immediate impact at the offensive end, it's hard to see how this weakness will be remedied.
Guards: Muhammad El-Amin took a month to assert himself as the Seawolves' go-to player on offense, and consistent starts didn't arrive until after Christmas. As time progressed, however, it became increasingly clear that El-Amin was Stony Brook's best perimeter option. The senior guard has excellent accuracy from beyond the arc, hitting more than 38 percent of his shots from there, but takes the majority of his attempts from closer. El-Amin also gets to the free throw line regularly, where he connects more than 80 percent of the time. The junior college transfer ended every conference game with double figures in scoring, and a repeat performance wouldn't surprise anyone.
Bryan Dougher received much praise as a freshman, starting every game for the Seawolves, running the point, and eventually winding up on the America East All-Rookie team. One has to wonder how much of that praise is deserved. Dougher scored a lot of points, to be sure -- he finished second on the team in scoring with 11.2 points per game -- but doing so required a lot of shots. Dougher actually shot less than 30 percent from the field during conference play, a rate dragged down by his inability to score from inside the arc. Players rarely qualify for any all-conference team while shooting so poorly, except perhaps the All-Defense team. Dougher displayed shooting ability while in high school, but if his rates don't improve as a sophomore he needs to concentrate more on creating more for others (less than two assists per game last year as the starting point guard) instead of taking -- and missing -- so many shots.
Chris Martin appeared in 27 games for the Seawolves, coming off the bench to provide instant offense. Like Dougher, Martin was plagued by relatively poor shooting. However, Martin's shooting performance was at least passable, and the then-sophomore guard possesses the ability to get to the free throw line with regularity (where he shot just under 74 percent), increasing his effectiveness. Martin was forced to deal with family issues throughout last season, which may have impacted his performance. The value of a high-volume, inefficient scorer is debatable, but no one questions Martin's ability to change a game when his shots find the twine.
Marcus Rouse is one of three new guards on this year's Seawolves squad. He profiles as a combo guard at this level -- while he is neither a natural point guard nor a natural off-guard, he is capable of logging minutes at either position. Head coach Steve Pikiell cited Rouse's defense when he committed to Stony Brook in the early period. As a combo guard, Rouse was noted for his shooting -- he was the top scorer for a DeMatha High School team that was ranked among the top 25 high school teams in the nation. Rouse should see immediate minutes.
Leonard Hayes arrives on Long Island as a 6-foot-4 wing capable of playing the two or three. Hayes reportedly brings a well-developed offensive game with him to Stony Brook. The Seawolves lack a second scorer capable of playing the wing, so Hayes' ability to create his own shot should benefit Stony Brook.
Patrick Dame is a junior college transfer from the Community College of Rhode Island. Dame played very well in community college, scoring more than 17 points per game in 2007-08 while adding more than seven assists per game. The Seawolves have enjoyed recent success identifying junior college players -- El-Amin wound up in Stony Brook by way of Lansing Community College -- but it's difficult to say how well Dame will make the transition.
Two years ago, Eddie Castellanos was averaging nearly 20 minutes per game, and while the results weren't eye-popping, he was at least earning some playing time. Last year, with several new arrivals in the backcourt, Castellanos' playing time significantly decreased. This year shouldn't be any different.
Forwards: In case you missed it, Tommy Brenton is a rebounding machine. Although he isn't a prolific scorer, Brenton does a pretty good job of making the shots he takes -- his eFG% was 52.3 -- and he does virtually everything else at least reasonably well with the exception of shooting free throws. As previously mentioned, Stony Brook needs Brenton to score more. That most likely involves Brenton shooting more, which is probably a good thing, as every additional shot Brenton takes is one less shot taken by one of the Seawolves' several inefficient backcourt scorers.
Dallis Joyner, at 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, has the physical gifts to be an excellent power forward in America East. His best skill is probably his shot-blocking -- he's probably the second-best shot-blocker on the team after Desmond Adedeji, and with a year of experience should only get better. The offensive game, however, isn't quite there yet for Joyner. As a freshman, the forward shot just 41 percent from the field while attempting exclusively twos. That, combined with mediocre rebounding for a player of Joyner's height and build, does not amount to an outstanding player. Still, Joyner's had a pretty good season for his first year, one that would have warranted more attention on teams without two more high-profile freshmen. Improvement on the offensive end should be the goal.
Brenton's rebounding successes are a combination of positioning and relentless effort. In Preye Preboye, Stony Brook may have another player in the same mold. At Winchendon, a prep school in Massachusetts, Preboye regularly went up against taller players and owned the boards. Unlike Brenton, however, Preboye comes with a scorer's reputation, and while he does most of his damage near the rim, he has enough range to take longer jumpers and even 3-point shots. Interior scoring is what Stony Brook needs, so Preboye stands a good chance of starting from day one.
