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Media Entrance
The media entrance to the Events Center will be through the main entrance to the building using the doors on the far right-hand side.
Media Parking
Media, with proper parking passes, will be admitted to the Events Center Lot (Lot F3). This lot is located in close proximity to the media entrance (see map page 2).
Directions to Events Center
By Air:
Greater Binghamton Airport (USAirways, Northwest, United, Delta Connection)
Distance from Airport to the Events Center: less than 10 miles
Driving Directions:
From Southern New England and Down State New York: I-87 (Thruway) to Exit 16 to Route 17 West. Continue on Route 17 West to Exit 70 South (Route 201). Follow 201 and the SUNY signs to the traffic circle. Take first right off circle, crossing bridge to Route 434 East. The main entrance to campus is your first right.
From Northern New England and the Albany-Oneonta, New York Area: I-88 West to I-81 South to Route 17 West. Continue 17 West to Exit 70 South (Route 201). Follow 201 and the SUNY signs to the traffic circle. Take first right off circle, crossing bridge to Route 434 East. The main entrance to campus is your first right.
From the West: Follow Route 17 East to Exit 70 South (Route 201). Follow 201 and the SUNY signs to the traffic circle. Take first right off circle, crossing bridge to Route 434 East. The main entrance to campus is your first right.
From Binghamton Regional Airport: Exit the main drive onto Airport Road. Go eight miles SOUTH to Rte. 17 West. Travel west on 17 to Exit 70 SOUTH (Route 201). Follow Route 201 and the SUNY signs to the traffic circle. Take first right off circle, crossing bridge to Route 434 EAST. The main entrance to campus is your first right.
Media Workroom
The media work room (Room G 30) is located in the Southeast corner of the arena and will be available to all working media with proper credentials. Space is reserved for electrical outlets and telephone lines.
Media Seating
Due to limited space, press row seating will be assigned on a priority basis to media outlets that cover America East basketball regularly throughout the regular season.
Media Info
Wireless internet access is available throughout the entire Events Center for members of the media.
Tables are set up in media work room with media guides, game notes, statistics, etc.
In-Game Statistics
A limited number of statistic monitors will be placed along press row during all games of the tournament. If a stat monitor is not in your viscinity, then live stats will be available online through www.AmericaEast.com. Boxscores will also be distributed along press row at all media timeouts, at the half and following the contest. Complete boxscores will be distributed at the postgame press conference and will be available in the media work room throughout the entire tournament.
Press Row Phone Lines
Courtside phones are available for media use. A fax machine is available in the media work room. Print media members wishing to obtain a press row phone line should contact Tom Wilkins of America East. To dial a local or toll free number from any of the lines in Events Center, press "8" and then the number. All non-local or toll free calls should be made on a COLLECT or CREDIT CARD basis.
Postgame Press Conferences
Postgame press conferences with each team’s coach and selected players are held following a cooling-off period in the interview room (Room G 16) located in the Southwest corner of the arena. The conference office may opt not to do a conference should there be no media or only a single media request.
The winning coach and two student-athletes are required in the media interview room no later than 10 minutes following the conclusion of the game. The coach will start the press conference with an opening statement. Questions will then be asked for the student-athletes only. When there are no further questions for the student-athletes, they will be dismissed and questions will be asked of the coach. The session with the winning team will be limited to 15 minutes.
The losing coach and two student-athletes (if requested) are required in the media interview room following the winning team. The coach will start the press conference with an opening statement. Questions will then be asked for the student-athletes only. When there are no further questions for the student-athletes, they will be dismissed and questions will be asked of the coach. The session with the losing team will be limited to 10 minutes.
After fulfilling the commitment to the media interview room, coaches and student-athletes may participate in any interview requests, which should be made via the team's respective SID.
America East will provide a conference moderator for the media interview room. Press conference quotes will also be made available in the media room in a reasonable amount of time following the conclusion of the game and will also be posted on www.AmericaEast.com.
Locker rooms are CLOSED to all media at the America East Women’s Basketball Championship.
Halftime Interviews
Halftime interviews are permitted on the court when requested by television or radio. Please contact Tom Wilkins of America East to request such interviews.
Postgame Interviews
Postgame interviews are permitted on the court when requested by television or radio. Media members wishing to do so much get clearance from the respective SID as well as America East.
Officials Interviews
Game officials shall not conduct interviews with the media without the expressed permission of America East.
Photography
Photographers are restricted to the "photographers' box" at either end of the court. Flash photography is not permitted while on press row.
Camera/Microphone Placement
Television cameras or microphones shall be allowed in team huddles, the team bench area, or in the locker rooms for pregame or halftime only upon the granting of permission prior to the game by the institution involved. Additionally, coaches and bench personnel may be wired with television microphones during games upon receiving permission by the institution.
Media Meals
Meals will be served periodically throughout the America East Championship in the media hospitality area (Bearcat Den).
CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
Tourney Made Binghamton Debut
The America East Women’s Basketball Championship moves to Binghamton for the first time in 2007 as Binghamton University hosts the nine-team tournament on March 8-11 at Events Center. The first round game will take place on Thursday, March 8, followed by the quarterfinals on Friday, March 9, the semifinals on Saturday, March 10 and the title game on Sunday, March 11.
TV Exposure
Both semifinal games of the 2007 America East Women’s Basketball Championship on Saturday, March 10 and the championship game on March 11 will be televised as part of the America East TV package. Eric Frede will handle the play-by-play duties for the AE-TV broadcasts with Leah Secondo serving as the color analyst. NESN and Time Warner Cable (Albany) will carry the action live and America East Zone will provide a live-streaming video feed for free at www.AmericaEast.com.
An Online Experience
All games of the 2007 America East Women's Basketball Championship played at Binghamton University's Events Centers will be streaming for free over the internet. Links to the streaming service will be available online at www.AmericaEast.com.
Storied Programs Meets in First Round
Maine has certainly developed a dominant reputation in America East women's basketball having won a league-best seven titles and advance to the finals a record 15 times. Vermont follows closely behind with four titles and nine title game appearances. However, one of these two teams will have an early exit when No. 3 Vermont matches up against No. 6 Maine in the quarterfinals.
A Long Wait
New Hampshire, a charter member of America East (1984-85), is looking for its first NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship appearance. The Wildcats are in their 31st year of women's basketball. New Hampshire have been to the semifinal nine teams, the fourth-most among active teams, but have never advanced to the title game.
