2011 America East Preview

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Tournament dates Men’s basketball

Play-in Game: Thursday Quarterfinals: Saturday Semifinals: Sunday Championship: March 12

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#6 #1 #8 QUARTERFINALS

#9 #4 #5

Pipe Dream’s America East men’s basketball award picks Boston star wins Player of the Year; Vermont sweeps other awards

Player of the Year

Coach of the Year

Defensive & Rookie of the Year

John Holland, Boston University

Mike Lonergan, University of Vermont

Brian Voelkel, University of Vermont

• Led the conference in scoring with 19.2 points per game and is third in freethrow percentage (85.9 percent) and steals per game (1.4) • Scored a season-high 31 points in a loss to Quinnipiac University on Dec. 29 • Led his team to a second-place finish in the conference, including a win over first-place University of Vermont • With 2,133 career points, he is second on Boston’s all-time list behind Tunji Awojobi

• Led Vermont to a 13-3 conference record and the No. 1 seed in the America East tournament • Despite losing two-time AE Player of the Year Marqus Blakely, he was able to overcome a projected fifthplace finish in the preseason coaches’ poll • Won America East Coach of the Year in 2007 and is coming off an AE conference title last season

• Averaged 9.7 rebounds per game, good for tops in the America East conference, despite the fact that he is just 6 feet 6 inches • Finished second in the conference in both assists (4.7 per game) and steals (1.7 per game) • Won the America East Rookie of the Week award a conferencehigh six times, ahead of the five by University at Albany’s Luke Devlin

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Wright provides struggling Bearcats with glimmer of hope Adam Rosenbloom Pipe Dream Sports

Ask anyone on campus if they have heard the name Greer Wright, and odds are they will nod their head yes.

In only two seasons at Binghamton University, Wright has made a name for not only himself, but the entire men’s basketball program. After a major scandal left the Bearcats’ men’s basketball program in shambles, Wright and his teammates proved to be a sign of hope for a program whose future seemed all but certain.

Wright’s junior season turned out to be a breakout year. Averaging 15 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, the 6-foot-8-inch forward was named America East first team All-Conference, leading the Bearcats to a 13-18 record while posting an unexpected 8-8 mark in conference play.

But while proving himself on the court, Wright made a name for himself off the hardwood as well. As Binghamton’s program staggered through criticism and adversity, the Florida native had numerous opportunities to transfer. But Wright’s focus to graduate as a Bearcat could not be deterred, and the decision was made to return to Binghamton for his senior year.

“I really didn’t want to leave the guys I came in with, like [seniors] Chretien Lukusa, Moussa Camara, Mahamoud Jabbi,” Wright said. “All of those guys that I came with, we started this and all of us wanted to finish it together.”

While Lukusa and Camara are four-year members of Binghamton’s program, the group is scheduled to graduate together this spring.

As an emotional and passionate athlete, Wright has found stability in his coaching staff, turning to them for advice, guidance and even just as friends.

“Another plus [of choosing to stay at Binghamton] was [head] coach [Mark] Macon and [assistant] coach [Don] Anderson, who I could always go talk to,” Wright said. “He’s like another

father figure here for me; I can go to him for anything. He can talk to me, tell me what I’m doing wrong, and he just stays on top of me and I appreciate him for it.”

In his second year as head coach, Macon has developed a unique relationship with Wright, coaching him for both of his years at BU. When Macon heard his All-Conference forward was returning for his senior season, the news couldn’t have been better.

“I thought it was a great decision for him and for me, as well,” Macon said.

“When you go to a new place, you don’t know what the outcome is going to be.

You have to become new to someone’s family when you already have yours.”

On the court, Macon has watched Wright grow into a star athlete. With 12.6 points per game this season, Wright again leads the Bearcats in scoring and is ready to lead his team in the America East tournament.

“When you’ve got a guy with the kind of talent he has, I expect more out of him,” Macon said. “But I have to be that much harder on him so I can get that out of him, to push a guy with talent like that to be not just good, but great.”

But, as is the case with so many members of Binghamton’s campus, Wright has made an impact off the court as well. His personality has made him a joy to work with, and Macon, a former NBA player and standout college player at Temple, raves about his character.

“As a person, I think he’s a good kid,” he said of Wright. “He’s very personable. He’s very motivated when it comes to basketball. But overall, a good kid, a fun kid to be around.

When he gets comfortable with you, he’s a jokester, and just a real delight to be around.”

But Wright’s basketball story extends much further than his transfer to Binghamton as a junior. His mother, also a basketball player, has motivated him since childhood. After a standout high school career in southern Florida, which earned him a spot on the Palm Beach Post’s all-area team,

Wright played a season at Palm Beach Community College before heading to the west coast.

He spent his 2008-09 season playing for City College of San Francisco, averaging 11.9 points and 5.6 boards.

For Wright, his time in California was life-altering and gave him a venue to mature and learn to be away from home. On the court, Wright credits his drive to work on his game and his ability to watch film to his time at City College.

After a successful season with the Rams, Wright packed his bags and headed to Binghamton. After visiting the campus, there was no doubt in his mind that this was where he wanted to play.

“When I came up I just fell in love with it and everyone here,” he said.

“Coach Broadus was actually the coach who recruited me, him and coach [Mark] Hsu, and I’m thankful for those guys. But now it’s coach Macon’s turn, and he came in just like another father figure, him and coach Anderson.”

And so his campaign as a Bearcat began. His performance on the court and presence as a part of Binghamton’s campus quickly allowed Wright to stand out, and his regional notoriety puts a smile on his face.

“It means a lot. I have fun and I enjoy playing basketball in front of [these fans],” he said. “We have the best crowd by far in the America East, I just appreciate them all, and from all of the seniors I want to give them a farewell thank you. Thank you to the school and thank you to the community.”

As a senior majoring in human development, Wright has yet to decide where his path will continue after his time at BU. He has continued to keep his options open, but if the chance to play basketball is in the cards, the AllConference forward is sure to seize the opportunity.

“We’re just going to see what happens,” Wright said. “First off, I want to get my degree, so that will be a very proud moment coming up for my parents and my family. We’ll just see where it takes me, overseas, who knows.

he does on the court, but not many are aware of how he acts off the court. Macon is chock full of zany analogies and quips, both for his players and for the media.

When senior guard Chretien Lukusa was asked whether he

understands the things Macon says, he responded, “Oh no. He gives us some crazy stuff. I think about a week ago, it flew right over my head, I didn’t understand, but I nodded and said, ‘Alright, Coach.’ He has a million of them; I don’t know where he gets them.

He must have a lot of time on his hands to think of them.”

Senior forward Greer Wright even tried to quantify how often the team comprehends his witticisms.

“75 percent of the time, we don’t [understand],” he said. “We get at least one every practice.”

Macon has repeatedly likened his squad to a snail on a skateboard rolling down a hill, compared losing at home to strangers entering your house and eating the food off the kitchen table and even used the word “doo-doo” in a press conference.

Perhaps his most infamous quote came in January 2010 when he discussed his Bearcats’ surprising opponents.

“We want people to know we’re coming,” he said. “When I knock on your door, I want you to know who it is. If you don’t, I might steal something. We’re not trying to surprise anybody. Like I said, if I knock on your door and you ain’t there, it’s your fault your TV got stolen, not mine.”

On Jan. 29, when describing his efforts to make his players get to the free-throw line more often, he broke out another metaphor: “You can put the horse near the water at the river, can’t make him drink it. He might think it’s poison. He might not be thirsty.”

On Nov. 30, Macon got up to the podium after Wright was done

David Katz/Staff Photographer

Senior forward Greer Wright has overcome a midseason ankle injury and will look to lead ninthseeded Binghamton University to an underdog run in the America East tournament.

I just want to play more basketball after this, it’s fun.”

Though the NBA is a distant goal, Wright has dreamed of getting the opportunity to play alongside his favorite player, Miami Heat superstar LeBron James. Though Wright matches

James in height, the senior Bearcat may need to hit the weight room to match his physical presence.

“He’s the most powerful, most dominant player in the NBA right now,” Wright said. “But I’ve got to bulk up a little bit to be bigger than LeBron.”

Coach Mark Macon establishing unique coaching style Ryan Ganzenmuller Senior Sports Writer

Sometimes, Mark Macon is silly.

The second-year coach of the Binghamton University men’s basketball team is known for what

Daniel O’Connor/Photo Editor

Even though his style is unconventional, Binghamton head coach Mark Macon receives the utmost respect from his players and coaching staff.

speaking and remarked, “Good evening … Whatever he said,” and walked out. He then went a step further and started the post-game interview by talking about various foods for nearly 10 minutes.

“Don’t ask no basketball questions right now,” he joked while in the middle of a lengthy digression about sweet potato pie.

Wright recalled another goofy moment from Feb. 16, when the Bearcats tallied a 77-47 win over Hartford.

“He believed that Hartford could make a 30-point play • I don’t know how • with two minutes left to go,” Wright remembers. “He believed [they could hit] eight 3-pointers in 30 seconds. I never seen that before in my life. But we’re just going to leave it to the imagination.”

During games, Macon is usually mild-mannered, but when his team makes mistakes, he gets riled up, as any coach would.

When he screams, his voice comes out high-pitched and flat.

“All I can picture is him screaming, ‘Oh my God, get back!’” said senior forward Moussa Camara. “His voice is like a girl voice. That’s all I can hear. I don’t really pay attention to what he said; I just focus on the game, but I can hear him screaming.”

“I talk crazy sometimes,” Macon admits. “With you guys [the media], it’s coming down for me … because I want you to know I really, really appreciate who I have playing for me. When they hear it, I want them to know as well. I want them to know that I know they’re playing hard even though I might not tell them that all the time in the

locker room.”

All humor aside, Macon is beginning to truly come into his own as a coach. He finally shed the “interim” label this year when Binghamton gave him a threeyear contract. Macon has a unique perspective as a coach because of his past: he was a star at Temple University, where he set the Atlantic-10 scoring record, before being drafted eighth overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA Draft.

“He knows how to show us stuff that he sees on the court that we don’t really see because he was a good player,” Camara said. “He can actually show us stuff in practice.”

Assistant coach Ron Brown also discussed how Macon’s playing days affect his coaching technique.

“Did you see him play?” Brown asks. “I’ve seen him. He almost cost me my job. The way he plays, he wants the best out of everybody.

You coach the way you play … You can see the transformation in the team from the beginning to now.

He’s done it quicker than most people, because it takes years if you can do it.”

“Coach Macon is aggressive,” Wright said of Macon’s style. “I think that’s what we need. We have a really laid-back team, and I think he fires us up going into games.

He takes every play seriously, every possession seriously, he’s always up talking … it just puts pep in our step.”

“I would love for my players to be an extension of me out on the floor: think like me, be aggressive like me, play like me,” Macon said.

See MACON Page 18

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Vermont surprises, enters AE tournament as No. 1 seed Aaron Gottlieb Pipe Dream Sports

The University of Vermont men’s basketball team heads into the America East tournament as the top seed, after it clinched the conference’s regularseason championship on Feb. 16. This isn’t the first time the Catamounts have finished the year atop the AE, and it probably won’t be the last.

But Vermont was one of the least likely AE teams to win the conference this season, and understandably so.

Following its tournament championship and subsequent firstround exit in the NCAA tournament last year at the hands of top-seeded Syracuse, UVM found itself with a gaping hole to fill with the graduation of star Marqus Blakely.

Blakely’s accolades speak for themselves — two-time AE Player of the Year and 2010 AE Tournament Most Valuable Player, just to name a few. Last year, he was the only player in the NCAA to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.

Needless to say, Blakely’s graduation in 2010 was a significant loss for the Catamounts. Excluding his freshman season, he averaged 33.4 minutes, 17.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in his UVM career.

The Catamounts entered the 2010 season missing not only Blakely, but other vital starters with the graduation of Garvey Young and Nick Vier and the transfer of Maurice Joseph. The team, left with only one returning starter in senior Evan Fjeld (pronounced “Feeyeld”), was predicted to finish fifth in this year’s America East.

Head coach Mike Lonergan said he was understanding of the ranking.

“We did lose four starters and we had seven of our 14 players going into their first season playing for us,” he said. “That’s a lot of youth and inexperience.”

But Fjeld saw it differently.

“We felt disrespected,” he said. “Of course we understood that we lost a lot from last year’s championship team so no one expected to be picked first, but we felt as though we were one of the top-three teams in the conference.

We wanted to prove that [our team was made up of] more than [just the stars from] last year.”

And that’s exactly what the Catamounts were able to accomplish this season. Proving the coaches poll

wrong, UVM finished its season at 13-3 and is the top team heading into the tournament.

The majority of opponents who defeated the Catamounts this year include some of the premier teams and players in the country.

Vermont lost games to Kemba Walker and the 14th-ranked UConn Huskies, in addition to the BYU Cougars, who are currently ranked No. 7, largely due to the stellar play of senior guard Jimmer Fredette, who leads the nation with 27.3 points per game.

Three of the Catamounts’ other losses came against teams picked to win their respective conferences, with a loss to Fairfield University (MAAC) and two to Boston University (America East).

“It has been a great learning experience playing against some of the top teams and some of the best guards in the entire country,” Lonergan said.

But Vermont’s wins greatly outnumber its losses this season.

Largely to thank for the team’s success is not only the performance of its veterans, but also its freshmen who have played like veterans, according to Lonergan.

“Our upperclassmen have all improved their games and understood their roles,” he said, also noting the performance of freshman Brian Voelkel, who has been named AE Rookie of the Week a conference-best six times.

From early this season, Voelkel understood that the holes left after the departure of much of last year’s team “definitely meant people were going to need to step up and fill the void. So I just tried to come in and work hard and do what I could to help out with some of the things that they were losing from last year.”

The senior trio of Fjeld, Joey Accaoui and Garrett Kissel has combined for 87 wins over its four years in Vermont, coincidentally trailing the senior class with which they were given the task of replacing by only three victories, according to a report from Vermont’s website.

Despite the success of Vermont as a team this season, it’s no secret that Evan Fjeld is the most important piece of its puzzle.

The offense depends on and runs through Fjeld. He is shooting 54.3 percent from the field and averaging 14.9 points per game, placing him sixth place overall in the AE. The rest of

UVM has followed as it ranks second in scoring offense with 68.4 ppg.

After the program lost such a large part of last year’s team, Fjeld said he felt prepared to take his game to the next level.

“I had been working my whole career so that when I would be asked to take a leading role I would be ready,” he said. “I was very excited at the beginning of the year knowing that this would be the year that I would need to take the next step and a more active role.”

A discussion of Fjeld, though, is incomplete without a mention of what has now become an identifying aspect of not only himself but also of UVM as a team.

From Fjeld’s upper lip grows and lies a bushy mustache, and though countless fans of the Catamounts, Fjeld or simply just the mustache enjoy its presence, many do not fully understand its significance.

After losing his mother to breast cancer late last season, Fjeld began growing his mustache in her honor for Movember, a mustache-growing charity event held each November that raises funds and awareness for

men’s health.

But the mustache has since garnered another purpose with the Catamounts’ accomplishments this season.

“A number of guys grew mustaches in November for Movember, but mine got most of the attention,” Fjeld said.

“After the November we had as a team and I was having individually, there was no way I could get rid of it.”

Lonergan also saw a correlation between the mustache and the team’s success.

“Truthfully, if we weren’t winning so many games and if Evan wasn’t having such a monster season, I probably would have made him get rid of [it] or at least trim it down,” he said.

“But I’m superstitious and Evan and I agreed that the ‘stache was part of our magical season.”

Fans can follow Fjeld’s mustache on Twitter, @FjeldsMustache.

Though the mustache is for a good cause and seemingly brings his team success, Fjeld is still a college student growing a mustache, so by no means is he exempt from ridicule.

“We joke around, but I think he gets it the most from the opposing fans,”

Voelkel said. “[But] I’m a big fan of [it] and with the conference tournament coming up, we will definitely be using it as good luck.”

But the Catamounts don’t seem to be in need of such luck. After proving the coaches’ poll dead wrong this season, they have continued to find success when nobody else thought they could.

“We just said that our program is going to compete for a championship every year, no matter who graduates,” Lonergan said. “And we have proven that over the last 10 years.”

But history doesn’t bode well for UVM under current circumstances.

Though in the last eight years the team has been crowned tournament champion four times, it has only done so once after ending the regular season atop the AE standings (2005).

And that’s exactly where the Catamounts stand in the books this year. They must now try to turn the tables on their past when they play the winner of the No. 8/No. 9 game in Hartford.

during middle school I figured I could start with that, trying to get to Division I basketball,” McLemore said.

No unimposing ambition for an eighth grader.

McLemore attended high school at Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego, Calif., where he continued to play ball and work toward his goal of earning a spot on a D-I team. During his senior year at Scripps, McLemore averaged just over 17 points per game and led his team to the city and league championships. He garnered Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors during his time there.

McLemore’s play in high school earned him national attention from college scouts and as graduation approached he was faced with a hefty decision. A two-time All-Academic Team honoree, McLemore was receiving looks from Ivy League schools, and the education these universities promised added an extra twist to his decision.

“Academics is always first, first priority,” McLemore said. “My family stresses that, because basketball will be over before I know it. I’ll be [in my] late 20s, early 20s — who knows — when I’ll be done … academics you’ll need for the rest of your life, so academics is very important.”

The Ivy League schools could not offer McLemore a full scholarship, however, so he made the decision to go to Worcester Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts. After playing a semester at Worcester, McLemore transferred to the University of Maine, where he became a redshirt on the men’s basketball team for the spring semester of the 2007-08 season.

Maine head coach Ted Woodward said that he knew he wanted McLemore to play for the Black Bears the moment he saw him play.

“I just thought he was a great player,” Woodward said. “I liked how he shot the ball, I liked his presence on the court. I just thought he really had a good sense about how to play … [and] he played extremely hard on both ends.

First time I saw him play, I immediately knew he was a guy we’d like to have on our program.”

And McLemore knew that Maine would be “a perfect fit” for him, too.

But no one could know just how perfect the match really was.

After dropping 24 points in his Division I debut, the rest of McLemore’s rookie season did not disappoint. He became one of the top-five first-year scorers Maine had seen in over 30 years and was named to the America East AllRookie Team for his performance.

In his sophomore year, McLemore led the Black Bears in scoring and minutes played, and ended the season ranked second in the country with 102 3-pointers. He garnered All-America East first team honors as he propelled his team to a third-place finish in the conference, up five places in the standings from the year before.

Now, two years after his eyeopening collegiate debut against Northern Illinois, junior McLemore has become a centerpiece on a strong Maine team and one of the top players in the America East. He continues to propel a Black Bear offense that now leads the conference in scoring and field goal percentage. He is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.8

points per game, and currently sits atop the league leaders in free-throw percentage, with a percentage of .872.

McLemore continues to be the Black Bears’ most serious threat from behind the arc. He leads the team in 3-pointers with an average of 2.5 per game. Though well behind last year’s pace, McLemore is still in the top five in the conference in 3-pointers made.

When McLemore is on and shooting well from behind the arc, the Black Bears are a serious force to be reckoned with. The threat he poses from the outside gives Maine the ability to put up points quickly and often works to free up senior forward Troy Barnies down low.

In addition to the dangerous offense he provides, McLemore has picked up his defense as of late and has become the best outside defender on the team, according to Woodward. “[McLemore] works extremely hard, hardest worker on our team, or at least amongst the hardest workers on our team,” Woodward said. “He’s added something every year to his game. He came in as a jump shooter, he’s learned how to put the ball on the floor, how to really read defenses and take what the defense gives you. He’s become our best perimeter defender.”

Despite all the personal success he has achieved, McLemore remains a team player who simply loves to play.

When asked about what he considers the highlight of his collegiate career thus far, McLemore responded, “It’s all of it, as a whole.”

“Just being in practice with the team and team experiences,” McLemore continued. “And as far as

games are concerned, I mean, every game is a highlight for me. I just enjoy playing basketball and being out there with the fellas.”

But there’s one thing that would likely stand out, among it all, as a true highlight in McLemore’s time at Maine: an America East championship.

“Oh, it would mean a lot,” McLemore said of winning the title.

“That’s always our goal, every year coming in. We have four seniors [this year], so we really wanna win it for them. And it’s always a goal of ours every year, so being able to accomplish that would mean the world to us.”

Although the University of Maine exploded into conference play this season, the second half of the year for the Black Bears has been nearly a downward spiral. After going on an 8-1 run to open conference play, Maine had a seven-game winning streak snapped against Boston University in a game that would mark the start of a new kind of streak, as Maine would go on to lose its next six games in a row.

A win against the University of New Hampshire last Tuesday, in which McLemore dropped 26 points, ended the drought. What will happen next, however, remains uncertain for the Black Bears. But hope can rise out of even the most uncertain situations, as it did three years ago when a 6-foot-3inch freshman from San Diego stepped onto the court for the first time as a Black Bear. If the University of Maine hopes to have a shot at winning the America East title this season, it must look to McLemore to provide that revitalizing spark once more. Chances are, he can do it again.

Photo courtesy of Vermont Athletics

Vermont senior Evan Fjeld has taken charge as leader of the Catamounts.

Three-year starter McLemore lifts Maine to relevance Megan Brockett Pipe Dream Sports

The University of Maine men’s basketball team certainly looked like it would be solid at the guard position in the 2008-09 season, the year that Gerald McLemore was slated to play his rookie year for the Black Bears.

The team was returning five guards, and three of them were starters from the season before, so the idea that the 6-foot-3-inch freshman from San Diego would play any immediately significant role for the Black Bears was an uncertain one.

But when the start of the season rolled around, McLemore had beaten out the competition and garnered himself a starting spot in the Black Bears’ first game of the year against Northern Illinois. By the time the contest was over, McLemore had all but cemented his starting position and answered any doubts about the kind of impact he would provide for the team.

In his collegiate debut, McLemore outshone every player on the floor, racking up a team-high 24 points while going 6-of-9 from behind the arc en route to a 77-64 Black Bear victory.

Suddenly, the University of Maine basketball program, which had tied for a last-place finish in the America East Conference standings the season before, had a future that looked a lot brighter.

McLemore said that he first began playing basketball when he was 4 or 5 years old, and by the time he reached middle school, playing on a Division I team in college was a serious goal.

“I wanted to have goals in life, so

America East special

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vs.

S a t u r d a y ,

Vermont

The Catamounts are led by freshman standout Brian Voelkel, who has put together an extremely strong rookie campaign. He leads the America East in rebounding with 9.7 per game, but even more staggering is the fact that he is second in the conference with 4.7 assists per game as well as steals with 1.7 per game. Because of Voelkel, Vermont as a team led the conference in both rebounding and rebounding defense. He should present a difficult challenge for any team he plays against.

Senior Evan Fjeld has become one of the bigger names in the America East.

This year, he leads his team in scoring with 14.9 points per game and leads the conference in blocks with 1.9 per game. He is also a very efficient shooter — he is shooting 54.3 percent from the field this season. The Catamounts also use junior Matt Glass, who scores 8.3 points per game.

The Vermont backcourt is headed by senior Joey Accaoui and sophomore Brendan Bald. Accaoui is second on the team in points with 11.8 per game, while Bald averaged 11.5 per game. The tandem provides Vermont’s longrange shooting, as both hoisted up 110 3-pointers apiece this season.

The Catamounts have one of the deepest rosters in the conference. Fourteen players have seen the floor this year, and all have contributed to keeping the team fresh to make a deep postseason run.

Nine Catamounts average more than 10 minutes of playing time per game, led by players such as freshman forward Luke Apfeld, senior forward Garrett Kissel and sophomore guard Simeon Marsalis.

There’s a reason the Catamounts have been undeniably successful in America East play for several years, and that reason is Mike Lonergan. Lonergan is in the midst of his sixth season at the helm in Vermont and has compiled an impressive 12566 record in his six seasons thus far. He provides the spark for the Catamounts each year in the postseason.

M a r c h

Binghamton/UMBC C e n t e r s

Advantage: Vermont

F o r w a r d s

Advantage: Vermont G u a r d s

Advantage: UMBC/Binghamton B e n c h

Advantage: Vermont

C o a c h i n g

Advantage: Vermont

For the Retrievers, graduate student Justin Fry leads the team with six rebounds per game. His height of 6 feet 10 inches makes him one of the biggest bodies in the conference. Binghamton senior Mahamoud Jabbi sits at fourth in the conference with 7.8 rebounds per game and provides a defensive presence as well, blocking 1.7 shots per game. The Bearcats also use 6-foot-9-inch junior Kyrie Sutton in the middle.

UMBC has freshman forward Chase Plummer, who has scored 6.7 points per game. He also leads the team in steals and is second in blocks. The Bearcats are led offensively by senior Greer Wright, considered to be among the most talented players in the conference. This year he is averaging 12.6 points per game.

UMBC junior Chris De La Rosa leads the America East with six assists per game and ranks third in the conference with 15.9 points per game. While Wright leads the Bearcats in assists as well, Binghamton also has talent in guards Jimmy Gray and veteran Chretien Lukusa coming off the bench.

UMBC does not possess an incredibly deep bench, running with just 11 players on the floor this year. Plummer provides a spark off the bench, but there isn’t much beyond that. The Bearcats have some talent coming off the bench; Sutton and Lukusa are former starters, and Binghamton has seen strong minutes from freshman guard Robert Mansell and sophomore forward Taylor Johnston.

The Retrievers are led by fiery sideline presence Randy Monroe, who is in his seventh year as head coach. He was named 2008 America East Coach of the Year for taking his Retrievers to the brink of an NCAA berth. For the Bearcats, second-year man Mark Macon brings former NBA experience and a knack for being a strong teacher for his players.

O v e r a l l Riding high on a fantastic 22-7 season, the Catamounts are poised to make another deep postseason run this year, led by Lonergan and a strong group of players. UMBC and Binghamton are a combined 8-24 in conference play this year. When either team gets hot, even the best of teams better watch out.

But that hasn’t happened lately and probably won’t happen soon enough to translate into postseason results.

Advantage: Vermont

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Binghamton, UMBC battle for chance to play No. 1 Vermont Ryan Ganzenmuller Senior Sports Writer

The America East tournament is set to begin with a play-in showdown between University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Binghamton University, with a chance to take on No. 1 Vermont hanging in the balance.

The No. 8 Retrievers (5-24, 4-12 America East) and the No. 9 Bearcats (7-22, 4-12 America East) may sit at the bottom two positions in the conference, but just two years ago, the story between these two teams was very different.

Head coaches Kevin Broadus and Randy Monroe had built Binghamton and UMBC up from the basement and into the 2009 America East Championship game. Held at the Events Center in front of its largest home crowd ever and a national television audience on ESPN2, the Bearcats won their first conference title with a 61-51 victory. The Bearcat faithful poured onto the Events Center floor in jubilation as the win earned Binghamton a matchup with the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA tournament.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

The two squads have a paltry .261 winning percentage between them this year.

So far this season, the Bearcats and Retrievers have met twice. The first game, held on Jan. 12, saw the Bearcats edge UMBC by an 8375 score. Sophomore guard Jimmy Gray led the way for the Bearcats, who were without star forward Greer Wright because of an ankle injury.

Gray dropped a career-high 23 points and added six assists and three steals.

Senior forward Mahamoud Jabbi tallied his first of several doubledoubles of the season with 17 points and 14 boards. Jabbi was a force on defense too, adding three blocks and

two steals.

The Retrievers, however, got a monster game from junior guard Chris De La Rosa, the third-leading scorer in the America East. The Bearcats had no answer for De La Rosa in that game as he poured in 31 points on 12-of-20 shooting while adding five boards and five assists.

UMBC would get its revenge on Feb. 3, beating Binghamton 83-79 in overtime to hand the team its seventh consecutive loss. Senior forward Moussa Camara torched the Retrievers from behind the arc, drilling six 3-pointers in nine attempts to finish with 20 points.

But UMBC used a more balanced attack with five players in double figures to bury the Bearcats in the extra session.

The winner of the play-in game will take on top-seeded Vermont (227, 13-3 AE). The Catamounts possess the No. 1 seed for the fourth time in the past decade and have won four conference championships in that span, though only one came when UVM was the top seed.

Neither the Bearcats nor the Retrievers have had much success against Vermont this season, as the two teams are a combined 0-4 against the Catamounts. The Bearcats dropped their first matchup by 18 points, but battled Vermont in the second matchup three weeks later, losing 60-51. BU kept it close until an 11-2 Vermont run closed out the game.

UMBC, on the other hand, was blown out by the Catamounts 8548 in the teams’ first matchup. De La Rosa still led all scorers with 20 points. The Retrievers lost again three weeks later by an 80-67 score.

The play-in game between UMBC and Binghamton is set to tip off at 8:15 p.m. Thursday night. The winner is scheduled to play Vermont at 2:15 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals.

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Boston Junior Patrick Hazel is really a forward, but he plays like a center. His defense will be integral as Boston tries to slow down UNH. Hazel has averaged 4.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and over 1.8 blocks despite playing just 23.6 minutes per game.

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Senior Dane DiLiegro is a physical force inside, averaging 8.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. More of a physical banger than a shotblocking presence, DiLiegro will need to use his heft inside to keep the aggressive Terriers off the glass.

Advantage: UNH Senior forward John Holland is going to be the most talented player on the floor, but his ankle issue is something to consider. He led the conference in scoring with 19.2 points per game. He will need all of his considerable athletic ability when he drives into the paint against UNH’s size. Freshman Dom Morris has averaged 5.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game this year. The forward will be asked to use his bulk inside to deal with the rebounding of DiLiegro and freshman forward Brian Benson.

Junior guard Darryl Partin has averaged an efficient 14.9 points per game for his team. One of the most versatile scoring wings in the AE, Partin can get to any spot he wants and shoot over most defenders. He uses his length well on defense. Freshman D.J. Irving’s ability to penetrate and manipulate the defense will be crucial for BU, especially if Holland is less than 100 percent. He has averaged 7.9 points and 3.8 assists per game.

Junior guard Matt Griffin has averaged 6.5 points per game and has shot over 44 percent from downtown this year while playing starter minutes. If Holland needs more rest than usual, look for Griffin to play big minutes as Boston moves Partin to small forward. Junior Jeff Pelage brings some added size.

Patrick Chambers is a fiery coach who recognizes when to make adjustments.

When Holland was injured against the Binghamton University Bearcats last Thursday, Chambers adjusted the offense and motivated the players to fight harder without Holland to lean on. He has his team on an eight-game winning streak, peaking at just the right time.

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Advantage: Boston

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Advantage: Boston

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Brian Benson is a long 6-foot-9-inch forward. He has averaged 8.2 rebounds and just over one block per game this season. Benson’s length will be crucial in deterring shots near the rim. Sophomore Chandler Rhoads will likely have the task of being the primary defender on Holland.

If he can funnel Holland into UNH’s length in the middle and make him work a little on defense, it would give his team a great chance of winning.

Senior guard Tyrone Conley is one of the most explosive scorers in the AE. Adept at coming off screens and moving without the ball, Conley will make one of the wing defenders on BU guard him. He will need to score points for the offensively-challenged Wildcats.

Freshman Jordon Bronner has averaged 3.7 points and 2.2 assists per game. UNH will need him to contain Irving and get the ball to Conley in good scoring positions.

UNH’s bench is thin. The team will need senior James Valladares (2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game) and freshman Scott Morris (3.7 points per game while shooting 33 percent from behind the arc) to provide some offense off the bench.

Advantage: Boston

C o a c h i n g

Bill Herrion has led UNH to some of its greatest successes in his six years coaching the team. Last season, he coached his team to an upset over Maine in the first round before falling to eventual champion Vermont.

Advantage: Even O v e r a l l

Boston is riding the momentum of an eight-game winning streak after defeating regular season champion Vermont on Sunday for the second time this season. The health of Holland is a concern, but Boston seems to be priding itself on being able to win as a team. UNH is a resilient bunch and has some important matchup advantages against Boston, specifically with its length in the interior. It comes into this game on a three-game losing streak. If Conley is on and the defense plays well, the Wildcats have a legitimate chance at the upset, but with Holland reportedly expected to play, Boston is the favorite.

Advantage: Boston

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New Hampshire has tough road to title with Boston on tap James Carlucci Senior Sports Writer

The Boston University Terriers and the University of New Hampshire Wildcats are set to meet in Hartford on Saturday in the tournament’s third quarterfinal matchup.

BU (18-13, 12-4 America East) is the second seed after finishing one game behind regular season conference champion University of Vermont. UNH’s seed was not determined until the last day of the regular season, when UNH lost to the University of Hartford and became the seventh seed.

BU comes into this game after ending the regular season on an eight-game winning streak. The Terriers haven’t lost since Jan. 29, when they fell at New Hampshire, 6048. In that contest, New Hampshire used a strong defensive effort to hold BU to 26.9 percent shooting. BU’s star scoring duo of junior Darryl Partin and senior John Holland shot a combined 7-of-27 from the field.

UNH’s senior guard Tyrone Conley poured in 26 points and hit four 3-pointers, while senior center Dane DiLiegro and freshman forward Brian Benson each grabbed nine rebounds.

UNH finished the regular season on a three-game losing streak, going 3-5 since the win over Boston.

On Jan. 4, UNH lost at BU by a score of 61-54. Holland scored 20 points and junior center/forward Patrick Hazel added eight points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. Boston, keyed by Hazel’s defensive effort that night, shut down UNH’s offense, holding it to 33.3 percent shooting.

Boston is hoping John Holland, who won the conference scoring title after averaging 19.2 points per game, will be near 100 percent on game day. Last Thursday in a game against Binghamton University, Holland landed on the foot of a player and hurt his ankle late in the first half of Boston’s victory. He did not return

in the second half and was seen icing the injury on the bench. He did not play against Vermont on Saturday, though nothing was at stake in terms of seeding. According to the Daily Free Press, Boston University’s student newspaper, he is expected to play in the tournament.

Conley, who averaged 15.3 points per game for the Wildcats, will be relied on for offense. He has shot 14-of-31 against BU this season and averaged 20 points per game in the two contests. He will need help from sophomore guard Chandler Rhoads, who has averaged 8.9 points per game.

DiLiegro has given the Wildcats 8.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this year. UNH scores the fewest points in the conference at 58.2 per game while shooting 37.3 percent from the field. They also allow the fewest points scored at 60.6, preferring a slower pace to games in order to take advantage of their strong defense and length inside.

Boston scores 65.7 points per game, which is third in the AE. The Terriers are the second-best outside shooting team in the conference, shooting over 36 percent from 3-point range. Partin, who will be relied upon to be a first option-type player if Holland is unable to play at full strength, is the team’s second leading scorer with 14.9 points per game. Rookie guard D.J. Irving has upped his play against conference opponents, producing 8.8 points and 4.2 assists per game. Off the bench, sharp-shooting junior guard Matt Griffin shoots over 44 percent from 3-point range, helping to spread the floor for BU’s perimeter attack.

Last season, UNH upset thirdseeded Maine in their quarterfinal before losing to eventual champion Vermont. Boston made the AE title game before losing to the Catamounts, 83-70.

Tip-off is set for 6:05 p.m. on Saturday at Hartford’s Chase Arena.

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Maine At 6 feet 7 inches, senior Sean McNally lacks the size and physical presence to be considered a true center, but still ranks third on the team with 3.7 rebounds per game.

The senior struggled against Hartford this season, however, scoring only nine total points in two regular-season games.

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Hartford 6-foot-9-inch junior Genesis Maciel finished the season with several solid performances, but averaged only two rebounds per game despite his height.

Maciel also struggled in this matchup and was only able to grab two total rebounds in both meetings.

Advantage: Maine Senior Troy Barnies led Maine in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game for the Black Bears. In the first regular-season meeting, Barnies put up 18 points on the Hawks and grabbed five total rebounds.

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The Black Bears’ bench is led by senior guard Terrance Mitchell.

Averaging 22 minutes per game, Mitchell finished third on the team in scoring coming off the bench.

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Senior Morgan Sabia led the Hawks in rebounding and finished second in scoring.

Averaging nearly seven boards per game, Sabia finished the regular season as a top-10 rebounder in the America East.

Senior Joe Zeglinski proved to be a true asset to the Hawks this season, leading the team in scoring with 14.6 points per game. On Feb. 10, Zeglinski scored a career-high 33 points against Maine, also finishing the game with nine rebounds and four steals.

Hartford’s center Genesis Maciel routinely comes off the bench for the Hawks. In addition, sophomore Ryan Baker averages 3.8 points per game while averaging fewer than 15 minutes of playing time.

Advantage: Maine In his seventh year at Maine, Ted Woodward has put the Black Bears on the map. In 2009-10, after a 19-win season that included wins over both Boston College and Fordham University, Woodward was named America East Coach of the Year by www.collegeinsider.com.

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Advantage: Maine

After spending two seasons as Hartford’s associate head coach from 2006-08, John Gallagher returned to the University this season.

Gallagher spent the last two seasons as a member of the University of Pennsylvania’s coaching staff before returning to Hartford for the 2010-11 campaign.

O v e r a l l The Hawks limped to the finish, winning only three of their final 10 games. Hartford was able to beat the Black Bears in both regular-season meetings, but on paper Hartford looks to be outmatched. After starting off conference play with an 8-1 record, Maine suffered the opposite conclusion, winning only one of its final eight games. The Black Bears showed a lot of potential earlier this season and should find a way to come out on top.

Advantage: Maine

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Despite lower seed, Hartford has Maine’s number this season Pipe Dream Sports

Advantage: Hartford B e n c h

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Adam Rosenbloom

Advantage: Maine

Preseason All-Conference selection junior Gerald McLemore finished second on the team in total scoring, averaging just shy of 14 points per contest. McLemore finished in double-digits in both regular-season meetings, highlighted by an 18-point performance on Feb. 10 in Hartford.

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The coaches of the America East are either great at judging talent or just plain lucky. Either way, in the conference’s annual preseason coaches’ poll, the University of Maine and University of Hartford were predicted to finish third and sixth, respectively. Now that the season has concluded, the Black Bears and Hawks will enter the conference tournament ranked just where the coaches predicted.

Though Hartford finished sixth in the conference standings, the Hawks were able to beat Maine in both regular-season matchups. In its first meeting, Hartford fended off Maine, escaping Orono with a 61-59 victory. The Black Bears led by four at halftime in that game, but the Hawks surged ahead by eight late in the second half. Maine tied the game at 57, but a pair of jumpers from Hartford and a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Hartford the twopoint win.

Later in the season, Hartford, fueled by a 33-point performance by senior guard Joe Zeglinski, was able to come out on top for a second time, topping the Black Bears 74-65 in Hartford. Maine was able to cut an 11-point halftime lead to six in that game, but couldn’t get closer than that.

Maine enters the tournament with the top-ranked offense in the America East. The Black Bears lead the conference in scoring, averaging 69.9 points per game while shooting nearly 46 percent from the floor this season. Maine will rely on senior Troy Barnies to carry them through the tournament, as the senior leads the

team in total scoring (14.3 ppg).

Hartford will turn to its defense, which led the conference in steals (7.9 per game) and turnover margin (+3.69). In two meetings against Maine this season, Hartford held Maine to 59 and 65 points, both below the Black Bears’ season average (69.9 ppg).

On offense the Hawks will look to Zeglinski, who led the team in scoring with 14.3 points per game.

Zeglinski dominated the Black Bears this season, highlighted by a careerhigh 33-point performance in the teams’ second meeting.

Both Maine and Hartford struggled in the later half of the season, but Hartford finished the year with a 62-54 victory over the University of New Hampshire.

For the second straight year, the opening rounds of the tournament will take place at Chase Arena in Hartford, Conn. The arena is home to the Hawks’ men’s and women’s basketball teams,and should offer a significant home-court advantage for the No. 6 Hawks.

Neither Maine nor Hartford has ever earned a spot in the NCAA tournament, but have both reached the America East championship game. In 2008, Hartford fell shy of the big dance, falling to University of Maryland, Baltimore County 8265. In 2004, the Black Bears reached the conference title game, but ultimately fell to the University of Vermont 72-53.

The winner will face either No. 2 Boston University or No. 7 New Hampshire, who are scheduled to play immediately prior to this game.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. on Saturday.

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Redshirt freshman John Puk is Albany’s starting center. Though not a scorer, the 6-foot-10-inch center averages 3.6 boards and is fourth in the conference with 1.1 blocks per game.

His backup, sophomore Blake Metcalf, is 16th in the conference with 4.7 rebounds a game.

The Seawolves don’t start a traditional center and instead have opted to start games with a three-guard lineup.

Advantage: Albany Five-time AE Rookie of the Week Luke Devlin is the Great Danes’ lone starting forward.

In addition to his 7.2 points per game, Devlin averages 6.6 rebounds, good for eighth in the conference. None of the backups put up significant numbers.

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Advantage: Stony Brook

The Great Danes feature three guards who are in the top 15 in the conference in scoring, led by Player of the Year candidate Tim Ambrose.

The senior Ambrose is in the top 10 in the conference in assists, steals and 3-point shooting and in the top 15 in rebounding.

In addition to Ambrose’s 16.4 points, sophomore Logan Aronhalt chips in 14.6 points and sophomore Mike Black puts in 11.8.

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Advantage: Albany B e n c h

No Albany backup averages more than 4.2 points per game off, and only Metcalf averages more than two rebounds.

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At guard, the Seawolves feature their leading scorer (13.2 points per game) and 3-point specialist Bryan Dougher, who also leads the team in assists and steals. Dougher’s been nearly automatic from the line, hitting 32of-34 free throws in conference play. Sophomore Marcus Rouse is the team’s second-leading scorer, with nearly eight points per game, and sophomore Leonard Hayes has shot nearly 44 percent from beyond the arc in conference.

C o a c h i n g Steve Pikiell is in his sixth season leading Stony Brook and is fresh off a regular season title and America East Coach of the Year honors.

With the loss of AE Player of the Year Muhammad El-Amin, though, the team has regressed to fifth in the conference.

Advantage: Albany O v e r a l l

The two teams at opposite ends of last season’s standings suddenly find themselves meeting in the middle. The two teams are fairly evenly matched in most statistical categories, but the game may come down to Albany’s league-best 3-point shooting against Stony Brook’s conference-leading 3-point defense.

On the whole, while Stony Brook has effective bigs, Albany just has too many scoring options for the Seawolves to stop.

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Albany rides 4-game winning streak into matchup with SBU Sport Editor

The trio of juniors Dallis Joyner, Al Rapier and Danny Carter are all in the top 20 in the conference in rebounding this season.

Joyner and Carter get a majority of starts, with Rapier contributing off the bench.

Freshman Anthony Mayo is seventh in the conference in blocks, averaging nearly one block per game.

Third-leading scorer Dave Coley has contributed 7.2 points per game primarily off the bench. Anthony Jackson is second on the team in assists despite limited minutes, while Rapier adds 4.5 rebounds per game.

Advantage: Albany

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Justin Mathew

Advantage: Stony Brook Will Brown has been coaching in the America East for 10 seasons now and has two conference titles to show for it. Back in 2006, Brown’s 16th-seeded Great Danes even had a 12-point second-half lead over No. 1 seed UConn in the NCAA tournament. After a 2-14 conference season last year, Brown has his team up to 9-7.

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University at Albany and Stony Brook University are out to make history in the America East. The thing standing in their ways: each other. No. 4 Albany and No. 5 Stony Brook face off in the first round of the America East tournament this weekend, each looking to become the first team seeded lower than No. 3 to win the conference title.

The two teams enter the tournament with very different storylines. Albany, a team that won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007, entered the year coming off a 2-14 conference record and was predicted to finish eighth in the preseason coaches’ poll. Instead, the Great Danes earned the fourth seed on the strength of a 9-7 conference record. Albany ended the regular season on a four-game winning streak.

Much of the credit for the Great Danes’ success can be attributed to senior Tim Ambrose.

The guard ranks second in the conference with 16.4 points per game, but his contributions go well beyond scoring. He averages 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals, all of which are in the top 15 in the conference. He shoots just over 45 percent from the field and over 42 percent from 3-point range.

Other than Ambrose, several other Great Danes have stood out. Five-time AE Rookie of the Week Luke Devlin is the team’s leading rebounder with 6.7 rebounds a game, while sophomores Logan Aronhalt and Mike Black are also prolific scorers. As a team, the Great Danes are the best 3-point shooting squad in the conference.

On the other side, Stony Brook — a team that has never won an AE title — finished last season as the regular season conference champions, but were upset in the conference semifinals by No. 4 Boston University. This year, despite a projected second-place finish, the Seawolves ended up in fifth with an 8-8 record in conference play. The team finished the year with alternating two-game winning and losing streaks over the course of its final 12 games.

Junior Bryan Dougher leads the team in scoring with 13.2 points per game, good for 11th in the conference, and is second in the league in 3-pointers made.

The Seawolves also have three of the top 20 rebounders in the America East in juniors Dallis Joyner (6.7 rpg), Al Rapier (4.4) and Danny Carter (4.1).

Stony Brook is a team that prides itself on defense, holding opponents to league-low .393 field goal shooting and .315 3-point shooting. The team also wins the turnover battle, averaging a positive 1.31 turnover differential.

The season series between the teams included two very different games, though with similar results. The first time the teams met up, the squads played a backand-forth affair. The teams were tied at 33 at halftime, but Albany erupted to build an 11-point second-half lead. The Seawolves’ defense stepped up, holding Albany without a field goal for the final 9:46 of the game. Unfortunately for Stony Brook, the squad simply couldn’t put in the final bucket it needed. Sophomore Preye Preboye couldn’t finish an alley oop and sophomore Marcus Rouse missed a jumper, each of which would have put the Seawolves ahead. The team then failed to rebound a missed free throw, and the game ended on a missed 3-pointer by Dougher, giving Albany a 52-50 victory.

Ambrose had 15 points and 14 rebounds in that contest, while Dougher put in 20.

The second game once again featured a tight score at halftime and an Albany run in the second half. This time, though, the Great Danes wouldn’t relent.

The Seawolves never got closer than seven points as Albany took the game 58-43. Ambrose had 22 points, while Stony Brook sophomore Leonard Hayes had 18.

The two teams are scheduled to face off at noon on Saturday at the University of Hartford. The winner is then scheduled to face the victor of the game between the University of Vermont and either Binghamton University or University of Maryland, Baltimore County at 11 a.m. Sunday.

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Persistence key to Ambrose’s rise to conference’s elite James Carlucci Senior Sports Writer

Tim Ambrose pursues.

When he was younger, he was captivated by the sport of basketball and pursued it, peewee style. Each night he practices basketball, pursuing improvement on his game. On every drive to the basket, he probes the defense, attacks the open spots and pursues the most efficient shot. Currently, he is pursuing a successful America East tournament outcome for his team, the University at Albany Great Danes.

A DANE’S GAME Ambrose possesses one of the most impressive sets of athletic traits the conference has ever seen. Albany head coach Will Brown, who has coached for 10 years in the AE, said Ambrose is unlike any player he has had or game-planned for.

“Tim’s a dynamic offensive player,” Brown said. “He’s got a lot of natural ability. It’s pretty unique because he’s only 5 feet 11 inches. He’ll tell you he’s 6 feet 2 inches; he’s 5 feet 11 inches, 225 pounds. He’s built like a fullback.

Hand him the ball and block for him.”

Ambrose’s wide frame allows him to absorb contact when driving into the lane against power forwards and centers. His low center of gravity lends itself to boxing out under the glass and changing direction off the dribble effectively. To make up for his relative lack of height, he takes advantage of his superior balance and body control in order to explode up high on his jump shot or twist in the air on a contested layup.

“He’s got a unique combination of quickness and athleticism and he’s always in attack mode,” Brown said. “It’s pretty impressive some of the shots he can make and some of the plays he can create at his size.”

Ambrose’s knack for physically imposing his will on a game is a constant intangible, revealing itself in his ability to track down rebounds, fight for loose balls and manipulate a defense by drawing extra defenders.

“I’d probably compare myself to [New Orleans Hornets point guard] Chris Paul,” Ambrose said.

“Just getting into the lane, using ball screens, creating shots for myself and for my teammates.”

GOING TO ALBANY Ambrose grew up in Brentwood, N.Y., the son of Ezzard Charles Ambrose Sr. and Shirley Davis. According to Ambrose, his mother played basketball when she was growing up. He credits his older brother, Ezzard Charles Ambrose Jr., with inadvertently getting him into basketball.

“Probably when I was about 3 years old, I had seen my older brother playing,” he said. “I used to always run around the bleachers. I was one of the little kids that never sat down, and I got in trouble one day, and I was forced to watch. I saw it and it looked fun. So I always wanted to play peewee, but I was always too little.”

He said he finally got to play when he turned five and has played ever since. He played high school basketball at Our

Savior New American School in Centereach, N.Y., garnering attention from college coaches for his scoring prowess.

“My high school — probably one of the elite high schools — we had a bunch of international students coming from all over the place,” Ambrose said. “It was just a great experience. We played different tournaments all over the country. I feel like I played against some of the best players, like Michael Beasley and Kevin Durant. I’ve played against almost everybody.”

During his senior year, he averaged 29 points, six rebounds and five assists. He ended up as the school’s all-time leading scorer with more than 2,000 points.

“He had a tremendous reputation in high school,” Brown said. “He could really score the basketball. I thought he had a chance to be a very special player in the America East.”

Ambrose said he spoke to Albany’s Jamar Wilson, who also came from Our Savior New American School. He heard positive things about Albany from Wilson.

“I looked into it and I spoke to Coach, came up on a visit and I really enjoyed it,” Ambrose said. “I wouldn’t regret this decision for anything.”

AMBROSE’S IMPACT Ambrose is one of the most productive players in the conference. He’s averaging 16.4 points per game this season, good for second in the AE. He’s shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from 3-point range, which is good for fourth in the AE. This season, he has turned himself into one of the best distance shooters in the league. Before this season, the highest he had ever shot from behind the arc was 33.8 percent in his sophomore year. Now he is taking almost double the number of shots and hitting them at a much higher clip.

“It’s just hard work every day, working out, shooting, getting extra shots up,” Ambrose said.

“When everybody’s laying down sleeping, I’m in the gym late at night. It’s just hard work and dedication.”

He’s also in the top five in the AE in both assists and steals with 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Ambrose credits Brown with helping him develop into a more skilled player. With his skill set and athletic ability, Ambrose can play point guard as well as shooting guard, making him versatile and even more dangerous.

“When I came in, I was just a regular athlete who’d just run and jump, and [Brown] worked on my ball-handling, got me better at that,” Ambrose said.

“Jump shooting, my free-throw percentage — he just helped my game all around.”

Ambrose is an elite rebounder for his position, grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game, which is second for Albany. He almost never has a height advantage against his matchup, but he tracks down rebounds with explosive aggression, getting to balls that otherwise would end up in the hands of the opponent.

In a game against Binghamton University earlier this season, one of Ambrose’s teammates launched a jump shot. As soon

Daniel O’Connor/Photo Editor

Although he is relatively undersized, Albany senior guard Tim Ambrose has become one of the top players in the America East because of his work ethic and determination.

as the shot went up, Ambrose zeroed in on Binghamton senior power forward Mahamoud Jabbi, one of the better rebounders in the league, who was camped in the paint. Ambrose rushed in from the 3-point line and knocked Jabbi out of position as the ball was about to land in his hands. Neither Ambrose nor Jabbi could grab the ball, but it was tipped out to an Albany player, giving the Great Danes an extra possession. It is no surprise that Albany has a positive rebounding differential of 2.4 rebounds per game this season. Ambrose’s coach sees the value in those little contributions.

“I think the biggest things with him is he had to learn the game a little more and understand the nuances of the game, become more of a student of the game,” Brown said. “I think he’s done that.”

FUTURE PURSUITS Ambrose is majoring in African Studies and he’s also going for a dual minor in sociology and education. He has plans for

after graduation.

“My No. 1 option is to try and play overseas or even go to the NBA and try and get in the training camps in Vegas,” he said. “When it all falls down, I just want to coach; I want to be a Division I coach.”

His current head coach said that over his time at Albany, Ambrose’s practice habits have improved significantly. Brown said Ambrose is a player who self-motivates, which rubs off on other players during practice.

“I feel like I lead,” Ambrose said. “I lead in a different way. I’m a laid-back kind of guy. I lead by my actions. I’m not one to lead by my voice, I just lead by action.”

Ambrose is the veteran on the team. He is one of only two seniors and is usually the most experienced player on the court at a given time, considering sophomores and freshmen get the majority of the minutes.

Brown has needed his voice at times this season.

“We’ve had a couple of games this year where I thought we were flat in the first half, and

I’ve grabbed him on the way to our locker-room to say, ‘Hey, you know, you need to get into these young kids,’” Brown said. “And I said, ‘You’re playing so hard right now, you deserve more from your teammates. You need to light a fire in them. I’ll give you two or three minutes, I’ll wait outside.’

You’ll hear Timmy yelling and getting after them. He’s really grown up a lot these past five years.”

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AE10

America East special

www.bupipedream.com | Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Born and raised in Binghamton, Gray plays significant role Erik Bacharach Pipe Dream Sports

In a season filled with many highs and lows, one bright spot for the Binghamton University men’s basketball team has been sophomore guard and local hero Jimmy Gray.

Gray came into BU with an impressive rĂŠsumĂŠ. As a senior at Binghamton High School, he was an All-State point guard who averaged 21.1 points and hit 30 3-pointers. He was also named All-Metro Player of the Year. As a freshman walk-on in the 200910 season for the Bearcats, Gray only averaged 1.4 points and 0.6 rebounds, but he showed a lot of positive sparks. During a Feb. 11 loss at New Hampshire, Gray posted a six-point, threerebound effort.

This season, Gray has proven to his Bearcat teammates and coaches that he is capable of being a leader and catalyst for this team. He’s averaging 6.8 points, 1.0 steals, 1.3 3-pointers and 2.3 assists. “I think Jimmy’s come a long way,� said Binghamton head coach Mark Macon. “Definitely happy with the way he’s been playing.

He’s still got a long way to go but I’m definitely happy for what he’s been able to do and improve on over the last year. He’s a starter.

How much more happy can you be? As a coach, to have a walk-on who becomes a starter, that means he’s done something right.�

For the Bearcats, the 2010-11 season has been a disappointing one. After starting conference play on a three-game winning

streak, Binghamton went on a nine-game skid to put the team toward the bottom of the conference standings. The team is the No. 9 seed in this weekend’s tournament, finishing with an America East record of 4-12. But Gray still looks at this season as a learning experience. “It’s a great opportunity for me,� Gray said. “I’m getting a great experience here [at Binghamton].

There’ve been a lot of ups and downs. What I’ve learned from it is that no matter what happens you have to stay positive. It’s important to know that I’ve got a good opportunity here.�

Two of Gray’s best assets are his shooting and ball-distributing skills. There are nights when he will erupt for a scoring onslaught and other nights when he will serve as the team’s orchestrator.

In an 83-75 win against University of Maryland, Baltimore County on Jan. 12, Gray scored a team-high 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including five baskets from downtown. But Gray is just as important to the team when he’s dishing the ball to get his open teammates good looks. On Jan. 29, Gray recorded his first doubledouble in a 77-74 loss to Maine when he scored 10 points and had 12 assists. “I see myself as more of a distributor,� Gray said. “That’s my role on the team right now. But whenever a shot is open or it’s time for me to step up and make a shot for the team, I’m willing to do so. But being that I am the point guard, I look to find the open shooter first.�

While Gray sees himself as the primary distributor for the team, Macon knows that Gray still has the potential to be more and that his shooting skills and leadership ability will be crucial for the Bearcats. “He has to improve on everything,� Macon said. “His best asset is his shooting. He’s learning more about how to run a basketball team and he’s got a lot to learn about that, but he’s doing much better.�

Since they snapped their ninegame losing streak, the Bearcats have looked a lot better. After trouncing University of Hartford 77-47 on Feb. 20, the Bearcats put up two good efforts in close losses to University at Albany and secondseeded Boston University. “I think that we’ve been playing really well the last couple of games,� Gray said. “We’re capable of winning each and every game from here on out and I think it just takes focus and patience. For us to understand our competitors, since we’ve played them a couple of times, we should know what they’re capable of and how to stop that.�

As the No. 9 seed, the Bearcats are set for a first-round matchup with No. 8 UMBC in the America East tournament. After winning their first game against the Retrievers 83-75, on Jan. 12, the Bearcats suffered an overtime loss on the road at UMBC on Feb. 3, 8379. In both matchups, Gray turned in solid performances.

Thursday night’s game is a playin and will determine who moves on to play the No. 1 seed, University

Daniel O’Connor/Photo Editor

Sophomore guard Jimmy Gray’s ability to orchestrate the offense will play a key role for the Bearcats in the America East tournament.

of Vermont. But in order to get to that No. 1 vs. No. 9 matchup, the Bearcats will have to thwart the pesky Retrievers again. Even though they’re the No. 8 seed, Gray knows the Retrievers can’t be taken lightly and is focused on what has to be done in order to pull out a victory. “My main focus going into the tournament is to distribute the ball, find the open player and be a leader for this team,� Gray said. “Whenever there’s frustration on the court, I just want to communicate to my teammates and when it’s time to step up, I’m willing to do so. I think we’ll be able to come out with a couple of wins.�

With four seniors on the team, Gray’s role on this team next year will inevitably change. Younger players will be looking up to him and he’ll be the one sharing his experience and leadership skills

with his teammates. He’s already improved by leaps and bounds from his first year to his second year here at Binghamton, so Gray expects his game to continue to improve into and beyond his junior season. The upcoming tournament will help prepare Gray for what’s to come in his upcoming years as point guard for the Bearcats. There will be a lot more weight put on his shoulders, but he’s up for the task. “I think I’m ready. I’ve had two wonderful years of experience with the coaches and the players that I’ve played with,� Gray said. “There’s been a lot of talent I’ve played against, being at this school, and that has really prepared me to be the type of player I am now and to continue improving. Just to take advantage of the opportunity I’m getting now is really important for me.�

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Graphic by Danielle Esquivel/Staff Designer

America East special

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 | www.bupipedream.com

AE11

Menu Bryan Dougher — Junior, Stony Brook University, Guard — $13.20 Dougher is the only member of the Seawolves to average double-digits in scoring.

He is also tied for the team lead in steals, averaging an appetizing .9 per contest to put Stony Brook in fourth in the America East in the category (5.5 per game).

On Dec. 1, Dougher scored a season-high 26 points against Lehigh University.

Moussa Camara — Senior, Binghamton University, Forward — $10.40 Camara serves as the Bearcats’ 3-point specialist, leading the team with 62 this season. As one of only three remaining players from Binghamton’s 2008-09 America East championship team, Camara brings a lot of flavors and experience to the mix. On Jan. 10, Camara helped lead the Bearcats to a 57-50 win over Stony Brook University, leading all scorers with 28 points.

Troy Barnies — Senior, University of Maine, Forward — $14.30 Barnies ranks in the top 10 in the America East in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.3 points and 7.7 boards per game. On the season, Barnies shot better than 52 percent from the floor and recorded a savory seven double-doubles.

John Holland — Senior, Boston University, G/F — $19.20 Leading the America East in scoring, John Holland is irrefutably the centerpiece of a solid Boston team. In the running to win the conference’s Player of the Year award, Holland is worth the price, averaging nearly 20 points per game and leading his team with 42 steals.

Tim Ambrose — Senior, University at Albany, Guard — $16.40 Powering an Albany squad that ranks first in the conference in outside shooting, Tim Ambrose has been averaging an exquisite .421 field goal percentage from behind the arc, good for fourth in the league. He leads his team in both steals and assists and is second in the conference in scoring, accumulating an average of 16.4 points per contest.

Evan Fjeld — Senior, University of Vermont, Forward — $14.90 Fjeld was thrust into the role of team leader this year as he was the only remaining starter from last year’s Catamounts team, which won the America East tournament. With 14.9 points per game and a league-best .543 field goal percentage, he is one of the most skilled scorers in the conference. But his dominance doesn’t end there; he is also an intimidating presence on defense as his 56 full-flavored blocked shots lead the America East.

Joe Zeglinski — Senior, University of Hartford, Guard — $14.60 A major outside threat, Zeglinski leads the conference in 3-pointers made as he averages a robust 3.1 per game and has hit a total of 89 from beyond the arc. He is also one of the most durable and tough players in the AE, ranking third in minutes played with an average of 35.8 per game.

Dane DiLiegro — Senior, University of New Hampshire, Center — $8.80 Standing at 6 feet 9 inches and weighing 250 pounds, DiLiegro is a full serving in the paint. He’s second in the conference with 8.2 rebounds per game and his .521 field goal percentage ranks third in the AE. He’s also posted seven double-doubles this season, including a 23-point, 12-rebound outburst on Nov. 27 against Brown University.

Chris De La Rosa — Junior, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Guard — $15.90 'H /D 5RVD DYHUDJHV D FRQIHUHQFH EHVW VL[ DVVLVWV DQG LV VHFRQG ZLWK PLQXWHV SOD\HG +LV SRLQWV SHU JDPH UDQNV WKLUG LQ WKH $PHULFD (DVW 2Q 1RY 'H /D 5RVD SRVWHG KLV EHVW JDPH RI WKH VHDVRQ SRXULQJ LQ SRLQWV UHERXQGV DQG VL[ DVVLVWV DJDLQVW &HQWUDO &RQQHFWLFXW 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\

Graphic by Melissa Yu/Staff Designer

Photos by Daniel O’Connor, Sasa Sucic and David Katz, Graphics by Will Merchan