Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Stony Brook Improves to 7-5 With Win at Air Force

Bryan Dougher scored 22 points and Muhammad El-Amin poured in 20 to lead Stony Brook to a 67-64 win at Air Force on New Year's Eve. The Seawolves improve to 7-5 with the win, its best 12-game start since the 1993-94 season and best at the Division I level. Demetrius Young added a spark off the bench with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes. As a team, Stony Brook outrebounded the Falcons 35-23 and held them to just 3 offensive boards. Air Force was 9-3 entering the game and had advanced to the Mountain West Conference Championship game a year ago.

No games tomorrow, but we'll look ahead to the start of conference play this weekend. Happy New Year.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Binghamton Stays Hot, Vermont Bounces Back

Reggie Fuller tied a school record with 15 rebounds to go with 13 points as Binghamton won its third straight and sixth in its last eight outings with a hard fought 73-71 win over Marist at Events Center. D.J. Rivera, America East's leading scorer (21.1 ppg) had a game-high 22 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. The Bearcats' 7-4 start is its best in 15 years.

Vermont trounced Colorado 84-59 to earn a third-place finish at the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii. The Cats, who went 2-1 in the tournament, used a 22-6 down the stretch in the second half to pull away from the Buffaloes. Mike Trimboli had a gam e-high 24 points on 8-of-9 shooting overall and a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point land. The win over Big XII opponent in America East's second in 8 days. UMBC downed stopped Nebraska's 31-game home non-conference win streak on December 22.

Maine suffered from cold shooting in a 56-43 loss to Canisius at Alfond Arena. The Black Bears shot just 28.3 percent for the game and made just 5 second-half field goals in 23 attempts. Mark Socoby had 14 points and 7 rebounds.

Darryl Proctor scored a season-high 29 points and pulled down 7 boards, but UMBC fell 80-61 at Atlantic 10 foe Saint Louis. America East Rookie of the Week Chauncey Gilliam added 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Hartford trailed by as many as 16 in the second half at Stanford, but cut the deficit to seven with 5:30 to play. The Cardinal proceeded to score the game's next 5 points to secure a 69-55 win and improve to 10-0. Michael Turner led the Hawks with 14 points. Jaret von Rosenberg had 13, while Morgan Sabia and Genesis Maciel combined for 22 points and 11 boards.

Watch Albany take on Defending Champs on ESPNU

Albany visits famed Phog Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday for a date for the Kansas Jayhawks, the defending national champions. Those of you with ESPNU, be sure to tune it a 9 ET to watch. The Jayhawks lost 4 starters from last year's squad to the NBA but have reloaded with sophomore center Cole Aldrich and freshman sensation Tyshawn Taylor. Albany was competitve in road games at Villanova and DePaul earlier this season. The Great Danes, who have surprised some in the early going after being chosen sixth in the preseason coaches' poll, have won three straight and are 8-4, their best 12-game start in 10 seasons as a Division I program.

Elsewhere today, Vermont wraps up play at the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii with Colorado in the third-place contest at 6:30 ET. Maine hosts Canisius, while Binghamton goes for its third straight win at home against Marist, both at 7. UMBC makes its second trip to the midwest in as many weeks with a visit to Saint Louis at 9 ET. The Retrievers hope this trip is as successful as the first after a win at Nebraska last week. Hartford closes out the night with unbeaten Stanford at 10:30 ET in Palo Alto.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Vemont Falls in Hawaii, Boston U. Beaten By Cornell

Vermont took on Colorado State in the semifinals of the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii two days after downing George Washington in the first round. The Catamounts trailed by as many as 13 in the second half and trimmed the decifit to 2 with 1:52 to go, but CSU's Marcus Walker scored 6 straight points to close it out. Colin McIntosh had the hot hand for Cats and finished with 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor. Nick Vier added 18 points and 5 assists, while Mike Trimboi had 12.

In Ithaca, Boston University got outscored by Cornell 15-0 to start the game and were outmatched by the defending Ivy champs 89-59. Corey Lowe had a team-high 14 and Tyler Morris added 13 for the Terriers, who have dropped three straight.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Stony Brook Defeats St. Peter's

Muhammad El-Amin scored a career-high 27 points and a pair of freshman (Tommy Brenton, 12 points, 9 rebounds and Bryan Dougher, 14 points) continued to contribute as Stony Brook defeated Saint Peter's, 68-52, at Jersey City. The Seawolves are now 6-5, the program's best start since moving to Division I in 1999. Stony Brook has won 5 of 7, with the only losses in over a month coming to No. 2 Connecticut (11-0) and Hofstra (9-3).

