cwdickens

I am going to start referring to our WBB team as the Cardiac Kids....

While I agree with your observations, I feel much better about the prospects for this team after seeing them play. They never gave up,

Well, I will not have a chance to watch this game live: Today's Times Union article: UALBANY MEN’S BASKETBALL Danes look for defense to travel By Pete Dougherty Jim Franco/Times Union After the Danes held NJIT to 58 points in a win Thursday, UAlbany’s Tyler Bertram said, “We always have offense. A big thing for us was seeing how we can use our team defense to take a team out.” ALBANY — Was holding an opponent to 58 points an aberration, or can this University at Albany men’s basketball team actually win games with its defense? The answer should come quickly. UAlbany (12-13, 4-6 America East), off Thursday night’s 83-58 home victory over New Jersey Institute of Technology, has an America East road matchup Saturday afternoon against Maryland Baltimore County, which put up 114 points just two weeks ago in a 12-point victory over the Great Danes. “Every game is different,” UAlbany point guard Sebastian Thomas said, “but defense is something we have to get better at. We played a lot of good team defense (against NJIT).” “We always have offense,” graduate guard Tyler Bertram said. “A big thing for us was seeing how we can use our team defense to take a team out.” Even after its exemplary effort Thursday to win for only the second time in eight games, UAlbany ranks next-to-last in the conference in scoring defense at 77.8 points per game. The only team giving up more is UMBC, but the Retrievers (8-18, 3-8) also rank third in scoring offense. UMBC, much like UAlbany, likes to push the pace of play. The Retrievers rank third nationally in pace at 75.1 possessions per game, according to WarrenNolan.com, and the Danes are fourth. The pace may have gotten a little out of control for UAlbany in that first meeting at Broad-view Center, and the result was the highest-scoring regulation game in America East history. Asked if Thursday night’s defensive effort can work Saturday in Baltimore, UAlbany coach Dwayne Killings said, “Yes, if our defense does travel with us, which is a huge part to getting a road win. I do go back and I’ll say our offense has to help us. “The thing about UMBC is you get a lot of quick shots, which can be good for you, but what happens is the pace of the game gets moving really fast. They wore us down here, although we scored over 100 points. We were exhausted. We’ve just got to get the rhythm of the game. UALBANY AT UMBC When: 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena, Baltimore TV/Radio: ESPN+ (streaming), WTMM 104.5 FM “They just went on the road and played Binghamton. The game was in the 80s. Whether we win the game in the 50s, the 80s, the 100s, we’ve got to find a way to win it, but we’ve got to control the pace of the game. We can’t let it get too too fast for us.” The Danes realize that, with six regular-season games remaining, time is getting short. UAlbany is alone in fifth place, 1 1 /2 games behind New Hampshire and 1 1 /2 games ahead of a triumvirate tied for the bottom three spots. The last-place team will not advance to the conference tournament, a predicament the Danes plundered into last season. “We try to take it game by game,” said Bertram, who had his third game of 20-plus points against NJIT. “Coming into this game, NJIT, coming off two huge wins, is right on our tail. UMBC beat us, they’re right on our tail. This conference, since I was in it before (two seasons at Binghamton), everybody’s so close in the middle, you can’t look ahead. You just have to look at the game in front of you and win each one to climb.”

