Live Blog: University of Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers vs. Boston University Terriers

Starting lineups:
University of Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers
F Adrian Satchell
F Matt Spadafora
F Jake Wasco
G Chris De La Rosa
G Chauncey Gilliam

Boston University Terriers
F Jake O'Brien
F John Holland
C Jeff Pelage
G Corey Lowe
G Carlos Strong

Final score: BU 75, UMBC 63

Team leaders:
Points
UMBC: Chris De La Rosa and Chauncey Gilliam, 13
BU: John Holland, 25

Rebounds
UMBC: Jake Wasco, 13
BU: John Holland, 10

Assists
UMBC: Chris De La Rosa, Matt Spadafora and Jake Wasco, 2
BU: Carlos Strong, 5

Links:
Men's basketball pulls to .500 with win over UMBC
"Big Three" live up to name with combined 65 points

Nine Teams, Nine Days: UMBC

Last season: 15-17 (7-9 America East), lost to America East championship game to Binghamton.

Head coach: Randy Monroe, five seasons, 72-82 record (37-43 AE).

Departing players: Rodney Adkins, Brett Burrier, Rich Flemming, Jay Greene, Frank McKnight, Darryl Proctor, Marcos Tamares.

Incoming players: Chris De La Rosa, Shawn Grant, Nick Groce, Robbie Jackson, Brian Neller, Adrian Satchell, Jamar Wertz.

Expected starting lineup (position, name, year, 2008-09 stats):
G Chris De La Rosa, sophomore, 2.5 PPG, 1.5 APG, 0.6 SPG (Siena 2007-08)
G Jamar Wertz, freshman, no previous college experience
G/F Matt Spadafora, senior, 8.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.5 APG
F Adrian Satchell, freshman, no previous college experience
C Robbie Jackson, junior, 2.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.2 BPG (Marshall 2007-08)

Player to watch: Chauncey Gilliam. Gilliam impressed as a freshman last year, drawing strong consideration for the America East All-Rookie team due to his efficient scoring output -- nearly 11 points per game with a 55.4 eFG% -- and obvious potential. With Darryl Proctor and Jay Greene no longer on the team, UMBC's competitive hopes for this season were placed squarely on Gilliam's shoulders before the sophomore forward was declared academically ineligible for the fall semester. Assuming everything goes according to plan, Gilliam will be back in time for conference play, but his teammates will have spent the better part of two months competing without him on the court. The longer it takes Gilliam and his teammates to establish a comfort level upon his return, the less success the Retrievers will have in conference play.

Biggest strength: Depth. It sounds strange to tout the depth of a team that lost its two star players and whose two most returning contributors, Gilliam and Justin Fry, will be unavailable for the first half of the season -- Fry is recovering from knee surgery -- but this is a strength in a relative sense. The past two Retriever teams have sported an extremely short rotation, rarely distributing playing time among more than six or seven players. With Gilliam and Fry out for a couple of months, there is no way to gradually ease the freshmen into supporting roles -- they will gain experience, and gain it quickly. There will be growing pains, but the freshmen who play well will have the opportunity to gain head coach Randy Monroe's trust and continue to play rotation minutes even after Gilliam and Fry return.

Biggest weakness: Pressure defense. Inexperience is the obvious weakness, but UMBC still returns three of its five starters from last year (Gilliam, Fry, and Spadafora) and has a couple of transfers with Division-I backgrounds. Pressure defense encompasses both preventing shot opportunities by forcing turnovers and contesting attempted shots. The Retrievers were poor in both categories last year. It's nearly impossible to play adequate defense when opponents are taking lots of high-percentage shots; with UMBC's only quality defensive rebounder from last year now playing overseas, the Retrievers need to do a better job of harassing the opposing offense or else risk fighting an uphill battle game after game.

Offseason: Last year's UMBC team was a sequel nobody wanted to watch, with remnants of the previous year's championship squad struggling to hold on to the things that made it great. Jay Greene and Darryl Proctor were a two-man wrecking crew, but other than Chauncey Gilliam the Retrievers' pair of stars didn't have much help. When either player was off his game, the results reflected UMBC's lack of depth, and the team's overreliance on Jay Greene was made most evident when the diminutive point guard was unavailable for a trip to Vermont. The Catamounts romped to a 76-42 victory in what would be one of the most lopsided results in America East for 2008-09.