Spreading the Wealth
Prior to Hartford repeating as champion in 2005 and 2006, a different team had won the America East Championship in each of the previous seven seasons. Maine (2004), Boston University (2003), Hartford (2002), Delaware (2001), Vermont (2000) and Northeastern (1999) were the champions in those seven years. In the prior 14 championships, there were only four different champions, with Maine winning six, Vermont and Northeastern each winning three, and Boston University winning two.
Three-Peat??
The Hawks are trying to become just the third program in conference history to capture three-straight title. The Black Bears hold the record for consecutive titles with four in a row from 1992-96, while Northeastern and Vermont each won three in a row.
Crowned at the Top
Traditionally, gaining a top seed in the America East Championship has proven important, as 21 of the 22 championships have been won by one of the top-three seeds, with the No. 1 seed winning 14. The No. 1 seed has posted a 48-6 (.888) record in championship play, advancing to the championship game 18 of 21 times (note: there was no No. 1 seed in 1994). The No. 2 seed has won three championships while the No. 3 seed has won three titles. The No. 4 seed, and the Nos. 6-10 seeds have never won a championship. Hartford in 2002 is the only No. 5 seed to ever win the championship.
Top Two To Tango
The America East Championship game has featured the top two seeds 10 times in the 21 previous championships. The No. 1 seed has posted an 8-2 record in those games, winning the championship in 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2000. The No. 2 seed upset the No. 1 seed in 1998 (No. 2 Maine 81, No. 1 Vermont 80) and 1999 (No. 2 Northeastern 57, No. 1 Maine 55).
Cinderella Gets Her Slipper
On only two occasions has the America East Championship game NOT featured either of the top two seeds. It first occurred in 1989, when No. 3 Boston University defeated No. 4 Northeastern, 60-54. That was the last year that only the top four regular season finishers competed in the conference tournament. The second time neither of the top two seeds played for the championship was the 2002 final, which was played right here at The Chase Family Arena. In that game, No. 5 Hartford defeated No. 7 Stony Brook, 50-47, to win the Hawks’ first ever conference championship. Hartford, as the No. 5 seed, represents the lowest seed to win the championship.
Cinderella Gets Her Slipper-Part II
The higher seeded team has won 120 of the 152 total games (78.9 percent) played in America East Championship competition. Only 32 times has there been an upset. The largest upset, in terms of seeding, occurred 2005. When No. 8 Boston U. defeated top-seeded Maine. The Terriers became the lowest seed ever to advance to an America East tournament final.
Binghamton Looking for Home Cooking
The America East Championship has been a single-site championship 16 times (including the 1991-93 championships, which played the quarterfinal round on campus sites and the semifinals and final at a single site). Ten times the host school has gone on to win the championship, with Vermont (1992, 1993, 2000) and Hartford (2002, 2005, 2006) winning three and Maine (1991, 1998) and Northeastern (1985, 1986) each taking two. The five times that the host school did not win the championship were 1987 (Northeastern won at Case Gym, Boston, Mass.), 1990 (Maine won at Walter Brown Arena, Boston, Mass.), 1999 (Northeastern won at Patrick Gym, Burlington, Vt.), 2001 (Delaware won at Patrick Gym, Burlington, Vt.), 2003 (Boston University won at The Chase Family Arena, West Hartford, Conn.) and 2004 (Maine won at The Chase Family Arena, West Hartford, Conn.). The Bearcats hope to use the home-court advantage for their first-ever
America East Championship.
Not In a Sharing Mood
Maine, Northeastern, Vermont, Boston U. and Hartford have combined to win 21 of the 22 America East championships. Maine tops the list with seven championships, with Northeastern and Vermont each winning four, while Boston U. and Hartford have each won three. Former member Delaware is the only other team to win the title.
Minus Player and Rookie of the Year
The Hawks graduated last year's America East Player of the Year Erika Messum and saw America East Rookie of the Year Erica Beverly sidelined with an injury, yet Hartford remains the team to beat throughout the conference.
Waiting Room
While charter member New Hampshire has had the longest wait for an America East Championship, several other teams are trying to win the crown and go dancin' for the first time. Albany, Binghamton and Stony Brook joined America East prior to the 2001-02 season, although Binghamton is eligible for the America East Championship for the only the fourth time this season after completing its transition to NCAA Division I. University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is in its fourth season in America East after leaving the Northeast Conference. The Retrievers are looking for their first trip to the NCAA Division I Championship, since moving up from Division II in 1989-90.
Storied History
Several former America East Champions are still coaching at the collegiate level. Michigan State head coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie won four titles (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998) while at Maine; Sharon Versyp, won the league title in 2004 at Maine before moving to Purdue. Cathy Inglese won back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993 before heading to Boston College and passing the baton to Minnesota's Pam Borton, who won a title with Vermont in 1994.
Most Outstanding Player Award
The Most Outstanding Player Award is given each year to the most outstanding player in the America East Women’s Basketball Championship. Past winners include four-time honoree and the conference's all-time leading scorer Maine's Cindy Blodgett (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998), Maine's Rachel Bouchard, who won the award the first two years it was given (1990, 1991), and Sharon Bay, who led Vermont to back-to-back championships (1992-1993).
Repeat After Me
2006 America East Player of the Year Erika Messam earned her second-straight championship Most Outstanding Player award, while leading Hartford to its second America East Women’s Basketball Championship in a row. The championship game drew 2,634 to Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion and was shown to four million homes on Fox Sports New England and nationally on CSTV.
Giant "Owl" Killers
Hartford earned a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Championship, America East’s highest seed since 1999, and promptly upset Temple, 64-58, in the First Round. The Hawks’ bid for a Sweet 16 appearance came up short in a 73-54 loss to Georgia. Both of Hartford’s NCAA games were televised by ESPN.
NIT
Stony Brook received its first postseason berth with an appearance in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
Ms. Mikus
Albany's Sherri Mikus (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquenita) netted 11 points and handed out three assists in last year’s America East Championship opening-round game against Maine. The 5-11 guard presents a number of matchup troubles with her versatility. One of the league’s top juniors, she ranks among the conference leaders in scoring, rebounding and steals.
Laura's Back: Finland's Finest
Binghamton's Laura Sario (Espoo, Finland/Etela-Tapiolanlukio) netted 11 points against Hartford last year in the America East semifinals fueled by a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. Earlier this season, the 6-1 guard had an impressive return from injury, leading the team in scoring in five-straight games from Jan. 4-17. Widely-considered to be among the league’s elite juniors, she is among the conference leaders in scoring and assists.
