2014 America East Tournament Preview

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2014

BINGHAMTON PREVIEW - 2 ROLLIN' ROLAND - 3 PIPE DREAM AWARDS - 4&5 BRACKET - 4&5 LOWELL EXPECTATIONS - 6 HAWKS NOT OVERLOOKING BU - 7 VERMONT - 8

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BY ARI KRAMER SPORTS EDITOR

PREVIEW

BINGHAMTON

NEW SEASON Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer

Reed: “Sky’s the limit” for men’s basketball in AE tourney Blowouts, squandered leads and agonizing defeats — you name it, and the Binghamton men’s basketball team has endured it.

But the youthful Bearcats (7-22, 4-12 America East) found a winning formula along the way, taking three of their last six games and earning the No. 6 seed for the conference tournament.

“We kept coming to practice every day. We kept fighting,” head coach Tommy Dempsey said. “We kept believing that there were good things ahead for the team, and there have been. There have been some really good moments. We’ve moved the needle in the right direction.”

The America East’s postseason structure affords viable NCAA tournament aspirations to every team. Peak in March, and even a seven-win team like Binghamton could string together a few victories, capture the conference title and secure an automatic bid to the Big Dance — a possibility

haven’t done as well,” Reed said. “Numbers don’t lie. I don’t know how [many] games we’ve won, but … I feel like, throughout my team and coaches, we feel like we’re a much better team than we had been the last couple of years.”

The numbers don’t lie in that regard. The Bearcats last won seven regular-season games in 2010-11, when they carried the No. 9 seed into the conference tournament. They haven’t been seeded higher than this since 2009, when they won the championship.

The Bearcats started their run to the 2009 title with a quarterfinals victory over Hartford, the program they will try to upset in Saturday’s quarterfinal. The Hawks (16-15, 10-6 AE) swept this season’s series with Binghamton but needed a last-second putback in the first meeting and overtime in the second to do so.

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focus heavily on limiting Nwakamma, they sag off Hartford’s capable shooters, a potential recipe for disaster.

The Hawks nailed 21 of their 52 3-point attempts in the two meetings with Binghamton.

“We’re going to have to find that balance of doing our best to neutralize Nwakamma without giving up as many 3-pointers as we gave up in the first two contests,” Dempsey said.

But while Binghamton is in search of finding that balance, the Hawks will likely try to stop Reed, who scored 33 points against them on Feb. 27.

“Hopefully they do because I … depend on my teammates,” Reed said. “I feel like with this team, if they do that, it wouldn’t be the smartest choice because I feel like not only am I playing some of my best basketball, but I feel like others of my teammates are molding to their roles really good and other guys are clicking on all cylinders.”

Two of those players are senior forward Roland Brown and freshman guard Yosef Yacob.

Brown averaged 11.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in Binghamton’s last six regular-season games, and Yacob scored 20-plus points in two of the last three and forced overtime at Hartford with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

“We’ve had a lot of guys step up,” Dempsey said, “so I don’t think it’s — as I said with Nwakamma, we can’t just focus on Nwakamma because they have other guys that can beat you — I don’t think Hartford can just focus on Jordan Reed because we have other guys that can beat them.”

As the No. 3 seed, Hartford fell victim to No. 6 UMBC in last year’s quarterfinals. The Hawks know March is the month of madness, so the Bearcats will not BU sophomore catch them off guard.

But, nonetheless, the pressure resides on Hartford, the higher the theory that only great teams can easily beat a seed. conference foe three times in one year. Dempsey “Words can’t explain how me, personally, and isn’t one of them — at least this year, with his my team are feeling right now,” Reed said. “It’s in Bearcats looking for their first win against Hartford. the air. We just want to go up there and surprise a “I would rather have beaten them twice,” lot of people. I like the position we’re in — there’s Dempsey said. “I wouldn’t be worried about trying really not that much pressure on us, you feel what to win the third one as much as I am trying to win I’m saying?” the first one.”

Tipoff against the Hawks is set for approximately Junior forward Mark Nwakamma is the focal 8:30 p.m. March 8 at SEFCU Arena in Albany. point of Hartford’s offense, as he requires multiple defenders to stop him in the paint. When opponents

I THINK WE CAN WIN

the America East championship. I think all my guys believe that, so at this point we’ve got to go up there and

try to make it happen.

— Jordan Reed

made more likely by sophomore guard Jordan Reed’s recent outburst.

“Sky’s the limit,” said Reed, who averaged 21 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.6 steals in Binghamton’s last seven games. “I think we can win the America East championship. I think all my guys believe that, so at this point we’ve got to go up there and try to make it happen.”

Not many college basketball folks would believe it, though, despite Binghamton’s recent hot streak.

“It’s no secret. The last couple of years we

It’s just knowing that it’s all coming to an end.

I’ve been like pushing through pain and everything just so I could get to this moment.

—Roland Brown

BU senior Kendall Loh/Photo Editor

Senior forward Roland Brown has scored double figures in four of his past six contests.

ROLLIN' ROLAND

B Y A R I K R A M E R | S P O R T S E D I TO R Brown hoping to extend career with success in AE tourney A glance at the stat sheet elicited a one-word response from Roland Brown.

“Damn,” said the senior forward, shaking his head with a bewildered smile plastered across his face.

The Binghamton men’s basketball team had just defeated Maine handily on Feb. 8, snapping an eight-game skid and pulling within one game of the eighth-place Black Bears. Brown had scored 17 points and snatched nine boards. He needed one more rebound to collect the first doubledouble of his career, and he knew it.

One month later, Brown is still in search of that elusive doubledouble. But the near miss against Maine served as a springboard for the best stretch of his college career, one that has coincided with the most successful six-game span in head coach Tommy Dempsey’s two years at Binghamton.

The Bearcats (7-22, 4-12 America East) will enter the conference tournament as the No. 6 seed and winners in three of their last six. They have competed with the league’s top

teams, falling to No. 1 Vermont and No. 3 Hartford in overtime, and they are confident they can stage an upset of the Hawks (16-15, 10-6 AE) in Saturday’s quarterfinal.

“I feel like it’s our time,” Brown said at the team’s pre-tournament media day Wednesday.

Brown speaks quietly, but his tone shouldn’t be misconstrued as diffident. He firmly believes the Bearcats can bust the America East bracket and advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2009, when they proceeded to win the championship.

Though sophomore guard Jordan Reed has played at an elite level lately, Brown has been the unsung hero. He averaged 11.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in the last six regular season games, reaching double figures four times.

Brown had eclipsed the 10-point mark just five other times at the Division I level, but he has overcome adversity to provide a reliable post presence since a hip injury sidelined freshman forward Nick Madray for the season.

“It’s just knowing that it’s all coming to an end. I’ve been like pushing through pain and everything just so I could get to this moment so I could help my team as much as I can,” said Brown, whose knees have hampered him throughout his career.

“I just want to end off at a good note.

That’s it. I just want to end off great.”

Saturday could be the last time Brown and fellow seniors Rayner Moquete and Alex Ogundadegbe suit up for a college basketball game.

Brown is determined to earn a chance to play again.

“After this we’re in the real world now — no more wonderworld,” Brown said. “So we want to go as far as possible, bring home the America East championship.”

Another factor drives Brown as well. Earlier in the season, he seldom logged minutes. He adopted a mentor’s role, teaching his younger teammates the ways of college basketball and guiding them through rough patches — of which Brown, a two-time transfer, had seen plenty.

He can make a direct impact as a

starter now, but disrupting the natural balance of the conference tournament would also validate the effort he has exerted off the floor.

“We just want to be the ones to leave a mark to say that we brought back another America East championship. We’re hungry,” Brown said on behalf of his fellow seniors.

“We do as much as we can to help the coaches and help our players to go on and move on from all the negativity [the 2009 scandal] that happened years ago and just bring home another championship.”

And for Brown, anything short of that championship will be a disappointment — like falling short of the double-double against Maine, only on a grander scale.

“I just want to go all the way. That would be a successful year for us,” Brown said. “No more moral wins. No more, ‘Oh, we had it.’”

After this we’re in the real world now — no more wonderworld.

—Roland Brown

BU sophomore

E P I M P A S E D R R D A W A

Coach of the Year

John Becker, Vermont After a 4-8 start — in which they almost upset Duke at Cameron Indoor — the Catamounts rattled off 17 victories in their last 18 games.

They outscored America East teams by 20.9 points per game, allowing Becker to cruise to this award.

TOURNAMENT

Quarterfinal

Semifinal

Title G

#1 Vermont #1 Vermont

#1 Vermont

#8 UNH

2014 Cham Vermon

#4 Albany #5 UMBC

#5 UMBC

First Team All-Conference Player of the Year

Rookie of the Year:

Akeem Williams, Sr., - UMass Lowell America East coaches picked the River Hawks to finish last in the preseason poll for a reason: UML was transitioning to a Division I schedule with a Division II roster. But Williams rose to the occasion, leading the league with 17.4 points per game and carrying his team to an 8-8 conference record and fifth-place finish.

Jordan Reed, So.,- Binghamton

Brian Voelkel, Sr., Vermont

Rodney Elliott, Fr., UMBC

Voelkel doesn’t score a lot. Sometimes he doesn’t score at all. But he’s the most valuable player on the league’s top team, embodying John Becker’s philosophy of intensity on defense and ball movement on offense. As a 6-foot-6 forward, Voelkel led the America East with 5.9 assists per conference game.

He also ranked second in rebounds and steals with 7.8 and 1.4 per game, respectively.

As well as Binghamton’s freshmen performed, Elliott ran away with this award. He ranked second in conference play, averaging 15.4 points per game, and fifth in assists with 3.5 per game. No other rookie ranked in the top five in multiple categories.

With Reed playing the best basketball of his career, the Bearcats won three of their last six games to climb the standings and earn the No. 6 seed. Reed led the conference in rebounding (9.1 rpg) for the second straight year, ranked third with 15.4 points per game and fourth with 1.5 steals per game.

Brian Voelkel, Sr., - Vermont See Player of the Year

Jameel Warney, So., - Stony Brook

Our preseason pick for Player of the Year, Warney improved his gaudy freshman numbers across the board in the 2013-14 season. But those stats dipped in conference play, when he averaged 12.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and shot 60.1 percent from the field. That’s good enough for first team, but given Vermont’s incredible run through conference play, it’s not sufficient to edge Voelkel for Player of the Year.

Clancy Rugg, Sr., - Vermont The Catamounts are so balanced in their rotation that choosing one player over another for an award can be a challenge. We’ll give Rugg the nod over senior guard Sandro Carissimo though, because he led the conference’s No. 1 team in scoring and ranked second in rebounding. In conference play, he averaged 11.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 56.8 percent from the field.

T PREDICTIONS

Game

mpion nt

Semifinal

Quarterfinal

#3 Hartford #6 Binghamton

#6 Binghamton

#2 SBU #2 SBU #2 SBU

#7 Maine

Lowell

B6

SPORTS

Pat Duquette

UMASS Lowell Head Coach

Expectations

We had no idea what to expect. None of us had coached in the league. … We had a new staff, [our team was] full of players recruited to play in a different league at a different level

www.bupipedream.com | March 7, 2014

E.Jay Zarett Pipe Dream Sports

Ineligible for AE tourney, UML reflects on season’s success Nobody knew what to expect of UMass Lowell in 201314, not even head coach Pat Duquette.

America East coaches tabbed the River Hawks and their Division II roster to finish last in their inaugural Division I season, but that’s where the expectations stopped.

“We had no idea what to expect,” Duquette said. “None of us had coached in the league.

We had a new staff, [our team was] full of players recruited to play in a different league at a different level. We disregarded all expectations. We just talked about building the program the right way and defining progress on our own terms. And we never spoke about wins and losses ever.”

Progress took a tangible form, as UMass Lowell finished 10-18 overall with an 8-8 America East record. The River Hawks took a 23-23 tie into halftime of their season opener at then-No. 7 Michigan but lost 11 of their first 12 games. They hit their stride in conference play.

“I felt like our team competed at the Division I level every game,” Duquette said. “We didn’t get any type of positive results in terms of wins and losses until second semester, but we competed and we made a ton of progress even when we were 1-11.”

At the start of conference play, the River Hawks proved their progress and took the league by surprise. They opened their AE slate by defeating UMBC and Binghamton in back-to-back games, before taking a thrilling overtime match against defending conference champion Albany.

Senior guard Akeem Williams, who led UMass Lowell with 15.8 points per game, did not expect the hot start from his team to begin America East play.

“I think it was a little bit of a surprise just because of the fact that it was our first

year,” Williams said. “People said going in we may only win one game or two games. I think when we started to win a few we were a little surprised.”

UMass Lowell cooled off after its hot opening, but still managed to finish with an even record in conference. While they struggled against the league’s elite teams, recording no victories against No. 1 Vermont and No. 2 Stony Brook, the River Hawks managed to get the better of the AE’s weaker competition, going 7-1 against opponents in the lower half.

Their .500 mark would have been good for the No. 5 seed in athe upcoming AE tournament, finishing ahead of Maine, New Hampshire, Binghamton and UMBC. But due to the NCAA rule that a team transitioning to the Division I level must wait four years to compete in postseason play, Lowell’s season is over.

Duquette and Williams each said the rule did not catch them by surprise.

“I think we knew the situation going in, so it wasn’t that disappointing,” Williams said. “But with the success we had, we were a little bit upset because we felt like we could have made some noise in the tournament.”

Instead of preparing for a quarterfinal matchup against Albany, Lowell will look ahead to next season, an unfortunate circumstance for a team that could have had an outside chance to win the conference title this season. However, Duquette views this year as a success for a team that many thought would struggle to win a single game.

“I still think it is going to be a long process, and we’ve got a long way to go,” Duquette said. “But regardless of wins and losses, we did a lot of things to establish a strong foundation this year.”

People said going in we may only win one game or two games. I think when we started to win a few we were a little surprised

- Akeem Williams

B7

SPORTS

www.bupipedream.com | March 7, 2014

HAWKS NOT OVERLOOKING

BINGHAMTON

BY ERIK BACHARACH | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

We have one of the best twopoint field goal percentages in the country.

— John Gallagher Hartford head coach

Hartford looking to avoid repeat of history It’s déjà vu all over again for Hartford.

Just like last season, the Hawks enter the America East tournament as the No. 3 seed. Their 10-6 conference record mimics their mark from a year ago. And as it did in 2012-13, Hartford goes into the postseason with a winning streak at its back.

But that was then, and this is now.

“Every year is a different year, and every year is a different feel,” head coach John Gallagher said.

The Hawks, who will coast into the tournament with six wins in their last seven games, aren’t dwelling on their season-ending 69-62 loss to UMBC in the AE quarterfinals a year ago. In fact, with sixth-seeded Binghamton playing as well as it has been of late, Gallagher said his team isn’t even feeling any of the pressures associated with being a favorite.

“At least two or three people put on social media that they expect Binghamton to win,” Gallagher said. “As I talked to my team, pressures never came up. The only word that comes up with the guys is just being the most excited group to be there. I can’t tell you how excited we are.”

Hartford finished this season with a 1615 overall mark, a year after earning 17 total victories to give them a Division I programrecord 33 wins in back-to-back years.

“We’re proud of that. But it’s not something where we stop playing and stop competing,” Gallagher said.

When the Hawks and Bearcats square off Saturday night in the quarterfinals, Hartford’s primary concern will be sophomore forward Jordan Reed, whom Gallagher referred to as “the best player in the league.”

“I don’t know if you can fully stop him, you just have to try and make sure he doesn’t go for 30, which the last two opponents haven’t been successful in doing, and we were one of them,” Gallagher said.

Hartford’s answer for Reed is junior forward Mark Nwakamma. The Hawks’ leading scorer with 15.1 points per game, Nwakamma is not only Hartford’s go-to offensive option, but is responsible for creating the floor space that has his team atop the America East in 3-pointers made.

“Just like Jordan Reed, [Nwakamma is] one of the better players in our conference,” Gallagher said. “Anytime you have a player like him, he just makes everybody else calmer.”

Still, the Hawks have proven that they can compete at a high level without Nwakamma, and Gallagher points to their games on Jan. 29 and Feb. 1 against Vermont and Stony Brook, which

were seven- and four-point losses, respectively, as evidence.

“I thought that really changed our season,” Gallagher said. “It gave us unbelievable confidence from every player. We’ve won six of seven, but now I think Mark’s playing his best and we’re really just excited about being there.”

In the teams’ last matchup, Hartford overcame Reed’s 33-point outburst with a 89-83 double overtime victory. On Jan. 23, the Hawks also tiptoed past the Bearcats with a two-point, 5654 win. A gritty, hard-fought game on Saturday night has been foreshadowed, and the Hawks are giving BU the respect their closely-contested

and will place a heavy emphasis on guarding the perimeter.

“The one offensive balance they have is they spread you out with a ton of shooters and you can’t bring a lot of help,” Dempsey said. “In both games [against Hartford this season], we were so concerned with Nwakamma and they made 21 threes against us. So we’re going to have to find that balance of doing our best to neutralize Nwakamma without giving as many 3-pointers as we gave up in the first two contests.””

But Gallagher insisted that his squad isn’t a one-trick pony, and even said the 3-ball isn’t necessarily the Hawks’ greatest asset offensively.

As I talked to my team, pressures never came up.

The only word that comes up with the guys is just being the most excited group to be there.

—John Gallagher

Hartford head coach

matchups have elicited.

“The biggest advantage, and maybe the reason we came out on top, was just a play here and a play there and that can turn at any time,” Gallagher said. “So we understand what we’re going against Saturday night. We just have the utmost respect for Binghamton and their program.”

Junior guard Wes Cole tops the conference this season with 77 3-pointers made to lead a Hartford team that drained 246 baskets from beyond the arc, 45 more than the next closest AE team. Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey puts a lot of stock in Hartford’s ability to spread the floor by way of its 3-point ability,

“It’s a misconception, very similar to Chip Kelly and the [Philadelphia] Eagles,” Gallagher said. “Everyone thinks they throw the ball every possession. Meanwhile, they had one of the best running games.”

“We have one of the best two-point field goal percentages in the country,” Gallagher added.

“We don’t discriminate. We take twos and threes.

And offensively, we don’t focus solely on one or the other, we just focus on what the defense gives us.”

Tipoff is set for approximately 8:30 p.m. at SEFCU Arena in Albany.

FEATURE

SPORTS PIPE DREAM

Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer

Vermont escaped the Events Center with a 92-82 overtime victory on March 1. The Catamounts last won the America East tournament in 2012.

BY ARI KRAMER | SPORTS EDITOR

PRESSURE MOUNTING

Vermont determined to earn third NCAA berth in five years The pressure’s on for Vermont.

Head coach John Becker and his team know better than most that records are irrelevant in the America East tournament. The fresh start offered by the postseason can negate the season’s work and send the top seed packing. After all, it allowed fourth-seeded Albany to usurp Vermont (21-9, 15-1 AE) last year, cracking the reigning champs’ crown.

Of course, the past is the past. Vermont has not allowed its 2012-13 letdown disrupt its 2013-14 campaign. The Catamounts enter the tournament on a 10-game winning streak, the 4-8 start to nonconference play a far distant memory. Their only America East loss came at second-seeded Stony Brook on Jan. 24, and they have battled in closefought competitions against national powerhouses, evidenced by their one-point loss to then No. 6 Duke on Nov. 24.

And despite all that, the third-year coach still

I think all of these conference tournament

games have pressure

because of the finality of it if you lose.

John Becker

—

Vermont Head Coach

led his team to its sixth consecutive 20-win season.

“We played the 17th hardest non-conference schedule in the country to try and expose us for what we needed to get better at,” Becker wrote in an email. “I think our non-conference struggles humbled this experienced group and brought out the competitive nature and pride of this group, which we have really seen the last two months.”

But with the same starting lineup as last season and a team full of seniors who remember the sting of the unexpected blow dealt by Albany, Vermont is determined to prevent history from repeating itself.

“I think all of these conference tournament games have pressure because of the finality of it

if you lose,” Becker wrote. “We have [six] seniors so they really don’t want their NCAA tournament hopes to end.”

The team, which Becker identified at the beginning of the season as one that is primarily defensive, has evolved its offensive dynamism.

With senior forward Clancy Rugg and senior guard Sandro Carissimo leading the veteran squad, the Catamounts averaged 71.4 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting. Rugg, already known for his rise from walk-on to starter, shot 55.7 percent and led the team with 13.1 points per game.

“This is the best we have played offensively since I have been the head coach, but I love defense, rebounding and toughness,” Becker wrote.

And they’re still a potently defensive team, holding opponents to just 60.3 points per game, 14th in the nation. Senior guard Brian Voelkel, whom Becker described as “the engine of the team,” took the reins of the defense, 8.1 boards and 1.4 steals per game, both team highs.

Carissimo’s final year has proved more fruitful for the shooting guard gone point guard. He’s upped his shot attempts per game from 10 per game last season to 12.8 this year, and Becker claimed the New York native is the best point guard in the league.

“He has become much more aggressive on offense this year,” Becker wrote. “I wouldn’t trade him for anyone in our league.”

So it sounds like the Catamounts are in line for their third NCAA appearance in five years, despite needing overtime to beat Binghamton in the regular-season finale. Becker wasn’t unsettled by the surprisingly close game, however.

“Obviously we’re not expecting to lose any time we play, but we knew it would be a game [against Binghamton],” Becker said. “It was a meaningless game for us as far as the standings — I was worried about our guys being off for that.”

Fortunately for them, the Catamounts will face neither Albany nor Binghamton in their quarterfinals contest. They’re taking on New Hampshire. The conference’s bottom seed has fallen victim to the Catamounts twice this season, and neither contest was close. The Wildcats (623, 4-12 AE) couldn’t breach Vermont’s defense in their 57-40 loss on Jan. 20, and there was an even starker margin of defeat in their 79-44 meltdown on Feb. 19.

But, as the Catamounts have learned, every game is a competition, and if they want to succeed in the postseason, they can’t take any team for granted.

Vermont’s quarterfinals game with UNH is set for noon on Saturday at SEFCU Arena in Albany.