Dougher leads Stony Brook past UMBC

By GREG LOGAN  greg.logan@newsday.com

Photo credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke |

One minute, Stony Brook was cruising along with a comfortable cushion over University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Then a rare seven-point possession gave the Retrievers a one-point lead with 9:35 left and threatened to turn the America East Conference game on its head Monday night at Pritchard Gymnasium.
But when the Seawolves regained a one-point lead with 4:49 left, Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell told his players it was "winning time.''
With a nod to junior guard Bryan Dougher, Pikiell put the ball in the hands of his best shooter, and Dougher delivered back-to-back three-pointers that helped send the Seawolves on their way to a 69-59 victory.
The second of those threes came from beyond NBA range near the top of the arc, gave Stony Brook a 66-58 lead with 1:02 left and allowed Dougher to tie the school career record for three-pointers at 221. Josh Little had set the record from 1997-2001.
"Tonight, it was big-play time, and he took care of business,'' Pikiell said of Dougher.
"I can't take him out of the game. Bryan looked at me [in the huddle] and shook his head, so we ran his number a couple of times. It was nice to have him step up.''
Dougher led Stony Brook (9-12, 4-5 America East) with 19 points and shot 5-for-9 from three-point range. Marcus Rouse and Eric McAlister added 12 points each and Dallis Joyner grabbed 12 rebounds.
UMBC (3-19, 2-7) is last in the conference and certainly looked beatable most of the game, but when Travis King converted a three-point play at the 9:49 mark to cut Stony Brook's lead to 52-49, things got heated.
The officials - a crew Pikiell said he never had seen previously - called a technical foul on the Seawolves' Danny Carter for pushing after King's foul shot.
King stayed at the line and buried two more free throws, and the Retrievers retained possession. Chris De La Rosa, the league's leading scorer, then was fouled and hit two more foul shots for a 53-52 lead with 9:35 to play.
But after De La Rosa made three more foul shots for a 56-53 lead with 8:56 remaining, Stony Brook finished the game on a 16-3 run. UMBC's last field goal came with 5:03 to play as the Seawolves clamped down on defense.
"Defense kept us in it,'' Dougher said.
The Seawolves have been offensively challenged much of this season, so Dougher knew it was on him to produce in crunch time.
"I've been here the longest,'' he said. "I have to be a leader and take those shots. The record means a lot. I have to give thanks to my teammates for setting the screens to get me open. I had to be confident.''

Chris Martin's return boosts Stony Brook

 By Greg Logan

Photo credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

Stony Brook's 69-59 victory over University of Maryland-Baltimore County marked just the second game back on the floor for wing man Chris Martin since his return from meniscus surgery on his right knee. But the senior threw his body around recklessly despite the elastic sleeve covering his right knee.
He crashed to the floor at least three times, but the fact he kept going was a positive sign that things are moving in the right direction for the Seawolves (9-12, 4-5 America East). Martin played only 11 minutes but made his only field-goal attempt and got to the line for six foul shots, making four. He also had two steals and an assist in that short stint, and his veteran presence is exactly what coach Steve Pikiell's team needs as it tries to fight its way uphill to the .500 mark.
"Chris Martin has helped us a lot in practice and in the locker room," Pikiell said. "He's a voice of urgency because his career is ending. These other guys, they think they've got another 12 years. His urgency is just different, and he's brought a little bit of an attitude and a swagger. The other thing he does is get to the free throw line. We've got to get him in shape. Hopefully, in another two weeks, he's back to 25 minutes a game because he gives us a whole other dimension, and he gives me a veteran that's been through some wars."
For one thing, Martin gives the Seawolves a player who will drive to the basket and draw contact if he doesn't score. Stony Brook scored only 14 points in the paint against UMBC because it was content to settle for jump shots.
Of the 110 combined shots launched by the Retrievers and Seawolves, 49 came from three-point range. SBU had a better ratio, shooting 21 of 50 from beyond the arc to 28 of 60 for UMBC. But still, the Seawolves have to develop a mindset to get to the basket more if they want to have success in the America East and build toward conference tournament time.
Right now, they're getting by on a defense that is the best in the league and that held UMBC to 30.0 percent shooting (18 of 60) and limited AE leading scorer Chris De La Rosa to 12 points on 3-of-14 shooting. If the Seawolves can get a little more inside scoring, it will take some of the pressure off their jump shooters, and that's where Martin can help because he's also good at creating turnovers and scoring on the fast break.
So far, Maine (14-7, 8-1) and Vermont (16-5, 7-2) have been the class of the league. The Seawolves still have a chance to climb in the standings now that they have won two straight after a stretch in which they they lost six of seven. The next step is a game against preseason favorite Boston University (10-13, 5-4) Friday night at Pritchard Gymnasium.
Asked if his team can get back to .500, Pikiell said, "No doubt. I feel good about the way we're playing, and I love the way we've been defending all year. We're locking teams up. We're No. 1 in almost every defensive category, and we're getting better offensively. I'm encouraged, but we've got a long ways to go. We're still finding our way a little bit, but we're getting closer to where I'd like us to be. We could make things interesting here if we keep plugging away."
ESPN Bracketbuster pairing revealed
Stony Brook has learned the identity of it's matchup for the ESPN Bracketbuster game scheduled Feb. 19 at Pritchard Gymnasium. The Seawolves will meet Manhattan (4-18) of the MAAC. That means SBU will be playing the Jaspers next season at Draddy Gym.

Men's hoops to host Manhattan on Feb. 19

The Stony Brook men’s basketball team will host the Manhattan Jaspers on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Pritchard Gymnasium at 2 p.m., as part of ESPN’s BracketBusters event.
This will be the first meeting on the hardwood between these two programs that are separated by only 56 miles. Manhattan, located in the Bronx, N.Y., is a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and is 4-18 overall this season, 2-9 in the league. The Jaspers have been to the NCAA Tournament six times in their history, including back-to-back appearances in 2003 and 2004, earning a victory over Florida in 2004.
This is Stony Brook’s first-ever appearance in ESPN BracketBusters. The Seawolves will return the game at Manhattan in November or December of the 2011-12 or 2012-13 seasons.
Stony Brook, under sixth-year head coach Steve Pikiell, is 8-12 this season with a 3-5 record in America East. The Seawolves have been bitten by injuries; four players have combined to miss 37 games so far this season. Despite the record, Stony Brook sports the 32nd-best scoring defense in the nation and most recently held Hartford to only 35 points, a record low for a Seawolves Division I opponent.
For tickets to the game, call (631) 632-WOLF or visit the Stony Brook Athletics ticket office online at GoSeawolves.org.

Dougher ties 3-point record, leads men's hoops to win over UMBC

Final Stats

Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) connected on a pair of critical three-pointers late in the game as part of a 19-point night as he lifted the Stony Brook men's basketball team to a 69-59 victory over UMBC Monday night at Pritchard Gymnasium. Dougher hit five three-pointers on the night to tie him with Josh Little (1997-01) for Stony Brook's all-time lead in three-pointers made with 221.
The Seawolves have now won two straight and improve to 9-12 on the season, 4-5 in America East. UMBC slips to 3-19 overall and 2-7 in America East.
"We made some big plays down the stretch and held them without a field goal for the last five minutes,"  head coach Steve Pikiell said. "I like the way we played defense, and we held another team under 60 points."
Stony Brook had let an 11-point second-half lead slip away as UMBC went on a 21-7 lead, capped by Chris De La Rosa's three free throws at 8:56, to take a 56-53 advantage.
However, UMBC only scored three points the rest of the game. A critical point came at the 3:55 mark when De La Rosa stole the ball from Dave Coley (Brooklyn, N.Y.), but missed a wide-open layup, allowing the Seawolves to maintain a 59-58 lead.
Both teams missed shots until Dougher took over at the end. With 2:11 left in the game, he sank an open three-pointer to put the Seawolves up five, 63-58. After UMBC's Brian Neller missed a three-pointer, Dougher took control of the ball and with the shot clock at three seconds, drilled home another three-pointer, igniting the Pritchard Gym crowd and giving Stony Brook a 66-58 lead with 1:03 to play.


UMBC ended up missing its final eight shots, including a flurry of three-point attempts towards the end as the Retrievers tried to catch up. UMBC ended up shooting 30 percent (18-for-60) for the game and 25 percent (7-for-28) from three-point range, as the Seawolves, who rank in the top 50 in the nation in field goal percentage defense, continue to hold opponents under 40 percent shooting.

Chase Plummer led UMBC with 13 points and 11 rebounds to earn America East Player of the Game honors. De La Rosa added 12 points and five assists.
Dougher led the Seawolves with 19 points and added three assists, a block and a steal to earn America East Player of the Game honors. Marcus Rouse (Upper Marlboro, Md.) added 12 points, three assists and two blocks. Freshman Eric McAlister (Hightstown, N.J.) scored a career-high 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.) was a big presence in the post, grabbing 12 rebounds as Stony Brook outrebounded UMBC 41-36.
The Seawolves shot 42 percent for the game and was 19-for-31 (61.3 percent) from the free throw line.
Stony Brook will cap its three-game homestand Friday night against Boston University at Pritchard Gymnasium at 7 p.m.

Long Island’s Seawolves

Stony Brook’s athletics rising alongside its acedemics (Long Island Pulse)

Author: Brett Mauser | Published: Monday, January 24, 2011

Photos by Robert O’Rourk

These aren’t your father’s Seawolves or even your older brother’s. The Stony Brook University athletic department has been blossoming at a breakneck pace, working to stay in stride with the academic side of the university that might be growing even quicker.
In 2003, Jim Fiore took over the reins of a department that earned its Division I status just four years prior. The school had one conference championship to its credit. Then in 2009-10 alone, it earned six. Its men’s lacrosse team is a legitimate Final Four contender, if not on the short list to win the national title. Existing athletic facilities are being upgraded and new ones are popping up thanks to a tremendous fundraising effort. The school isn’t just attracting quality athletes, but its teams have posted a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average each of the last four straight years.
In just a short time—by athletic programs’ standards anyway—the department has developed into a factor not just regionally but also nationally. And at the current rate of growth, there’s no telling what it will look like a decade down the road.
“There have been a lot of doubters, but there were also a lot of people who supported us when nobody did,” Fiore said. “When I came here, I couldn’t get my son to come to a game. Now it’s to the point where young kids are growing up wanting to be Seawolves, and that’s incredibly satisfying.”
Like in sports, it’s all about teamwork. The coaches put the players in position to win; the players do the work to succeed when in those situations. The facilities are improving and, as a result, so will the level of talent. It all starts at the top, however. Samuel Stanley Jr., was appointed president of the university in July 2009, and Fiore calls their relationship strong and their goals similar.
“He’s been a terrific supporter of the athletic department,” Fiore said. “Our vision is his vision, and vice versa. He wants to have a terrific athletic program, so we’re on the same page.”
Facilities are central among any school’s recruiting effort, and Stony Brook is no different. What’s been key is that the administration has been able to upgrade facilities without calling on Albany. Private fundraising and minimal state money will yield a new $3-million track and field facility to be ready for the spring, a revamped baseball field to be named after its chief donor, Seawolf alum Joe Nathan, the All-Star closer for the Minnesota Twins.
In October, the department revealed plans to construct the $4.3-million Dubin Family Athletic Performance Center, an 8,000 square-foot strength and conditioning facility backed by investor and philanthropist Glenn Dubin. A Class of 1978 alum, Dubin played both football and lacrosse at Stony Brook.
“We’re very humbled by the Dubin family’s support,” Fiore said. “Glenn is a person who invests in winners, and he chose to invest in us because we’re winners.”
At the existing stadium the center will abut, the football program has made giant strides. Ironically, it became the only Division I football school on Long Island when Hofstra, where Fiore played from 1988-1990, dissolved its program following the 2009 season. The windfall benefited a number of schools in the northeast, most notably Stony Brook. This year, Miguel Maysonet and Brock Jackolski, both Long Islanders and Hofstra defections, eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing.
The Seawolves are playing up, too. They open the season with back-to-back FCS opponents—UTEP and Buffalo—next fall, face Army in 2012, Boston College in 2013 and Cincinnati in 2014. This year, they tussled with Meineke Bowl winner South Florida from the Big East Conference. In the words of Fiore, “every great research university has a high-level football program.”
Why take on the stiff challenge? It funds the whole athletic department. Stony Brook received $350,000 for facing USF back in September and it’s been able to put that back into the department, whether the larger sports or softball, soccer, track or tennis.
Stony Brook may not yet be St. John’s in the public’s eyes, but it’s creating a name for itself. Seawolves basketball fans stormed the court when Stony Brook won its first regular-season America East championship with a win over Vermont. Although they missed the NCAA Tournament, the Seawolves nevertheless reached the postseason for the first time as a Division I squad, playing host to Big Ten power Illinois in the National Invitation Tournament in front of a packed house.
“Athletics is a window to the university, and that window needs to be clear and clean and open for people to come in and see,” Fiore said.
Perhaps no team is on the map quite like the men’s lacrosse team, which enters the 2011 season as a legitimate national title contender. Rick Sowell’s squad returns an attack that includes Tewaaraton Trophy runner-up Kevin Crowley and all-time leading goal scorer Jordan McBride. Crowley was named the Pre-season Player of the Year by Lacrosse Magazine. He’ll lead the Seawolves into battle against perennial power Virginia at LaValle Stadium on February 26.
“Coach Sowell’s done an amazing job,” Fiore said. “He’s been able to keep some of the local kids home, and they’ve also gone as far as British Columbia to get guys like Crowley and McBride. A lot of last year’s team is coming back and the crowds have been really good, so the program’s in a really good spot.”
But has Long Island caught on? Has it embraced Stony Brook athletics? Over time, Stony Brook has managed to increase its fan base. In 2000, Seawolves football averaged 940 fans in four home games; this past fall, they drew 4,908 per game. The lacrosse numbers are off the charts. In hosting top-ranked Virginia in last year’s national quarterfinals, more than 10,000 fans were on hand to see Stony Brook fall just short, 10-9. On the hardwoods, this year’s numbers at men’s basketball games are only a slight increase over attendance figures from a decade ago; however, the men’s team is coming off its most successful season and is looking to keep momentum going forward.
What the department has accomplished didn’t happen overnight, and the administration is fully aware that, where they want to go won’t take an overnight trip either.
“Stony Brook’s mantra is ‘very far, very fast,’ and we’ve tried to hang in there with the speed of the university,” Fiore said. “The university’s 53 years old and we’re a top 50 institution. If we keep pulling our oars in the same direction, 50 years from now, who knows what we’re going to look like?”
“I love this place,” he added. “I love Stony Brook and I love Long Island. I believe in Long Island and the culture of Long Island. We’re Long Island’s team.”

New lineup helps Stony Brook to 69-35 win

By MARCUS HENRY  

Photo credit: Joseph D. Sullivan | Stony Brook's Leonard Hayes goes to the hoop against Hartford's Joe Nardi in the second half.

With his team having lost six of its last seven, Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell was looking for something - anything, actually - to stem the negative tide.

He rattled the cage with his young team yesterday afternoon, inserting sophomore Leonard Hayes and redshirt freshman Eric McAlister into the starting lineup for the first time in their careers.
It turned out to be just what the team needed. Stony Brook, sparked by a barrage of three-pointers and airtight defense, cruised to a 69-35 win over Hartford at Pritchard Gymnasium.
Stony Brook had been held below 60 points in regulation in six of the previous seven games. "I wanted to shake it up," Pikiell said. "Both of those guys have really been plugging away. I liked the way it looked and I liked our rotation."
Hayes tied Bryan Dougher with a game-high 15 points. McAlister played only 13 minutes but hit a three-pointer and had two blocked shots.
It was the second straight strong performance for Hayes, who had a career-high 22 points in a loss at Maine the previous Saturday. "He gives us another guy who can stroke it,'' Pikiell said. "So it takes some pressure off Dougher and it takes pressure off Marcus Rouse."
"We needed scoring and that's what Coach asked me to do," said Hayes, who hit three of SBU's season-high 11 three-pointers. "[Hartford] plays the 1-3-1 zone and that's what we've been going over the whole week."
The Seawolves led 37-26 before putting together a 17-2 run capped by Hayes' three-pointer for a 54-28 lead.
It was a rare blowout win for Stony Brook, which hadn't enjoyed a double-digit victory since an 80-43 romp over Division III Mt. Ida in the second game of the season. "I think our guys needed it," Pikiell said. "They need to be rewarded. They've been working hard."
It was an impressive defensive performance for the Seawolves (8-12, 3-5 America East), who limited Hartford to 15 points in the second half, a Stony Brook record in Division I play. Hartford shot 24 percent from the field (12-for-50).
Hartford's Morgan Sabia, who entered the game averaging 15.0 points per game, was held to four. Joe Zeglinski, who was at 14.4 and had scored at least 10 points in 99 straight games, was held scoreless. Milton Burton led Hartford (7-14, 4-4) with 10.
"We had eight days to prepare for them," Dougher said. "The game plan was to not let Zeglinski and Sabia score. We kind of stopped the whole team."
Stony Brook got an added bonus as Chris Martin returned to action. The fifth-year senior guard, who missed the previous 10 games with a torn meniscus in his right knee, had six points in 11 minutes. Martin's ability to get to the rim will give SBU's offense a boost. "It felt good just because we got a win," he said. "But I've been playing every possession in practice this week and I felt good out there today."
SBU women lose.Kirsten Jeter had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the Stony Brook women's basketball team's 65-57 loss to UMBC Saturday in Baltimore.
Sam Landers added 11 points for the Seawolves (4-17, 1-8 America East). Michelle Kurowski led four UMBC players in double figures with 18 points.

Men's hoops dominates Hartford 69-35

Final Stats



The Stony Brook men's basketball team connected on a season-high 11 three-pointers and held Hartford to 24 percent shooting in a 69-35 rout of the Hawks Saturday afternoon at Pritchard Gymnasium. Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) and Leonard Hayes (Voorhees, N.J.) led the Seawolves with 15 points.
The Seawolves improve to 8-12 on the season, 3-5 in America East. Hartford falls to 7-14, 4-4 in the league. The 35 points Hartford scored is the fewest Stony Brook has allowed in its Division I history. Stony Brook last gave up fewer than 35 points on Nov. 30, 1992, a 102-32 win over Lehman when the Seawolves were a Division III program.
"We did a great job on defense today," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "We forced Hartford into some tough shots and did a great job forcing their best players out of sync. On offense, I thought we played with some rhythm, and our guys got some great looks at the basket. I'm proud of the effort my guys had today; we shot the ball well, played defense and rebounded."
The Seawolves led the entire game and dominated from start to finish. The team opened the game with a trifecta of three-pointers in the game's first five minutes. Hayes connected first, followed by Eric McAlister (Hightstown, N.J.) and Marcus Rouse (Upper Marlboro, Md.) to give Stony Brook a 9-2 lead early.
With 9:05 left in the first half, Rouse picked off a pass from Hartford's Anthony Minor, dribbled down court and kicked out to Anthony Jackson (Columbus, Ohio) for a wide-open three-pointer that gave the Seawolves a double-digit advantage, 19-9.
Hartford showed life with a 9-2 run that got the Hawks within three, 21-18, and forced a Stony Brook timeout, but Dougher answered the call with a three-pointer to put the Seawolves back on top by six. Danny Carter (Windsor, England) followed with a dunk off a pass from Dave Coley (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and SBU went into halftime up 28-20.


The second half was all Stony Brook, as the team outscored Hartford 41-15. Hayes and Dougher each dumped three-pointers early on as the Seawolves built a 15-point lead with a 9-2 run. The Hawks converted back-to-back layups to pull within 11, 37-26, but the Seawolves answered with a 10-0 run, punctuated by Dougher's fourth three-pointer of the game at 11:29 to make the score 47-26.

After Hartford's Clayton Brothers had converted a layup at 14:11 of the second half, the Hawks went just 2-for-18 from the field the rest of the contest. The Hawks scored just three points in the game's final 7:50. Dougher connected on his fifth three-pointer at the 4:14 mark, bringing him just six three-pointers away from breaking the Stony Brook all-time three-point record.
Stony Brook finished the game shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 44 percent (11-for-25) from three-point range. The Seawolves outrebounded the Hawks 41-29 and turned 14 Hawks turnovers into 20 points. All 12 Seawolves that played scored points, including Chris Martin (Springfield Gardens, N.Y.), who returned to the lineup after missing the last 11 games with a knee injury.
Hartford finished the game making just 12 field goals and was only 2-for-22 from three-point range, which is usually a strength for the Hawks. Milton Burton led the team with 10 points.
The Seawolves continue their three-game homestead Monday night against UMBC at Pritchard Gymnasium at 7 p.m. For tickets, call (631) 632-WOLF or visit the Stony Brook Athletics ticket office online.

UMBC edges women's hoops, 65-57

Final Stats


 
Baltimore, Md. - Senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) had 17 points and 10 rebounds but the UMBC Retrievers used a late 9-0 run to defeat the Stony Brook women's basketball team, 65-57, on Saturday at the RAC Arena.
Sophomore Sam Landers (Springfield, Va.) added 11 points for the Seawolves, while Michelle Kurowski led four Retrievers in double-figures with 18 points. UMBC (13-9, 7-2 AE) entered the game averaging a league-low 12.9 turnovers during conference play but the Seawolves forced them into a season-high 27 turnovers.
The Seawolves (4-17, 1-8 AE) trailed 44-36 with eight minutes left but sophomore Juanita Cochran (Saginaw, Mich.) scored on a put-back and Landers followed with a three to bring SBU within three. Junior Whitney Davis (Muskegon, Mich.) hit a baseline jumper to bring SBU within one with four minutes to go.
But the Retrievers had an answer, out-scoring the Seawolves, 9-0 over the next three minutes to take a 57-47 lead with a minute left. Jeter ended the spurt with a lay-up and sophomore Amanda Corona (North Hollywood, Calif.) then hit a three with 40 seconds left to make it 59-52.
A Jeter jumper with 25 seconds left made it 60-54 but Brown made four free throws in the final 20 seconds to seal the game for UMBC.
Both teams shot well from the field at the start as Stony Brook hit five of its first eight shots and UMBC hit five of its first seven shots. Stony Brook took a 12-10 lead on a three from junior Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.) before the Retrievers scored seven straight points to take a 17-12 lead.


Cochran ended the run with two free throws and Jeter followed with a jumper off a UMBC turnover to bring Stony Brook within one. But the Seawolves then went over five minutes without a point as the Retrievers built a 24-16 lead with 5:30 left.
The Seawolves came roaring back though, out-scoring the Retrievers, 9-0, over the next three minutes to take a 25-24 advantage. Meghan Colabella hit a long jumper from the right corner with 21 seconds remaining to send the teams into the break tied at 27.
Stony Brook trailed 33-32 four minutes into the second half following a free throw from Jeter but the Retrievers went on a 7-0 run over the next five minutes to take a 40-32 lead with 11:21 left.
The Seawolves are now off until Saturday, Feb. 5, when they host Vermont in a WBCA Pink Zone game. Tip from Pritchard Gymnasium is set for 2 p.m.

SBU coach Thompson hopes to lose interim tag

By STEVEN MARCUS steven.marcus@newsday.com

Evelyn Thompson became the interim head coach of the Stony Brook University women's basketball team on Jan. 16. Thompson had been the lead assistant to Michele Cherry, who resigned with the team's record at 3-13.
Thompson hopes the interim title will be dropped. "As an assistant, in my opinion, you are always striving to move forward and do better,'' she said, "so obviously the next step for me was a head-coaching position. I didn't necessarily think it would be at Stony Brook, but most certainly I thought I would have an opportunity to be a head coach at some point.
"I think any position I'm in, I should be seriously considered. I think my time on the court and off, as a player and as a coach, proves I'm a person to be reckoned with. So to not be considered a serious candidate would be disappointing. So I don't consider myself a caretaker, though that's certainly a role I have to play and any coach has to play. But I think it is an opportunity for me to prove that I am ready for this position as the head coach.''
Thompson, a graduate of Auburn, assisted for five seasons at Buffalo and two more at Michigan State before arriving at Stony Brook in 2009.
She did not expect the departure of Cherry. "It's never an easy thing to have to deal with,'' she said. "Especially with the fact that Michele and I have been friends for quite some time. It was a difficult situation. That being said, it's also a situation where I had to make a decision. I made a decision [to accept the job], so we had to move forward.
"The preparedness thing was never one of the issues that came into play for me. I tell our players all the time you have to be prepared for every situation. I've been in this business for quite some time, so to be prepared for a head-coaching position, I think I was certainly prepared for it.''
Thompson took over a team that had injuries to key players. Senior guard Misha Horsey was lost for the season, senior guard Jodie Plikus missed 13 games and is out indefinitely, and sophomore guard Talisha Bridges has missed the last six games.
"You go from a senior-led team to a sophomore-led team,'' Thompson said. "You lose not only that senior leadership but you lose X number of points a game. You lose that confidence, that experience on the floor. A lot of people don't understand injuries and how they affect a team. One injury can affect a team; when you lose two, it makes it very difficult; when you lose three, it becomes not only chemistry but, from a mental standpoint, a challenge.''
Thompson is 1-3 since taking over, but she is more concerned about overall improvement on a daily basis. "The rest of the season has to be about proving what we are made of, sticking with it,'' she said. "Showing that perseverance is going to get us some respect. We have to prove to people that we are a force to be reckoned with.
"In order to do that, we have to go out and play every game like it's our last game - and soon that will be the case, because we only have [eight] games left in conference play. Then we go hopefully into the tournament and make an impact. But it is about moving forward and getting them in a position both mentally and physically to understand that we are capable of success.
"I'm happy with the effort. The focus now is to make sure we get 10 percent better every day. If we do, that means we're much better than the day before.''
Thompson said she is not worried about her future in coaching. "I think I put enough time and enough energy into this business and I think enough people know me and know my body of work to understand that I'm going to get in there and grind and do what I have to do in order to win,'' she said, "but I'm also going to do it with respect for the game and respect for the people I work with and do it the right way. I have faith and I never worry too much about what's going to come tomorrow. I'm too busy taking care of today to worry about tomorrow.''
Thompson has the support of her players. "It was very shocking, very unexpected, but you have to deal with what's been presented to you,'' junior Tamiel Murray said. "You have to keep taking steps forward. She [Thompson] expects a lot out of us, as coach Cherry did. It's transitioning into someone new, but she still has the same expectations. She picked up from where coach Cherry left off. I hope all of our coaches are able to stay. It would be great to finish out my college career with the coaches that I've had through three years.''
Athletic director Jim Fiore was asked about his plans for Thompson. "Right now, our singular focus is on the remainder of this season and to prepare our team to peak for the America East Conference championship in March,'' Fiore wrote in an e-mail. "My staff and I have not yet begun the official process for hiring our next head coach, but when the time is right, I am sure coach Thompson and I will discuss her interest.
"That said, we are committed to a national search for a new head coach; wherein the integrity of that search process will ultimately determine the integrity of the result of such process.
"Coach Thompson provides much-needed experience, leadership and discipline to our women's basketball team and has managed what could be for most a difficult midseason transition with both dignity and class. I've been impressed with Evelyn's commitment to our student-athletes as she has had our team schematically prepared to win and most importantly prepared to compete in every practice and game.''

Women's Hoops falls to Hartford, 67-57

West Hartford, Conn. - Junior Whitney Davis (Muskegon, Mich.) led three Seawolves in double-figures with 13 points but the Hartford Hawks used a 16-4 second-half run to break open a close game on its way to 67-57 victory over the Stony Brook University women's basketball team on Wednesday night at Chase Arena.
Senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) added 12 points for the Seawolves (4-16, 1-7), while junior Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.) chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds. Ruthanne Doherty led all scorers with 23 points while Mary Silvia added 19 points including five threes.
The Seawolves trailed 28-26 five minutes into the second half following a four-point play form sophomore Amanda Corona (North Hollywood, Calif.) but Hartford responded with a 16-4 run over the next five minutes, including two threes from Silvia, to take a 44-30 lead midway through the second half.
Stony Brook trailed 58-40 with five minutes left but scored 11 of the next 13 points to pull within nine on two Davis free throws with 1:45 to go. But Doherty answered with a lay-up on the other end and the Seawolves got no closer than nine the rest of the way.
Stony Brook jumped to a 7-4 lead, holding Hartford to just two field goals over the first 10:30. But Hartford answered with an 11-2 spurt to take a 15-9 advantage with just less than seven minutes left in the first half.
Jeter ended the Hawks run with a short jumper and Corona then drilled a three from the right corner with five minutes to go to make it 17-14. Silivia responded with back-to-back threes to push the Hartford lead to 23-14 before Jeter knocked down two free throws with a minute left.
Landers followed with a jumper off a Hawks turnover in the backcourt to cut the Hartford lead to 23-18 at the half. Neither team scored over the first 2:15 of the second half before Davis completed a three-point play to bring Stony Brook within two.


Hartford shot 50 percent for the game including 61.5 percent in the second half. Stony Brook out-rebounded the Hawks, 39-36, but shot just 30.2 percent.
The Seawolves return to action on Saturday, traveling to take on UMBC. Game time is set for 2 p.m.

Jeter named America East Player of the Week

Cambridge, Mass. - Senior forward Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.), of the Stony Brook University women's basketball team, has been named America East Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday. Jeter scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Seawolves to a 73-70 win over Maine on Sunday.
Jeter also pulled down 10 rebounds against the Black Bears, her third double-double of the season. She has scored over 20 points in three of her last four games and ranks second in the America East in scoring during conference play (17.6 points per game).
The Seawolves return to action on Wednesday, traveling to take on Harford. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Men's Lacrosse holds first practice of 2011 season

VIDEO OF PRACTICE AT LAVALLE STADIUM

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook men's lacrosse team began preseason practice with a workout at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on Monday. Head Coach Rick Sowell and his staff put the Seawolves through an afternoon practice, mixed in with meetings and film study.
Stony Brook, which boasted one of the nation's top offenses in 2010, returns all six of its starters at attack and midfield. Among the group is preseason All-American, senior Jordan McBride (New Westminster, British Columbia). McBride, who was drafted 14th overall by Rochester in Friday's Major League Lacrosse draft, had 48 goals last season, giving him 134 in just three seasons. Also in that mix is senior Kevin Crowley (New Westminster, British Columbia). The first overall pick in the 2011 draft, Crowley became the Seawolves' first ever first-team All-American after 51-goal, 26-assist effort last season.
Seniors Adam Rand (Niantic, Conn.) and Tom Compitello (Hauppauge, N.Y.), who also were drafted on Friday and named preseason All-American, return this season.
The Seawolves return experienced defenders in senior Bryan Reinert (Alletown, Pa.), junior Savaughn Greene (White Plains, N.Y.) and junior Greg Miceli (King City, Ontario).


Season tickets for the 2011 season go on sale on Wednesday, January 26. Fans can purchase tickets by calling (631) 632-WOLF or by visiting GoSeawolves.org. An exciting seven-game home schedule includes top-ranked Virginia, #9 Cornell #15 Delaware, and America East rivals Albany, Hartford and Binghamton.

Jeter, Murray lead women's hoops past Maine

Final Stats


Orono, Maine - Senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) scored a career-high 28 points and junior Tamiel Murray (Teaneck, N.J.) forced a key turnover in the final seconds to lead the Stony Brook women's basketball team to a 73-70 win over the Maine Black Bears on Sunday at Alfond Arena.
Jeter scored 18 of her 28 in the first half and also pulled down 10 rebounds as she recorded her third double-double of the season and scored over 20 points for the third time in the last four games. Sophomore Sam Landers (Springfield, Va.) and junior Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.) each added 12 points for the Seawolves (4-15, 1-6 AE), who snapped a 12-game losing streak.
A Landers jumper with 53 seconds left gave Stony Brook a 71-67 lead but Tanna Ross knocked down a three with 43 seconds to go and the Black Bears then forced SBU into a shot clock violation. Maine gave the ball to Katelyn Vanderhoff, who dribbled near midcourt as the clock wound under 10 seconds.
Vanderhoff made her move with five seconds to go but Murray tipped the ball away and Jeter grabbed it and was fouled with a tenth of a second left. She knocked down both free throws and Maine was unable to get a game-tying shot off.
The Seawolves jumped to a 13-8 lead, as all five Stony Brook starters scored in the first five minutes. Maine rallied to tie the game at 21 with 9:30 left on a jumper from Samantha Baranowski before Jeter answered with back-to-back hoops.
Maine again rallied, tying it at 25 on a Ross jumper. But Jeter responded with a jumper and a three-point play to give SBU a 30-25 lead with just over three minutes left. The Black Bears scored five of the next seven points to pull within two but Jeter scored the final three points of the half to send Stony Brook into the break with a 35-30 advantage.


Stony Brook came out strong to start the second half, scoring the first six points to take its largest lead of the game, 41-30, and force a Maine timeout. The Black Bears responded with a 14-5 run over the next four minutes to pull within two before sophomore Amanda Corona (North Hollywood, Calif.) drilled a three from right wing to push the Stony Brook lead back to five.
But Maine scored eight of the next 10 points to take its first lead before Jeter hit two free throws to put Stony Brook back in front, 53-52. Baranowski answered with a put-back hoop before Jeter hit two more free throws.
Maine led 57-55 with 9:05 left but Stony Brook scored six of the next eight points, four from Landers, to take a 61-59 lead. An Amber Smith jumper tied at the game at 61 with six minutes left but Jeter scored a fast-break hoop to break the tie and Jacobs followed with back-to-back buckets to give the Seawolves a 67-61 lead with 3:52 left.
Vanderhoff led four Maine players in double-figures with 17 points. Murray led the Seawolves with five assists and also had four of Stony Brook's 14 steals.
The Seawolves return to action on Wednesday, traveling to take on Hartford. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Men's hoops slips up at Maine

Leonard Hayes leads the Seawolves with a career-high 22 points.

Final Stats



The Stony Brook men's basketball team shot only 36 percent from the free throw line and dropped a 70-59 decision to Maine Saturday night at Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine, after the Black Bears opened the game on a 25-6 run and held off a Seawolves rally. Leonard Hayes (Voorhees, N.J.) led Stony Brook with a career-high 22 points and was named the team's America East Player of the Game.
"We got off to a slow start, but we did a good job getting back into the game and making it interesting," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "But you can't win many games shooting free throws like that, and Maine did a good job on the offensive end. We need to commit fewer turnovers and make our free throws."
Stony Brook fell behind fast to a Maine team bent on hitting three-pointers. After the Seawolves held a 4-3 lead, the Black Bears went on a 14-0 run that included triples from Gerald McLemore, Murphy Burnatowski and Terrance Mitchell.
Dave Coley ended the run with a jumper, but the Black Bears continued to jump all over the Seawolves with an 8-0 run, punctuated by Raheem Singleton's three-pointer that put Maine up 25-6.
However, the Seawolves did not go down quietly, as Hayes came off the bench to give the Seawolves a huge offensive lift. He made all five of his shots, including back-to-back three-pointers at the end of the half to close Stony Brook's deficit to just eight, 34-26, at halftime.
Early in the second half, the Seawolves cut Maine's lead to six on three separate occasions, but the Black Bears responded each time. Then Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) sank a three-pointer at 15:04 to bring SBU within five points, 42-37, but Maine responded with five straight points to go back on top by double digits.


Stony Brook made only six field goals the rest of the game and was plagued by poor free throw shooting. The Seawolves were only 9-for-25 (36 percent) from the charity stripe.

Troy Barnies led Maine with 17 points. The Black Bears got to the line 33 times, but made only 19 of them, keeping the Seawolves in the game. Nonetheless, Stony Brook is now 0-10 this season when its opponent takes more free throw attempts.
The Seawolves will head home for the next two weeks. After a Wednesday bye, the team will host Hartford on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 3 p.m.

Kevin Crowley Chosen First Overall in MLL Draft

Baltimore, Md. - Senior Kevin Crowley (New Westminster, British Columbia) was the first overall pick of the 2011 Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft on Friday evening, going to the Hamilton Nationals. Seniors Jordan McBride (New Westminster, British Columbia), Tom Compitello (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and Adam Rand (Niantic, Conn.) also were drafted, going to Rochester, Boston and Hamilton, respectively.
Crowley, a preseason first-team All-American and Preseason Player of the Year by Lacrosse Magazine, had one of the best seasons by a Stony Brook lacrosse player last season. The 2010 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association's (USILA) Enners Award winner, given to the nation's top Division I men's lacrosse player, he recorded 51 goals and 26 assists to earn America East Player of the Year honors. A Tewaaraton Award finalist, his 51 goals are a single-season program record and he's the only player in school history in the top five in goals (101) and assists (75). Crowley is just 26 points shy of the all-time record of 201.
McBride, the 14th overall pick of the draft, had 48 goals as a junior, a career best. An honorable mention All-American after his freshman and sophomore seasons, he became the Seawolves' all-time leading goal scorer after scoring a pair against Albany in the America East Championship game. McBride is the only player in school history to score at least 40 goals in three straight seasons.
The 28th overall selection to the Cannons, Compitello exploded for 72 points (37g, 35a) in 2010 after recording 39 points in 21 games going into last season, He tallied at least one point in every game, including a career-best eight against Hartford (6g, 2a).


Going 31st to the Nationals, Rand has emerged as one of the nation's premier face-off specialists. He won 62 percent of face-offs taken last year, including 29 against Siena, which is tied for the second-most in NCAA history. He had 13 ground balls against the Saints and Binghamton, as Inside Lacrosse cites him as one of the top face-off men in the sport.
Season tickets for the 2011 go on sale on Wednesday, January 26. The Seawolves' home slate includes games against top-ranked Virginia, Delaware and Albany. For more information call (631) 632-WOLF or go to GoSeawolves.org.

Men's hoops falls short at BU, 67-62

Final Stats


Boston University senior John Holland scored 13 consecutive Terrier points in the middle of the second half as part of a 29-point night to lift his team to a 67-62 comeback win over the Stony Brook men's basketball team Thursday night at Case Gym in Boston.
The Seawolves, which had a double-digit lead in the first half, went cold in the second half, making just seven shots on 25 attempts. They drop to 7-11 on the season, 2-4 in America East. Boston University is now 9-11 and 4-2 in the league.
"We played hard tonight, but we didn't have an answer for John Holland," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "He got hot in the second half, and  we tried four different defenders on him, but he still scored. We couldn't stop him, and that was the difference in the game."
The turning point in the game came in the middle of the second half as Holland took over the game. With Stony Brook on top by nine and leading the entire game, 46-37, at the 13:57 mark, the Terriers went on a 19-3 run, fueled by Holland, who scored 13 consecutive BU points between 9:46 and 6:51. His final three-pointer during the run put the Terriers on top 56-49.
Stony Brook put a scare in the Terriers at the end, getting as close as three, 65-62, with 10.4 seconds remaining after a Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) three-pointer, but Boston University made its free throws at the end of the game, going 5-for-7 from the line in the final two minutes and shooting 76 percent from the line for the game.
Stony Brook had gotten off to a fast start with three-pointers, jumping out to an 8-3 lead on the strength of three-pointers from Carter and Dougher. After BU's D.J. Irving closed the gap to 11-9, the Seawolves went on a 10-2 run, led by a pair of Anthony Jackson three-pointers to go up by 10, 21-11.


Boston University stuck around and made it a close game, trailing only by three at halftime. Holland was a big part of that comeback with seven BU points after the Seawolves had taken the 21-11 advantage.

Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.) paced the Seawolves with a season-high 15 points, making all five of his field goal attempts. Dave Coley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 13 points, Dougher had 12 points and Anthony Jackson (Columbus, Ohio) chipped in 10.
Stony Brook will have a short turnaround as it takes on Maine Saturday at Alfond Arena at 7 p.m.

Women's Hoops battles but falls to BU, 82-65

Final Stats


 
Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) and junior Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.) each had 17 points and six rebounds but the first-place Boston University Terriers shot 60 percent in the second half on its way to an 82-65 victory over the Stony Brook University women's basketball team on Thursday at Pritchard Gymnasium.
The Seawolves (3-15, 0-6 AE) shot 43.4 percent for the game, its highest shooting percentage since shooting 43.9 percent in the win over Nicholls State on Nov. 24. Chantell Alford led four Terriers in double-figures with 24 points.
Stony Brook led 25-18 with 7:23 left in the first half but BU (9-9, 6-0 AE) closed the period on a 17-3 run and then scored 12 of the first 16 points of the second half to take a 47-32 lead. The Terriers lead would grow to as many as 18 on a three-pointer from Alex Young with 10:43 left.
The Seawolves came roaring back though, out-scoring BU, 9-1, over the next four minutes to make it 62-52 with just over six minutes left in the game. But Alford answered with a three on the Terriers ensuing possession to spark a 9-0 run that put the game away.
Sophomore Gerda Gatling (Woodbridge, Va.) tied a career-high with 10 points for the Seawolves, who out-rebounded the Terrriers, 33-27. Young added 16 points for the Terriers, who scored 29 points off 22 Stony Brook turnovers. Alford and Jacobs were named the America East Players of the game for their respective teams.
The Seawolves opened strong against the Terriers, jumping to leads of 6-2 and 14-9 as Boston University burned two timeouts over the first four minutes of the game. BU rallied to take a 15-14 lead but the Seawolves scored the next seven points to take a 21-15 advantage.


Alford followed with a three to slice the Stony Brook lead 21-18 but sophomore Taylor Burner (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) answered with a short jump hook and Gatling then hit two free throws to give SBU the 25-18 advantage. BU shot 50.9 percent for the game and made eight of its 18 three-point attempts.
The Seawolves return to action on Sunday, traveling to take on Maine. Game time is set for 1 p.m.

Women's Basketball falls to Albany, 67-55

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) scored a game-high 23 points but the Albany Great Danes used a 22-3 second-half run to defeat the Stony Brook University women's basketball team, 67-55, on Tuesday night at Pritchard Gymnasium.
Jeter shot 9-for-16 from the field and was named Stony Brook's America East Player of the Game. The Seawolves (3-14, 0-5 AE) shot over 40 percent for the first time in 12 games but turned the ball over a season-high 28 times. Felicia Johnson led four Albany players in double-figures with 16 points. Ebone Henry added 14 points and 10 rebounds and was named the America East Player of the Game for the Great Danes.
Playing just its second home game since Dec. 5, Stony Brook jumped to a quick lead, scoring seven of the first nine points. Albany (11-7, 4-1 AE) scored the next five points to tie it but the Seawolves answered with an 8-1 run capped by back-to-back jumpers from junior Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.).
But the Great Danes again rallied back, going on a 13-2 run to take a 21-17 advantage with 7:30 left in the first half. Jeter ended the run with a short jumper and sophomore Sam Landers (Springfield, Va.) then scored a fast-break hoop off a steal from junior Tamiel Murray (Teaneck, N.J.) to tie the game.
Albany scored the next four points before a three from Jeter and an easy lay-up from sophomore Taylor Burner (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) gave Stony Brook a 27-26 lead with two and a half minutes left. But Johnson banked in a three with just over a minute left to send the teams into the break tied at 30.


Stony Brook scored the first five points of the second half but the Great Danes once again had an answer, going on an 8-0 run to take the lead for good. Jeter got free for an inside hoop to stop the Albany run but the Great Danes scored 13 of the next 14 points to take a 52-38 lead with eight minutes left.
Sophomore Juanita Cochran (Saginaw, Mich.) ended the Albany spurt with a put-back hoop but the Great Danes scored the next four points to take their largest lead of the game, 56-40, with five minutes left. Landers followed with two free throws and Jeter then scored on a spin move in the lane to bring SBU within 12 but the Seawolves would get no closer than 10 the rest of the way as Albany held on for the victory.
Stony Brook forced Albany into 22 turnovers and held the Great Danes to 37.3 percent shooting. But Albany scored 27 points off the 28 Stony Brook turnovers and out-rebounded the Seawolves, 42-34.
The Seawolves return to action on Thursday, hosting first-place Boston University at Pritchard Gymnasium. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Koehler invited to Marlins Major League camp

Stony Brook, N.Y. – Former Stony Brook University baseball star Tom Koehler '08 has been invited to the Florida Marlins major league spring training camp, the organization recently announced.

Last season, Koehler went 16-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 28 games for the Jacksonville Suns, the Double-A affiliate of the Marlins.  Named the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher, he led the league in wins and ranked second in strikeouts and innings pitched (158.2). His 16 wins also equaled a Jacksonville franchise record.
Drafted by the Marlins in the 18th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Koehler was promoted to the Suns last April. The previous season, he went 4-1 with a 3.38 ERA in six starts for the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Advanced-A Florida State League.
A two-time, All-America East second team selection, Koehler went 6-5 with a 4.15 ERA in 14 starts for the Seawolves as a senior. He also led the America East in innings pitched (93.1) and strikeouts (111) and ranked 19th in the nation with 10.71 strike outs per nine innings.

Koehler finished his four-year Stony Brook career second in program history in innings pitched (293.1) and third in strikeouts (297). The Seawolves have had 34 players sign professional contracts under Stony Brook head coach Matt Senk including 25 since the program jumped to Division I in 2000.

For the ninth consecutive season, the Marlins' Spring Training headquarters will be based at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. Pitchers and catchers will hold their first workout on Feb. 18, and the first full-squad workout will be Feb. 22.

Former Asst. Head Coach of the Defense, Jim Gush added to Baylor defensive staff.

WACO, Texas - Baylor has hired two new defensive coaches, Jim Gush and

Carlton Buckels, head coach Art Briles announced last Wednesday.

Gush is a 30-year coaching veteran who comes to Baylor from Stony Brook after two seasons as assistant head coach for defense. Buckels has coached 12 collegiate seasons, the last two at North Texas.
"Both of these coaches have a wealth of experience and knowledge," Briles said. "They both have extensive experience with coach (Phil) Bennett and we're excited about what they can bring to the table on the defensive side of the ball to help us continue our climb."
 
Gush, who will coach linebackers at Baylor, coached alongside Bennett at SMU, Kansas State and Iowa State. As defensive coordinator at Stony Brook, his 2010 defense led the Big South in interceptions (17) and turnovers forced (26). In 2009, Stony Brook led the Big South in scoring defense, allowing a conference-low 15 touchdowns in six games.

Prior to Stony Brook, Gush spent six seasons (2002-07) as SMU's defensive coordinator. The Mustangs led Conference-USA and ranked 24th nationally against the run in 2006 under Gush. He coached from 1999 to 2001 at K-State, where the Wildcats ranked among the top four in the nation in total defense all three seasons and made three bowl appearances with a 28-10 combined record.

Prior to Kansas State, Gush spent 12 seasons at Garden City Community College in Kansas, three as head coach and nine as defensive coordinator. He compiled a 29-7 win-loss record in three seasons as head coach and led Garden City to top 10 finishes each year - No. 7 (10-2) in 1996, No. 4 (10-2) in 1997 and No. 7 (9-3) in 1998. In 1997 Gush led Garden City to a Jayhawk Conference championship and a berth in the Red River Bowl, the national championship game. His 1996 squad played in the Real Dairy Bowl and his 1998 team won the Valley of the Sun Bowl.

Gush began his collegiate coaching career at Albany in 1983 where he coached defensive backs. He moved to Iowa State in 1984 as a graduate assistant on Bennett's defensive staff before moving to Garden City. He is a 1981 graduate of Bucknell and was a four-year starter for the Bison. He earned his Master's degree from Iowa State in 1986. He and his wife Anne have two children, Stephanie and Jordan.

Stony Brook's comeback falls short this time

By JOHN JEANSONNE  john.jeansonne@newsday.com

They are burning a lot of barns and hanging off a lot of cliffs during this Stony Brook men's basketball season, with last night's 52-50 loss to Albany at Pritchard Gymnasium providing the latest in a string of wild and woolly endings.
Just two days after illogically rallying from a 14-point deficit in the final eight minutes to beat New Hampshire in double overtime, Stony Brook (7-10, 2-3 America East) again fought through fierce offensive headwinds to set up a chance to tie or win it in the dying seconds.
Albany (9-12, 2-4) went ahead 51-40 with 9:44 to play but managed only a single free throw the rest of the way. So with his team down 52-50 and 11.4 seconds left, Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell arranged for junior guard Bryan Dougher to set a screen that would free Preye Preboye under the basket, where Preboye would turn a lob pass from Marcus Rouse into a slam dunk.
"Pre is wide open," Pikiell later lamented. "Marcus doesn't deliver the ball to him . . . "
In the last mad scramble, the best Stony Brook could get was Dougher's running-left, off-balance, low-percentage attempt from three-point range as the buzzer sounded. It glanced off the rim. "Close, but no cigar," Pikiell said.
Dougher, the team's leading scorer but struggling in recent games, had 20 points - he shot 6-for-13 on three-pointers - and Rouse added 10. But Stony Brook shot only 1-for-7 from the free-throw line and was outrebounded 45-29.
The most significant singular presence in the game was Albany senior Tim Ambrose, a Brentwood product who starred at Our Savior New American in Centereach.
Ambrose had 15 points and 14 rebounds, but he, too, was quieted by Stony Brook's grinding defensive play. His last points came on a three-pointer for that 51-40 lead with 9:44 to go.
From there, another Stony Brook comeback ensued. Consecutive three-pointers by Dougher closed Albany's lead to 51-46 and put him over the 1,000-point mark for his career. Ambrose missed two free throws, Albany's Mike Black missed another, and Dallis Joyner's putback of Dougher's missed three closed the gap to 51-48 with 2:03 left.
Preboye created a held ball that gave Stony Brook possession at 1:37 and Dougher hit a long jump shot. 51-50, Albany.
After Albany's John Puk converted the first of two free throws for a two-point lead with 18 seconds to go, teammate Luke Devlin missed the front end of a one-and-one at 16.6 seconds. Preboye's sailing rebound positioned Stony Brook for the deciding final play.
"When you've got a chance," Pikiell said, "you've got to make that shot. Otherwise, I'm miserable and the other coach is happy."

Stony Brook rebounds in big way

By Marcus Henry

Photo credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

The season appeared to slip-sliding away from the Stony Brook men's team.
The Seawolves (7-9, 2-2 America East) had dropped three games in a row and has had a difficult time scoring lately. In the three losses -Vermont, Cornell, Binghamton- Stony Brook averaged just 50.3 points per game.
All of that changed against New Hampshire on Saturday. But it took a while for the change to take place. Stony Brook was stuck on 16 points for what seemed like forever. The Seawolves trailed, 30-16, with 11:18 left in regulation.
The offense took over from there as the Seawolves scored 48 points over the next 22 minutes for a 64-60 win in double overtime.
Although the offense was refreshing, coach Steve Pikiell was more pleased with the defense.
Pikiell said: "I kept telling our guys to worry about defense and rebounding. Then the shots will come. Despite the score, our guys kept their focus on the game and made big plays down the stretch. We hit a couple of shots and then made our free throws at the end. Marcus' [Rouse] free throws were huge, and Dallis' [Joyner] free throws were huge. Everyone chipped in today. They battled hard and never gave up."

Outside of the offensive explosion over the second half and two overtimes, what made the victory all the more impressive was the play of Pikiell's youngsters. Sophomore Marcus Rouse (13 points) and freshmen Anthony Jackson (12) and Dave Coley (11) did most of the damage. Bryan Dougher had 11 points, but shot 2-for-12.
The joy was short lived, however as the Seawolves were stopped at home by Albany, 52-50, on Monday.
But the bottom line is Stony Brook's future is in good hands. The young players, who have been forced into action because of some early injuries, have responded well. Sure, the Seawolves would love to be better than 7-10, but a 2-3 mark in the America East isn't such a bad thing so early in the season. They are still within striking distance of conference leader Maine (4-1).

Dougher reaches 1,000 points, Stony Brook edged by Albany, 52-50

The Stony Brook men's basketball team battled back from an 11-point deficit to Albany in the second half to get within one, but ultimately fell to the Great Danes 52-50 Monday at Pritchard Gymnasium in Stony Brook, N.Y.

In the defeat, Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.), the America East Player of the Game for Stony Brook, became the 21st player in Stony Brook history to score 1,000 career points. He is also only the fourth Seawolves player in the Division I era to reach the milestone. He finished the game with 20 points.

"Every game is a grind for us, and tonight we didn't execute enough to win," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "We had an offensive drought, but we played solid defense to give ourselves the chance to win; we didn't make the shots at the end."

After the two teams played a back-and-forth first half that settled into a 33-33 halftime score, the Great Danes came out firing three-pointers. After a Tim Ambrose three-point play opened the half, Mike Black drained a three at 17:49 and Logan Aronhalt knocked down a triple at 16:07 to open up a seven-point Albany advantage. Ambrose's layup at 13:41 capped a 15-4 Great Danes run and made the score 48-37.

Stony Brook went scoreless for five minutes before Danny Carter (Windsor, England) ended the drought with a three-pointer at 10:45 to close within eight, but Ambrose came right back with a three-pointer of his own at 9:46 to put Albany back on top by 11, 51-40.

However, that was the last basket Albany would score in the game as the Seawolves cranked up the defense. The Great Danes went 0-for-7 from the field and committed six turnovers in the final 9:46 of the game. Meanwhile, Stony Brook came back as Dougher hit his fifth three-pointer of the game at 7:19 and then his sixth of the game, matching a season high, at 3:54 to close within five, 51-46. That trifecta also put Dougher over the 1,000-point mark for his career.

Albany missed three free throws to keep the game a five-point deficit, and then Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.) made a big play with a outback off of a Dougher miss to make it 51-48. After Ambrose turned the ball over, Dougher came right back and sank a jumper off a perfect screen from Carter to make it a one-point game, 51-50.

Ambrose missed a shot at 1:03, and Carter came up with the carom to give the Seawolves possession. Stony Brook ran an alley oop play for Preye Preboye (Springfield, Mass.), but he couldn't handle the pass from Marcus Rouse (Upper Marlboro, Md.). His shot was blocked by Albany's John Puk. Rouse grabbed the rebound and shot a jumper, but that clanked off the rim. Stony Brook then fouled to send Puk to the line. Puk made his first free throw attempt, but missed the second, but Albany's Luke Devlin pushed his way through the lane to get the offensive rebound. He was fouled, but he too missed a free throw, and Preboye grabbed the board, leaving 11 seconds on the clock for the Seawolves.

On the game's final play, Dougher missed a three-pointer that would have won the contest.

Stony Brook finished the game shooting 37 percent from the field, but was only 7-for-26 in the second half. The Seawolves were woeful from the free throw line making only one of seven attempts.

Albany shot 36 percent from the game and was 8-for-14 from the charity stripe. The Great Danes outrebounded Stony Brook 45-29. Albany committed 19 turnovers that turned into 20 SBU points. Ambrose led Albany with 15 points and 14 rebounds, earning America East Player of the Game honors.

Stony Brook will hit the road for two games at the end of the week, taking on Boston University Thursday at 7:30 p.m., and Maine Saturday at 7 p.m.

The search begins for next SB women's coach

12:49 PM By Marcus Henry

So what or who’s next for the Stony Brook women’s team. Michele Cherry stepped down as coach effective immediately on Sunday.
The Seawolves had been mired in mediocrity during Cherry’s three-plus years at the helm. Evelyn Thompson will take over for the remainder of the season and she’ll be on the bench on Tuesday when the Seawolves (3-13, 0-4 America East) take on Albany.
Barring a miraculous run over the next 12 conference games its unlikely Thompson will get the job. Stony Brook athletic director Jim Fiore said in a statement the school will conduct a national search.
Stony Brook doesn’t have much tradition on the Division I level, outside of a WNIT appearance under former coach Maura McHugh, but it’s a school you can win at. McHugh proved that with a two-year stretch that produced a 38-20 mark.
Stony Brook has upgraded its facility over the last several years and is still hoping to get the Indoor Sports Complex renovated. The recent success of the men’s basketball team could also be a factor in recruiting.
There’s no word on a short list of candidates, but College Hoops Scoops has come up with a few coaches who could be ready for the job.
St. John’s top assistant Joe Tartamella should be on any list in this region. He’s a local guy (Smithtown) with eight years in as an assistant on Kim Barnes Arico’s staff and is regarded as a great recruiter. He knows the region is well as any coach and has been involved in the recruitment of several of St. John’s top players.
University of Pittsburgh assistant coach Pat Coyle might be worth taking a look at. Remember her? Coyle led the New York Liberty to the WNBA Eastern Conference Final a few years ago. She played at Rutgers and has an intimate knowledge of the region. One person who knows her well has said she likes being back in the college game. Who knows? Stony Brook could be just what she needs to get back into the game as a head coach.
Syracuse assistant coach Matt Luneau and Christ the King girls high school coach Bob Mackey could also be viable candidates. Luneau has been an integral part of the Orange’s resurgence and his experience in the Big East makes him a hot commodity, while Mackey was on the radar for the St. John’s women’s job a while back. It’s rare for a high school coach to get a head job at a Division I school, but Stony Brook could do worse.

Women's basketball head coach Michele Cherry resigns...

Stony Brook University Head Women’s Basketball Coach Michele Cherry has resigned her position effective immediately, Athletics Director Jim Fiore announced Sunday. Current assistant coach Evelyn Thompson will assume head coaching duties for the remainder of the season. Stony Brook will conduct a national search for Cherry’s successor.
“I want to thank Coach Cherry for her contributions to Stony Brook women’s basketball over the last seven years and wish her all the best in her future endeavors,” Fiore said. “We will now focus our efforts on the remainder of the season and move forward as a basketball program.”
Cherry came to Stony Brook as an assistant coach in 2004 and then was named the program’s seventh head coach on June 6, 2007. She compiled a 27-79 (.255) overall record and 13-39 (.250) in America East as Seawolves head coach. This season, Stony Brook is 3-13 overall and 0-4 in the conference.
“At this time, it is in my best interest and in the best interest of Stony Brook women’s basketball that I step down,” Cherry said. “I want to thank Jim Fiore, the entire staff, and my student-athletes for their efforts while I was the women’s basketball head coach.”
Thompson, who will lead the Seawolves in their Tuesday home game against Albany, has been an assistant coach at Stony Brook since the summer of 2009. She has also previously served as an assistant coach at Michigan State, Buffalo, Western Kentucky and Arizona State. Thompson played two seasons of college basketball at Auburn, helping the Tigers to the 1990 SEC Championship.