If Preboye doesn't start, the most likely player to find a spot in the starting lineup is Danny Carter. Carter is tall and lean, standing 6-foot-9 but weighing just 210 pounds. Carter shot well from closer range, hitting more than 50 percent of his twos, but was largely ineffective when he attempted shots from farther out. As a freshman Carter showed the ability to score in bunches when given the opportunity -- he dropped 20 in the Seawolves' blowout loss at UConn -- and was also an effective shotblocker in limited minutes. Carter needs to improve his play somewhat in order to deserve a starting role, but he should be at worst the first forward off the bench for Stony Brook.
Eric McAlister took a year at prep school to improve his game, and he did so, emerging as a shot-blocker and rebounder who earned third-team All-State prep honors in New Jersey. Listed at 6-foot-8 and only 200 pounds, McAlister may need to add some muscle in order to reliably man an frontcourt position at this level, but his athleticism should help him make the occasional play while his body fills out.
Andrew Goba is a fifth-year senior. In four years of play he has averaged less than a point per game. Improvement at this stage seems unlikely.
Center: Desmond Adedeji had a rough transition to Stony Brook, in large part due to his DUI arrest. However, when on the court -- which wasn't often -- Adedeji's contributions were hard to ignore. In 125 minutes, Adedeji had 13 blocks. That's more than four per 40 minutes. Adedeji also grabbed 37 rebounds in that timeframe, which is about 12 per 40 minutes. While the 6-foot-10, 305-pound center isn't the poster child for conditioning and may never be capable of giving the Seawolves major minutes, in short spurts he can be very effective.
Outlook: It's difficult to say whether the Seawolves will make a serious run at the conference title this year, but they will most assuredly play very defense. That alone should be enough to separate the Seawolves from teams six through nine in this countdown. Defense was never Stony Brook's problem last year -- offense was the issue. The Seawolves rely on their perimeter players to create offense, and apart from El-Amin, those perimeter players miss too many shots. To be blunt, that's not the basis of any successful offensive strategy. Stony Brook's defense should keep it in virtually any game it plays this season, and defense alone may very well be enough to win several of them no matter how poorly the offense performs, but at some point other players have to start scoring. It's not particularly clear where the additional offense is going to come from, and it's that lack of scoring potential that separates the Seawolves from the remaining three teams.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Post-game Audio: (America East Quarterfinals)
Post-game audio from the University at Albany's 56-52 overtime win against the University of Vermont:
Albany coach Will Brown's opening statement
Brown on finding ways to score despite poor shooting
Brown discusses the loose ball Marqus Blakely lost out of bounds
Tim Ambrose talks about trying to stay loose down the stretch
Will Harris on Albany's confidence heading into the tournament
Mike Johnson credits his coaches for improved free-throw shooting
Johnson talks about his first half and Albany's group dynamic
Check back again later for more audio!
Albany coach Will Brown's opening statement
Brown on finding ways to score despite poor shooting
Brown discusses the loose ball Marqus Blakely lost out of bounds
Tim Ambrose talks about trying to stay loose down the stretch
Will Harris on Albany's confidence heading into the tournament
Mike Johnson credits his coaches for improved free-throw shooting
Johnson talks about his first half and Albany's group dynamic
Check back again later for more audio!
Live Blog: No. 4 University of New Hampshire vs. No. 5 Stony Brook University
Hello and welcome to our final live blog of the evening. The No. 4 University of New Hampshire Wildcats (13-15, 8-8) take on the No. 5 Stony Brook University Seawolves (16-13, 8-8).
Here are the starting lineups:
No. 5 Stony Brook University Seawolves
10 Bryan Dougher
11 Marques Cox
23 Dallis Joyner
24 Tommy Brenton
35 Muhammad El-Amin
No. 4 University of New Hampshire Wildcats
01 Dane DiLiegro
04 Tyrece Gibbs
21 Tyrone Conley
25 Alvin Abreu
32 Radar Onguetou
Final Score: No. 4 University of New Hampshire 76, No. 5 Stony Brook University 73
Leading scorers:
SBU -- Muhammad El-Amin, 23
UNH -- Tyrece Gibbs, 18
Leading rebounders:
SBU -- Tommy Brenton, 8
UNH -- Tyrece Gibbs, 8
Leading assists:
SBU -- Tommy Brenton, 4
UNH -- Tyrone Conley, 6
Friday, March 6, 2009
GAMEDAY: America East Championship, Play-In and Quarterfinals Preview
The weekend that defines the America East Conference is finally here. The tournament kicks off Friday night at 7:05 p.m. between the No. 8 University of Maine and the No. 9 University of Hartford. Then Saturday features eight teams in the most exciting day of the conference's season. One NCAA bid is on the line so without wasting too much of your time, let's get right to the previews.