For better or for worse, UMBC is in search of a new identity. Chauncey Gilliam is the most likely candidate to emerge as a star, but for the next two months a host of unfamiliar faces will work to establish themselves and get the Retriever program pointed in the right direction. Regardless of how the upcoming season unfolds, rest assured that this year's UMBC team will be significantly different than previous iterations.

Guards: Chauncey Gilliam enters the season as the best player on UMBC's roster more or less by default. Gilliam is likely to see a large increase in his workload this season -- his 19.4 %Shots (percentage of shots taken) was dwarfed by Proctor's 31.0 -- but has proven himself to be an efficient scorer who can accumulate points in a variety of ways. The 6-foot-5 wing has range extending beyond the arc, but often opts to use his size and strength to force his way to the basket. Proctor's departure will require Gilliam to shoulder more of the rebounding load, and opponents increased focus on Gilliam will force him to create opportunities for others, but there's no reason not to expect continued progression in the sophomore's game.

Gilliam's size allows him to play either two-guard or small forward; the Retrievers' other interchangeable part at those positions is Matt Spadafora. Spadafora, like Gilliam, measures 6-foot-5, but the 195-pound senior is leaner in build and less capable of imposing his will on defenders. Spadafora's inability to reliably create his own shot was evident last year, as a moderate increase in usage -- his %Shots jumped from 13.7 in 2007-08 to 16.2 in 2008-09 -- and increased defensive focus on the then-junior led to a substantial drop in shooting efficiency. Spadafora's eFG% as a sophomore was an impressive 52.8; as a junior, it was an anemic 39.8. While Spadafora is adequate in most areas, the Retrievers need a major infusion of offense in order to replace Proctor and Greene's production; barring an unforseen improvement in efficiency, Spadafora is not equipped to provide 12-15 points per game, so the offense will have to come from somewhere else.

Replacing Jay Greene at point guard will be two of the Retrievers' several new faces -- one a transfer, the other a freshman. Chris De La Rosa played sparingly as a freshman for Siena in 2007-08, averaging a bucket and change in just under 10 minutes per game, with a career-high 10 points at home versus Canisius. De La Rosa displayed court vision and creativity while a Saint, posting a assist-to-turnover ratio (A/TO) of 1.7 and averaging more than six assists per 40 minutes. The sophomore guard stands just 5-foot-10 and will have trouble contesting shots against taller players but has good lateral quickness and a nose for the ball on defense. De La Rosa also uses his agility on offense to get past his defender or create space to get off a mid-range jumper. While the Retrievers will miss Greene's range and on-court leadership at times, De La Rosa should be a capable point guard from day one.

Competing with De La Rosa for playing time is Nick Groce. Groce, a freshman, is not an athlete of De La Rosa's caliber but was noted for his intelligent play while in high school and has effective range extending to the 3-point line. The 5-foot-11 freshman has enough length to partially compensate for his lack of height, but UMBC will still have trouble matching up against teams with two taller guards. Even more so than De La Rosa, Groce is a "pass-first" point guard, but both will need to shoot fairly consistently while Gilliam is ineligible. De La Rosa's previous collegiate experience should give him the starting nod, but expect Groce to get substantial minutes throughout the season.

Gilliam's absence, coupled with UMBC's lack of a true combo guard, leaves the offense lacking in perimeter shooting. Of the potential replacements for Gilliam, Jamar Wertz is the best fit. While the freshman's 6-foot-4 frame has yet to fill out, Wertz displayed plenty of athleticism and scoring ability in high school, hitting the 3 in transition and draining baskets from a variety of locations on the floor. Wertz is not a polished defender and, like many of the more athletic wings in America East, will most likely take sme time to get acclimated with defensive schemes on the Division-I level. Still, with two playmaking point guards on the roster and a lack of perimeter shooting expected from Spadafora and De La Rosa, Wertz should be a natural fit as Gilliam's replacement for the first half of the season.

Challenging Wertz for a starting role will be two other freshman guards, Shawn Grant and Brian Neller. Grant was a late addition to UMBC's recruiting class -- he didn't commit until this past August. The 6-foot-4 swingman improved as a perimeter shooter over the course of his senior year but is more adept from mid-range. Grant is also a capable rebounder for a player of his height; with Proctor gone, the Retrievers will need rebounding help from every position on the floor.