Postseason::Meinhardt Time
Boston U.'s Katie Meinhardt (San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatiurs Prep) has helped lead the Terriers to four-straight America East title games, including winning the title in 2003. She put together one of the best performances in America East Championship history as she scored a program-high 43 points in a first-round win over Stony Brook in the 2005 tournament. Back on Dec. 29, 2006, Meinhardt became the 15th Boston U. women’s basketball player to score 1,000 points in her career.
You Can Feel Good About Hood
Hartford's Danielle Hood (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas), an America East preseason all-conference selection, led the Hawks averaging 14.4 ppg in 2005-06. The junior forward averaged 13.0 ppg in last year’s America East Championship, including netting a game-high 17 points in a quarterfinal win over Maine. Hood scored a game-high 20 points to lift the 11th-seeded Hawks to a 64-58 upset win over sixth-seeded Temple in the first round NCAA Tournament.
Underwood for Maine's Fire
Maine's Ashley Underwood (Augusta, Maine/Cony) has averaged 13.0 ppg in four America East tournament games played, including a game-high 24 points in the Black Bears’ 73-56 opening round win over Albany in 2005-06. On Jan. 24, she became the 15th player in Maine’s history to top 1,000 points scored for a career. The 6-2 forward averaged 13.3 ppg in 2005-06, which was seventh best in America East.
Rohde is Paved in Black and Gold
Sharri Rohde (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) has averaged 10 ppg in three America East Championship games including pouring in a team-high 14 points in last year’s quarterfinal game against Binghamton. The 5-11 senior was a second-team all-conference selection in 2006-07 and ranked in the top 15 in scoring, rebounding, assists, and blocked shots. On Jan. 7, Rohde became the 15th player in UMBC women’s basketball history to score 1,000 points.
Like Clarkwork
Danielle Clark (Corinna, Maine/Nokomis Regional) enters the 2007 championship averaging 11.0 ppg in five America East tournament games, including scoring 14, 17 and 14 points, respectively, over the last three postseason games for the Wildcats. The 6-0 forward was a second-team all-conference selection in 2005-06 and ranked among the league leaders in scoring (15.1 ppg - 3rd) and rebounding (6.1 rpg ? 12th). The senior ranks among the league leaders in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and free-throw percentage.
A Familiar Place for Smith
Jessica Smith (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) has had quality performances in the America East Championship averaging 16.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg in four tournament games, including team-highs of 24, 19 and 15 points in three of those four games. The senior preseason all-conference selection had 24 points and 15 rebounds in Stony Brook’s loss to Boston University in the first round of the 2005 America East Championship. The senior ranks among the league leaders in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
Cross Your W's
Vermont's Brittney Cross (Durham, N.H./Oyster River) enters the 2007 championship averaging 6.3 ppg and 4.6 rpg in three America East Championship games, including eight points and four assists in a win over Binghamton at the 2005 championship. The 5-9 guard led America East and was 27th in the nation in free-throw percentage converting on 85.9 percent a season ago. The senior guard was among the league leaders in scoring, rebounding, and assists last season and was the Catamounts top returner in each category.
Welcome Back, Trina
Fresh off a materity leave, fifth-year head coach Trina Patterson tries to lead Albany to its first-ever America East title. The Great Danes posted their highest number of victories at the Division I level with 14 during the 2004-05 season. Patterson was appointed to serve as an NCAA representative on the USA Basketball Women’s Collegiate Committee for the 2005-08 term. Patterson enters the 2007 America East Women’s Basketball Championship with the hopes of leading Albany to its first-ever conference title.
The Rich Get Richer
The 2004 America East Coach of the Year, Rich Conover is in his fourth full season at the helm of the Bearcats. In his first three campaigns he led Binghamton to two top-half finishes. Conover and Binghamton have the home-court advantage as the Events Center play host to the 2007 America East Women’s Basketball Championship for the first-time in program history. Conover took over as interim head coach during the 2002-03 season, while then-head coach Laurie Kelly was on maternity leave.
Shortcut to the Title Game
Third-year head coach Kelly Greenberg led Boston U. to a 18-12 overall record a season ago. During Greenberg’s first two seasons at the helm, the Terriers have made memorable postseason runs, advancing to the conference finals as an eight-seed in 2004-05 and knocking off second-seeded Stony Brook in overtime to advance to the program’s fourth-straight America East title game last season. Before coming to Boston, Greenberg posted an 84-54 overall record at Penn and a 51-19 mark in Ivy League play.
A Champion at Every Level
Hartford’s eighth-year head coach Jen Rizzotti is no stranger to success, having won championships at every level she has competed at. Most notably, Rizzotti was a member of University of Connecticut’s 1994-95 35-0 National Championship team, where she earned first-team all-America honors. But her championships did not end there, as she was a member of the WNBA champion Houston Comets in 1999. As she has moved on to the coaching ranks, her knack for winning championships led her to Hartford, where she coached the team to the University’s first ever women’s basketball conference title in 2002 and back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006. Rizzotti’s championship pedigree did not begin in college, however, as she won two state championships while at New Fairfield (Conn.) High School. This season Rizzotti has guided the Hawks to their third straight 20-win season and second-consecutive regular-season crown.
Second Time Around
Ann McInerney became the ninth head coach in Maine women’s basketball history on May 6, 2005. Last year, she became just the third head coach in program history to win their first two games on the Black Bear bench. McInerney won her first America East Championship game with a 73-56 victory over Albany in the opening round of last year’s tournament.
UMBC's Top Dog
Fifth-year head coach Phil Stern led the Retrievers to a 15-13 mark in 2005-06, the program’s best record since joining America East. After a slow start in conference play to open last season, UMBC rattled off six-straight wins over America East foes in early February and earned a fifth-place finish in the regular season. In search of their first tournament win, UMBC made an upset bid coming up just short losing to fourth-seeded Binghamton 72-66 in overtime last season.
Tournament Tested
The longest tenured coach in America East, head coach Sue Johnson is in her 10th season at the helm of the Wildcats. Johnson enters the 2007 America East Women’s Basketball Championship with the hopes of leading New Hampshire to its first-ever America East title. Johnson’s 2006-07 squad includes a group of five seniors that have participated in four-straight America East Championships and have posted a pair of wins over the last three years.
Building a Tradition
After a season as interim head coach, Maura McHugh was given the reigns for the 2005-06 campaign. McHugh came to Stony Brook from the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs (2001-03).Last season the Seawolves posted a 20-10 record, the program’s best since joining Division I and second best overall record in school history. McHugh led Stony Brook to its first-ever trip to the Division I postseason as they participate in the WNIT.