Game Day has arrived, may the creator look over our team and inspire our players. The skies have brightened up north of Albany and looks same gazing to the south. Today's Times Union article: UALBANY MEN’S LACROSSE Danes going with youth Marr plans to play six freshmen in Saturday’s opener By Mark Singelais Brent Warzocha/UAlbany UAlbany graduate longstick midfielder Jake Piseno will help lead the Great Danes into Saturday's season opener vs. Colgate. ALBANY — University at Albany men’s lacrosse coach Scott Marr said he’ll play six freshmen in Saturday’s season opener against Colgate at Casey Stadium. They’ll make their college debuts against the surprising Raiders (2-1), who have already played three games, including an upset of then No. 4 Penn State. “They’ve got to get through the first five minutes and kind of settle into the game,” Marr said Friday. “Hopefully we have some positives happen in the first half of the first period and get them kind of settled in a little bit. ... It’s the first game, so there’s definitely some nerves involved.” Marr said attack Ryan Doherty, midfielders James Reid and Jackson Palumb, longstick midfielder Jacob Smith, close defenseman Cade Galko and goalkeeper Landon Whitney are the freshmen who will play against Colgate. “Probably half the squad playing tomorrow will be sophomores and freshmen,” Marr said. Marr said he’ll rely on veterans such as longstick midfielder Jake Piseno, attack/midfielder Graydon Hogg and midfielders Conner Fingar and Darien LaPietro, all graduate students, to help the young players get through their early jitters. “We always take deep breaths and get them settled down,” Piseno said. “I think that they’re ready for the spotlight. I think all the guys are ready to play on this stage.” The Great Danes are opening at home after starting on the road the past two seasons. “Very excited,” Piseno said. “It’s a long-awaited journey, getting to this first game.” UAlbany scrimmaged Cornell last week. After the Big Red started fast, UAlbany tied them in the second and third quarters, Marr said. Now they’ll play for real against Colgate, which was picked eighth in the Patriot League but has wins over Penn State and Hobart sandwiched around a loss at Syracuse. “Not that I was looking to schedule an easy team, but we’d scrimmaged them the past couple of years and did fine in our scrimmages versus them,” Marr said. “They’ve come out of the gates hot. They’ve got a new defensive coordinator (Judd Lattimore), so they’re a little more aggressive. They’ve gained some confidence.” COLGATE AT UALBANY When: 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Casey Stadium, Albany TV: ESPN+ (streaming)

UMBC WBB enters the game with an overall record of 8-16 and a conference record of 4-8. Furthermore, the Retrievers have lost 4 straight games. Feb 17 (Sat) 7:00 PM AE vs UMBC Breast Cancer Awareness/Alumni Day Albany, N.Y. Broadview Center ESPN+ Int'l Video Live Stats Tickets Preview History

Just a thought on Mike walker ...started school in the fall and became friends with members of the MBB team. Perhaps, this led to an introduction with Killings and staff and/or was Mike part of the group that played against the WBB team in practice.

Looks like 1:00 PM is the time to play on Saturday. Feb 17 (Sat) 1:00 PM AE at UMBC Baltimore, Maryland ESPN+ 104.5 FM The Team Live Stats Preview History

Fairfield is 1-1, which includes a win over #24 UConn. Feb 17 (Sat) 1:00 PM at Fairfield Fairfield, Conn. History Available for streaming on ESPN+

An updated NWS forecast for Casey Stadium: Saturday: A chance of light snow, mainly between 7am and noon, then a chance of snow showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. West wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Sounds like mid-February weather to me.

2023-24 Women's Basketball Standings 2023-24 Women's Basketball Standings SCHOOL CONF CPCT. OVERALL PCT. STREAK UAlbany 10-1 .909 21-3 .875 W3 Maine 10-1 .909 17-8 .680 W5 Vermont 10-2 .833 18-8 .692 W3 Bryant 5-7 .417 12-13 .480 L1 Binghamton 5-7 .417 10-15 .400 W1 UMass Lowell 4-7 .364 4-19 .174 L1 UMBC 4-8 .333 8-16 .333 L4 New Hampshire 3-9 .250 9-16 .360 L3 NJIT 1-10 .091 9-15 .375 L1

Last night's WBB results: Thursday, February 15, 2024 Women's BasketballAwayHomeResultLocationLinks Bryant57 Maine80 Final Orono, ME (Conf.)Box Score Full Game Archive Vermont75 New Hampshire41 Final Durham, NH (Conf.)Box Score Live Event UAlbany38 NJIT36 Final Newark, NJ (Conf.)Box Score Binghamton52 UMBC44 Final Baltimore, MD (Conf.)Box Score Full Game Archive

Standings: 2023-24 Men's Basketball Standings 2023-24 Men's Basketball Standings SCHOOL CONF CPCT. OVERALL PCT. STREAK Vermont 10-1 .909 20-6 .769 W2 Bryant 9-2 .818 17-9 .654 W3 UMass Lowell 7-3 .700 16-7 .696 L1 New Hampshire 6-5 .545 14-10 .583 L1 UAlbany 4-6 .400 12-13 .480 W1 Maine 3-7 .300 11-14 .440 L2 Binghamton 3-8 .273 11-13 .458 L2 UMBC 3-8 .273 8-18 .308 W1 NJIT 3-8 .273 7-16 .304 L1

Last night's results and where everyone stands this morning: Thursday, February 15, 2024 Men's Basketball Away Home Result Location Links UMBC89 Binghamton78 Final Vestal, NY (Conf.) Box Score Maine72 Bryant77 Final Smithfield, RI (Conf.) Box Score NJIT58 UAlbany83 Final Albany, NY (Conf.) Box Score Full Game Archive New Hampshire54 Vermont70 Final Burlington, VT (Conf.) Box Score

Thoughts from Scott Marr on the UAlbany MLAX team best player: When Scott Marr reflects on Jake Piseno’s impact on the field, he keeps going back to one name: Lyle Thompson.