Neller arrives as perhaps the best 3-point shooter on the entire UMBC roster. His shooting ability alone will be enough to earn him playing time, as shooters of Neller's caliber frequently end up at schools above America East's level. However, Neller is in all likelihood the least athletic of UMBC's incoming guards, and with Spadafora also an adequate athlete at best, the Retrievers will be at a defensive disadvantage with Neller on the floor. Pure shooters are a valuable commodity, but Neller will have to round out his game if he hopes to start.

Bakari Smith returns as a reserve guard. Smith played sparingly in 2008-09, totaling 12 points and a handful of rebounds and assists in 112 minutes. In both games where Smith saw significant playing time -- 22 minutes in a start at Vermont and 24 minutes at home versus New Hampshire -- he was invisible on the court. Smith may see reserve minutes at either guard position, but considering his inability to earn regular playing time when UMBC was lacking in depth last season, the odds of seeing Smith on the court for substantial stretches are rather low.

Forwards: UMBC has plenty of guards on the roster, but unless Spadafora or Gilliam are categorized as forwards, the Retriever frontcourt is rather thin. The most notable forward on the roster is undoubtedly Justin Fry. Fry has yet to emerge as an offensive presence in his three years at UMBC, posting an Offensive Rating (ORtg) of 91.9 as a junior while tallying just over eight points per game. Nor is Fry a particularly good rebounder or shot blocker: considering he stands 6-foot-9, a DR% of 12.9 and Blk% of 2.8 constitutes the low end of expectations. Fry is a good post defender, and his return will allow the other Retriever forwards to play more aggressively due to added depth, but unlike Gilliam, Fry is not an impact player. Especially in light of his knee issues, don't expect Fry to take over games.

Adrian Satchell arrives in Baltimore via Windsor High School, the original home of former Retriever player and current Retriever coach John Zito. Given UMBC's lack of frontcourt depth to open the season, Satchell will likely start off at power forward, where he will be somewhat undersized at 6-foot-5. Satchell can get to the rim or score from distance and is reputed to be a strong offensive rebounder. Without several players available to spell him, expect Satchell to be allowed to play through his mistakes. By the time Fry is able to return, Monroe should have a good idea of Satchell's effectiveness.

Jake Wasco was pressed into duty as one of the Retrievers' few available reserves last season. While it would be a stretch to say Wasco impressed during his freshman season, he at least managed not to look completely overwhelmed. Wasco fouls far too much (7.3 FC/40) to get significant playing time and was a non-factor on offense (%Shots of 8.9), but these things are to be expected considering Wasco's relative inexperience -- he didn't start in high school until his senior year. Still, the sophomore forward needs to progress enough to provide some value off the bench; otherwise most of his minutes will dry up when Fry returns.

Center: Robbie Jackson arrived via Marshall and immediately qualified as one of the largest players in America East. There's some debate over his size: UMBC's initial press release listed Jackson as 6-foot-11, 260 pounds, but the current roster gives Jackson an additional inch and 30 pounds. Either way, Jackson will be a true center in America East, a rare commodity. Jackson's offensive game revolves around getting to the line -- he shot nearly as many free throws as field goals when at Marshall -- and getting second chance buckets via offensive rebounds. In limited playing time, Jackson was an excellent rebounder at both ends of the floor. Jackson's primary weakness was foul trouble -- his FC/40 was 7.5 in 2007-08 and will have to drop significantly in order to stay on the floor. If Jackson can play under control and log minutes, he has the potential to be a real asset for the Retrievers.

Outlook: Of the nine teams in America East, the Retrievers are by far the hardest to project. As Stony Brook demonstrated last winter, relying heavily on freshmen doesn't exclude a team from being competitive in this conference. The Seawolves, however, played unexpectedly strong defense from the outset, limited their mistakes, and had an unusually productive freshman class. While it's fair to expect some of the Retrievers' newcomers to make significant contributions early on, Stony Brook's success last season was surprising for a reason. It's rare to see a large group of freshmen find success so quickly. There's enough returning talent, provided Gilliam and Fry are available for conference play, for UMBC to avoid the cellar, but expecting the Retrievers' several additions to close the gap between UMBC and the top half of the conference is expecting too much. Expect these big dogs to finish sixth once again. Anything higher is unlikely.

