"We are thrilled and honored to be selected as host for an ESPN game for the second year in a row," said Stony Brook Director of Athletics Jim Fiore. "Stony Brook is appreciative of this opportunity to showcase our basketball program to a national audience. Our staff and student-athletes will represent the University and America East Conference with great pride and distinction."
The game will mark Stony Brook’s second appearance on the ESPN family of networks during the 2010-11 season. Sixth-year head coach Steve Pikiell and the Seawolves will play on ESPN Tuesday, Nov. 16 at Monmouth at 6 a.m. as part of the ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon.
"It is an exciting time for Stony Brook basketball," said Pikiell, who was the 2010 America East Coach of the Year. “First we get a chance to open the season on ESPN in the College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, and now we get to host an ESPN game at our arena. It is a tremendous honor for our program to represent America East and Stony Brook University on national television. The game will be great for our university, our conference and our fans. We can't wait to play."
Stony Brook is coming off a record-breaking season that saw the Seawolves achieve program highs in overall wins (22) and America East wins (13), win the America East regular season championship and earn the program's first-ever postseason appearance, a home NIT game against Illinois that had a sell-out crowd of 4,423 at Stony Brook Arena.
The Seawolves feature eight returning lettermen, including four starters, from last season's 22-10 team. Among the returnees are senior guard Chris Martin (Springfield Gardens, N.Y./Christ the King) and junior wing Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md./River Hill/Hargrave), who was America East's leading rebounder (9.7 rpg) last season.
The full 2010-11 schedule will be released at a later date.