Two of the America East preseason favorites are in action on Monday. Vermont, which defeated George Washington, 83-72 on Saturday to advance to the semifinals of the 45th annual Rainbow Classic, will play Colorado State at 4 p.m. ET in Honolulu.

Boston University travels to play defending Ivy League Champion Cornell at 7 p.m.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Binghamton, Vermont Post Quality Wins

In the first action since Christmas, Binghamton and Vermont added to the league's strong non-conference resume with wins over Conference USA and Atlantic 10 opponents.

D.J. Rivera continued his impressive season with 22 of his 24 points in the second half and grabbed 8 boards to help the Bearcats hold off Tulane 74-73 in New Orleans. Dwayne Jackson, who poured in 13 points, hit a pair of key baskets with his team leading 65-64 with just under two minutes left to seal the outcome. Malik Alvin also had a strong all-around game with 14 points, 6 assists and 5 steals.

All five Catamount starters had strong games, combining for all but 15 of their teams points in a 83-72 win over George Washington in the first round of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic at the University of Hawaii. Maurice Joseph had one his strong games in green and gold with 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Mike Trimboli scored 15, while Colin McIntosh contributed 15 points and 8 boards. Mr. Everything, Marqus Blakely, added 13 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks and a pair of steals. Nick Vier rounded out the starting five's production with 9 points and 7 assists.

New Hampshire came oh so close to making it a perfect day for the league. The Wildcats led by 1 with 3 minutes to play but were held scoreless the rest of the way as Hofstra pulled it out 62-57. Rony Tchatchoua tied his career high with 17 points on perfect 6-of-6 shooting and Dane DiLiegro added a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Stony Brook takes on St. Peter's at 2 tomorrow in the lone action of the day.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Whelliston Picks Vermont to Win League

With conference play upon us, ESPN.com's Kyle Whelliston chimed in this week with his favorites to win each mid-major conference and chose Vermont to claim its fourth America East title. Here's what he had to say...

Tom Brennan began waxing eloquent speak from a Bristol studio four summers ago, but this could be the Dance debut for the Mike Lonergan-era Cats.

Marqus Blakely looks poised to repeat as league POY, and the team offers hot, fast offense and freezing interior defense.

The full text is available here, but is only available to ESPN Insider subscribers.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

UMBC Gets Rare Win at Nebraska

Rookie Chauncey Gilliam scored 21 points and added 8 rebounds as UMBC defeated Nebraska, 66-64, ending the Cornhuskers’ streak of 31-straight non-conference wins at the Devaney Sports Center. Gilliam made 9-of-11 shots from the field and received help from veterans Darryl Proctor and Jay Greene in the Retrievers’ first win over a school from a BCS conference. Proctor had 15 points and 13 rebounds while Greene added 13 points and 9 assists. UMBC jumped on Nebraska early, leading by 20 before settling into a 37-21 lead at the half. The Retrievers shot 57.1 percent from the floor for the game and made 15-of-18 free throws, including 6-of-6 in the final 1:37. Nebraska had a chance to tie with 2 seconds left but Proctor blocked a shot by Steve Harley to secure the win. UMBC is now 6-5 while the Huskers fall to 7-3.

America East scoring leader D.J. Rivera (20.8 ppg) continued to have the hot hand for Binghamton as he poured in 22 points in a 69-58 win over Rider. Rivera added 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the year. The Bearcats trailed 43-38 with 13:57 remaining before a deciding 22-4 run. Moussa Camara added 13 points, all in the first half, for the Bearcats, who improve to 5-4.

Rookie Gerald McLemore scored 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting but Boston College handled Maine, 99-66, at Chestnut Hill. Vermont fans, turn away from the screen: Former Catamount Joe Trapani scored 15 points and added 4 rebounds for the Eagles. The 6-8, 220-pound forward, who has started all 12 games for the 10-2 Eagles, is now second on the team in scoring (14.0 ppg) and leads the team with 6.4 rebounds per game.

Sophomores Tyrone Conley (12 points, 6 rebounds) and Alvin Abreu (10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists) reached double figures but New Hampshire fell 60-56 at Fordham.

America East teams take a break for the holidays before returning to action Saturday at Binghamton plays at Tulane, New Hampshire hosts Hofstra (4 p.m.) and Vermont meets George Washington in Hawaii.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Albany Improves to 8-4, Hartford Hangs With No. 22 Baylor

Anthony Raffa scored 15 points and added six rebounds as Albany won at St Francis (N.Y.), 68-56. Brian Connelly and Will Harris each added 13 points. The Great Danes are 8-4, the program’s best start in its Division I history. Among those in attendance at the Pope Center in Brooklyn was Jamar Wilson, one of five players in America East history to win the Kevin Roberson Player of the Year award multiple times. Can you name the others? Wilson is at home in the Bronx while on break from his professional team in Belgium.