The Day After: (No. 6 UMBC 79, No. 3 BU 75, OT)

Boston University men’s basketball coach Dennis Wolff said before the 2009 America East Tournament that he though, unfortunately, his team would be judged on how they performed in the postseason. He threw in the unfortunately qualifier thrown in because, despite what may have seemed like an underachieving regular season given that the Terriers were pegged to finish first in the conference for the second-straight year and ended up in third, Wolff and his players managed to recover from the midseason loss of two of the team’s top five scorers (Tyler Morris and Carlos Strong) and record their first winning campaign in three years. BU’s 17 wins, eight of which came consecutively in one of the best stretches of basketball at BU since the early 2000s, were a success, but the failure to attain an 18th win is, as Wolff said, a bitter disappointment for the program.

Over three years ago, when Corey Lowe, Tyler Morris, Scott Brittain and Sherrod Smith took the court as wide-eyed freshman starters against George Washington University at Agganis Arena (and rookie Carlos Strong scored 19 off the bench) games like Saturday’s were what was on everyone’s mind afterward. The unbridled talent of this collection of players only needed experience to reach another level — a level that many hoped would produce the team’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2002. But after another one of what has been far too many late-game collapses by the Terriers over the last three seasons at the worst-possible time, those visions remain on the horizon. Lowe delivered a career-defining performance only to see it matched by Darryl Proctor’s 33 points and No. 6 UMBC’s 79-75 overtime victory.

For the first time in two seasons, the Terriers were ousted in the first round. And in a year in which so much history was made — the 100th season of BU basketball, Lowe’s 1,000th point, the program’s 1,000th win, the 200th win at Case Gymnasium, John Holland’s 543-point season, Lowe’s shattering of the all-time 3-point record — the ultimate symbol of a school’s immediate and historical success proved unattainable. Similar to his performance against Hartford, Holland appeared in-and-out of the contest. He was unstoppable at times, especially when he hit back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the second half and at others was relegated to a virtual non-factor player on the court. The same could be said about Rookie of the Year Jake O’Brien, who scored a career-high 25 points against defending champion UMBC at the RAC in late February, but was never really able to find his stroke.

Ultimately, it was Wolff’s necessary divergence from his gameplan and Proctor’s amazing effort — UMBC coach Randy Monroe called him a “willer” because he’s willed the Retrievers to victory so many times in the two years he’s played for them — that did the Terriers in. Wolff planned on pounding the ball in the post, but given how ineffective the forwards looked, that strategy quickly went by the wayside. With the offense not running through the post (as it had the majority of the time once BU lost Morris and Strong) the Terriers were a bit out of their element and if it weren’t for Lowe’s performance, they would have appeared completely out of sync.

It was the final game of Matt Wolff, Marques Johnson and Sam Tully’s careers. Next season will provide a much longer list of seniors in this paragraph, and the defeat for this talented team would be no less devastating.

UMBC will play top-seeded Binghamton at the Events Center on Saturday to decide who will get the conference’s automatic bid. The game is at 11:00 a.m. and can be seen on ESPN2.

Pros:
-- Corey Lowe: Not only did he deliver on the biggest stage of his career, but he slung the Terriers on his back and carried them through the game. After all the ankle injuries (and really, a career full of injuries) he appeared in top form knocking down runners, jumpers, deep treys and contested layups. His emotions at the end of the game told the whole story. Lowe will only have one more chance to play in an NCAA Tournament game. If you thought his effort in Albany was inspired, there’s no telling what fans could be in store for next season in Hartford.
-- Holland’s second half: Holland scoring 20 points is a testament to how effective he can be when he’s completely “in” the game. In the inaudible mumbles he offered after the contest, the only thing that was really English was, “I didn’t do what I was supposed to do,” in regard to his three points in the first half. Holland is an elite offensive superstar when he wants to be; the challenge for Wolff and his assistants is getting him to show that every night. He did for most of the season, but when he doesn’t, it becomes blatantly obvious and really hurts the Terriers.
-- Matt Wolff’s effort: In what ended up being his final game in a BU uniform and being coached by his father, Matt turned in a commendable performance, grabbing nine boards and dishing out six assists. He played all 45 minutes after suffering a concussion six days prior, but showed no ill-effects.