Friday, March 6:
No. 8 Maine (9-20, 4-12) vs. No. 9 Hartford (6-25, 2-14), 7:05 p.m.
The Hawks are coming off an emotional loss to Boston University in which they came extremely close to ending their dismal 14-game losing streak. While Hartford deserved to win the game, they couldn't make enough plays and/or 3-pointers at the end to pull it out. Maine, on the other hand, lost to Vermont sans Mike Trimboli and is probably playing the worst basketball in the conference. Troy Barnies and Gerald McLemore have been a diamonds in the rough for the Black Bears, but when Mark Socoby's not scoring, it makes things difficult. McLemore could be a difference-maker as the most athletic player on the court in the play-in game, but Hartford's newfound energy could be enough to propel them forward. The winner doesn't get much of a reward, however, as they have to take on top-seeded Binghamton on Saturday. Hartford and Maine split the season series.
Projected starting lineups
Saturday, March 7:
No. 2 Vermont (23-7, 13-3) vs. No. 7 Albany (14-15, 6-10), 12:07 p.m.
Almost all the talk surrounding this game has been centered on Mike Trimboli's mysterious "illness/serious viral infection" and whether or not the first-team senior guard will play on Saturday. According to the Burlington Free Press, he's already returned to practice and made the trip to Albany. It would be a complete shock to see him held out of the lineup, especially in his senior year. How effective he'll be, however, remains to be see. Even if Trimboli doesn't play, UVM still has AE Player of the Year Marqus Blakely and a great supporting cast. The Great Danes are in rough shape as their rookie point guard Anthony Raffa and Louis Barraza will likely miss the game with injuries and not even a home-court advantage can help cure that. With a severe lack of depth and being losers of seven of their last eight -- as well as history (a No. 7 seed has never topped a No. 2 seed in the America East Tournament) -- things aren't looking good for the Danes. One glimmer of hope could be that Albany has beaten UVM this season, 82-77 at Patrick Gymnasium.
Projected Starting Lineups
No. 3 Boston U. (17-12, 11-5) vs. No. 6 UMBC (13-16, 7-9), 2:30 p.m.
*See Gameday post above for detailed information.
No. 1 Binghamton (20-8, 13-3) vs. Winner of No. 8/No. 9 play-in game, 6:07 p.m.
Obviously we won't know who Binghamton's playing until the play-in game is over, but it's a safe bet that the Bearcats will match up well against their opponent. Binghamton is the most athletic team in the conference and is on an eight-game winning streak (though some have been by the thinnest of margins) entering the tournament. We'll have more info on this matchup once it's determined.
(Edit: Hartford, by virtue of winning the play-in game, has advanced to the quarterfinals and will be Binghamton's opponent. The Hawks will have to improve on their regular season results against the Bearcats (two losses by seven and 18 points, respectively) while dealing with the effects of playing on short rest with a relatively short bench. Hartford's victory puts the Hawks on their first winning streak since mid-January and nine of the Bearcats' 13 conference wins were by single digits, so don't be surprised if this one stays close.)
Projected Starting Lineup
No. 4 New Hampshire (13-15, 8-8) vs. No. 5 Stony Brook (16-13, 8-8), 8:30 p.m.
These two teams faced each other in a thriller at the end of the season with UNH capturing the higher seed on the strength of a 58-57 overtime victory. The Wildcats have beaten the Seawolves twice this season and have won four of their last five games, with the one loss coming to Binghamton by one point in overtime. The Seawolves have been one of the most surprising teams in the conference given their youth and inexperience, but with Tommy Brenton (second in the conference in rebounding) and Muhammad El-Amin does the bulk of the scoring. SBU presents a nice balanced scoring attack and is the best defensive team in the conference. If, however, the Wildcats begin to light it up from beyond the arc -- combined with the in-game coaching of Bill Herrion -- the Wildcats could move on. Given the matchup and the fact they just played one another, this game could turn into a first-round gem.
Projected Starting Lineups
Friday, March 6:
No. 8 Maine (9-20, 4-12) vs. No. 9 Hartford (6-25, 2-14), 7:05 p.m.