Hartford trailed No. 22 Baylor, 56-53 with 8:02 left before the Bears went on an 18-2 run en route to a 74-59 win. Jaret von Rosenberg enjoyed his ‘homecoming’ game with 19 points. Von Rosenberg, who was born in Waco and lived there until second grade, had between 40-50 relatives in attendance.

Answer to trivia question: Taylor Coppenrath (2003, 2004, 2005), Speedy Claxton (1998, 2000), currently with the Atlanta Hawks, Malik Rose (1995, 1996), currently with the New York Knicks, Reggie Lewis (1985, 1986, 1987), the captain of the Boston Celtics at the time of his death in 1993.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Vermont Holds On For Victory

Vermont staved off a second half comeback from Quinnipiac behind 24 points on perfect 7-of-7 shooting from Mike Trimboli in a 84-79 win. Marqus Blakely added 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 blocks. Boston University lost a heartbreaker at home to Delaware as the Blue Hens won the game 80-78 on a 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left. In Orono, Gerald McLemore scored 16 points, but Maine fell to Harvard 76-63.

Albany Gets Last Second Road Win

Mike Johnson sank a free throw with 9 seconds remaining to give Albany a 60-59 win at Sacred Heart. The Great Danes trailed by 5 with 1:26 remaining, but a pair of free throws from Brian Connelly and a 3-pointer from Billy Allen tied the score. Anthony Raffa led UA with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Elsewhere, Binghamton got 23 points from the league's leading scorer D.J. Rivera, but were downed by Manhattan 86-80. Darryl Proctor had a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds in UMBC's 74-61 loss to American at the RAC.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Odds and Ends

We haven't known what to do with ourselves during this "dead" period. Three days with no games will extend to four as Albany's contest with Sacred Heart set for Friday has been postponed due to the snowstorm currently hitting the Northeast. The game will be played tomorrow at 2:30. Other random thoughts as teams head into their final non-conference games prior to conference play...

  • Binghamton will have Gonzaga transfer Theo Davis beginning tomorrow against Manhattam. The highly touted big man transferred to the program midway through the 2007-08 season and became eligible following the final exam of the first semester, which took place today.
  • The game with Manhattan is a return game from last year's BracketBusters pool. The Bearcats hope to make it two in a row against the Jaspers and help the league improve to 7-1 in games from that pool. Boston University and Vermont swept its home and home with St. Peter's and UNC-Wilmington, respectively, while Albany won its return contest with Canisius after dropping the matchup in Buffalo last February.
  • UMBC faces American in a battle between two defending champions that will be televised on MASN. The Eagles won the Patriot league last season. The Retrievers are 0-2 thus far when aired on MASN this season and have allowed 22 three-pointers in those two games.
  • The Terriers and Catamounts will both appear on regional TV on Sunday at 12 noon. Vermont travels to Quinnipiac on NESN, while Boston U. hosts former conference member Delaware on CN8.
  • 2004 America East Rookie of the Year Jon Iati in his first season as Director of Basketball Operations at Quinnipiac.
  • America East has posted 42 non-league wins in 82 games to date this season after combining for just 44 wins all of last season. The nine schools still have 35 non-conference games to go this year.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Stony Brook Falls at No. 2 UConn

Stony Brook became the second America East team in a month to fight Connecticut tough as the Seawolves kept the game within striking distance through the first half, but the depth and strength of the second-ranked Huskies took over in a 91-57 win at the XL Center. Freshman Danny Carter had a career day for SBU scoring a career high 20 points in 24 minutes off the bench.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Albany Snaps Skid, Boston U. Takes Notre Dame to the Wire

Tim Ambrose led four players in double figures with 15 points to lead Albany to a 74-48 win over Canisius at SEFCU Arena. Will Harris and Anthony Raffa each had 14 points, while Mike Johnson poured in a career-high 13 off the bench. Boston University led No. 12 Notre Dame with just 3:25 remaining, but the Fighting Irish scored 10 of the game's final points to hold on for the win. Corey Lowe scored a team-high 19 points, including the 1,000th of his career, for the Terriers. Darryl Proctor tallied 13 points in UMBC's 91-56 loss at No. 3 Pitt. Tyrece Gibbs scored his 1,000th point in New Hampshire's 76-72 loss at Long Island U.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Boston U., UMBC Defend Home Court