Cons:
-- BU’s forwards: Dennis Wolff is always cautious about calling his players out in a public forum, but following BU’s first-round exit, he showed no hesitation to mention how disappointed he was in the “4 and 5” positions. While he didn’t name names, it was evident that he was unhappy with the effort put forth by Scott Brittain and Jeff Pelage. Brittain has been stuck in Wolff’s dog house all season, constantly being pleaded with to show more aggression on the court and, as Wolff says, play off two feet. He didn’t Saturday. Combined with Pelage’s five turnovers and no assists as well as both Brittain and Jake O’Brien fouling out in regulation, the Terriers’ fate might have been sealed even before Proctor tied the game.
-- Defense of Proctor: Understand that this does not include the final minutes of the game after Brittain and O’Brien fouled out, because the shot Proctor made shows why he was a leading candidate for the Player of the Year award. Before that, however, he was scoring at will against BU’s zone and man-to-man, hitting mid-range jumpers and making strong cuts along the baseline.
-- First-round exit: It seems obvious, but this team hadn’t lost in the first round in two seasons. And given that the University at Albany upset UVM in overtime just before BU tipped off, the Terriers’ path to a championship game appearance for the first time since 2002-03 looked bright. It wasn’t to be, however, and BU will have an entire offseason to think about the loss and prepare for next year.

Links:
Proctor, UMBC knock of Terriers in AE Tourney
Lowe's 33 point effort not enough in crushing loss
BU, UVM knocked out

Live Blog: No. 7 University at Albany vs. No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Hello and welcome to this afternoon's live blog of the first semifinal game of the America East Tournament between the No. 7 University at Albany Great Danes (15-15) and the No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County (14-16).

Here are the starting lineups:

No. 7 University at Albany Great Danes
03 Will Harris
21 Mike Johnson
23 Tim Ambrose
33 Brian Connelly
54 Brett Gifford

No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County
02 Jay Greene
21 Matt Spadafora
23 Chauncey Gilliam
30 Justin Fry
32 Darryl Proctor

Final Score: No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County 64, No. 7 University at Albany 58

Leading scorers:
UA -- Tim Ambrose, 21
UMBC -- Jay Greene, 29

Leading rebounders:
UA -- Brett Gifford, 9
UMBC -- Darryl Proctor, 8

Leading assists:
UA -- Mike Johnson, 6
UMBC -- Jay Greene, 6

GAMEDAY: America East Championship, Semifinals Preview

Five of the America East Championship's eight games are already in the books after the conclusion of an eventful quarterfinal round, but there are still three remaining, including two today. Yesterday determined which teams are truly in position to make a run at the title, but today's games set the stage for next week's ultimate battle. Without further ado, let's get to the matchups.

Sunday, March 8:
No. 6 Maryland-Baltimore County (14-16, 8-9) vs. No. 7 Albany (15-15, 7-10), 2:07 p.m.



Two quarterfinal upset winners meet in the semifinals for an unlikely pairing. Albany burst out of the gates in its quarterfinal matchup but had to survive a serious comeback attempt by Vermont and took 45 minutes before securing the victory. Not to be outdone in the drama department, the Retrievers needed all of Darryl Proctor's 33 points, including a game-tying shot with 2.5 seconds remaining, to force overtime and ultimately defeat Boston University. Two more different teams could not be found. UMBC makes the most of its possessions by relying on its senior leaders for major point production, protects the basketball, and suffers from rebounding woes. The Great Danes, in contrast, are not efficient in the traditional sense on offense but crash the boards to get second chance opportunities for an offense built around a junior and a sophomore. These teams' two previous meetings produced a split, with the home team winning each contest. Albany looks to improve to 11-3 at home, while UMBC is looking for a repeat trip to the finals.

Projected starting lineups:




No. 1 Binghamton (21-8) vs. No. 4 New Hampshire (14-16), 5:07 p.m.



The early game may feature two upset winners, but today's second game matches chalk against chalk. The Bearcats have won nine straight and have a head of steam, but don't be so quick to discount the Wildcats' chances. UNH gave Binghamton a real scare during its visit to Vestal, leading by six with three minutes to go in regulation before the Bearcats managed to sneak away with a one-point overtime win. Nobody in the conference can match Binghamton's speed and athleticism, so New Hampshire will need its shotmakers to create and convert open looks in order to keep pace. No high seeds on the other side of the bracket guarantees this game's winner will host the final.