A member of the UAlbany MLAX has the Tewaaraton men's watch list: The Tewaaraton Foundation announced the initial men's watchlist for the sport's highest individual honor on Wednesday night.

From my view, the team played in a manner that they knew this game meant something, whether you believe Killings coached the team into playing well and/or the team just executed the plan well, kudos to all for job well done. The next game is just as important, and they have just one day to prepare.

Not I, cannot image the betting odds for tonight's games however this is the America East.

Lastly, Roger Wyland's views on the importance of tonight's game: RODGER’S QUICK TAKE The UAlbany men’s basketball team will play a big game on Thursday when it hosts NJIT, a team coming off back-to-back wins over Vermont and UMass Lowell, two of the top teams in the America East Conference. UAlbany is struggling because 6-foot-10 center Jonathan Beagle, one of the best players in the league, still is not back with the team. Without Beagle the Great Danes are getting clobbered on the boards, while the points in the paint differential is lopsided. UAlbany won at NJIT to start conference play in early January, but the two teams are going in opposite directions right now and the Great Danes need a win to stay out of last place in the conference. Rodger Wyland is the sports director for News Channel 13. Listen to him weekdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WTMM (104.5 FM, “The Team”).

Is the MBB really ready for the last seven games of the regular season? The question may be answered with tonight's game and Saturday's game. UALBANY MEN’S BASKETBALL UAlbany ready for second half By Pete Dougherty Jim Franco/Times Union archive UAlbany’s Aaron Reddish, center, said “To be well-rested and prepare for the second half, try to turn things around, that was real important.” NJIT AT UALBANY When: 7 p.m. Thursday Where: Broadview Center, Albany TV/Radio: ESPN+ (streaming), WTMM 104.5 FM Jim Franco/Times Union archive UAlbany sophomore Amar’e Marshall, right, said his team is still learning how to make in-game adjustments when unexpected injuries happen. ALBANY — A well-timed bye in its schedule has the University at Albany men’s basketball team, mired in a tailspin of six losses in seven games, invigorated for a second-half run. Next up: New Jersey Institute of Technology, a team the Great Danes beat Jan. 6 on the road. Easy victory? Guess again. All the Highlanders (7-15, 3-7 America East) did last week was beat Vermont and UMass Lowell, two of the top three teams in the America East. Vermont had a nation’s-best 23-game conference winning streak snapped by a team that occupied last place at the time. “It’s hard not to see that, playing in this league,” UAlbany guard Aaron Reddish said. “That’s what this league is all about. Anybody can win on any given day. It’s more just about us being prepared and playing our game and being ready to do whatever it takes to win a game.” UAlbany (11-13, 3-6) is trying to get back on track despite a thinning roster. Jonathan Beagle, who “stepped away” for personal reasons nearly two weeks ago, remains away from the team. Another starter, Marcus Jackson, was at practice as a nonparticipant because of a hand injury. Sebastian Thomas, the point guard and on-court leader for the Danes, threw a scare into his team last Thursday when he took an elbow to the face and missed several minutes of game time. He should be fine to play Thursday night, but his backup, Will Amica, continues to be hobbled by a hamstring injury and is questionable to play against NJIT. “We lost him for too long,” UAlbany coach Dwayne Killings said of Thomas, the team’s scoring and assists leader. “It’s hard to play without Sebastian for too long.” “It’s been a lot the past few weeks,” sophomore guard Amar’e Marshall said. “But when a guy like that goes down, you’ve got to still try to figure out a way to win the game. We didn’t get the results we wanted (a 69-57 loss at Binghamton), but we’re still learning how to deal within a game when stuff like that happens.” The Danes have had a few days to regroup for their final eight games. They’re facing the bottom two teams in the conference this week, but NJIT may be the hottest team in the America East, and Maryland Baltimore County — Saturday afternoon’s road opponent — dusted UAlbany 114-102 less than two weeks ago in the first game without both Beagle and Jackson. “That little bye weekend was huge for us,” Reddish said. “We had some time to bond as a team, and guys had time to get rest. It’s a long season. We’re halfway through conference, so to be well-rested and prepare for the second half, try to turn things around, that was real important.” Killings, whose team is tied for fifth, wouldn’t mind picking up some of what NJIT has shown. “You want to peak late in the season, and they’re doing a good job of it,” he said. “They’re a tough, scrappy team. Coach (Grant) Billmeier is doing a really good job with them. When we played them earlier in the season, we walked away saying there’s no quit in that group. “They’re playing their best basketball in the month of February, which is really dangerous. Although we beat them on the road earlier in the year, two guys that impacted the game (Beagle and Jackson) are not able to play with us. It’s going to be a very different game on both sides, and it presents opportunities on both sides.