Darryl Proctor tallied a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead UMBC to a 67-56 victory over visiting Central Connecticut State. Justin Fry contributed 16 points, while Jay Greene had 14 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Jake O'Brien scored a game-high 13 points and Corey Lowe added 12 in Boston University's 55-43 win over Yale. Demetrius Young had a season-high 17 for Stony Brook, who was edged by Hofstra 61-54. Mark Socoby had 10 points in Maine's 78-52 loss at No. 5 Oklahoma,.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Rules of the Road

Binghamton, Hartford and New Hampshire all dropped road decisions on Tuesday. Reigning Player of the Week D.J. Rivera scored 21 points and the Bearcats nearly clawed back from a double-digit second-half deficit before falling 63-60 at Bucknell. Alvin Abreu poured in a team-high 13 points off the bench in the Wildcats' 88-56 loss at Rhode Island. The Hawks fell at Brown 72-62.

Four teams are in action on Tuesday highlighted by Stony Brook's matchup with Long Island rival Hofstra at Pritchard Gym at 7. Boston University hosts Yale at 7, while UMBC takes on Central Connecticut State at 7:05 in Baltimore. Maine rounds out the action in Norman against No. 5 Oklahoma.

Odds and Ends

Entering play on Tuesday, America East teams are off to an impressive start to the 2008-09 season in non-conference play. As a whole the league is...
  • Ranked 14th (5th among non-FBS conferences) in the first RPI released by College Basketball News after finishing 2007-08 ranked 27th
  • One of 3 Non-FBS Conferences with overall winning record and one of just 12 overall
  • 37-31 in non-league play to date for a .544 win percentage compared to 44-73 (.376) last season
  • 31-18 (.633) in games against Division I non-BCS conference (including Atlantic 10) schools
Kyle Whelliston discussed America East's success on his site, Mid-Majority.com, Monday

Monday, December 8, 2008

Maine Goes Over .500 With Win

Mark Socoby scored a game-high 21 points to lead Maine to its second straight win. Junior Bernal added 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Also on Monday, Will Harris scored a career-high 21 points and Tim Ambrose contributed 17, but Albany was edged by Lehigh 65-64.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Binghamton Beats Rutgers For First Win Vs Big East Foe

D.J. Rivera scored 23 points to help Binghamton earn its first-ever victory over a Big East opponent with a 66-56 win over Rutgers in New Jersey. Malik Alvin added 17 points and 6 assists for the Bearcats. The win was the first against a Big East foe for any conference team since Vermont's win over Syracuse in the 2005 NCAA tournament. Tyrece Gibbs, Tyrone Conley and Alvin Abreu combined for 51 of New Hampshire's 64 points in a 64-61 win over Brown at Lundholm Gym. Corey Lowe scored a career-high 36 points, but it wasn't enough for Boston University, which fell to Marshall 84-80 at Agganis Arena. Morgan Sabia had a season-high 17 points and Jaret von Rosenberg added 16 in Hartford's 70-64 loss to La Salle. Marqus Blakely recorded his second straight double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds, but No. 3 Pittsburgh downed Vermont 80-51. Albany clawed back from 15 down against Siena to close within 5 in the final 5 minutes, but Siena outlasted the Great Danes 71-64 in front of 13,251 fans at Times Union Center.

This and That About Saturday's Action

A lot of intriguing angles surrounding each of Saturday's games. All six squads in action are coming off victories. In fact, conference teams have combined to go 9-1 to start the month of December. Here's a look at the matchups:

  • Brown at New Hampshire kick things off at 1 at Lundholm Gym. The Bears' coaching staff is certainly familar with America East. Assistant coach T.J. Sorrentine earned Player of the Year honors in 2002 and buried Syracuse with his legendary 30-footer in the 2005 NCAA tournament. Volunteer assistant Kyle Cieplicki was a four year standout for the Catamounts and head coach Jessie Agel was an assistant for all three of Vermont championship squads.
  • Binghamton, fresh off back-to-back wins looks for its first-ever win against a Big East foe when they take on Rutgers at 2
  • Boston U. hosts Marshall at 3. The will be the second of at least 6 to be played at Agganis Area this season. The Terriers have won four of six to start the season after compiling a 1-5 mark through the first 6 games of last seasson.
  • Hartford's tilt with La Salle will be televised on NESN at 4. Explorer's coach John Giannini was the head coach at Maine for 8 seasons.
  • In the game of the day, Albany, winners of 5 straight, renews its rivalry with Siena at 7 at the Times Union Center. Over 10,600 tickets had already been sold as of 1 p.m. yesterday.
  • Vermont faces the No. 3 team in the country in Pittsburgh at 7. The Cats have won 2 of their last 4 games against ranked opponents, knocking off Boston College in 2006 and the afore mentioned upset of the Orange in '05.