Projected starting lineups:

Post-game Audio: (UMBC 79, BU 75, OT)

Audio from BU's 79-75 loss to the University of Maryland-Baltimore County:

BU coach Dennis Wolff's opening statement


Wolff was disappointed with BU's interior play


Wolff is looking for more maturity from his team


Wolff praises Corey Lowe's performance in a losing effort


Corey Lowe and Matt Wolff on trying to contain Darryl Proctor


Lowe talks about playing yet another overtime game


Matt Wolff looks back on his career as a Terrier


UMBC coach Randy Monroe's opening statement


Monroe offers plaudits for BU's players


Darryl Proctor on his thoughts before the last shot in regulation


Proctor on not wanting his UMBC career to end


Jay Greene on Proctor's value to the Retrievers

Live Blog: No. 3 Boston University vs. No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Hello and welcome to the live blog of this afternoon's game between the No. 3 Boston University Terriers (17-12, 11-5 AE) and the No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers (13-16, 7-9). Tip-off is set for roughly 2:30, approximately a half hour after the conclusion of the Albany-Vermont game.

Here are the starting lineups:

No. 3 Boston University Terriers
02 Matt Wolff
13 Corey Lowe
21 Jake O'Brien
23 John Holland
31 Scott Brittain

No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers
02 Jay Greene
21 Matt Spadafora
23 Chauncey Gilliam
30 Justin Fry
32 Darryl Proctor

Final Score: No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County 79, No. 3 Boston University 75 (OT)

Leading scorers:
UMBC -- Darryl Proctor, 33
BU -- Corey Lowe, 33

Leading rebounders:
UMBC -- Darryl Proctor, 11
BU -- Matt Wolff, 9

Leading assists:
UMBC -- Jay Greene, 8
BU -- Matt Wolff, 6

GAMEDAY: No. 3 Boston University vs. No. 6 University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Saturday afternoon's game between the sixth-seeded University of Maryland-Baltimore County will mark the first time the two teams have faced each other in the conference tournament and the third time the teams play this season. The Retrievers are the defending America East Champions and they boast two of the most talented players int he conference in senior point guard Jay Greene and senior forward Darryl Proctor -- a daunting task in the first round to say the least.

The biggest focus for the Terriers will be on seizing the momentum of their three-game winning streak and somehow summoning the play of the same BU squad that reeled off eight-straight games in the middle of the season. For BU, the offense revolves around Corey Lowe and John Holland. Often, as Lowe goes, so go the Terriers and he'll need to perform well on the biggest stage of the season if BU has hopes of advancing. Lowe has combined for 37 points against the Retrievers and is beginning to play better basketball after being benched in the second half against Stony Brook. That game was the middle contest of a three-game stretch during which Lowe scored a combined 17 points on 6-of-27 shooting. He burst out of his career-worst shooting slump in BU's final two games of the season, however, and appears back to for just in time for the tournament. Still, he'll need to not only shoot well for the Terriers offense to be effective, but also be an efficient facilitator.

Additionally, John Holland (who scored 25 points against the University at Albany in SEFCU earlier this year without Lowe on the floor and combined for 40 in two games against UMBC) must rebound for a poor showing in last years' tournament, which came to a point when the sophomore forward didn't play in the second half of BU's loss to Hartford. Holland's the most talented scorer on the team and this could be his tournament to impress in given his extreme amount of consistency (18 points per game) scoring the basketball.

Also pivotal to BU's success will be the post players, especially Scott Brittain and Jeff Pelage, who have been accosted all year by the Terriers' coaching staff and have shown flashes of brilliance. Still, with both having eFG percentages of under 50, BU hasn't been as efficient in the post as coach Dennis Wolff would like. Pelage's play of late has been aggressive and powerful and he could be a "secret weapon" of sorts in the tournament as teams probably didn't see this Pelage during the regular season. Brittain's play will be another x-factor as his post efficiency could make the difference if the game is close.

Senior Matt Wolff, after suffering a severe concussion against Hartford last Sunday, began practicing with the Terriers on Wednesday and will play against UMBC. Another, and much more unexpected source of playing time will come from Sherrod Smith. Smith performed well against Hartford in the season finale after virtually not playing all season. Because of his performance, Wolff said he earned the right to get some minutes in the tourney.

Rookie of the Year, Jake O'Brien, set his career-high scoring total against UMBC on February 2, with 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting. While UMBC coach Randy Monroe certainly knows his capabilities, he still has the ability to shoot over people basically any time he wants and if his confidence against the Retrievers continues, he could have a major impact on the game.

