Binghamton University junior Alex Adediran and Northeastern University junior Marcus Barnes have each been suspended two games by Chris Monasch, Commissioner of America East Conference. Both suspensions were the result of excessive contact and unsporting conduct in recent America East men’s basketball contests.
Monasch reached the decision, consistent with the America East Constitution and Bylaws, following the review of game tapes and interviews with among others: Charles Diehl, Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officials for America East, game officials from each contest, and Dr. Joel Thirer and Dave O’Brien, the Directors of Athletics at Binghamton and Northeastern, respectively.
“The behavior in these two unrelated incidents is unacceptable in college basketball,” said Monasch. “The safety of our student-athletes is a primary concern of the membership of the conference. It is regrettable that this has happened. We hope these penalties emphasize that behavior of this type will not be tolerated.”
Adediran will begin his suspension when Binghamton plays at University at Albany Wednesday, January 14. He will also sit out when the Bearcats host University of New Hampshire Saturday, January 17. Barnes will begin his suspension Wednesday when Northeastern hosts University of Hartford and will sit out when the Huskies play at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Saturday.
Adediran was called for a flagrant foul and ejected from the Bearcats’ 63-59 loss at Boston University on Saturday, January 10. The suspension of Barnes was the result of a foul in the Huskies’ 88-78 loss at University of Vermont on Wednesday, January 7.
Adediran is fourth on the Bearcats with 7.9 points per game and ranks second on the team with 4.9 rebounds per game. The 6-8 forward has played in each of his team’s 14 games, starting two. Binghamton is 5-9 overall, 1-2 in America East.
Barnes leads the Huskies in scoring and ranks second in America East with 19.8 points per game. He leads the conference and ranks 14th nationally with 3.47 three-pointers per game. The 6-2 guard is one of two Huskies to start each of the team’s first 15 games and leads the team with 33.7 minutes per contest. Northeastern is 9-6 overall, 3-1 in America East.
America East membership includes Albany, Binghamton, Boston University, Hartford, University of Maine, UMBC, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Stony Brook University and Vermont.