Seawolves Make It Three In A Row

The Seawolves extended their win streak to three games with a 71-50 blowout of Columbia. Chris Martin hit 4 of his 6 attempts from the field and all 8 of his free throw attempts for a career-high 19 points. Desmond Adedeji added 11 points and 9 boards.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Albany Featured in Mid-Majority Game of the Night

Kyle Whelliston, a columnist for ESPN.com among other ventures and an avid follower of mid-major college basketball, has tabbed Saturday's Albany-Siena contest as the Mid-Majority Game of The Night for the weekend on his website MidMajority.com. Whelliston ranks tomorrow's Capital Region tilt among the best Division I city rivalries in the mid-major ranks despite its short history.

A huge crowd is expected for the game. The Albany Times Union is reporting over 10,600 tickets had already been sold as of shortly after 1 p.m. on Friday.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Hartford, Maine Explode Offensively in Home Wins

Michael Turner and Joe Zeglinski each had 26 points and 6 rebounds to lead Hartford to a 97-82 win over Lafayette at Chase Arena. Eight Black Bears scored in twin figures as Maine crushed state university parnter Maine-Presque Isle 126-50. Troy Barnies (16 points, 20 rebounds), Junior Bernal (16, 10), Sean McNally (12, 11) and Svetoslav Chetinov (10, 15) all recorded double-doubles.

Stony Brook looks to extend its win streak to three when Lehigh visits Long Island Friday.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Terriers, Wildcats Win On Road

Corey Lowe, Jake O'Brien and John Holland combined for 55 of Boston University's 75 points en route to a 75-59 victory at Harvard Wednesday. Lowe led the way with 20, while Brien had 18 points and 8 rebounds. John Holland rounded out the trio's output with 17. With his team trailing by 4 with just over 2 minutes to play, New Hampshire's Tyrece Gibbs scored canned a pair of huge 3-pointers to to turn the deficit into an advantage and lead the Wildcats to a 57-54 win at Colgate. Gibbs finished with 19 points overall and Tyrone Conely added 11. In Baltimore, freshman Chauncey Gilliam tied his career high with 17 points and Darryl Proctor added a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, but UMBC fell to crosstown-rival Towson 82-65.

Hartford and Maine are in action Thursday. The Hawks host Patriot Leage foe Lafayette, while the Black Bears host state system partner Maine Presque Isle, both at 7.

Vermont, Stony Brook Win In Blowout Fashion

Vermont won its third straight with a 88-71 victory over Dartmouth in which it shot 59 percent from the field. Marqus Blakely led the charge with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Trimboli had 23 points and 9 rebounds, while freshman Garvey Young tallied a career-high 19 points. Stony Brook won consecutive games for the first time since in a year with a 60-39 win over New Jersey Tech. Freshman Bryan Dougher scored 18 of his career-high 24 points in the first half. Muhammad El-Amin added 13.

A pair of crosstown-rivalries highlight Wednesday's action. MASN will televise the battle between Baltimore rivals UMBC and Towson. Tip is set for 7:05. Boston University will go toCambridge to face Harvard at 8. Also on Wednesday, New Hampshire travels to Colgate at 7.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Albany, Binghamton Stay Hot

Anthony Raffa posted game-highs of 17 points and 5 assists, while adding a team-high 6 rebounds to lead Albany to its fifth straight win, a 57-47 decision over Bryant. Brian Connelly contributed 13 points and Tim Ambrose added 11 on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor. Binghamton won its second consecutive contest after drubbing Quinnipiac 74-58. D.J. Rivera and Dwayne Jackson led the way with 17 points each. Reggie Fuller added 12, while Malik Alvin had 11.

Vermont and Stony Brook hit the floor on Tuesday. The Catamounts host Dartmouth at 7 and the Seawolves travel to New Jersey Tech for a 7 o'clock tip.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

America East Team Pull Out Close Games

Chris Martin hit a put back lay up with 35 seconds remaining to give Stony Brook a 62-60 win at Columbia. Bryan Dougher scored a career-high 15 points and Muhammad El-Amin added 11. Four Catamounts scored in double figures in Vermont's 64-62 win against Loyola. Marqus Blakely, Colin McIntosh and Mike Trimboli each scored 12 points, while Blakely added 8 rebounds and Trimboli dished out 6 assists. UMBC held visiting Toledo scoreless for nearly 8 minutes down the stretch and rallied for a 61-56 win. Jay Greene scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and added 6 assists, while Darryl Proctor tallied 14 points and 8 rebounds. Malik Alvin scored 7 of his 14 points in the final 1:32 to lead Binghamton to a 73-66 victory over previously unbeaten Utah Valley. D.J. Rivera added a game-high 20. Anthony Raffa scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and keyed a second-half run for Albany en route to a 73-63 win over Penn. The win was the Great Danes' fourth straight. Joe Zeglinski tallied 13 points and 6 rebounds to earn all-tournament honors at the Philly Classic - Liberty Bracket following Hartford's 103-63 loss to Niagara in the championship game. Mark Socoby scored 18 points, but Maine fell 66-56 to Tulane at the USA Basketball Classic. Ryan Schneider drained three free throws in the final 12 seconds to help Marist hold off New Hampshire for a 63-61 victory. Alvin Abreu had 22 points for the Wildcats. Carlos Strong scored a season-high 18 points in Boston University's 78-69 loss at Mount St. Mary's.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Hartford Wins at Philly Classic

Behind a game-high 17 points from Joe Zeglinski, Hartford posted a 50-38 victory over New Jersey Tech in the Liberty bracket of the Philly Hoop Group Classic at the famed Palestra in Philadelphia. Mark Socoby scored a game-high 28 points, but Maine fell to host South Alabama in the USA Basketball Classic in Mobile.

All 9 America East teams are in action on Saturday. Vermont hosts Loyola at 1, while Hartford faces Niagara in the title game of the Liberty bracket in the Philly Classic at 2. Binghamton entertains Utah Valley State and Stony Brook goes to Columbia, both at 2, Toledo visits UMBC at 2:05 and Maine takes on Tulane in the consolation game of the USA Basketball Classic at 6. Boston University goes for its fourth straight win against Mount St. Mary's, Albany takes on Penn at SEFCU Arena, both at 7. In the final game of the night, New Hampshire travels to Marist for a 7:30 tip.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

UMBC Falls at George Washington

Despite a game-high 17 points and a team-high and nine rebounds from Darryl Proctor, UMBC fell at George Washington, 70-64 on Wednesday. Jay Greene added 11 points, nine assists and just one turnover.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Terriers, Catamounts Pick Wins Over Two of CAA's Top Teams

Corey Lowe scored 23 of his 27 in the first half and Jake O'Brien 14 of his 21 of points in the second half to lead Boston University to an impressive 83-75 victory over Northeastern on Wednesday. Colin McIntosh scored a career-high 25 points and Vermont used a 23-4 spurt in the second half to pull away from Delaware en route to a 78-63 win at Delaware. Marqus Blakely added a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Mike Trimboli contributed all around with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Jerel Hastings led a balanced attack for Albany, which won its third straight with a 66-49 victory at Columbia 25 points ia. America East Co-Player of the Week Tim Ambrose had 13, while Brian Connelly added 11 points and seven rebounds. Elsewhere, Joe Zeglinski became the second fastest player in Hartford history to 1,000 points as he had 21 in a 94-72 loss at Rhode Island. Tommy Brenton recorded his third straight double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds for Stony Brook, which was edged by American 53-51. Gerald McLemore had 19 points, Mark Socoby contributed 14 and Sean McNally had 9 points and 14 rebounds in Maine's 73-66 loss to Quinnipiac D.J. Rivera poured in 13 as Binghamton fell 76-51 at Central Connecticut.

UMBC is the lone team in action Wednesday, as the Retrievers face George Washington at 7:30.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Singelais: America East shows early improvement

The Albany Times Union's Mark Singelais discusses the conference's improved start from a year ago, including Vermont's near win at perennial ACC power Maryland on Friday.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

UHN Drops Road Contest at Penn State

In the lone game of the day, Tyrece Gibbs scored 14 points for New Hampshire in a 70-50 loss at Penn State. Eric Gilchrese added 13 and hit 3-of-5 three-point tries.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Albany, Boston U., Hartford, UMBC All Grab Wins

Tim Ambrose scored a game-high 24 points, including the final 5 of the game, and gave Albany a 68-67 victory over Central Connecticut on a bank shot with 3.8 seconds remaining in the Great Danes' home opener. Will Harris added 18 points and 9 rebounds. UMBC won the Tyler Ugolyn Classic with a 66-52 win against host Columbia. Jay Greene had a game-high 22 points and added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Darryl Proctor added 16 points and 8 rebounds. Jaret von Rosenberg scored a season-high 24 points to lead Hartford to a 91-82 double-overtime victory over St. Francis (N.Y.) for its first win of the season. Joe Zeglinski also had a dominant performance with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Boston University scored 28 points off 22 St. Peter's turnovers on the way to a 67-62 win at The Roof. John Holland poured in 26 points in just 24 minutes, while Corey Lowe added 16 points and 6 assists. Tommy Brenton had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Stony Brook, which was edged by Wagner, 65-62. Mark Socoby and Kaimondre Owes each scored 13 points for Maine in an 83-62 loss at Providence.