As poorly as the Terriers played against last-place Hartford on Sunday, the Terriers were able to accomplish a feat that escaped them all season -- win a game when trailing with 5:00 to go in the game. BU's overtime win put them at 1-8 on the year when trailing with 5:00 left and the Terriers are 0-3 when tied at the 5:00 mark.

BU will most likely implement a matchup zone against the Retrievers, but don't be surprised if Wolff uses a little more man-to-man than usual, as it worked well in BU's 80-77 double overtime victory at Case Gymnasium this year, especially with Matt Wolff guarding Proctor effectively. UMBC is healthy (yet still not very deep, much like BU) and the draw is one of the most evenly-matched first-round games.

As far as the history aspect of the macthup is concerned, The Terriers haven't lost a quarterfinal game in the America East Tournament in two years as the current junior class roared back to beat Binghamton in 2006-07 and upset No. 3 Albany in the first round at Binghamton. As a No. 3 seed, the Terriers are 7-7 all-time and are 7-2 all-time against six seeds.

Links:
Terriers' season faces judgment this weekend in AE tourney

Projected Starting Lineups

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

The Day After: (BU 82, UMBC 65)

Pros:
-- Jake O'Brien's career high: O'Brien notched 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting after setting a career-high of 24 two games prior. The emergence of O'Brien as a top and go-to scorer (especially in clutch situations, even when he may be having a bad shooting night) is vital to BU's continued success.
-- Scott Brittain's free throws: Brittain went 10-of-10 from the line after BU coach Dennis Wolff got on him for missing too many in practice. As Brittain continues to get fed in the post and draw fouls, his ability to make the freebies could set him apart.
-- Road blowout: BU continues to demolish conference opponents on the road with another double-digit conference win away from Boston.

Cons:
-- Getting behind big early: It may not seem like an issue anymore, as the Terriers have become awfully good at coming from behind, but still, BU would ideally not like to be trailing to start a game.

Links:
Youth Movement
O'Brien on a Terrier tear

The Day After: (BU 80, UMBC 77 2 OT's)

Six overtimes in two games at Case Gymnasium is no way to treat the Boston University men's basketball teams' bodies, but it's one heck of a way to treat the fans -- especially with the results of both games were favorable for the Terrier faithful.

Despite the immense amount of minutes the short-staffed team has logged over the last two contests (coming in the middle of a four games in eight-day trip) the Terriers once again found a way to win in the face of a potential collapse. A polar opposite of the thriller against Stony Brook (which was close wire to wire... to wire, to wire) the Retrievers took a 9-3 lead in the first half before the Terriers gained control and upped their lead to 19 points a minute into the second half. Then the comeback -- fulled by one of the best players in the conference in Darryl Proctor and also by BU's fatigue (as BU coach Dennis Wolff said in the press conference).

Still for two teams whose benches were fairly short, the game was played as passionately as any in America East this season. Once again, Corey Lowe was able to summon extra energy as the game dragged on and help the Terriers to their third-straight win, especially when John Holland was admittedly tired toward the end of the second half and wasn't dominating the scoring like he did against Stony Brook.

Pros:
-- Corey Lowe's poise: Lowe once again dug deep and found that extra spark of energy that allowed him to make some crucial plays down the stretch and lead BU to victory.
-- Matt Wolff's 52-footer: Longest shot a Terriers' made since Corey Hassan knocked down a prayer past half court that he let go too late (against Maine at Agganis in the 2005-06 season), so it didn't count. Best part was, he almost pulled up from 52 feet and calmly knocked it down. No fist pump, smile, anything. Just a jog to the locker room up big.

Cons:
-- Near collapse: It's happened too many times to feel confident it won't again, but the last two wins certainly help alleviate some of those thoughts. Still, blowing a 19-point lead to a team with two players on the bench and a woozy starting point guard isn't encouraging.
-- Jake O'Brien's shooting: While it's a given players are going to have bad shooting nights, some of O'Brien's misses on his 2-of-11 evening were wide-open looks. He's had rough games like this before, but hasn't seemed to let it impact his game for an extended period of time.

Links:
How many more (over)times
Lowe records another big game
Terriers perfect exhaust system
Case of deja vu for Terriers

Post-game Audio & Photos (BU 80, UMBC 77 2 OT's)

Audio from BU's 80-77 double overtime win against the University of Maryland-Baltumore County.