The Hawks are coming off an emotional loss to Boston University in which they came extremely close to ending their dismal 14-game losing streak. While Hartford deserved to win the game, they couldn't make enough plays and/or 3-pointers at the end to pull it out. Maine, on the other hand, lost to Vermont sans Mike Trimboli and is probably playing the worst basketball in the conference. Troy Barnies and Gerald McLemore have been a diamonds in the rough for the Black Bears, but when Mark Socoby's not scoring, it makes things difficult. McLemore could be a difference-maker as the most athletic player on the court in the play-in game, but Hartford's newfound energy could be enough to propel them forward. The winner doesn't get much of a reward, however, as they have to take on top-seeded Binghamton on Saturday. Hartford and Maine split the season series.
Projected starting lineups
Saturday, March 7:
No. 2 Vermont (23-7, 13-3) vs. No. 7 Albany (14-15, 6-10), 12:07 p.m.
Almost all the talk surrounding this game has been centered on Mike Trimboli's mysterious "illness/serious viral infection" and whether or not the first-team senior guard will play on Saturday. According to the Burlington Free Press, he's already returned to practice and made the trip to Albany. It would be a complete shock to see him held out of the lineup, especially in his senior year. How effective he'll be, however, remains to be see. Even if Trimboli doesn't play, UVM still has AE Player of the Year Marqus Blakely and a great supporting cast. The Great Danes are in rough shape as their rookie point guard Anthony Raffa and Louis Barraza will likely miss the game with injuries and not even a home-court advantage can help cure that. With a severe lack of depth and being losers of seven of their last eight -- as well as history (a No. 7 seed has never topped a No. 2 seed in the America East Tournament) -- things aren't looking good for the Danes. One glimmer of hope could be that Albany has beaten UVM this season, 82-77 at Patrick Gymnasium.
Projected Starting Lineups
No. 3 Boston U. (17-12, 11-5) vs. No. 6 UMBC (13-16, 7-9), 2:30 p.m.
*See Gameday post above for detailed information.
No. 1 Binghamton (20-8, 13-3) vs. Winner of No. 8/No. 9 play-in game, 6:07 p.m.
Obviously we won't know who Binghamton's playing until the play-in game is over, but it's a safe bet that the Bearcats will match up well against their opponent. Binghamton is the most athletic team in the conference and is on an eight-game winning streak (though some have been by the thinnest of margins) entering the tournament. We'll have more info on this matchup once it's determined.
(Edit: Hartford, by virtue of winning the play-in game, has advanced to the quarterfinals and will be Binghamton's opponent. The Hawks will have to improve on their regular season results against the Bearcats (two losses by seven and 18 points, respectively) while dealing with the effects of playing on short rest with a relatively short bench. Hartford's victory puts the Hawks on their first winning streak since mid-January and nine of the Bearcats' 13 conference wins were by single digits, so don't be surprised if this one stays close.)
Projected Starting Lineup
No. 4 New Hampshire (13-15, 8-8) vs. No. 5 Stony Brook (16-13, 8-8), 8:30 p.m.
These two teams faced each other in a thriller at the end of the season with UNH capturing the higher seed on the strength of a 58-57 overtime victory. The Wildcats have beaten the Seawolves twice this season and have won four of their last five games, with the one loss coming to Binghamton by one point in overtime. The Seawolves have been one of the most surprising teams in the conference given their youth and inexperience, but with Tommy Brenton (second in the conference in rebounding) and Muhammad El-Amin does the bulk of the scoring. SBU presents a nice balanced scoring attack and is the best defensive team in the conference. If, however, the Wildcats begin to light it up from beyond the arc -- combined with the in-game coaching of Bill Herrion -- the Wildcats could move on. Given the matchup and the fact they just played one another, this game could turn into a first-round gem.
Projected Starting Lineups
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Day After: (Stony Brook 66, BU 54)
From the second he stepped on the court as a freshman, Corey Lowe has started 74-of-76 games (with the two exceptions coming last season) and boasts a career average of 34.1 minutes per game. He's been the unquestioned face of the program over the past three seasons and one of the most exciting players in BU history, as he's already taken over the top spot for most 3-pointers made in a career and is 11th on the all-time list in points scored.
Wednesday night against Stony Brook University, he played a season-low 11 minutes. It appeared as though Lowe (17.5 points per game) was being held on the bench by BU coach Dennis Wolff to avoid picking up his fourth personal foul, but it soon became apparent Wolff wasn't going to send his starting point guard back out, saying "we went with the guys who I thought would give us the best chance to win."
While the Terriers did manage to cut into the Seawolves' 15-point lead and pull within one without Lowe on the floor, there's no doubt he would have helped BU's winning effort. It's the second time this season Wolff has made the decision to bench a healthy Lowe, while the other was disciplinary because he picked up two technical fouls in the same game against Holy Cross.
Granted Lowe's had his bouts of mild controversy before (missing two games freshman year, the technicals this season, etc.), but one would be hard-pressed to believe the Newton native could have done something so drastic in the first half of the loss to Stony Brook to warrant his benching for the entire second half. Even if he did something wrong, the benching comes as a surprise because when he and John Holland combined for 17 points in the loss to Binghamton Wolff said postgame that "when Lowe and Holland combine for 17 points, we're not going to win many games." Unless Wolff really needed to send another disciplinary message to Lowe, the decision is significant if that quote supports his logic, given that the mission of any team this time of year is to be playing as a cohesive unit and on top of their game come tourney time.
On the heels of being benched against Albany, Lowe turned around and soon helped propel the Terriers to an eight-game winning streak, playing the best basketball of his career. In order to gain enough confidence as a team in the three games remaining before the tournament, Lowe (presuming he will be awarded his regular amount of playing time as Wolff said he would following the SBU loss) will need to return to his high-level of play that carried BU through its best stretch of basketball since 2005.
Pros:
-- Second-half comeback: As unusual as the benching of Lowe was, the fact that the Terriers were able to come back without him on the floor bodes well for the future when he may actually have to sit out for foul trouble.
-- Matt Wolff's performance: Wolff grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and dished out seven assists to make up for his poor showing (and benching the game before) as well as Lowe's absence (assist-wise).
Cons:
-- Post-presence in the first half: The Terriers didn't make much of an effort to get the ball inside in the first half and it was a large reason why they were down big at the half. To the coaching staff and players' credit, the forwards did a much better job inside in the second half.
-- Slow start: It seems as though an all-too common theme this season has been a slow start to the game. Always having to come back is no way to play basketball, especially on what have to be tired legs with all four starters averaging over 30 minutes per game. Whether it's in the way the players practice, the way the coaching staff prepares the team or a combination of both, one slow start in the tournament could be all it takes to dash BU's title hopes.
Links:
Terriers lose to SBU; Lowe benched
Time to panic?
Wednesday night against Stony Brook University, he played a season-low 11 minutes. It appeared as though Lowe (17.5 points per game) was being held on the bench by BU coach Dennis Wolff to avoid picking up his fourth personal foul, but it soon became apparent Wolff wasn't going to send his starting point guard back out, saying "we went with the guys who I thought would give us the best chance to win."
While the Terriers did manage to cut into the Seawolves' 15-point lead and pull within one without Lowe on the floor, there's no doubt he would have helped BU's winning effort. It's the second time this season Wolff has made the decision to bench a healthy Lowe, while the other was disciplinary because he picked up two technical fouls in the same game against Holy Cross.
Granted Lowe's had his bouts of mild controversy before (missing two games freshman year, the technicals this season, etc.), but one would be hard-pressed to believe the Newton native could have done something so drastic in the first half of the loss to Stony Brook to warrant his benching for the entire second half. Even if he did something wrong, the benching comes as a surprise because when he and John Holland combined for 17 points in the loss to Binghamton Wolff said postgame that "when Lowe and Holland combine for 17 points, we're not going to win many games." Unless Wolff really needed to send another disciplinary message to Lowe, the decision is significant if that quote supports his logic, given that the mission of any team this time of year is to be playing as a cohesive unit and on top of their game come tourney time.
On the heels of being benched against Albany, Lowe turned around and soon helped propel the Terriers to an eight-game winning streak, playing the best basketball of his career. In order to gain enough confidence as a team in the three games remaining before the tournament, Lowe (presuming he will be awarded his regular amount of playing time as Wolff said he would following the SBU loss) will need to return to his high-level of play that carried BU through its best stretch of basketball since 2005.
Pros:
-- Second-half comeback: As unusual as the benching of Lowe was, the fact that the Terriers were able to come back without him on the floor bodes well for the future when he may actually have to sit out for foul trouble.
-- Matt Wolff's performance: Wolff grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and dished out seven assists to make up for his poor showing (and benching the game before) as well as Lowe's absence (assist-wise).
Cons:
-- Post-presence in the first half: The Terriers didn't make much of an effort to get the ball inside in the first half and it was a large reason why they were down big at the half. To the coaching staff and players' credit, the forwards did a much better job inside in the second half.
-- Slow start: It seems as though an all-too common theme this season has been a slow start to the game. Always having to come back is no way to play basketball, especially on what have to be tired legs with all four starters averaging over 30 minutes per game. Whether it's in the way the players practice, the way the coaching staff prepares the team or a combination of both, one slow start in the tournament could be all it takes to dash BU's title hopes.
Links:
Terriers lose to SBU; Lowe benched
Time to panic?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
GAMEDAY: Boston University vs. Stony Brook University
Last night win by the University of Vermont has officially locked the Terriers out of first place and made a second-place finish significantly harder for BU to obtain. All but locked into third place, BU can focus on reversing its two-game slide.While the Stony Brook Seawolves aren't capable of catching the Terriers in the standings, they are more than capable of beating BU. Anyone doubting the accuracy of that statement should refer to the teams' first meeting this year, a four-overtime duel which Stony Brook nearly won.
Corey Lowe and John Holland totaled just 17 points in Saturday's 60-59 loss to Binghamton. Last time out against Stony Brook, the Terrier stars combined for 62. Tonight's figure should lie somewhere between those two values -- not exactly going out on a limb here -- but perhaps more important is how those points are attained. BU can survive another six-point outing from Lowe, but not if those six points require 15 shot attempts plus missed free throws.
Given the Terriers' dependence on Lowe for scoring output, 15 or more shot attempts is likely if not guaranteed, so if the shot distribution is anywhere near typical, the Terriers will be looking for double digits from their star guard.The Seawolves have built a solid defense based on advantages in rebounding and turnover rates. Stony Brook ranks just outside the top ten percent nationally in defensive turnover rate (23.5%) and is also in the top 20 percent nationally in defensive rebounding percentage (69.8%). The Seawolves' primary defensive weakness is contesting shots from inside the arc: opponents have made nearly 51 percent of their two-point attempts this season. Scott Brittain has been productive as of late and should be able to contribute tonight.
Links:
M. hoops travels to Stony Brook tonight
Projected starting lineups:
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Day After: (BU 99, Stony Brook 97, 4 OT's)
Remember how the Boise State-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl was so bone-chillingly exciting that it made it onto ESPN Classic the very next day as an "Instant Classic"? Well, had the Terriers been on any sort of television station, their game against Stony Brook University yesterday afternoon could very well have ended up on that network give how thrilling the game was.
Not only was BU able to prevail in a close game (something this junior class is notorious for not being able to do) but the contest featured a number of exceptional individual performances -- John Holland's career-high in 3's and 60 minutes played, Corey Lowe's dominant take-over of the second half and overtimes, Chris Martin's sheer willpower and fight to keep his team in the game, Tommy Brenton's SBU record-setting 17 rebounds. All of those, mixed with a number of memorable plays including: Muhammad El-Amin's game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer, Scott Brittain's brilliant spinning post move just before that, Jake O'Brien's 3-pointer in the second overtime to give the Terriers hope, Lowe's length-of-the-court drive to tie the game, made it one of the more memorable experiences at The Roof in quite some time.
Sure, we could sit here and analyze how brilliant individual performances were, and don't get me wrong, I'm not taking any credit away from any individual, but aside from the small shooting percentage disparity, the stats were nearly identical. Rather, what the 500+ fans and reporters witnessed in Monday's quadruple overtime thriller was (though BU coach Dennis Wolff refused to acknowledge anything of the sort) a big step for the Terriers and one that showed they do possess the heart, grit and determination to win at all costs -- in the face of tough shots, untimely mistakes and four frickin' overtimes.
The win was a big step not only because they accomplished the feat with a short bench (Holland played a school record 60 minutes and both O'Brien and Lowe played 56), but because after giving up an 11-point second half lead or going down by five points with less than a minute to go in the second overtime, this team might have folded in the past. But not yesterday. Yesterday Wolff expressed how proud he was of his team for the effort they gave and in a virtual 180-degree turn from the efforts they put forth against Cornell and Holy Cross, BU was the team with enough will and determination to get the job done. Never have I seen, or many people there probably seen, such desire and passion from two teams for that long a period as even the first half was played at a high level (intensity and execution-wise). Usually overtimes are anti-climactic, but each extra session built upon itself right up until the final play where Stony Brook could have (and probably should have) tied it again with a tip-in by Brenton.
If anything, the win finally puts to bed the notion that the Terriers are flat-out unable to close out games. Corey Lowe had the most to do with that during his performance for the ages in the second half and overtimes (scoring all 33 of his points in that time span), but so did the entire team, right down to two of their more important missing pieces in dress clothes at the end of the bench in Tyler Morris and Carlos Strong, who were just as emotionally invested in what was happening as the players on the court.
Both teams deserve an immense amount of credit (not to sound like a coach, but it's true) for being able to find a way to keep playing for 20 extra minutes and continue playing at such a high level. It's not something any of these players have done before in their collegiate careers and it's probably something they'll never do again.
While none of BU's games have seemed to impact the next (take the extremely encouraging loss against Notre Dame which led to a five-game losing streak for example), it will once again be interesting to see how the Terriers respond following one of the most resounding wins in program history.
Pros:
-- John Holland's minutes: Holland, who used to be criticized for a lack of toughness as early as the beginning of this season, certainly toughened-up for this one as he never left the floor. Holland played all 60 minutes of the marathon, a feat he will hold in the BU record books for quite some time (probably all-time) and one that commands an immense amount of respect.
-- Corey Lowe's takeover: Lowe was absolutely dominant after "waking up" in the second half, connecting on half of his field goals (11-of-22), a game-tying layup with four seconds left in the second overtime and a number of fearless drives to the basket.
-- Scott Brittain's move: While it was only one play, and many could be selected, to see such a powerful confident move from the big man at crunch time is something nobody has seen from him much in the past and it's a great sign for BU moving forward.
Cons:
-- Jeff Pelage's missed dunk: Pelage had a great game and continues to improve, but the dunk could have given BU some serious momentum. Instead, the miss helped Stony Brook complete their 11-point comeback.
-- Zone rebounding: This really shouldn't be here as anything to criticize in the third and fourth overtimes should be thrown out the window, but the Terriers did have some trouble rebounding out of the zone, which forced Wolff to use a man-to-man defense later in the game.
Links:
ESPN Radio Interview with Dennis Wolff
BU-Stony Brook was an extra special game (Bob Ryan)
Gone in 60 minutes
BU wins in fourth overtime
Stony Brook falls in 4OT's to BU
Not only was BU able to prevail in a close game (something this junior class is notorious for not being able to do) but the contest featured a number of exceptional individual performances -- John Holland's career-high in 3's and 60 minutes played, Corey Lowe's dominant take-over of the second half and overtimes, Chris Martin's sheer willpower and fight to keep his team in the game, Tommy Brenton's SBU record-setting 17 rebounds. All of those, mixed with a number of memorable plays including: Muhammad El-Amin's game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer, Scott Brittain's brilliant spinning post move just before that, Jake O'Brien's 3-pointer in the second overtime to give the Terriers hope, Lowe's length-of-the-court drive to tie the game, made it one of the more memorable experiences at The Roof in quite some time.
Sure, we could sit here and analyze how brilliant individual performances were, and don't get me wrong, I'm not taking any credit away from any individual, but aside from the small shooting percentage disparity, the stats were nearly identical. Rather, what the 500+ fans and reporters witnessed in Monday's quadruple overtime thriller was (though BU coach Dennis Wolff refused to acknowledge anything of the sort) a big step for the Terriers and one that showed they do possess the heart, grit and determination to win at all costs -- in the face of tough shots, untimely mistakes and four frickin' overtimes.
The win was a big step not only because they accomplished the feat with a short bench (Holland played a school record 60 minutes and both O'Brien and Lowe played 56), but because after giving up an 11-point second half lead or going down by five points with less than a minute to go in the second overtime, this team might have folded in the past. But not yesterday. Yesterday Wolff expressed how proud he was of his team for the effort they gave and in a virtual 180-degree turn from the efforts they put forth against Cornell and Holy Cross, BU was the team with enough will and determination to get the job done. Never have I seen, or many people there probably seen, such desire and passion from two teams for that long a period as even the first half was played at a high level (intensity and execution-wise). Usually overtimes are anti-climactic, but each extra session built upon itself right up until the final play where Stony Brook could have (and probably should have) tied it again with a tip-in by Brenton.
If anything, the win finally puts to bed the notion that the Terriers are flat-out unable to close out games. Corey Lowe had the most to do with that during his performance for the ages in the second half and overtimes (scoring all 33 of his points in that time span), but so did the entire team, right down to two of their more important missing pieces in dress clothes at the end of the bench in Tyler Morris and Carlos Strong, who were just as emotionally invested in what was happening as the players on the court.
Both teams deserve an immense amount of credit (not to sound like a coach, but it's true) for being able to find a way to keep playing for 20 extra minutes and continue playing at such a high level. It's not something any of these players have done before in their collegiate careers and it's probably something they'll never do again.
While none of BU's games have seemed to impact the next (take the extremely encouraging loss against Notre Dame which led to a five-game losing streak for example), it will once again be interesting to see how the Terriers respond following one of the most resounding wins in program history.
Pros:
-- John Holland's minutes: Holland, who used to be criticized for a lack of toughness as early as the beginning of this season, certainly toughened-up for this one as he never left the floor. Holland played all 60 minutes of the marathon, a feat he will hold in the BU record books for quite some time (probably all-time) and one that commands an immense amount of respect.