Movin' On Up
Head Coach Sharon Dawley is in her fourth year at the helm of the Catamounts. Led by one of the best freshmen classes in the conference, the Catamounts appear to be ready to make a postseason run this season. Vermont made an impressive run winning 12-of-14 games from Nov. 17-Jan. 14, helping them to a league-best 10-3 mark in non-conference play.
Did You Know?
Albany is the last team to defeat two-time defending champion Hartford in the America East Championship. The Great Danes captured a 52-50 win over the Hawks in the 2004 quarterfinals.
The Bearcats are hosting their first-ever America East Women’s Basketball Championship. The Events Center was home to the men’s basketball championship the last two seasons.
The Terriers have reached the America East Championship title game in each of the past four seasons, earning the title in 2003. Head Coach Kelly Greenberg has led Boston U. to the title game in her first two seasons at the helm.
The Hawks have won the last two America East Championships under head coach Jennifer Rizzotti. She has won six-straight in the America East Championship and is 10-4 (.714) all-time, which is third best in league history.
The Black Bears have won more conference championships (seven) in America East history than any two other teams combined and more regular-season league titles (12) than all other conference squads combined.
In 2005-06 Head Coach Phil Stern led the Retrievers to their best record since joining America East at 15-13 overall, 7-9 in conference play.
Head Coach Sue Johnson has made nine appearances in the America East Championship, which is the most among active coaches in America East.
In 2005-06, the Seawolves enjoyed its best season since joining America East posting a 20-10 overall mark and qualifying for the WNIT for the first time in program history.
Head Coach Sharon Dawley and the Catamounts are back on track after a sub-par season in 2005-06. On Jan. 1, Vermont earned its 10th win of the season, surpassing its win-total for the entire 2005-06 season.
THE SEEDS
No. 1 Hartford Hawks
For the second time in as many years, the Hawks won the regular-season title and earned the top seed in the America East Championship. Hartford is 3-0 all-time when slotted into the tournament’s top slot, including taking home the title last season.The No. 1 seed boasts a 46-6 (.885) all-time record in the conference tournament, winning 14 of the previous 18 championships.
No. 2 Stony Brook Seawolves
For the second-straight season, the Seawolves finished as the second-seed heading into the conference championship. Stony Brook is 1-1 all-time as the No. 2 seed with last year being its lone appearance as the second seed. Throughout tourney history, No. 2 seeds have combined to go 27-19 (.587), collecting three league crowns and advancing to the title game 13 times.
No. 3 Vermont Catamounts
After being picked eighth in the preseason poll and finishing seventh last season, the Catamounts enter as the surprise team of the tournament as the three seed. Vermont owns a fantastic track record as the three seed posting a 5-1 record all-time. Vermont capture the crown from the three seed in 1994 and advanced to the finals in 2001 from that slot. All and all, three seeds are 20-19 overall (.513) with a pair of titles.
No. 4 Binghamton Bearcats
The Bearcats locked up the fourth-seed for the second-straight season. They are 1-1 all-time in that slot defeating UMBC in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Hartford last season.The No. 4 seed is just 13-22 (.371) lifetime in tournament play.
No. 5 Boston University Terriers
In 2005, the Terriers proved that nothing is impossible advancing to the title game as the eight seed. While the fifth seed has advance to the finals once, they are just 7-16 overall (.304) in championship history.
No. 6 Maine Black Bears
The most storied program in America East history, the Black Bears have won seven titles. They are making their first-ever appearance as a sixth-seed. Overall, six seeds are 6-17 (.261) in America East Championship play.
No. 7 UMBC Retrievers
The seventh seed has been the biggest spoiler in the tournament winning 12 times and advancing to a pair of America East finals. UMBC is making its first-ever appearance in the seven spot. The Retrievers are still in search of their first tournament win as they are 0-3 since joining the conference.
No. 8 Albany Great Danes
Albany is the eighth seed for first time ever in the conference championship. After taking the league by storming and earning a win in their first-ever conference championship game, the Great Danes have dropped three straight for a 1-3 (.250) overall record. Eighth seeds are 11-15 all-time and advance to the finals once. Back in 2004, Kelly Greenberg, in her first season at Boston U., led the Terriers to the title game from the lowly eighth seed. Boston U. became the lowest seed to ever advance to the conference finals.
No. 9 New Hampshire Wildcats
The Wildcats are penciled into the ninth seed for the first time in league history. New Hampshire is a charter member of America East and is trying to make it to the finals for the first time in program history. They will have their work cut out for them as nine seeds are just 1-10 all-time with the lone win coming when No. 9 Hofstra defeated No. 10 Boston U. in a first-round game back in 1999.
THE MATCHUPS
Great Danes vs. Wildcats
Eighth-seeded Albany and No. 9 New Hampshire will meet for the second time in championship history when the two get the 2007 America East Women's Basketball Championship underway with a first-round affair on Thursday, March 8. New Hampshire won the first-ever meeting as the third-seeded Wildcats defeated No. 6 Albany 52-50 in 2004. In that outing, Danielle Clark (Corinna, Maine/Nokomis Regional) led the Wildcats to victory with 17 points. Albany has never played the nine seed in tournament action, while New Hampshire has never play against an eight seed. Seawolves vs. Retrievers
UMBC and Stony Brook will meet for the first time in America East tournament history when the No. 2 Seawolves take on the No. 7 Retrievers in quarterfinal action on Friday, March 9. Stony Brook is trying to advance to its first-ever title game, while UMBC looks to win its first game of the league tourney for the third-straight season. The Seawolves are 1-0 versus the seventh seed, while UMBC has never faced the second-seeded squad in tournament play.
Catamounts vs. Black Bears
This matchup features two of the most storied programs in the history of the conference. Vermont and Maine have met nine teams including seven title games. The Black Bears are 6-3 in the all-time series, but all three of the Catamount wins came in the America East Championship title game. The two have combined to appear in 31 title games and have won 11 titles combined.The two last met in the postseason in the 2000 title game, when Vermont earned the crown with a 77-50 win at Patrick Gym in Burlington. Vermont is 2-0 all-time against six seeds, while Maine is an impressive 5-1 against the third seeds. However, none of those wins came when Maine was a sixth seed. In fact, the Black Bears are the sixth seed for the first time in conference history.
Hawks vs. Wildcats
This potential quarterfinal matchup features No. 9 New Hampshire versus the top-seeded Hawks.This is the first time in a long-time Hartford is playing away from the friendly confines of Chase Arena, where they have won six-straight America East Championship games. The Hawks hold a 2-0 advantage all-time in the tournament history against New Hampshire. Last season, Hartford won its first-ever regular-season league title and earned the top seed in the tournament going 3-0 and taking home the title. If this game happens, New Hampshire would be 1-0 all-time as a nine-seed.
