ualbany mbb MBB Game 25/Conference 10 vs NJIT Highlanders Broadview Center, Albany NY Thursday, February 15, 2024, 7:00 PM

[cwdickens]

NJIT beat Vermont last Thursday on the road, then two days beat UMass-Lowell at home.

 

Our chances of making the America East Tournament go down dramatically if we lose on Thursday followed with a lost to UMBC on Saturday.

 

Feb 15 (Thu) 7:00 PM

AE

vs 

NJIT

Albany, N.Y. Broadview Center

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2023-24 Men's Basketball Standings

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2023-24 Men's Basketball Standings

SCHOOL	CONF	CPCT.	OVERALL	PCT.	STREAK
Vermont	9-1	.900	19-6	.760	W1
Bryant	8-2	.800	16-9	.640	W2
UMass Lowell	7-3	.700	16-7	.696	L1
New Hampshire	6-4	.600	14-9	.609	W1
Maine	3-6	.333	11-13	.458	L1
UAlbany	3-6	.333	11-13	.458	L3
Binghamton	3-7	.300	11-12	.478	L1
NJIT	3-7	.300	7-15	.318	W2
UMBC	2-8	.200	7-18	.280	L2

Edited February 12 by cwdickens
correction

[ctdanes]

Back to back last place finishes should seal the deal on DK. I think he’s done after this year regardless. Just not working out

[cwdickens]

1 hour ago, ctdanes said:

Back to back last place finishes should seal the deal on DK. I think he’s done after this year regardless. Just not working out

For Dwayne Killings, he has down this road in each of his preceding years for one reason or another, somehow, he survived.  

I expect nothing different this year.

[B9j2j6s]

We don't have the money to fire him.

[cwdickens]

8 minutes ago, B9j2j6s said:

We don't have the money to fire him.

Not only UAlbany concern, and money also appears to be a $iena concern.

Tough times in the Capital District.

Edited February 13 by cwdickens
update

[tnehurley]

The possibility of a 3-13 final AE record is looking more and more realistic. Can we beat Bryant, UML, or Vermont? Don’t think so. That leaves NJIT, UMBC, N.H., and Maine. Of those 4, how many wins? Regardless of our final W/L record, count me among those who want Killings gone, ASAP.

[dslyank]

39 minutes ago, tnehurley said:

The possibility of a 3-13 final AE record is looking more and more realistic. Can we beat Bryant, UML, or Vermont? Don’t think so. That leaves NJIT, UMBC, N.H., and Maine. Of those 4, how many wins? Regardless of our final W/L record, count me among those who want Killings gone, ASAP.

Not saying you are wrong; but you do seem to be ignoring three issues {not even counting, we on this blog can want all we want; but historically have little/no say .}

issue 1 

1 hour ago, B9j2j6s said:

We don't have the money to fire him.

issue 2

Do you really think Benson is going to man-up and admit he made a bad hire?? He waited almost 9 years to prove he was RIGHT about Gattuso😵‍💫.

issue 3

NJIT, UMBC, N.H., and Maine. Of those 4, how many wins? Those are 4 winnable games and what IF; UA knocks off one of the top 3 {not impossible NJIT beat VT🤪.} You say W/L record count you wanting DK out. What NO Props if he manages to save a sinking ship in spite of injuries and Beagle {arguably the stone UA23 is/was built on} defection🤯

Let me reiterate , no problem with your post above, just pointing out DK firing under any scenario unlikely?

Edited February 13 by dslyank

[tnehurley]

I did NOT say Killings’s firing was likely. I said I wanted it to happen. On all other points, we shall see.

[ctdanes]

We’re approaching 100 games and we haven’t been able to string more than 3 or 4 decent games in a row. At least gattuso showed flashes in 2014, 2016, 2019.  and recruited a few great players, even in the bad years.
 

Killings has been very lackluster outside of grabbing Cerruti, Marshall, Thomas, and the kid from (temple?) his first year. Not that it matters if the school is financially strapped but I’m about out of patience 

[cwdickens]

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.

[cwdickens]

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”).

 

[godanesgo99]

Bertram. Wow.

[godanesgo99]

That Little pass to Newton should be a sportscenter top play. 

Nice to see them playing well.

[UA1882]

Some quick observations:

1) Killings has not done a good job this year , but he did an excellent job with the week off. Significantly better ball movement . Better defense. All coaching there. 

2) How the heck did NJIT beat Vermont? They are not good.

3) They don't need to win but I want to see them be more consistent these next 7 games.  Show some growth and coaching .

4) There needs to be an update on Beagle.  If he is off the team just say so.  Someone needs to ask the question and get an answer.  This is ridiculous. 

[cwdickens]

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.