Seawolves off to best start since 1991-92.
Box Score | Post Game Press Conference
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing, Mich.) scored a game-high 20 points and junior Chris Martin (Springfield Gardens, N.Y.) added 14, including the Seawolves final four points, as the Stony Brook University men's basketball team defeated the New Hampshire Wildcats, 69-63, in America East action on Sunday afternoon at Pritchard Gymnasium. It was the fourth straight victory for the Seawolves, who improved to 11-5 overall and 3-0 in the America East. The 3-0 start in conference play is Stony Brook's best start since joining the America East in 2001-02.
"A good win for our guys against a very good New Hampshire team," Stony Brook head coach Steve Pikiell said. "We shared the ball well on the offensive end and made the stops we had to make down the stretch."
Named Stony Brook's America East Player of the Game, El-Amin shot 8-for-14 from the field including 2-for-4 from three-point range. It was his third straight game with 20 or more points. Sophomore Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Seawolves, who shot 48.1 percent and forced UNH (5-8, 0-2) into 21 turnovers. The 11-5 start is Stony Brook's best overall start since 1991-92.
The Seawolves led by eight following a Brenton lay-up with 3:09 left but the Wildcats then ran off six straight points to cut the SBU lead to 65-63 with 46 seconds left. Sophomore Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) missed a short jumper on Stony Brook's ensuing possession but Brenton grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Martin, who was fouled with 15 second remaining.
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Martin calmly knocked down both free throws to put the Seawolves up by four and then stole an Alvin Abreu pass, taking it the length of the court for a dunk that sealed the Seawolves fourth straight win.
New Hampshire grabbed an early 8-5 lead following a three-pointer from Abreu but Martin knocked down a long jumper before Brenton scored six straight points, on a three-point play and a three-pointer, to give the Seawolves a 13-8 advantage.
The Wildcats rallied to take a 22-17 lead with eight minutes remaining in the half following back-to-back threes from Radar Onguetou and a jumper from Abreu. But Martin got free for a lay-up off a feed from Dougher and Brenton then knocked down two free throws to draw Stony Brook within one.
Stony Brook tied at the game at 27 on a reverse lay-up from Dougher and El-Amin followed with a driving lay-up to put SBU back on top by two. But Abreu responded with a three from the right wing to give New Hampshire a 30-29 lead with three minutes left until halftime.
The Seawolves took the lead back on their ensuing possession though as Brenton set-up senior Andrew Goba (Durban, South Africa) for an easy lay-up. New Hampshire then turned the ball over on an in-bounds play and Brenton took it the length of the court for a dunk that put Stony Brook up 33-30. A jumper from freshman Marcus Rouse (Upper Marlboro, Md.) pushed the lead to five and El-Amin then drilled a three with time running down to send SBU into the break with a 38-30 advantage.
Abreu hit a three to open the scoring in the second half but sophomore Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.) answered with a three-point play and El-Amin then scored back-to-back hoops to give the Seawolves a 45-33 lead with 17 minutes left in the game. Martin pushed the SBU lead to a 14 a minute later with a driving lay-up.
New Hampshire trimmed the Seawolves lead to eight with back-to-back three pointers but Martin scored an inside hoop and Joyner then hit one of two free throws to push the Stony Brook lead back to 11. Stony Brook still led by 11 midway through the half before El-Amin drilled a three to give SBU a 57-43 advantage.
The Wildcats did not go away though as they went on a 9-1 run to cut the Stony Brook lead to six with six minutes left. But Joyner then sandwiched back-to-back hoops around an Abreu basket to push the Seawolves advantage back to eight.
A James Valladeres three brought the Wildcats to within five with four minutes left but Brenton hit one of two free throws, forced a steal on UNH's ensuing possession and completed an acrobatic lay-up on the other end to push the Seawolves lead back to eight.
Tyrone Conley led three New Hampshire players in double-figures with 15 points and was named the America East Player of the Game for the Wildcats. UNH shot 46 percent for the game and knocked down a season-high 14 three-pointers.
Stony Brook returns to action on Tuesday, traveling to take on Binghamton. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