The caption on the MBB article ("Ready for the 2nd Half") was an error, the caption meant for the WBB article: UALBANY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Danes’ shooting, ‘D’ are top-notch By Pete Dougherty UALBANY AT NJIT When: 7 p.m. Thursday Where: Wellness and Events Center, Newark, N.J. TV: ESPN+ (streaming) Jim Franco/Times Union archive UAlbany’s Meghan Huerter, who has an arm injury, is second in the country in 3-point shooting percentage. The Danes lead the league in overall shooting. ALBANY — During a one-week break in its game schedule, the University at Albany women’s basketball team spent some time at No. 1. It wasn’t in the national rankings, but for a day or two the Great Danes were tops in Division I in scoring defense (51.5) and 3-point shooting percentage (.402). While idle, UAlbany has slipped to No. 2 in defense to Virginia Commonwealth and fourth in 3-point accuracy. Those have proven to be two important statistical categories for the Great Danes (20-3, 9-1 America East), who resume league play Thursday night at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Defense has been a staple of UAlbany teams since coach Colleen Mullen took over six years ago. The Danes have been in the top four in the America East in scoring defense in each of those years, never allowing more than 60 points per game in a season. “That’s definitely something that has been a goal and an emphasis every year,” graduate forward Helene Haegerstrand said. “Even when I came in 2019, that was coach’s first emphasis — we play defense. That’s something that has grown over the years.” Part of that is pace. UAlbany ranks fourth from the bottom nationally with 63.5 possessions per 40 minutes, according to WarrenNolan.com. That’s typical of defensive-minded teams. That’s what makes the Danes’ ranking in an offensive category all the more remarkable. Junior Meghan Huerter, currently sidelined with an upper arm injury, spearheads the 3-point parade, hitting 51 of her 104 attempts for a .490 percentage that ranks second nationally. Teammate Lilly Phillips has made 40 of 92 (.435) but doesn’t have enough makes to qualify for the national leaderboard. Haegerstrand has connected on 30 of her 89 attempts (.337). “The 3-point percentage, that’s a little bit new,” Mullen said. “We have sharpshooters and Meghan, but Helene hasn’t even been shooting as well as she has in her career in the past (.374 before this season). “The thing that is the most telling is that we don’t take that many threes (16 per game, sixth in the conference). It’s not like we’re making 18 threes and shooting 30 or 35. We’re like 6-for-11, 5-for-12. We’re shooting good-percentage shots within our offense.” UAlbany also leads the America East in overall shooting percentage at .446, another valuable trait for a team that still thinks about defense first. “We shoot a lot in practice, much more than my first two years,” Mullen said. “I wish I knew then what I know now. You’ve got to put the ball in the basket, right? You should probably practice shooting. We’d have guard and post shooting, and I’d be eliminating that from the practice to work on our defense. Now we shoot volume shooting, every day, 20 to 30 minutes. … When you devote that type of shooting in practice, it’s not surprising that we’re shooting a good percentage.”

Great Danes WLAX played the Eagles WLAX close for three periods, however, Boston College outscored UAlbany 5-1 in the 4th period. Final Score: Boston College 15 UAlbany 7.

After being down by 6 goals to Boston College, UAlbany have scored the last 4 goals, current score 8-6 Boston College leads.

Watching the game via ESPN+....

The game will stream on the ACCNX.

Apparently, according to a source, the mini helmet promotion, did not result in obtaining the number of early renewals or new season ticket holders that the Athletic Department wanted.