BU coach Dennis Wolff's opening statement


Wolff was unsure of how his team would perform after a shaky shootaround


Wolff talks about the possibility of fatigue with his short bench


Corey Lowe discusses a special burst of energy he gets toward the end of games


John Holland is fatigued after playing 104 minutes in two games


Scott Brittain reflects on gaining confidence after his best performance of the season


UMBC coach Randy Monroe's opening statement


Monroe talks about what he saw from his team in the second half


Monroe sings the praises of John Holland and Corey Lowe

Live Blog: University of Maryland-Baltimore County vs. Boston University

Tonight's game between the University of Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers (8-9, 2-3) and the Boston University Terriers (8-9, 3-2) tips off at 7:00 p.m.

There's no word on whether Jay Greene will be active for tonight's game, so here are the starting lineups assuming he won't be playing.

University of Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers
02 G Jay Greene
21 F Matt Spadafora
23 G Chauncey Gilliam
30 F Justin Fry
32 F Darryl Proctor

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 80, University of Maryland-Baltimore County 77 (2 OT's)

Leading scorers:
UMBC -- Darryl Proctor, 27
BU -- Corey Lowe, 26

Leading rebounders:
UMBC -- Justin Fry, 9
BU -- Two tied at 9

Leading assists:
UMBC -- Jay Greene, 10
BU -- Corey Lowe, 6

GAMEDAY: University of Maryland-Baltimore County vs. Boston University

John Holland made headlines Monday by playing all 60 minutes of the Terriers' four-overtime win against Stony Brook. Some focused on the will and determination required to play every second of such a long contest, while others questioned the decision to rely so heavily on the starting five (every BU starter logged at least 47 minutes) during the busy conference schedule. With a depleted roster, do you go deeper into your bench to spread out the workload or ride your starters as far as they'll take you?

The Retrievers of Maryland-Baltimore County are an example of a shallow rotation taken to its logical extreme. When his team is healthy, UMBC head coach Randy Monroe opts to use just six of his players: Darryl Proctor, Jay Greene, Matt Spadafora, Justin Fry, Chauncey Gilliam, and Rich Flemming. Jake Wasco is the only other Retriever to play more than 10 percent of available minutes, just making it over the barrier with 10.3 percent. Amazingly, Darryl Proctor and Jay Greene are first and second in percent of minutes played for all of Division-I. Not only that, but Greene ranks as high as he does despite missing Monday's game against Vermont.

Greene, sidelined for Monday's game by a concussion, was joined on the bench that day by Rich Flemming, who had twisted his knee in practice the day before. Missing two players from an already thin squad, the Retrievers had no chance against Vermont in a 76-42 loss. The news got worse for UMBC after the game was over: Flemming's knee needs to be scoped. With the forward out indefinitely, an already thin Retriever front court grows even thinner.

Greene is the heart of the UMBC offense. While it's never safe to assume a player is ready to return from a concussion until he appears on the the court (Monroe considers Greene's injury day-to-day; Greene practiced yesterday), there isn't much to analyze without making that assumption. Ball security is the Retrievers' calling card. Greene's assist-to-turnover ratio exceeds 2.5, and as a team UMBC ranks eighth in the nation in turnover rate, surrendering the ball prematurely on less than 17 percent of its possessions. While much of this stems from Greene's excellence, Darryl Proctor is also a contributor, committing just 32 turnovers despite an extremely high usage rate.

If the Retriever offense starts with Greene, it usually ends with Proctor. The 6-4 senior forward is averaging more than 20 points per game in conference play, second only to John Holland. Proctor also ranks third in the conference in rebounds per game. Greene has had to assume an increased scoring role out of necessity, but Proctor is still the Retrievers' first option every time down the court. This is reflected in his scoring totals game-by-game. Proctor's lowest output for the season is 13 points; he and Binghamton's D.J. Rivera are the only America East players to score in double figures every game this season.

The Terriers have had just two days off to recover from Monday's marathon. UMBC is arguably the team most poorly equipped to take advantage of BU's lack of rest -- with such a thin bench, the Retrievers may be even more concerned than the Terriers about maintaining their energy level -- but fatigue is likely to play a role. The formula for beating Maryland-Baltimore County is relatively simple: slow down UMBC's primary offensive threats and take care of the basketball. The Terriers have the advantage heading into this one, but giving any team extra possessions promises nothing but trouble. Every team in the league has two or more losses, BU included, so this game is an important one.

Links:
M. Bball hosts wounded Retrievers tonight
Injuries may contain a silver lining

Projected starting lineups: