Stony Brook MBB wins outright America East Regular Season title with 71-55 win at BU

BOSTON - Senior Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) posted 14 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, and the Stony Brook men's basketball team jumped out to a 33-5 lead over Boston University before going on to defeat the Terriers, 71-55, to clinch the outright America East regular season championship Thursday night at Agganis Arena.

The Seawolves have now won five straight games and 14 of their last 16. They have now won 13 America East games and have secured the regular season championship for the second straight year and third time in the last four seasons. They will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming America East Championship.

Freshman Jameel Warney (Plainfield, N.J.) led all scorers with 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting. Junior Anthony Jackson (Columbus, Ohio) added 12 points. Stony Brook is now 22-6 overall and 13-2 in America East.

Coach Steve Pikiell's Reaction
"We did a great job against a strong, well-coached BU team. I really liked our first half. I thought we did a great job on both ends. We held them to a season-low for a first half, and they're the best scoring team in the league. We knew they would score points, but we made plays on offense and got stops on defense when we needed them. When you come up here and win, it says you're road tough."

Turning Point
Stony Brook was in control from the first tip of the game, taking it to the Terriers early with jumpers, layups and on-the-ball, suffocating defense. Brenton set the tone during the 33-5 run with nine points, including a nifty three-point play at 9:23 that put Stony Brook up 22-5.

During the stretch, the Seawolves defense held BU without a field goal for 7:32 and then again for 7:29, meaning the Terriers had just one field goal over the course of 15:01 of the first half, stretching from 19:30 to 4:29.

BU made a second-half run to get within 10 points, but the Seawolves never wavered, and it was Warney who took the wind out of BU's sails at the 4:31 mark when he rebounded a missed free throw, put it back up for a layup and drew the foul. His completed three-point play put Stony Brook on top, 63-47, and the Terriers got only as close as 13 from there on out.

By the Numbers

• The Seawolves shot 52.2% for the game while holding the Terriers to 38.2%. 
• Stony Brook outrebunded BU 40-23 and has now outrebounded its opponent in 43 of its last 52 games played.
• The Seawolves were 20-for-26 from the free throw line, led by Brenton's 8-for-9.
• For the second straight game, Brenton came just three assists shy of a triple-double. He is averaging 10.6 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists over the last five games.
• Brenton's double-double was his sixth of the season and 23rd of his career. Tonight was the 16th time this year he's posted five or more assists.
• Warney was 6-for-6 from the field, the third time this season he's made every field goal attempt in a game. He added seven rebounds and two blocks and is shooting 75% from the field over the last five games. He leads America East with a 63.2 season field goal percentage.

• Stony Brook wins the America East regular season championship for the second straight year and third time in the last four seasons. Stony Brook is the first back-to-back America East regular season champion since Boston University won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004.
• The Seawolves have set a new program Div. I regular season record for wins with 22, surpassing the 2009-10 team which won 21 games during the regular season. The 22 wins matches the 2009-10 and 2011-12 teams for most wins during the program's Div. I history.
• Stony Brook earned its 12th true road victory of the season, which sets a new program record across all divisions, surpassing the Div. III 1978-79 team. The Seawolves lead the nation in true road victories.
• Stony Brook is now 18-0 this season and 78-18 during the Pikiell era when holding teams under 60 points.
• Stony Brook is also 20-1 this season when it limits its opponent to under 40% shooting.
• The Seawolves are 31-5 in their last 36 America East games.
• This was Boston University's final America East game.

Up Next

The Seawolves conclude the regular season at home Sunday against Albany at Pritchard Gymnasium at 2 p.m. It will be Senior Day, and the Seawolves will honor Brenton, Marcus Rouse (Upper Marlboro, Md.), Leonard Hayes (Voorhees, N.J.) and Ron Bracey (Cincinnati, Ohio) prior to the game. 

Jeff Tundo's 5 goals, 4 assists lead Stony Brook past St. John's

Newsday - Jeff Tundo's career day came in an important game for Stony Brook's lacrosse team. Playing against No. 21 St. John's -- and Big East preseason player of the year Kieran McArdle -- presented another measuring stick in the non-conference schedule.

Tundo, a senior midfielder, helped the visiting Seawolves (2-2) pass the test big-time. He had five goals and four assists for a career-high nine points Tuesday in an 11-7 victory over St. John's (2-1).

"He was unbelievable,'' Seawolves coach Jim Nagle said of Tundo. "We've been talking to him since he got here about keeping level, and the last two weeks his leadership had been unbelievable. Everything he's been doing, he's been buying in 100 percent. It's one of the better performances I've seen. Heading in, I told our guys this would be a really big win for us. They were ranked 21st, I thought they should have been a lot higher.''

Tundo had three of Stony Brook's four goals in the second quarter, enabling the Seawolves to take a 7-3 lead at the half. He made it 8-3 early in the third, and when the Red Storm closed to within three on consecutive goals by Connor Mullen with 4:35 left in the third, Tundo broke the momentum with an unassisted goal. Until Mullen's first goal, St. John's had been held scoreless for 26:26.

"I'm not really worried about a career high in points,'' Tundo said. "It's cool to score a lot of goals, but mainly it helps us win. Coach is preaching playing through four quarters, no vacation time, which I think might be a great slogan for this year. The defense, through the offense, to midfield. It's more than just nine points from one player.''

Tundo was backed by Mike Rooney, who had two goals and two assists. Matt Schultz added two goals. Frank Lucatuorto won 14 of 21 faceoffs, and freshman goalkeeper Dan Shaughnessy had nine saves.

St. John's McArdle, who had a goal and four assists, had the opposite view of his team's performance.

"This was a big game for the NCAA Tournament, every game is big,'' said the senior attack and Connetquot graduate. "Coming off a big win over Yale . . . I guess our heads just weren't in the game. We weren't getting on loose ground balls, weren't playing offense the way we play, our defense was a little out of whack. At all ends of the field we just weren't ourselves today. Our goal this year was to take the Island, win against Stony Brook and Hofstra. We didn't get that done today.''

St. John's is playing this season with unanswered questions about future membership in the Big East. Syracuse, Notre Dame and Rutgers are on the way out. The replacements are unknown.

"I think the only thing we know right now is that it will be Syracuse's last year,'' St. John's coach Jason Miller said Sunday. "How the other pieces to the puzzle will all work out is still to be determined.''

The non-football schools in the conference are breaking away, but Miller is confident lacrosse will retain its automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament.

"I don't have concerns about it,'' he said. "I think that we continue to be positioned, at least here at St. John's, to play a very good conference schedule and non-conference schedule. But I don't know if any of us can predict with any type of certainty or accuracy how all this will play out when it's all said and done.''

Brenton's career day lifts men's hoops to regular season championship

Orono, Maine - Senior Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) nearly recorded a second straight triple-double against Maine, scoring 13 points, grabbing a career-high 20 rebounds and dishing out seven assists as he led the Seawolves to a 69-53 victory over the Black Bears Sunday at Alfond Arena. With the victory, Stony Brook has clinched at least a share of the America East regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming America East Championship tournament.

Stony Brook has won four straight games and 12 of its last 14 and improves to 21-6 overall and 12-2 in America East.

Brenton's seven assists also pushed him past D.J. Munir (2000-04) for the school's Div. I record for career assists. He now has 375 for his career. His 20 rebounds is a Stony Brook Div. I single-game record, and he is the seventh player ever at Stony Brook to grab 20 rebounds in a game.

Freshman Jameel Warney (Plainfield, N.J.) had a game-high 15 points to go with seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

Coach Steve Pikiell's Reaction
"I liked our effort today against a good Maine team on their Senior Day. We played smart defense, limited our turnovers and played great in transition."

Turning Point
Stony Brook took the lead for good at the 16:13 mark of the 1st half, but the lead was only 10 at halftime. Maine hung around for a while until the Seawolves used a 10-0 run that spanned from 15:54 of the second half to 11:42 to build a 23-point lead.

During the run, Brenton asserted himself with a layup and two free throws and then assisted on a Carson Puriefoy (Wenonah, N.J.) jumper and a Warney dunk that punctuated the run and put the Seawolves on top 55-32.

Maine got as close as 11 points, but the Seawolves finished strong on defense as the Black Bears made just one of their final 10 field goal attempts.

By the Numbers

• Stony Brook shot 41.9% for the game and held Maine to 34.5% shooting overall and 25.0 percent from three-point range.
• The Seawolves outrebounded Maine 46-40 and turned 15 offensive rebounds into 18 second chance points.
• For the fourth consecutive game, Stony Brook has had more assists than turnovers. Today, the team had 11 assists to just seven turnovers.
• Brenton broke his own Stony Brook Div. I single-game record for rebounds and is just the seventh player at Stony Brook to ever grab 20 rebounds in a game. It's Brenton's fifth double-double of the season and the 22nd of his career.
• Stony Brook is 30-12 all-time when Brenton scores 10 or more points.
• In the second half alone, Brenton had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
• Brenton had a triple-double (15-14-11) vs. Maine earlier this season. Against the Black Bears this season, Brenton is averaging 14.0 points, 17.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists.
• Brenton surpassed Vermont's Kevin Roberson for fourth place all-time in America East history in career rebounds. He now has 1,069.
• It's the 10th time this season Warney has scored 15 points or more.
• Junior Dave Coley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) finished with 12 points. Stony Brook is 27-8 all-time when he scores 10 or more.

News & Notes

• Stony Brook secures its third America East regular season championship in the last four seasons. The Seawolves have a share of the title, but they can win it outright with one more win in their final two games.
• The Seawolves continue their best start in program history; they are 21-6 after 27 games, surpassing the 2009-10 team's 20-7 record.
• Stony Brook's 12-2 America East record matches last season's team for best conference start.
• The Seawolves are now 17-0 this season and 77-18 in the Pikiell Era when holding teams under 60 points.
• Stony Brook is 30-5 in its last 35 America East conference games. 
• The Seawolves won their 11th true road game of the season, which is a program Div. I record and matches the 1978-79 team for most in program history across all divisions. It also ties them with Bucknell for most true road wins in the country this season.
• Stony Brook's 21 wins is tied for the seventh-best in the program's all-time history and is just one away from matching the program's Div. I record of 22 victories.

Seniors lift women's hoops over Maine, 56-53

Stony Brook, N.Y. – Playing in her final game at Pritchard, Dani Klupengertied a career-high with 18 points on a career-best six triples to help the Stony Brook women’s basketball team rally for a 56-53 win over Maine on Senior Day Saturday.

