america east mbb tournament 2024 Jersey Mike's America East MBB Tournament

[cwdickens]

From yesterday's Times-Union:

AMERICA EAST MEN’S CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CAPSULES

 

By Pete Dougherty

Vermont has won eight consecutive America East men’s basketball regular-season titles, the longest such streak in the country. Only twice have the Catamounts failed to follow up with a conference tournament championship, so how much hope does that leave for the others?

Since the conference was created as the North Atlantic began play in 1979-80, the No. 1 seed has won 28 of the 43 tournament titles (there was no championship game in 2021 because of COVID-19).

 

As lottery players often say, all you need is a chance, and seven teams will be trying to dethrone Vermont when the tournament begins Saturday. The only school not getting an opportunity is NJIT, which did not qualify because of its last-place finish in the regular season.

Here is a capsule look at the eight teams that are participating:

1. VERMONT (25-6, 15-1)

Top players: 6-0 Gr. G Aaron Deloney

(10.8 ppg, 25th in America East; 3.1 apg, 8th); 6-4 Jr. G Shamir Bogues (10.7 ppg, 26th; 5.2 rpg, 15th)

Quarterfinal opponent: UAlbany (home, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: Unlike in the days of Anthony Lamb, the Catamounts don’t have a go-to player but they sport the conference’s most-balanced lineup, with six players averaging 8.0 points per game or better. It’s hard to believe Vermont’s lone conference loss came against NJIT, which didn’t make the tournament field. The home gym makes UVM a tough out.

2. UMASS LOWELL (20-9, 11-5)

Top players: 5-11 Sr. G Ayinde Hikim (14.8 ppg, 8th; 5.2 apg, 2nd); 6-7 Sr. G Quinton Minton (14.1 ppg, 13th; 6.2 rpg, 9th)

Quarterfinal opponent: UMBC (home, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: The River Hawks average 80.3 points, 40th in the nation and most for an America East team since1995-96 (Drexel, 82.6). Lowell’s prowess around the basket shows in the stats. The Hawks lead the conference in free throws made (492), attempted (633) and percentage (.742) — 36 of 47 in a Feb. 24 victory over UAlbany — as well as rebound margin (+6.8).

3. BRYANT (19-12, 11-5)

Top players: 6-5 Gr. G Sherif Gross-Bullock (18.1 ppg, 4th; 5.1 rpg, 16th); 6-6 Sr. G Earl Timberlake (14.6 ppg, 11th; 9.0 rpg, 3rd; 3.9 apg, 6th)

Quarterfinal opponent: Maine (home, 2 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: The Bulldogs have a veteran lineup, starting a graduate student in Gross-Bullock, who transferred from La Salle in the middle of last season, along with three seniors and a junior. Timberlake sat out the season finale against UAlbany with a hand injury. An early-season victory at Florida Atlantic remains the most impressive outing for an America East team.

4. NEW HAMPSHIRE (15-14, 7-9)

Top players: 6-6 Jr. F Clarence Daniels

(19.6 ppg,1st; 9.3 rpg, 2nd); 5-10 Jr. G Ahmad Robinson (15.5 ppg, 6th; 4.6 apg, 4th)

Quarterfinal opponent: Binghamton (home, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: The Wildcats, under first-year coach Nathan Davis, are a top-four seed for the fourth straight year but enter the postseason on a four-game losing streak. Daniels is a conference Player of the Year candidate, and Robinson runs the offense. UNH has attempted more 3-pointers than any team in the league, and if they’re going in, these ‘Cats can be dangerous.

5. BINGHAMTON (15-14, 7-9)

Top players: 6-6 Jr. G Tymu Chenery

(14.8 ppg, 10th); 6-3 Gr. G Symir Torrence

(8.4 ppg, 38th; 5.9 rpg, 12th; 7.5 apg, 1st)

Quarterfinal opponent: New Hampshire (away, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: Similar to Vermont, the Bear-cats rely on balanced scoring, with six players averaging 8.0 or more points. Torrence, a Syracuse transfer who ranks third nationally in assists, hasn’t played since Feb. 22 because of injury. Without Torrence, Binghamton closed the regular season with a victory at UMBC to secure the fifth seed and avoid falling to No. 7.

6. MAINE (15-16, 7-9)

Top players: 6-7 Sr. F Peter Filipovity

(14.4 ppg, 12th; 7.7 rpg, 5th); 6-3 Jr. G Kellen Tynes (12.7 ppg, 17th; 3.6 apg, 7th)

Quarterfinal opponent: Bryant (away, 2 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: The Black Bears are the lowest-scoring team in the America East at 67.9 points per game, but they lead the conference in turnover margin (+1.68). Filipovity, a native of Hungary, is among the conference’s most-improved players, a threat from inside and outside. Maine endured some losing streaks during the season but finished winning four of its last five.

7. UMBC (11-20, 6-10)

Top players: 6-3 So. G Dion Brown (19.0 ppg, 3rd; 7.7 rpg, 6th; 2.4 apg, 14th); 6-3 Jr. G Marcus Banks (14.8 ppg, 7th)

Quarterfinal opponent: UMass Lowell (away, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: UMBC is one of six Division I teams that didn’t return any players who started a game for their current team last season but finished the regular season with victories in four of its final six games. The Retrievers give up a conference-worst 80.3 points per game, but they lead in 3-point percentage (.358). Brown twice received the AE Player of the Week award.

8. UALBANY (13-18, 5-11)

Top players: 6-1 Jr. G Sebastian Thomas

(19.2 ppg, 2nd; 5.0 apg, 3rd); 6-4 So. G Amar’e Marshall (16.9 ppg, 5th; 5.0 rpg, 19th; 2.9 apg, 19th)

Quarterfinal opponent: Vermont (away, 3 p.m. Saturday)

Summary: That the Great Danes are the only team with two players among the top five scorers underscores one of their issues. They’re seeking a consistent third scoring option, especially after Jonathan Beagle — who remains the AE’s top rebounder — left the program a month ago. If Marcus Jackson (hand) can return, that will bolster UAlbany’s defense.

Edited March 8 by cwdickens
clarify

[cwdickens]

UNH's Daniels Named Men's #AEHoops Player of Year to Lead 2024 Award Winners

[cwdickens]

Thomas, Marshall Earn All-Conference Honors

[tnehurley]

Vermont without 2 players today, or did I hear that wrong?

[tnehurley]

UA men up 37-31 against VT at the half!

[UA1882]

Excellent first half.  Made over 40 percent of their 3s. They will probably wear us down I'm the 2nd half but if we are going to win need to stay above 40 percent from 3.  

Thomas cannot get a 4th foul early.  

[Clickclack]

Thomas got taken out of the game with 3 fouls...good first half but not much faith here. 

[UA'08]

32 minutes ago, tnehurley said:

Vermont without 2 players today, or did I hear that wrong?

So is Albany.

[UA1882]

Big first 4 minutes here.  Vermont is going to come out swinging.  

[UA1882]

 Newton played a great offensive game.  I wanted to say that.  

FIRE KILLINGS.  FIRE KILLINGS now. He is terrible.  

Up 1 with the ball out of a timeout with 57 seconds left and Killings draws up nothing.  A contested 3. Terrible.  

Vermont calls timeout and their coach draws up a wide open 3. 

Timeout by Killings. And they don't even get a shot off.  

They won't fire him but he needs to go.  Terrible coach.  Today was not on the team . It was on that pathetic coach.  

 

[Clickclack]

1 hour ago, UA1882 said:

 Newton played a great offensive game.  I wanted to say that.  

FIRE KILLINGS.  FIRE KILLINGS now. He is terrible.  

Up 1 with the ball out of a timeout with 57 seconds left and Killings draws up nothing.  A contested 3. Terrible.  

Vermont calls timeout and their coach draws up a wide open 3. 

Timeout by Killings. And they don't even get a shot off.  

They won't fire him but he needs to go.  Terrible coach.  Today was not on the team . It was on that pathetic coach.  

 

They win what they can in spite of DK. Horrible hire...

Edited March 9 by Clickclack

[Dane96]

Let me say this, because I really can't say more about DK.

Newton...man made me eat crow.  He had a MONSTER game, absolute MONSTER...considering his role and size.  I still think his ceiling for top low-major, good mid-major is 15-20 mpg, max...but damn that kid balled out today. 

[Dane96]

15 minutes ago, UA1882 said:

 Newton played a great offensive game.  I wanted to say that.  

FIRE KILLINGS.  FIRE KILLINGS now. He is terrible.  

Up 1 with the ball out of a timeout with 57 seconds left and Killings draws up nothing.  A contested 3. Terrible.  

Vermont calls timeout and their coach draws up a wide open 3. 

Timeout by Killings. And they don't even get a shot off.  

They won't fire him but he needs to go.  Terrible coach.  Today was not on the team . It was on that pathetic coach.  

 

Two glaring "Clueless" Killings moves today, both involving Thomas.

1. Putting him in with 40 or so seconds to go in the first with three fouls.  Sorry, getting a fourth foul on a potential charge (and that is a reasonable event that could occur due to his playing style) is not worth going up 3 or 4 (I forget the exact score) heading into the second half.  Absolutely Binging stupid rookie coaching movie; and

2. Thomas' bad side showed in the last 100 seconds...forcing way too much and trying to play hero ball.  I get it, he's the man on the team...but DK (as you allude) had a TO with less than a minute remaining, yet he didn't use it appropriately.  Anyone who has coached high school and higher knows that in that situation, on the road, you use the TO to calm your leader...and get a play set.

FIRE KILLINGS...GUY IS A CHARLATEN. 

 

[jimbo]

I thought the game was at 7….duhhhh. Didn’t waste my time and they lost anyway. Fire DK……now!!!!! 

[Clickclack]

1 hour ago, jimbo said:

I thought the game was at 7….duhhhh. Didn’t waste my time and they lost anyway. Fire DK……now!!!!! 

Listen, as much as we all are done with DK, I think the kids played very hard today so at least they are still playing for him.