-- Corey Lowe's takeover: Lowe was absolutely dominant after "waking up" in the second half, connecting on half of his field goals (11-of-22), a game-tying layup with four seconds left in the second overtime and a number of fearless drives to the basket.
-- Scott Brittain's move: While it was only one play, and many could be selected, to see such a powerful confident move from the big man at crunch time is something nobody has seen from him much in the past and it's a great sign for BU moving forward.
Cons:
-- Jeff Pelage's missed dunk: Pelage had a great game and continues to improve, but the dunk could have given BU some serious momentum. Instead, the miss helped Stony Brook complete their 11-point comeback.
-- Zone rebounding: This really shouldn't be here as anything to criticize in the third and fourth overtimes should be thrown out the window, but the Terriers did have some trouble rebounding out of the zone, which forced Wolff to use a man-to-man defense later in the game.
Links:
ESPN Radio Interview with Dennis Wolff
BU-Stony Brook was an extra special game (Bob Ryan)
Gone in 60 minutes
BU wins in fourth overtime
Stony Brook falls in 4OT's to BU
Monday, January 19, 2009
Post-game Audio & Photos (BU 99, Stony Brook 97, 4 OT's)
Audio from Boston University's historic 99-97 quadruple overtime win against Stony Brook.
BU coach Dennis Wolff's opening statement
John Holland talks about playing a BU record 60 minutes
Holland and Wolff review the ups-and-down of the marathon
Corey Lowe discusses the reason for his slow start to the game
Lowe looks back on how he changed his approach in the second half
Wolff analyzes BU's play at home and on the road
SBU coach Steve Pikiell's opening statement
Pikiell is extremely confident in his rookie players
Pikiell talks about how the program's progressed
Live Blog: Stony Brook University vs. Boston University
This afternoon's game between the Stony Brook University Seawolves (9-8, 1-3) and the Boston University Terriers (7-9, 2-2) tips off at 3:00 p.m.
Here are the starting lineups:
Stony Brook University Seawolves
10 G Bryan Dougher
11 G Marques Cox
35 G Muhammad El-Amin
23 F Dallis Joyner
24 F Tommy Brenton
Boston University Terriers
02 F Matt Wolff
13 G Corey Lowe
21 F Jake O'Brien
23 F John Holland
31 F Scott Brittain
Final Score: Boston University 99, Stony Brook University 97 (Four OT's)
Leading scorers:
SBU -- Chris Martin, 26
BU -- Corey Lowe, 33
Leading rebounders:
SBU --Tommy Brenton, 17
BU -- Scott Brittain, 9
Leading assists:
SBU -- Chris Martin, 4
BU -- Corey Lowe, 7
GAMEDAY: Stony Brook University vs. Boston University
Any year but this, a game at home against Stony Brook would be very easy to predict. The Seawolves have never won at Case Gymnasium since they joined America East, going 0-7 at The Roof since the 2000-01 season. In fact, the Terriers have had SBU's number in all meetings, holding a 12-3 record against them all-time. This year, however, Stony Brook is vastly improved and at 9-8, they've opened some eyes around the conference.That eye-opening didn't transfer to conference play, though, as Stony Brook has stumbled out of the gate to a 1-3 record. They defeated Maryland-Baltimore County to start their AE slate, but then dropped contests to Binghamton, Maine and Vermont (with a win against Dartmouth thrown in the middle to disrupt a would-be losing streak) to set them up for this afternoon's matchup.
Led by junior guard Muhammad El-Amin, who takes 34.7 percent of the Seawolves' shots (a mark that ranks 19th in the nation), the Seawolves can score in a number of ways -- much different than t
he days when Ricky "do it all for us" Lucas played for coach Steve Pikell. El-Amin is averaging 14.2 points per game and has strung together seven games of double-figure scoring entering today. Complimenting the junior are a pair of freshman who've been very active for SBU -- Bryan Dougher and Tommy Brenton. Dougher is averaging 11.8 points per game while Brenton is a double-double machine as he's already got four this season and leads the team in rebounding (7.8 rebounds per game, 7.3 points per game).Given BU's increased interior attack, it will be interesting to see how the Terriers handle Brenton on both ends of the floor. If BU rebounds out of the zone as well as they did against Binghamton (heck, if they do a lot of things as well as they did against Binghamton) they'll be in good shape. Again, the player to watch for the Terriers will be John Holland, who's been lighting teams up lately with 97 points in four conference games. If BU wins this afternoon (in a game that was switched from 7:00 p.m. to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. ceremonies), they'll be above .500 in conference play for the first time all season and it will be their first winning streak since they won three-straight from November 18-25.
Projected starting lineups:
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