Hawks vs. Great Danes
This potential quarterfinal matchup features No. 8 Albany versus the top-seeded Hawks. Albany is the last team to defeat two-time defending champion Hartford in the America East Championship. The Great Danes captured a 52-50 win over the Hawks in the 2004 quarterfinals. This is the first time in a long-time Hartford is playing away from the friendly confines of Chase Arena, where they have won six-straight America East Championship games. Last season, Hartford won its first-ever regular-season league title and earned the top seed in the tournament going 3-0 and taking home the title.
Bearcats vs. Terriers
In the final quarterfinal matchup of the day, the fourth-seeded Bearcats play host to Boston U. The fifth seeded Terriers have advanced to four straight title games, including winning it all in 2003. However, this is the first time Binghamton will have the home-court advantage as the Events Center plays host to the championship. This is the first ever meeting between Boston and Binghamton in the postseason. Binghamton is 1-0 against five seeds with an overtime win over UMBC last year, while the Terriers are 4-1 against No. 4 seeds.
AMERICA EAST NOTEBOOK
America East Championship Bracket Set
The nine-team field for the 2007 America East Women’s Basketball Championship is set. One of the conference’s premier events takes place at Binghamton University’s Events Center on March 8-11.
The league tournament gets underway on Thursday, March 8 as No. 9 New Hampshire and No. 8 Albany square off at 7 p.m. The day’s quarterfinal action begins on Friday at now when No. 7 UMBC takes on second-seeded Stony Brook at noon, followed by sixth-seeded Maine against No. 3 Vermont.
The winner of that first-round affair will take on top-seeded Hartford at 2 p.m. in the night’s first quarterfinal contest that will be followed by fifth-seeded Boston University against host-school No. 4 Binghamton.
The semifinals take place on Saturday, March 10 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and will be televised on New England Sports Network (NESN) and Time Warner Cable in Albany. The title game will be played on Sunday at 5 p.m. and will air live on NESN, MSG, and FSNY.
2007 America East Women’s Basketball Championship
at Events Center (Binghamton, N.Y.)
Thursday, March 8: First Round
#9 New Hampshrie vs. #8 Albany, 7 p.m.
Friday, March 9: Quarterfinals
#7 UMBC vs. #2 Stony Brook, 12 noon
#6 Maine vs. #3 Vermont, 2 p.m.
#8/9 vs. #1 Hartford 6 p.m.
#5 Boston U. at #Binghamton, 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 10: Semifinals
5 p.m./7:30 p.m. (AETV - NESN/TW3)
Sunday, March 11: Championship
5 p.m. (AETV - NESN/FSNY/MSG)
Twice as nice for Hawks
Hartford claimed its second-straight regular season title as they closed with a 60-56 win over UMBC. The Hawks matched their 2005-06 record finishing 15-1, a game ahead of second-place Stony Brook, who they beat twice in the regular season.
Streaking Cats’ Strut to Third Seed
Just a week ago, Vermont had dropped to fourth place after holding the league’s top spot early in conference play. The Catamounts had dropped three in a row and five of their last season. However, just won week later Vermont finished the regular season with two wins and surged into third-place for the tournament. The Catamounts, who were picked eighth in the preseason coaches’ poll, finished the regular season with 18 wins and clinched third place in the America East standings, both the best marks under head coach Sharon Dawley.
Bearcats Fit to be Tied, Claim Fourth Seed
Binghamton not only caught a huge break by being the host and playing on its home court for the upcoming America East Championship, but its season sweep of Vermont helped them come out on top of a three-way fourth-place tie breaker.
Single-Session Tickets Now On Sale
With the bracket now set, single session tickets went on sale as of Monday, March 5 at 9 a.m. Call 607-777-SLAM or Visit www.BearcatStuff.com or www.AmericaEast.com for pricing and availability.
Preseason Poll: Where Are They Now
With one week left in the reuglar season, here is where they were picked in the preseason poll compared to where they are now.
School Preseason Seed
Hartford 1 1
Stony Brook 2 2
Boston U. 3 5
Binghamton 4 4
New Hampshire 5 9
UMBC 6 7
Maine 7 6
Vermont 8 3
Albany 9 8
Hawks/Seawolves Continue to Roll
Hartford and Stony Brook have broken from the pack and have roll into the tournament with a lot of momentum. The Hawks extended their league-best 13-game winning streak with wins over Maine and UMBC. All and all, Hartford has won 15-of-16 with its lone defeat coming in a 66-64 overtime loss to Vermont. On the other hand, the Seawolves are 14-2 earning their best-ever mark in conference play with their lone loses coming at the hands of top-seeded Hartford. These two teams are operating on all cylinders, but anything can happen come to
RPI Update: Four teams on the rise
America East remains locked into the #16 slot in the March 5 version of the Collegiate Basketball News (CBN) women’s college basketball ratings percentage index (RPI). Four of the league’s nine teams improved its standings from week 10. Hartford continues to rise in the rankings jumping four spots to 40, while Stony Brook is now 77. BVermont rebounded improving by five spots. All and all, five of the nine teams ranked in the top 200.
School 2/26 3/5 Diff.
Vermont 156 151 +5
Hartford 44 40 +4
Stony Brook 81 77 +4
Boston U. 150 147 +3
20/20/20
For the third-straight year, Hartford has won 20 games. Last season, the Hawks posted a program-best 27 wins in the regular season, while they won 22 games in 2004-05.
Ford Second-Longest Streak in Nation
Stony Brook’s Mykeema Ford (Trenton, N.J./Cheshire Academy) owns a league-best 38-game double-digit scoring streak, dating back to the February 9, 2006 America East game at Vermont. Ford owns the second-longest streak in the nation behind Courtney Paris of Oklahoma.
Barker Continues Streak
While Mykeema Ford’s streak is very impressive, Maine’s Bracey Barker (Bar Harbor, Maine/Mount Desert Island) has quietly scored in double digits in 16 straight games and 23-of-24 games this season. The lone exception was a zero-point performance against Holy Cross, a game she played just three minutes before leaving with a wrist injury. If you eliminate the Holy Cross game, Barker has scored in double figures in 25 straight.
We’re Streaking
While Ford and Barker’s streaks are among the best in the nation here is a breakdown of the league’s top current double-figure scoring streaks.