New Hampshire is the lone America East team in action on Sunday as the Wildcats travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State at 2. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network

Friday, November 21, 2008

Proctor Leads UMBC to Win Over Quinnipiac

Darryl Proctor led five Retrievers in twin figures with a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead UMBC to a 76-71 victory over Quinnipiac in the Tyler Ugolyn Classic. Jay Greene tallied a double-double of his own with 10 points and 10 assists. Matt Spadafora poured in 15 points, Justin Fry contributed 11 and Rich Flemming added 10. Elsewhere, Vermont took Maryland to overtime before falling 89-74 in College Park. Marqus Blakely scored a team-high 23 points and tallied game-highs with 11 rebounds, four blocks and four steals. Mike Trimboli added 17 points, while Colin McIntosh racked up 11.

A full slate of games take place on Saturday. Boston University hosts St. Peter's in a BracketBuster's return game at 1. Maine looks to move to 4-0 at Providence, while Hartford hosts St. Francis (N.Y.) and Stony Brook welcomes Wagner all at 2. Albany takes on Central Connecticut State in its home opener at 7 and UMBC faces Columbia in the championship game of the Tyler Ugolyn Classic at 8.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Hartford Falls At Penn State

Joe Zeglinski scored 16 points and Morgan Sabia added 13, but it wasn't enough as Hartford fell at Penn State 89-64. The Nittany Lions closed the first half on a 17-3 to build a double-digit lead and sustained it through the second stanza.

UMBC and Vermont take the floor on Friday. The Retrievers face Quinnipiac in the first game of the Tyler Ugolyn Classic at Columbia at 6, while the Catamounts take on Maryland in College Park at 8 on CN8.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Maine Moves to 3-0, Albany Earns Road Win

Kaimondre Owes scored 11 points off the bench and Junior Bernal added 10 points and 5 rebounds to lead Maine to a 58-55 overtime victory at Princeton on Wednesday evening. With the win, the Black Bears are off to a 3-0 start. Tim Ambrose tied a career-high with 24 points and grabbed 8 rebounds to pace Albany in a 76-67 win at Bryant. Also on Wednesday, Tyrone Conley poured in 21 points in New Hampshire's 80-69 loss to Harvard at Lundholm Gym. D.J. Rivera and Dwayne Jackson each scored 20 points, but Binghamton fell on the road to George Washington, 71-57.

Hartford is the lone America East team in action on Thursday. The Hawks travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State at 7.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Boston U. Rallies for OT Win at Bucknell, Vermont Downs Yale

Corey Lowe scored 19 points as Boston University outscored Bucknell, 28-16 in the second half and went on to post a 71-68 win in overtime at Lewisburg, Pa. John Holland, who made two free throws with 1:12 left in regulation to force overtime, scored seven of the Terriers' 12 points in the extra session. Colin McIntosh scored 17 points and Mike Trimboli added 16 as Vermont defeated Yale, 89-58, at Patrick Gym. Muhammad El-Amin scored 15 points but Stony Brook fell to 1-1 with an 80-71 loss at Lafayette.

Four America East teams are in action Wednesday. Maine looks to run its winning streak to three games as the Black Bears travel to Princeton for a first-ever meeting with the Tigers at 7. Former George Washington assistant coach Kevin Broadus got the best of his old team as Binghamton defeated the Colonials, 71-59 at the Events Center last year. The two teams square off in Washington, DC at 7:30. Albany is in search of its first win of the season when the Great Danes travel to Bryant at 7. New Hampshire entertains Harvard at Lundholm Gym at 7.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Binghamton Wins Opener

D.J. Rivera scored 28 points and added 10 rebounds to lead Binghamton to an 80-62 win over Mansfield at the Events Center on Monday. Hartford trailed No. 2 Connecticut, 43-42 early in the second half before the Huskies went on a 33-5 run en route to a 99-56 win. Morgan Sabia scored 15 points for the Hawks. Mike Johnson scored 16 points and handed out 7 assists but Albany fell to a Big East team for the second time in four days, losing 75-64 at DePaul. UMBC is now 1-1 following a 67-60 loss at crosstown rival Morgan State. Darryl Proctor had 19 points and 8 rebounds for the Retrievers.

Three America East teams are in action Tuesday. Stony Brook looks to start the season at 2-0 for the first time in its Division I history when the Seawolves travel to Lafayette. Vermont and Boston University look to bounce back from overtime losses to George Mason and George Washington, respectively. The Catamounts play host to Yale while the Terriers are at Bucknell. Each of the three games starts at 7.

UMBC Featured in Mid-Majority Game of the Night

Kyle Whelliston has pronounced the UMBC-Morgan State contest as the Mid-Majority Game of The Night for Monday. He credits the Retrievers and Bears for playing a large role in last year's "mid-major hoops renaissance" in the Beltway area.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

UNH Wins Opener

Eric Gilchrese scored 21 points and Tyrece Gibbs added 18 as New Hampshire opened its season with a 101-50 win over Suffolk on Sunday.

Four America East teams are in action Monday. Hartford plays No. 2 Connecticut at the Hartford Civic Center. That game can be seen live on SportsNet New York. UMBC travels across town to play Morgan State. Binghamton plays host to Mansfield. All three games are at 7. Albany continues its tour of Big East teams when the Great Danes travel to DePaul for an 8:30 start.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Maine Wins 100 Club Classic, UMBC Opens With Win

Maine won the 100 Club Classic with a 60-47 victory over host Kennesaw State on Saturday. Mark Socoby, who recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the title game, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Troy Barnies also scored 16 for the 2-0 Black Bears. UMBC raised its 2008 America East Championship banner and then saw five players score in double figures in a 91-54 win over Stevenson. Darryl Proctor had a game-high 20 points and added nine rebounds. Jay Greene and rookie Chauncey Gilliam each scored 17 points, with Greene dishing nine assists.

Darryl Monroe (19 points, 17 rebounds) made two free throws with 0.7 seconds left to lead George Mason to an 80-79 win over Vermont at a soldout Patrick Gym. Mike Trimboli, who scored four of his nine points in overtime, had given the Catamounts a 79-78 lead with 1:13 to play. Marqus Blakely filled the stat line with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks and 4 steals before he fouled out with 3:31 left in overtime.

New Hampshire starts its season Sunday when the Wildcats entertain Suffolk at 1.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Maine, Stony Brook Start Season With a Win

Rookies made an immediate impact in wins for Maine and Stony Brook on opening night. Gerald McLemore made 6-of-9 three-pointers and scored 24 points in his debut as Black Bears defeated Northern Illinois in the first game of the 100 Club Classic in Kennesaw, Ga. Freshmen Danny Carter (team-high 11 points) and Tommy Brenton (8 points, game-high 16 rebounds) led the Seawolves to a 60-44 win over Maryalnd-Eastern Shore.

In other games, Boston University and George Washington went to overtime before the Colonials pulled out a 63-58 win in front of a crowd of 4,624 at Agganis Arena. Hartford dropped a 63-62 decision to in-state rival Quinnipiac. Albany fell to #23/25 Villanova 78-60 in Philadelphia.

America East action continues Saturday as Vermont plays host to George Mason at 1. Defending America East Champion UMBC will unveil its title banner before its game vs. Stephenson at 7. Maine plays host Kennesaw State in the championship game of the 100 Club Classic at 7:30.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Boston U. Featured on NESN

Preseason favorite Boston University and all-conference guard Corey Lowe were the subject of a feature on NESN. The Terriers begin the season on Friday when they play host to George Washington at Agganis Arena at 7 p.m. VIDEOLINK

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Marqus Blakely: A Player to Watch on ESPN.com

Vermont junior Marqus Blakely, the first player in conference history to win both the Kevin Roberson America East Player of the Year Award and Defensive Player of the Year honors, has been named one of ESPN.com's mid-major players to watch for the 2008-09 season.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Basketball Season Begins Friday

The America East men's basketball season begins Friday night with five schools in action. Hartford, which advanced to the America East Championship game a season ago, plays host to Quinnipiac live on NESN at 7 p.m. Preseason favorite Boston University entertains George Washington at Agganis Arena at 7 p.m. Maine gets the season started at 4 p.m. when it plays Northern Illinois in the 100 Club Classic in Kennesaw, Ga. Stony Brook plays host to Maryland Eastern Shore at 7 p.m. Albany travels to Villanova at 8 p.m.

Greene, Trimboli Among Cousy Award Nominees

The preseason nominees for the Bob Cousy Award have been announced and Jay Greene of UMBC and Mike Trimboli of Vermont are among the 31 Division I players named by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford is given to the top male point guard annually spanning across all divisions. America East is one of two non-BCS conferences with more than one nominee. D.J. Augustin of Texas was the 2008 winner.