Sophomore Sabre Proctor led all scorers with 19 points, while senior forwardGerda Gatling pulled down a game-best and tied a career-high with 13 rebounds. Jessica Previlon, a senior, chipped in eight points and eight boards as Stony Brook improved to 14-14 overall and 6-9 in the America East. 

Lauren Bodine paced Maine (4-23, 3-11 AE) with 16 points, while Liz Wood added 13 and grabbed eight rebounds.

Bodine and Klupenger were named America East Players of the Game.

Coach’s Reaction

“It was a great game. I think our seniors really set the tone for us in the beginning of the matchup. It’s just special when you can send your seniors out on such a good day.”

--Head Coach Beth O’Boyle

Turning Point

Maine took a 39-29 advantage on a triple by Bodine with 12:31 remaining in regulation. Sophie Wecksrom grabbed a rebound off a missed 3-pointer byChikilra Goodman on the other end, but Previlon stole the ball from her and drove to the hole for a lay-up to close the gap to eight, 39-31, about 20 seconds later and forced the guests to call timeout.

With the score the same at the 10:51 mark, Klupenger took a pass from classmate Gatling and nailed a shot from behind the arc as Stony Brook found itself within five, 39-34.

Goodman fouled Courtney Anderson as she attempted a trey, and the guard knocked down all three free throws to push the Black Bear’s lead to eight, 42-34, with 10:26 remaining.

On the next possession, Proctor drove to the basket for the hoop-and-the-harm and connected for a three-point play as a back-and-forth contest began with 10:03 remaining.

Liz Wood tallied a lay-up, but Proctor nailed back-to-back jumpers before the under-eight media timeout, 44-41.

Wood hit another bucket in the paint with 7:06 remaining, but Brittany Snow sank a pair of shots from the charity stripe to keep the gap at three, 46-43, with just under seven minutes left in the second frame.

After a traveling violation on Weckstrom, Proctor took a feed from Previlon inside and laid it in as Stony Brook took its first lead since the opening minute, 46-45, at the 4:55 mark.

Maine grabbed the advantage right back on a lay-up by Chantel Charles less than 20 ticks later, but Proctor responded with a hoop that gave Stony Brook a 49-48 edge with 4:11 remaining. The home team would never trail again en route to a come-from-behind victory.

By the Numbers

• The Seawolves outrebounded their Maine, 41-35, to mark the 17th time this season SBU has won the battle of the boards. The squad improved to 12-5 when pacing its competitor on the glass.
• Stony Brook forced 20 turnovers while committing only 13.
• Proctor led SBU in scoring for a team-high 11th time this year, while Gatling has paced the Seawolves on the glass five times.
• SBU was 6-for-15 (40 percent) from downtown, including 3-for-6 (50 percent) in the second stanza
• Proctor has reached double-figures in points 13 times, while Klupenger has hit double-digits in scoring on seven occasions.
• Maine’s largest lead was 11, 24-13 with 5:28 remaining in the first half.  

News and Notes

• Goodman tallied three assists to improve her season total to 97. She is three away from tying Lisa White for 10th all-time at Stony Brook for helpers in a single season.
• The team honored its six seniors, Taylor Burner, Amanda Corona, Gatling, Klupenger, Sam Landers and Previlon, prior to the game as part of Senior Day. All five seniors who are actively playing started. The Seawolves’ 2013 senior class has amassed a combined 450 appearances and helped lead the team to its most wins in a single season since the 2006-07 campaign, started.
• SBU finishes the season with a 9-6 home mark.
• Klupenger tallied six 3-pointers to bring her career total to 111. She is one of only five Seawolves to tally 100 treys in her career and sits at fourth all-time at Stony Brook in made triples.

Up Next

The Seawolves wrap up their regular season at Albany Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m. 

Miguel Maysonet stays positive despite lack of name recognition

By KIMBERLEY A. MARTIN  kimberley.martin@newsday.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- Miguel Maysonet stopped just short of the podium, caught off guard by his less-than-perfect introduction at the media center at Lucas Oil Stadium.

A young woman announced his entrance: "Miguel Maysonet. Stony Brook wide receiver."

An honest mistake, considering the dozens of college football players shuttled daily in and out of the large interview area. But when Maysonet -- a former standout running back for the Seawolves-- took the podium, he again had to explain why he was one of the chosen few.

First came the "where is Stony Brook?" question. That was followed by "what kind of football program do you have there?"

Maysonet smiled wide and said: "We have a great one. Seawolves, baby! You know, I wouldn't be here if I didn't end up going to Stony Brook."

"Is that Division II?" the same reporter asked. "Division I-AA," replied Maysonet, runner-up for the Walter Payton Award as Football Championship Subdivision Player of the Year.

The 5-9, 209-pounder takes the inquiries in stride, knowing it's all a part of his journey to make a name for himself, his hometown of Riverhead and his university. But first he'll have to convince NFLteams that he's worth a draft pick come April.

Though he has chosen to hold off on running the 40-yard dash until his pro day on March 21 at Stony Brook because of a hamstring injury, Maysonet said he'll do agility drills and bench press at this week's combine.

"Things happen for a reason," he said of the injury suffered in January. "When it first happened, I was frustrated because I felt like I was letting all the people down in my hometown that [were] supporting me. I wouldn't be able to compete. But I was able to stay positive about the whole situation and just work my way back to full strength."

When the same reporter theorized that NFL teams would be reluctant to make the trek to Long Island for his pro day, Maysonet said: "I've had 30 of 32 teams come see me during my season, so that shows a lot about me and about my school and about my character and about the way I play football."

So despite his lack of name recognition, Maysonet remains confident about his abilities.

"I have to prove to people that I belong here," he said. " . . . Obviously, they saw something in me, in my game, for them to give me this [combine] opportunity.

"You've got to [have a chip on your shoulder]. Coming out of Stony Brook, they go: 'Stony Brook? Where's that at?' "

A Stony Brook player to be drafted?

Martinsville, N.J. - By Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com 

Tailback Miguel Maysonet looks to convince a team he's worthy at the combine - By Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com

 This is the first installment in a series of stories that will follow former Stony Brook star Miguel Maysonet on his road to the NFL draft. Miguel Maysonet grew up on Long Island's East End, playground of the rich and famous, but there was nothing tony about his childhood. He lived with his mother and two older brothers in a cramped apartment above an auto-repair shop in Riverhead -- a long way from Hamptons chic. They struggled, but he never complained, not even when the shower broke for a few months and they had to heat water on the stove so they could bathe. When Maysonet's friends joined a youth football league, he sat out because his mother, who worked two jobs, couldn't afford the cost. In fact, he didn't play organized football until the seventh grade. No matter. "I would never let where I came from affect where I'm going in life," Maysonet said last week. There's no mistaking his direction: He's going forward, 7.4 yards at a time. After a record-setting career in college, the former Stony Brook running back is tantalizingly close to his dream -- a dream shared by those who have known him since his humble beginnings. He can become the first player in school history to be drafted by the NFL. It's first-and-goal-to-go. "I really hope he gets the opportunity to hear his name called," Stony Brook coach Chuck Priore said. "That would be a pretty special reward. He put us on the map single-handedly." For the next two months, Maysonet's job is to convince at least one NFL team he's worth a draft pick, that he can be the next Danny Woodhead. It starts Thursday, when he arrives in Indianapolis for the NFL combine. "It's a tremendous accomplishment for a kid who went to a small high school and ended up going to a small university," he said of this opportunity. Maysonet rushed for 1,964 yards last season, averaged an astounding 7.4 yards per carry and finished second for the Walter Payton Award, the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Now he goes from the big fish in a small pond to a minnow in the ocean. He will be one of 38 running backs at the combine, a 333-player meat market that consists of everything from agility drills to medical evaluations to intelligence tests. A combine invite doesn't guarantee anything. In fact, only 21 backs were drafted last year. Scouts say Maysonet, a bit undersized at 5-foot-9, 205 pounds, could be drafted anywhere from the fourth to the seventh round, depending on how well he tests. "I see a possible late-round guy -- if not, a good priority free agent," said an AFC personnel executive, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "He's not real big, but he has quickness and vision. He's more of a quicker guy than a fast type, but he has good feet and balance." For a small-school phenom like Maysonet, it's critical that he impress at the combine and at his pro day, March 21 at Stony Brook. A recent hamstring injury may force him to skip the all-important 40-yard dash at the combine, raising the stakes for his pro day. He has been training since early January, when he moved to New Jersey for a six-week program at the TEST Football Academy in Martinsville. His agent, Joe Linta, sends many of his clients to TEST, where they participate in two-a-day workouts six days a week under the supervision of professional instructors. This is serious business. Hundreds of draft-eligible prospects across the country leave school to concentrate on combine prep. Agents typically spend $12,000 to $15,000 per client, making sure they're physically and mentally ready for what amounts to a four-day job interview. Maysonet lived on Linta's dime, residing in a two-bedroom condo in a gated community about 15 minutes from TEST. He was fed by nutritional experts and his condo was cleaned by a weekly maid service, which struck an emotional chord. His mother, Yolanda Santana, works as a hotel maid in Riverhead. "I love him as a person, the kind of kid you'd want to marry your daughter," Linta said of Maysonet. "He's sincere and genuine. He was brought up the right way." You may recognize Linta's name; he represents Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP and the hottest free agent-to-be. Linta has a reputation for uncovering hidden gems like Flacco, a relative unknown before his senior year at Delaware. In 2007, Linta drove to a game at New Hampshire, where he watched Flacco pass for 419 yards and two touchdowns. That convinced him that Flacco had the goods to make the jump from the FCS to the NFL. Six years later, Linta has a winning lottery ticket -- he'll make millions on his Flacco commission -- yet there he was last week, sitting in a cozy deli in small-town Martinsville and talking up Maysonet as The Next Big Thing in between bites of a turkey burger. "He has tremendous lower-body strength and quickness; he's like a Ray Rice," said Linta, comparing Maysonet to the Ravens' star running back. From a height-weight standpoint, they're almost similar. Rice was 5-8, 200 pounds when he came out of Rutgers in 2008, but he ran the 40 in less than 4.5 seconds -- and that will be Maysonet's challenge. He's not a true blazer -- he ran a 4.55 last spring -- and that could work against him in a league obsessed by 40 times. But he has an innate ability to find daylight and finish runs. As Priore said, "One thing happens when you watch him: He comes out the other end of pile-ups." Maysonet believes his running style is similar to that of former Giant Ahmad Bradshaw, meaning: "He's tough. He never wants to go down, like me." Skeptics will point to Stony Brook's level of competition, but it bears noting that Maysonet averaged 129 yards per game and 6.2 per carry in five games versus FBS opponents. His signature play came against Syracuse, a 71-yard touchdown in which he high-hurdled a defender -- an instant "SportsCenter" highlight. "That's the one that really helped me out with the scouts," Maysonet said. Nearly every team sent a scout to Stony Brook in the fall to watch practice and to study him on tape. They saw a downhill runner who managed to dominate against eight- and nine-man fronts. "The feedback from every scout was, 'Wow,'" Priore said. The most remarkable thing about Maysonet, according to Priore, is that he never asks what the scouts are saying about him. There's not an ounce of diva in Maysonet. He rarely speaks of his NFL opportunity, except to say his hope is to make enough money to support his mother. It starts with his trip to Indianapolis. Even if he skips the 40, he'll have other combine tests, including the 225-pound bench press, to make his case. He'll also be interviewed by individual teams. Maysonet's career has been building toward this since that harbinger moment in seventh grade, when he ran for a long touchdown the first time he touched the ball. Since then, "I've been killing it," he said in a rare moment of braggadocio. "I honestly don't think it'll be that nerve-racking," Maysonet said of the pre-draft process. "I've had to prove to people my whole life that I'm a really good football player. This is just another way for me to prove to them I'm able to compete at a high level."

Stony Brook dominates UMBC with its biggest Division I margin of victory ever

By Greg Logan, Newsday

Coming off their emotional thumping of archrival Vermont on Friday night, it hardly was surprising that Stony Brook's Seawolves had a case of the blahs against lowly UMBC. But when the Retrievers pushed their lead to nine points with 9:17 left in the first half, that was too much for SBU coach Steve Pikiell to take.

Pikiell sent in Ron Bracey, who often is the 11th man in a 10-man rotation. Bracey might not be the strongest defender, but he has the ability to light an offensive spark and bring energy, and he did just that, hitting a three-pointer that brought the Seawolves roaring to life for a record-setting 83-39 victory over UMBC Tuesday night at Pritchard Gymnasium. The 44-point margin was the largest against a Division I opponent in Stony Brook history.

Bracey's three started a 13-0 burst that turned the game around. By halftime, Bracey had eight of his 10 points as the Seawolves (20-6, 11-2 America East) made 12 of 15 field-goal attempts in a 33-7 run that ended the half with a 47-29 lead.

"We got off to a flat start, but we played Stony Brook basketball the last 30 minutes," Pikiell said. "Ron gave us a nice lift and did a great job of giving us energy . . . Ron's a good player; but we're playing 10 guys. It's hard.

"But if Dave [Coley] wants to take the night off, Marcus Rouse is pretty good. Today, a couple guys wanted to take a day off, and Ron was good. That helps keep guys' attention. Putting them on the bench is a great weapon to have for those guys that are taking it a little bit for granted."

Neither Pikiell nor his player took a foot off the gas pedal the rest of the way. After the Retrievers (6-20, 4-9) took their early 23-14 lead on 10-for-19 shooting, Stony Brook outscored them 69-16 and held them to five field goals in their last 38 attempts, including a 3-for-28 effort in the second half.

Point guard Anthony Jackson led Stony Brook with 14 points and five assists, and the Seawolves got double-figures scoring from Jameel Warney (13), Rouse (12) and Carson Puriefoy (10) in addition to Bracey. Ten of 12 SBU players scored, and while Coley had no points, he contributed a team-high nine rebounds. Ryan Cook topped UMBC with 15 points.

Bracey, a junior college transfer, has done a remarkable job of keeping his head in the game and staying ready to play. "Just be ready to go and hit open shots," Bracey said. "It's whatever is needed for us to win."

How does he maintain such a good attitude? "The NCAA Tournament keeps me having a good attitude. We're all trying to get there. That keeps me positive."

Tommy Brenton, Marcus Rouse lead Stony Brook to big win over Vermont

By GREG LOGAN  greg.logan@newsday.com

Revenge, redemption -- call it what you like -- but it couldn't have come in a more satisfying or thorough manner than Stony Brook's 65-48 thrashing of archrival Vermont Friday night in front of a raucous Pritchard Gymnasium sellout crowd of 1,630 fans.

The Seawolves (19-6, 10-2 America East) had lost three straight to the Catamounts (16-9, 9-4), including a game in Burlington earlier this season in which they yielded a season-worst 81 points.

This was a 180-degree turn as Stony Brook held Vermont to its season-low point total, forced the Catamounts to shoot only 24.1 percent from the field in the second half and had an 18-0 advantage in points off turnovers at one point.

The reward for such a complete game is a stranglehold on first place in the conference with four games remaining and a good chance of hosting the America East title game if the Seawolves get that far in the postseason tournament.

"That's down the road, but it's good to stay in first place," senior forward Tommy Brenton said.

"Vermont being our rival, to hold them to a season low is tremendous. It's thanks to our preparation and Coach [Steve Pikiell] not letting us forget how much we gave up to them the first time. We were reminded every day."

Brenton, who had 13 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals and made all three of his shots, won his personal battle with Vermont nemesis Brian Voelkel (five points, seven rebounds, five assists. But this was a team-wide triumph for the Seawolves.

Guard Marcus Rouse came off the bench to score 11 of his game-high 16 points in a 21-11 run that gave SBU a 27-19 lead late in the first half.

"Coach talked about moving without the basketball," Rouse said by way of explaining his 4-for-5 performance from three-point range. "I had a terrible game the last time at Vermont. I had to redeem myself."

Post man Jameel Warney had only two first-half points but attacked the rim to start the second half, scoring eight of his 12 points in a 22-5 run that gave SBU a 55-34 lead and forced Vermont coach John Becker to switch to a 1-3-1 zone to shut down the middle.

"Give credit to Vermont in the first half for playing tough defense," said Warney, who added 10 rebounds. "They wouldn't let me get the ball. But you start to see chances open up, and we knew we had to attack."

Vermont got 14 points from Sandro Carissimo, 12 from Luke Apfeld and 10 from Trey Blue, but after shooting 55 percent in the first half, the Catamounts were 7-for-29 in the second.

"We take them one at a time, but this was definitely a big game," Brenton said. "Everyone had this one circled on their map."

UMass Lowell Joins America East Conference as Full Member for 2013-14 Academic Year

LOWELL, Mass. -- UMass Lowell’s athletic teams will move up to Division I, joining the America East Conference, representatives of both announced today at a rally at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. 

The America East Board of Presidents unanimously approved accepting the University of Massachusetts Lowell as a member of the conference effective July 1, 2013. The move also received the unanimous support of UMass Lowell’s Faculty Senate Executive Committee and Student Government Association.

“UMass Lowell is an outstanding addition to our membership and an ideal fit for America East,” Stony Brook University President and Chairman of the America East Board of Presidents Dr. Samuel L. Stanley said. “It is a public research university within our conference’s geographic footprint that highly values academics while also excelling in athletics.”

“UMass Lowell is proud to have been chosen to join the America East conference, not just on the basis of the strengths of our outstanding athletics programs and facilities, but also because of the university’s excellence in academics, research and vibrant campus life,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan.

“I congratulate UMass Lowell on this exciting accomplishment and I look forward to cheering on the River Hawks in the upcoming season,” said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

With the move to America East, the 16,300-student UMass Lowell will join institutions in America East that are of similar size and are also four-year research universities, the majority of which are public. Those include the University of Maine, University of New Hampshire and University of Vermont, already fellow members of Division I Hockey East with UMass Lowell.

“UMass Lowell student-athletes are not only known for their performance on the field, court and ice, but also in the classroom. Our current only Division I sport, men’s ice hockey, has the highest average GPA of all of our men’s teams, regularly receiving honors from their league and other organizations,” said UMass Lowell Athletic Director Dana Skinner. “By moving all of our teams to the America East Conference, UMass Lowell will join our peers not only in athletics but also in academics and research.”

“I am thrilled to welcome UMass Lowell as the newest member of America East,” America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen said. “All throughout the membership evaluation process, our conference’s leadership has stressed the importance of finding peer institutions with similar profiles and an infrastructure of strong academics, competitive athletics programs and outstanding facilities. UMass Lowell has those assets and will strengthen America East in all facets.”

UMass Lowell will begin competing in 14 sports in the 2013-14 academic year, but will not be eligible for postseason play while it completes the four-year NCAA reclassification from Division II to Division I. The River Hawks will be full Division I members of America East for the 2017-18 academic year.

As a full member of America East, UMass Lowell will join the University at Albany, Binghamton University, University of Hartford, University of Maine, University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of New Hampshire, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont. In addition, Fairfield University and Providence College are associate members of America East in field hockey and volleyball, respectively. Boston University departs America East for the Patriot League following the 2012-13 academic year.

UMass Lowell, with more than 88 degree programs in its six colleges, is ranked as one of the top 100 public universities in the nation and as a top tier national university by U.S. News & World Report. All of UMass Lowell’s peer institutions, based on similar academic and research profiles, compete at the Division I level in athletics. Enrollment at the university has increased 40 percent in the last five years, while diversity and academic credentials of students have increased dramatically. The university has broken records in each of those years for the number of students receiving diplomas, and students on athletic teams have graduated at a higher rate than those who are not over the last 10 years. UMass Lowell –with 75,000 graduates earning among the top mid-career and starting salaries in New England, according to PayScale.com -- has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation and President Obama’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for community and campus engagement.

“This move will add value to the degrees that students receive from UMass Lowell because being a Division I school will add to the prestige of the institution by strengthening the reputation of the university not just in this area but around the country,” said Student Government Association President Brian Dano, a marketing and finance major from Merrimack, N.H. “I hope one day to watch UMass Lowell athletics on ESPN in the not too distant future.”

With the exception of its Division I men’s ice hockey team, UMass Lowell has been a member of NCAA Division II since 1975 and a member of the Northeast-10 Conference since 2000. Since 2000, the River Hawks have made 104 NCAA post-season appearances, won two team national championships, had two individual national championships and a pair of national players of the year, one Olympian, won 59 conference championships, had 214 All-Americans and 32 Academic All-Americans.

America East was formed as a men’s basketball-only conference in 1979 as the ECAC North. The league became an all-sports association as the North Atlantic Conference in 1988. The conference changed names to America East in 1995. The addition of UMass Lowell is the first expansion since 2002 when UMBC was elected to membership effective for the 2003-04 academic year.

About the America East Conference
Now in its fourth decade of operation, the America East Conference has evolved into one of the most comprehensive NCAA Division I conferences in the country with a commitment to broad-based, competitive athletics programs, complementing the academic integrity and missions of the member institutions. Progressive in its approach to its more than 3,400 student-athletes, America East recognizes champions in each of its 20 sports, conducts the nation’s most comprehensive academic recognition program for student-athletes as well as collaborates on several community service initiatives throughout its geographic footprint each year. With members spanning from the Mid-Atlantic to Northeast regions of the United States, America East strives to develop champions in academics, athletics and leadership.

About UMass Lowell
UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its more than 16,000 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health and environment, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be ready for work, for life and for all the world offers.  

Stony Brook women outlasts Binghamton, 60-57

Vestal, N.Y. - The Stony Brook women's basketball team placed four Seawolves in double-figures and fended off a late rally by Binghamton to earn a 60-57 road victory Wednesday night at the Events Center. The game was televised in Central New York on Time Warner Cable Sports.

Jessica Previlon notched a double-double on 12 points and 10 boards, whileTeasha Harris led all scorers with 14 points to help Stony Brook move to 13-12 overall and 5-7 in the America East. Chikilra Goodman and Brittany Snowtallied 11 points apiece, and Goodman dished out a game-high five helpers.

Vaneeshia Paulk led Binghamton (4-21, 3-9 AE) with 11 points, and Jasbriell Swain pulled down a game-best 16 rebounds.

Paulk and Harris were named America East Players of the Game.

Coach's Reaction
"This was a really gutsy team effort with some very good plays throughout the entire game. I was very impressed with our energy in a great road win."

--Head Coach Beth O'Boyle

Turning Point
Paulk hit a pair of free throws to bring Binghamton within five, 53-48, with just under seven and a half minutes remaining in the second frame.

With the score the same at the 5:34 mark, Sherae Swinson bobbled a loose ball, and Previlon registered a bucket in the paint on the other end to put Stony Brook in front by seven, 55-48.

About 45 seconds later, Swinson tallied two free throws to make it a five-point game, 55-50. Paulk notched a hoop-and-the-harm with 3:49 left as Snow fouled out. She completed the three-point play to cut the deficit to four, 55-51.

A Harris shot bounced off the rim and in to give Stony Brook a 57-52 advantage, but she fouled Paulk on the next possession. The junior guard went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe as Stony Brook's lead dwindled to two, 57-55, with a little over three minutes remaining in the game.

Both squads went cold from the field in the waning minutes. Swinson was called for an offensive foul with 1:22 left. Previlon could not hit a lay-up on the other end, and Stony Brook came up with the ball after a scramble for the rebound.

Gatling missed a lay-up, but Previlon picked up an errant pass by Swain on the defensive end to help SBU regain possession with 30 ticks remaining.

Swain fouled Goodman with the shot clock turned off, but the junior went 0-for-2 from the free throw line. Gatling grabbed the offensive rebound on the second miss, and Paulk intentionally fouled Harris. The guard hit both shots to give the Seawolves a four-point cushion, 59-55, with 18 seconds to go.

The Bearcats could not execute on offense, but Previlon missed both of her free throws. Kim Albrecht hit a lay-up to once again bring Binghamton within two, 59-57, with one tick left.

Previlon went 1-of-2 from the line to give Stony Brook a three-point lead, and solid defense prevented Binghamton from getting off a shot at the buzzer.

Numbers Game

• Stony Brook outrebounded Binghamton, 39-38, to improve to 11-3 when leading the battle of the boards.
• The Seawolves outscored the Bearcats in the paint, 28-22. 
• Binghamton committed 26 turnovers, and SBU racked up 22 points off of the Bearcats' miscues.
• This the 11th time this season Previlon has notched double-figures in scoring and the 10th time for Goodman.

News and Notes

• Klupenger hit two 3-pointers to tie to Theresa LoParrino for fourth-place all-time at Stony Brook in treys made in a career with 102.
• With the win, the Seawolves have earned their second regular-season sweep of the 2012-13 campaign. Stony Brook routed Binghamton, 54-36, at home on Jan. 9 on Optimum Local 118 and swept UNH earlier in the season. This marks the first time SBU has swept two opponents since 2009-10 when it took two from both UMBC and Maine. 
• Stony Brook earned its first win on the road since defeating New Hampshire, 48-44, Jan. 5 in Durham, N.H. SBU is now 8-5 at Pritchard and 5-7 on the road. 
• Prevlion is tied with Boston University's Rashidat Agboola with a conference-high seven double-doubles this season. Agboola scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds against Vermont Wednesday.
• Alyssa Coiro hit her first career free throw with 17 seconds remaining in the first half. 
• The Seawolves will once again be on television on Feb. 20 when they take on UMBC at 1 p.m. on Optimum Local Channel 118, which is available to Optimum Cable subscribers in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Up Next
Stony Brook concludes its road trip at Vermont on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. The Seawolves beat the Catamounts, 68-53, at home on Jan. 19.

Stony Brook-Vermont stage is set

 By Greg Logan

Photo credit: Joseph D. Sullivan | STONY BROOK- JANUARY 26, 2013: Stony Brook's Scott King (35) slams home the ball off an alley oop pass from Tommy Brenton in the first half. Stony Brook defeated Maine 79-69. University of Maine at Stony Brook mens hoops.

It’s been a topsy-turvy year in college basketball, and the America East Conference is no exception. Stony Brook lost its grip on first place when it was upset Sunday at Hartford, but Vermont returned the favor with a loss Tuesday night at Boston University while the Seawolves were romping to a 73-47 win over last-place Binghamton.

That means Stony Brook (18-6, 9-2 America East) has a half-game lead and a one-game advantage in the loss column over the Catamounts (16-8, 9-3) before their big Friday showdown at soldout Pritchard Gym in a game that will be televised on ESPN3. Despite that mathematical edge, the Seawolves can’t afford a loss that would leave them even with Vermont in the loss column because the Cats would have the tiebreaker by virtue of their previous 81-73 victory in Burlington.

That was Stony Brook’s worst defensive performance of the season, so, it was telling to see how hard the Seawolves worked on defense against Binghamton even in the second half when the lead rose as high as 34 points. At one point, guard Anthony Jackson dove on the floor for a loose ball, and the Seawolves contested everything as they held the Bearcats to 22.2 percent shooting (6-of-27) in the second half.

“We can’t have letups just because we’re up 30 points,” guard Dave Coley said. Asked about the approaching battle with Vermont, Coley added, “It means a lot. It’s for first place. Our execution and transition defense has to be better. At Vermont, we didn’t play Stony Brook defense. We don’t give up 81 points.”

No doubt, Seawolves coach Steve Pikiell will emphasize the need to be much sharper against a Vermont team that managed to get inside for easy baskets when Stony Brook threatened to come back from an 18-point second-half deficit at Burlington. But against Binghamton, Pikiell made a decision to change his starting front line, replacing 6-8 Eric McAlister with 6-9 redshirt freshman Scott King (pictured).

King provides a three-point scoring component, but he was 0-for-3 against the Bearcats, while McAlister had a solid game off the bench with six points and four rebounds in just 11 minutes.

“I wanted to shake things up,” Pikiell explained. “Scott’s an offensive player, and [the Bearcats] played a lot of zone. I thought Eric responded the right way. Scott King can really score points. I think he gives us a little lift. But they’ve been close in practice all year. It’s a coin toss with those two guys.

“Everyone’s got to be ready on this team. You can go from five minutes to being a starter. I liked that Eric gave us a physicality with our second unit. We lose some physicality with those guys, but Eric brings a little more to that second unit. We needed that.”

In some ways, Stony Brook’s rout of Binghamton should have been a confidence booster that reinforced what the Seawolves need to do against Vermont. But Pikiell said, “Confidence is never an issue for us. We’ve got a good basketball team coming in here. It’s not about confidence. It’s about playing the right way and being focused. When we are, we’re good. I like playing at home. We’ve been on the road a lot this year, and it’s nice to be home.”

Stony Brook rout of Binghamton returns Seawolves to first place

By Greg Logan, Newsday

On Sunday evening in Hartford, Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell was on the outs with his backcourt after an upset loss that dropped the Seawolves out of first place in America East. But two days later, it was all hearts and flowers between Pikiell and his backcourt just in time for Valentine's Day.

Stony Brook guards Dave Coley, Anthony Jackson and Carson Puriefoy III totaled 39 points and 10 of the Seawolves' season-high 19 assists on the way to a 73-47 rout of Binghamton Tuesday night at Pritchard Gym. The cherry on top was Boston University win at Vermont (Patrick Gym) that allowed SBU (18-6, 9-2) to slip back into first place before the Catamounts (16-8, 9-3) visit Friday night.

"I love my backcourt today," Pikiell said. "I wasn't in love with them the other day, but I love them today."

Coley topped Stony Brook with 15 points; Jackson shot 4-for-7 from three-point range for 12, and the freshman Puriefoy had his finest all-around game with 12 points, five rebounds and a career-high six assists. SBU also got 14 rebounds, six points and five assists from Tommy Brenton. Last-place Binghamton (3-22, 1-11) got 14 points and 10 rebounds from Jordan Reed but shot only 29.4 percent from the field.

Describing Pikiell's message to the Seawolves in Monday's practice, Coley said: "It was about us not having a presence. It's not only about offense, but defensively and overall what the backcourt can bring to the team. We had to come with more intensity and be more involved. Against Hartford, we didn't do a good job of that, and today was a good bounce-back for us."

After being on the road for 11 of the previous 15 games, it took the Seawolves a few minutes to get comfortable at home again. They trailed the last-place Bearcats 10-9 in the early going, but they put together a 16-7 run for a 25-17 lead with the help of six points from forward Eric McAlister, who was replaced in the starting lineup by Scott King.

The Bearcats drew within six points late in the first half, but Stony Brook's guards kicked it into high gear, leading a 29-7 run that carried deep into the second half. Jackson had nine points in that stretch that ended with Puriefoy grabbing a turnover and hitting warp speed to split two defenders for a layup and a foul shot for a 59-31 lead. Ultimately, the Seawolves' lead reached 34 points.

"I was trying to attack and get my teammates involved," Puriefoy said. "They were in the right spots, and I just got them the ball and they converted."

Smiling at Coley and Puriefoy, Pikiell added, "They were the two fastest guys on the floor, and that's what they need to be Friday and the rest of the season."