G Player, Team
38 Mykeema Ford, Stony Brook
16 Bracey Barker, Maine
11 Laine Kurpniece, Binghamton
10 Jessica Smith, Stony Brook
6 Sharri Rohde, UMBC
Barker Nation’s Best From the Line
Maine’s Bracey Barker (Bar Harbor, Maine/Mount Desert Island) leads the nation in free throw percentage. She is shooting 92.7 percent (89-for-96) overall.
Hartford Defense Fourth Nationally
Hartford continues to rise to the top behind the strength of its defense. The Hawks rank fourth nationally as they are allowing just 52.8 ppg. The Hawks have allowed under 50 points on 13 different occasions this season, including seven times during Hartford’s current 13-game win streak.
Ford Cracks Top 25 in Scoring
Stony Brook’s Mykeema Ford (Trenton, N.J./Cheshire Academy) recently moved into the top 25 nationally in scoring. The senior guard leads America East and ranks 25th nationally averaging 19.2 ppg.
Preseason All-Conference Earn Billing
While not much stock usually goes into the preseason all-conference team, this season these players could be among the league’s all-conference honorees. With the exception of Erica Beverly (Bridgeport, Conn./Kolbe Cathedral), who missed most of 2006-07 with a season-ending knee injury, the all-conference honorees rank among the league leaders in several catagories. These four below have a good shot at collecting some hardware at the end-of-the-year banquet.
Stony Brook’s Mykeema Ford (Trenton, N.J./Cheshire Academy) ranks first in scoring (19.2 ppg), fifth in assists (3.93 apg) and is a four-time America East Player of the Week.
Jessica Smith (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) of Stony Brook ranks second in scoring (16.5 ppg), first in rebounding (7.6 rpg) and is also a four-time player of the week honoree.
Hartford’s Danielle Hood (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) ranks seventh in the conference in scoring (13.3 ppg), fourth in field goal percentage (.498) and recently became the third junior to pass 1,000 points in her career at Hartford.
Binghamton’s Laine Kurpniece (Coopersburgm Pa./Southern Lehigh) missed five games this season, but has really emerged of late. She’s scored in double figures in 11-straight games and ranks 12th in the conference in scoring (11.0 ppg). In addition, she ranks seventh in field goal percentage (.487) and fourth in offensive rebounds (2.50 orpg).
Championship Brunch at Events Center
The 2007 America East Women’s Basketball Championship Brunch will be held at Binghamton’s Events Center on March 8 at 10 a.m. The league will hand out its annual awards just hours before the start of the conference’s nine-team tournament. The brunch is open to the public with ticket prices set at $40. To purchase tickets, contact Assistant to the Commissioner Rachael Hilgar at hilgar@americaeast.com.
Championship Tickets On Sale Now
Tickets for the 2007 America East Women’s Basketball Championship on March 8-11 are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit www.AmericaEast.com or www.BearcatStuff.com.
Retrievers Scoring Well-Balanced
UMBC is the only team in the America East with four players ranking in the conference’s top-20 scoring leaders.
Player PPG Rank
Sharri Rohde 13.7 6th
Brittnie Hughes 11.3 11th
Kristin Drabyn 10.4 17th
Amanda Robinson 9.8 18th
Signs of Improvement
Maine, Vermont and Albany finished as the bottom three teams last year and struggled to find wins throughout the season. This season all three have matched or surpassed their win totals from the previous season.
Win Totals
School 05-06 06-07 Diff.
Vermont 9 18 +9
Maine 10 13 +3
Albany 7 8 +1
Maine 7th Nationally From the Line
The Black Bears rank seventh nationally from the charity stripe converting on 78.4 percent. Maine has made 411-of-524 through 27 games this season.
Kurpniece Leading the Bearcats
Binghamton’s Laine Kurpniece (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) is averaging 11.9 ppg in conference play and has scored in double figures in 11-straight games and 13 of 17 games in league play. She is shooting 50.9 percent from the floor and 80.6 percent from the charity stripe.
UMBC Not in the Giving Mood
The Retrievers have been very protective of the ball this season. They lead America East and rank 17th in the nation in turnovers at 14.4 per game. In addition, they boast a league-best 1.01 assist/turnover ratio.
Boston: A Long Distance Call
Boston U. has found success from behind the arc this season. The Terriers are averaging 6.1 three-pointers per game this season, which is first in the conference and ranks 32nd out of 324 teams in Division I.
Maine Scoring in Three’s
Maine leads the league and ranks 13th in the nation in three-point field-goal percentage. The Black Bears are shooting 37.1 percent from downtown anchored by senior Ashley Underwood.
Underwood for Three, GOOD
Maine’s Ashley Underwood (Augusta, Maine/Cony) ranks 12th in the nation in three-point percentage. She is converting on 42.1 percent from downtown. She is more than nine percentage points in front of her closest competition in America East.
2007 Ford Scorer
Stony Brook’s Mykeema Ford (Trenton, N.J./Cheshire Academy) has kicked her scoring up a notch since the new year. The senior guard is averaging 22.5 ppg in 2007, which is six points more than her closest competition. In addition, she has led the Seawolves to a 14-2 mark in conference play and is averaging 3.69 apg, which is fifth since the new year.
Stony Brook’s One-Two Scoring Duo
Stony Brook’s Mykeema Ford (Trenton, N.J./Cheshire Academy) and Jessica Smith (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) rank first and second in the league in scoring-respectively. Ford leads the league averaging 19.2 ppg, while Smith is second at 16.5 ppg. Never in league history has a team had players finish first and second in scoring.
Seawolves’ One-Two Rebounding Pair
Stony Brook’s Jessica Smith (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) and Dana Ferraro (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) rank first and second in the league in rebounding-respectively. Smith leads the league averaging 7.6 rpg, while Ferraro is second pulling down 7.6 rpg.
Hartford Extends Home Streak
The Hawks extended their conference home win- streak to 24 games with a win over Maine in the regular season finale. This streak includes Hartford’s impressive 6-0 record in the America East Championship over the past two seasons and an 8-0 mark this season.
Defense: A League Trend
America East schools have been turning up the heat defensively this season. Three of nine teams are holding opponents under 61.0 points per game-while all nine are under 67.8 ppg allowed. In addition, all nine schools are holding its opponents under 44.4 percent shooting from the floor.
Non-Conference Success
America East teams have combined for a 55-58 (.491) non-conference record in 2006-07 season. As a whole, conference teams are 9-2 against the Ivy League and have tallied seven wins over the MAAC and six over the Patriot League and Northeast Conference.
Tournament Frenzy
America East schools have participated in 16 in-season tournaments during non-conference play this year. Earlier this season-Vermont won the URI Invitational and TD Banknorth Classic, Maine captured the Dead River Classic title, UMBC went a perfect 2-0 at the Battle at the Border Tournament-and Boston U. lost to No. 3 Duke in the finals of the Blue Sky Classic.
Playing the Field (NCAA STYLE)
America East schools are slated to play 24 of the 64 teams in last year’s NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. Among these teams are Connecticut, Purdue, Duke, Temple, Arizona State and Boston College. Several other teams earned automatic bids by winning their conference championship.
Lights-Camera-Action
America East announced its most comprehensive television schedule in history with more than 50 men’s and women’s basketball games slated for broadcast in 2006-07 (see following page for complete schedule). Included in the package is the America East Men’s Basketball Championship-which will air live on ESPN2 on March 10 at 12 noon. It marks the 19th-consecutive year that the championship game will appear on ESPN or ESPN2.
America East and ESPN Regional Television will team up to produce and distribute games throughout the America East geographic footprint, which includes several of the nation’s top 25 media markets including New York (No. 1), Boston (No. 5), Washington, D.C. (No. 8), Baltimore and Hartford. In addition, no fewer than 12 games will be included in the ESPN Full Court package-the subscription service provided by ESPN. The games will also be available on-line via video streaming at AmericaEast.com, through the conference’s multi-media partner, XOS Technologies.
Championship Binghamton Bound
The America East Women’s Basketball Championship moves to Binghamton for the first time in 2007 as Binghamton University hosts the nine-team tournament on March 8-11 at Events Center. The first round game will take place on Thursday, March 8, followed by the quarterfinals on Friday, March 9, the semifinals on Saturday, March 10 and the title game on Sunday, March 11.
Tournament ticket packages are $25 for youth/students and $40 for adults. To purchase tickets call 607-777-SLAM or online at www.AmericaEast.com. To request media credentials for the conference’s premier event, email Tom Wilkins (wilkins@americaeast.com).
TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTEBOOKS
Albany Great Danes
UAlbany (8-21, AE 4-12) dropped its final two games of the regular season, falling to Stony Brook, 67-61, on Senior Day and Vermont, 65-61, on the road... Freshman Charity Iromuanya (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Northeast) led the team against Stony Brook, tying a career-high with 17 points... She also added five assists, two steals and two rebounds in 35 minutes of action... Junior forward Kristin Higy (Akron, Ohio/North Canton Hoover) scored 16 points to go along with three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block versus the Seawolves... Junior guard/forward Sherri Mikus (Duncannon, Pa./Susquenita) added 11 points, eight boards, three assists and three steals in the contest... Iromuanya recorded her third straight game in double figures at Vermont, recording 12 points for the Great Danes... She added three rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block against the Catamounts... Higy and freshman guard Britney McGee (Bakersfield, Calif./West) also scored 12 points in the game... Senior guard Amanda Ward (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) added 11 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists... Higy leads the team, averaging 10.5 points per game and shoots a team-high 48.6 percent from the floor, while also grabbing a team-best 6.3 rebounds... Ward adds 10.4 points while Iromuanya, who chips in with 6.0 points, leads the team with 1.6 steals and shoots a team-high 85.7 percent from the free throw line... UAlbany will face New Hampshire in the first round of the America East Conference Tournament on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Binghamton Bearcats
Binghamton (11-18, 7-9 AE) has earned a top-4 seed at the America East Conference Tournament for the fourth time in six years. The fourth-seeded Bearcats will play host to the America East Tournament for the first time this coming weekend... Freshman guard Erica Carter (Naperville, Ill./Naperville), starting in place of the injured Rebecka Lindgren (Oskarshamn, Sweden/Sandagymnasiet), averaged 17.0 points in Binghamton’s two games last week. In six starts this season, she has averagred 11.4 points per game. In the process, she has shot .493 from the field (32-of-65) and .448 from three-point range (13-of-29)... Junior center Laine Kurpniece (Riga, Latvia/Secondary School 47) has reached double figures in her last 11 games. She has averaged 14.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during that span... Senior point guard Shea Kenny (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) averaged 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists in her last three games... Against New Hampshire on Saturday, she scored a career-high 17 points ... in her last six games, junior forward Juta Jahilo (Helsinki, Finland/Helsingin Kaupunki) has shot .696 from the field (16-of-23) ... Sophomore forward Laura Franceski (Moscow, Pa./North Pocono) continues to lead the America East Confernce with 1.90 blocks per game... Her 78 blocks ranks third all time in school history and her career average of 1.42 blocks per game ranks second all time in school history ... Binghamton has averaged 65.7 points per game in its last 12 games. The Bearcats have reached the 70-point mark four times during that span.
Boston University Terriers
Fighting for playoff positioning, Boston University (15-14, 7-9 America East) used an 18-0 run over six minutes in the second half to eclipse a 10-point deficit and hold off Binghamton, 72-70, on Wednesday... Senior Erica Kovach (Georgetown, Texas/Georgetown) provided the heroics in her final regular-season game, converting the game-winning lay up with only seven seconds left... Binghamton’s Laura Sario’s three-point attempt from the top of the key hit the back iron as time expired... Kovach finished with 10 points while fellow senior Katie Meinhardt (San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatius) added 16 points on 7-of-16 from the field... Sophomore Amarachi Umez-Eronini (Washington, D.C./Woodrow Wilson) scored 16 of her career- and game-high 22 points in the second half... The Terriers and Bearcats will have a rematch on Friday, March 9, at 8 p.m., as the five and four seeds in the America East Tournament, respectively.
Hartford Hawks
Hartford (22-7, 15-1 America East) closed out the regular season with a pair of victories to secure their second-straight America East Regular Season title... The Hawks defeated Maine in the final regular-season home game 58-40 and then defeated UMBC on the road 60-56 to guarantee sole possession of the regular season championship... The Hawks will play the winner of the New Hampshire vs. Albany first-round game on Thursday night in the quarterfinals on Friday at 6 p.m... The Hawks were led by MaryLynne Schaefer (Centreville, Va./Westfield) and Danielle Hood (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) who each finished with an average of 11.5 points over the two games last week... Schaefer completed her second and third-straight games in double figures with 13 against Maine and 10 against UMBC... She finished the week shooting 5-of-8 from long range and 6-of-13 overall... Hood finished the two games with a 10-of-22 effort from the field... Hood leads the team in scoring to close out the regular season, averaging 13.3 points-per-game, which ranks as the seventh best in the conference and in the top-100 in the NCAA... Freshman Diana Delva (Stamford, Conn./Westhill) also ranks among the top in conference games where she is first in field goal percentage (.640), second in rebounding (7.9 rpg) and 17th in scoring (10.4 ppg).
Maine Black Bears
Maine (13-14, 7-9 America East) dropped its final two regular-season games this past week, including a 58-40 setback to Hartford and a 67-56 loss to Stony Brook... Both games came on the road against the top-two teams in the conference... Ashley Underwood (Benton, Maine/Cony) led Maine with a game-high 21 points in the setback to the Seawolves, while Bracey Barker (Bar Harbor, Maine/Mount Desert Island) paced the Black Bears with 11 points at Hartford... Barker notched her third double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds at Stony Brook... Maine finished in three-way tie for fourth place after the Black Bears were picked to finish seventh in the America East Preseason Poll released in early November... Maine earned the sixth seed for the conference tournament this weekend and will face No. 3-seed Vermont at 2 p.m. on Friday.
UMBC Retrievers
UMBC (13-16, 6-10 America East) dropped its regular-season finale to Hartford, 60-56... On Senior Night, senior forward Sharri Rohde (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) and senior point guard Brittnie Hughes (Roanoke, Va./Northside) combined for 64 percent of the Retrievers’ scoring, as Rohde posted 16 points and Hughes scored 20... The Retrievers had a 10-point lead over the regular-season champions near the end of the first half... The score was tied eight times and there were nine lead changes in the second period... UMBC heads into the conference tournament on a two-game slide... The Retrievers finished seventh in the America East standings and will take on No. 2 Stony Brook at noon on Friday, March 9, in the quarterfinals of the America East Tournament... The Seawolves swept the season series from UMBC in 2007... The No. 7 seed is the Retrievers’ second-highest ever in the America East after finishing fifth last season and 10th their first two years in the league... UMBC has never won an America East Tournament game, losing to Northeastern in 2004 and 2005 and Binghamton last season... Friday’s quarterfinals match-up will be UMBC’s 30th game of the season, equaling the 2002-03 campaign for the most the program has ever played... UMBC is the only team in the conference with four players ranking among the league’s top 20 scoring leaders... Rohde is the only player in the America East to rank in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding and assists.
New Hampshire Wildcats
New Hampshire (9-19, 4-12) dropped two America East games to close out the regular season... Senior forward Danielle Clark (Corinna, Maine/Nokomis Regional) and Ashley Cerniglia (Pitsford, N.Y./Sutherland) posted 13 points apiece on Wed., Feb. 28, but Vermont rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Wildcats, 59-56... Senior Ray Williams (Mississauga, Ontario/The Woodlands School) helped out with 10 points and six rebounds. Senior Whitney Edwards (Mt. Vernon, N.Y./Trinity Catholic (Conn.)) had five assists in the first half en route to a career-high nine helpers... Freshman Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) notched a career-high 21 points to lead the Wildcats in scoring, but it was not enough as Binghamton defeated New Hampshire, 66-61... Simpson hit a career-best six 3-pointers (six-of-nine), including four in the first half of action... Sal?e-Marie Johnson (Brampton, Ontario/St. Augustine Secondary) went four-for-four from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond the 3-point arc, to total 11 points for the Wildcats... Edwards posted 10 points and dished out five assists in the game for the Wildcats... For the second consecutive game, Williams led the Wildcats in rebounding, pulling down nine boards, including six on the offensive end of the court... The Wildcats are seeded ninth in the America East tournament and will face No. 8 seeded Albany in the opening round game on Thurs., March 8 at Binghamton’s Events Center.
Stony Brook Seawolves
Stony Brook (18-10, 14-2 America East) won both of its games last week to conclude the regular season... Jessica Smith (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) recorded her seven double-double of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead Stony Brook to a 67-61 victory over Albany... Smith was named America East Co-Player of the Game... The Seawolves came back from a 21-11 first-half deficit to lead 28-27 at the break... After the ninth tie of the game at 54-54, Stony Brook pulled away in the late minutes, keyed by Smith’s seven points... Mykeema Ford (Trenton, N.J./Cheshire Academy) and Leah Getz (Peninsula, Ohio/Southampton) combined for 29 points in the victory... Prior to the game against Vermont, seniors Smith, Ford, Getz, Kelly Watson (Chatham, Ontario/John McGregor), Inbar Orion (Jerusalem, Israel), Farah Vasquez-Jacobo (San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) and Sabrina Thompson (Roosevelt, N.Y./Roosevelt) were honored in their last home game... For the third consecutive game, Stony Brook came back from a double-digit deficit in the first half to beat Maine 67-56... Down 37-27 at the half, the Seawolves came out of the break on an 18-7 run capped by a Smith jumper to gain their first lead of the game at 45-44 with 10:49 remaining in the game... Smith scored 16 points and had seven steals and was named America East Co-Player of the Game... Ford had 15 points, 11 in the second half. Dana Ferraro (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) and Getz each had 13 points... Ferraro added 10 rebounds... Stony Brook set a school record with 14 America East wins and ended the regular season with its second seven-game winning streak of the season. Second-seeded Stony Brook opens up the America East Championship against NO. 7 UMBC on Friday at noon... If the Seawolves advance, they would play the winner of No. 3 Vermont and No. 6 Maine.
Vermont Catamounts
Vermont (18-11, 7-9 America East) won both games this week to close out the regular season and snap a three-game losing streak... UVM finishes the regular season with 18 wins and clinched third place in the America East standings, both the best marks under head coach Sharon Dawley... Senior Brittney Cross (Durham, N.H./Oyster River) made three free throws in the final 23 seconds to lift Vermont to a come-from-behind victory at New Hampshire, her hometown school... The Catamounts were down as many as 17 in the game and nine in the second half before making a comeback run... UVM closed out the regular season with a victory over Albany... In a game that featured 18 lead changes and 12 ties, UVM took the lead for good with 4:07 left to post the win... America East Rookie of the Week May Kotsopoulos (Waterloo, Ontario/Waterloo Collegiate) led Vermont in both games this week... She averaged 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and shot 58.3 percent from the floor and 55.6 percent from long range while also collecting six steals... Kotsopoulos netted a team-high 16 points at New Hampshire and added 19 points (16 in the first half), two shy off her career-high, in the win over Albany... Vermont, the No. 3 seed in the America East Tournament, will face No. 6 Maine on Friday (March 9) at 2:30pm at the Events Center at Binghamton University.
TEAM-BY-TEAM MEDIA PACKETS: