CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Boston University's John Holland (Bronx, N.Y./St. Benedict's Prep, N.J.) earned his first Player of the Week honor of the season and University at Albany's Blake Metcalf (Camby, Ind./Plainfield) was named Rookie of the Week following the first full week of the 2009-10 season.
Holland, a junior guard/forward, averaged 22.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in four games last week to earn his third career weekly honor. The junior forward, who scored at least 20 points in all four contests, competed against high competition all week as the Terriers went 1-3 against George Washington, Kansas St., Indiana and #21/19 Georgia Tech.
A first-team All-America East selection as a sophomore, Holland began his week with a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds against the Colonials on Tuesday. The Terriers then traveled to Puerto Rico for the P.R. Tip-Off where Holland averaged 21.3 points and 5.0 boards in three games, including 21 and five, respectively in a win over Indiana, the Terriers' first over a Big Ten opponent since 2004. Holland followed that with 23 points, five caroms and three thefts against the nationally ranked Yellow Jackets on ESPNU.
Through two weeks of the 2009-10 season, Holland leads America East with 21.0 points and is seventh with 6.4 rebounds per contest.
Metcalf was a key contributor off the bench in two of his team's three wins last week. The freshman center scored six points and also collected seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals against Alcorn St. Friday, the opening day of the 2K Sports Classic, benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer, Albany Sub-Regional.
Metcalf, an Indiana all-state high school selection last year, then had nine points on perfect 4-of-4 shooting from the field and grabbed four boards in a victory over Robert Morris Sunday.
CONFERENCE WEEKLY NOTES:
THE HONOR ROLL
Several other America East players had top performances to start the season:
•
University at Albany's Will Harris (Queens, N.Y./Brewster Academy)
averaged 13.3 points and 5.3 rebounds over four games last week.
• Hartford's Andres Torres (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Adianez)
continued his strong start by averaging 11.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.5
assists, and 2.0 steals in wins over Marist and Fordham. He leads the
league in assists (7.5 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (6-to-1) thus
far.
• University of Maine's Sean McNally (Gardiner, Maine/Gardiner) nearly
averaged a double-double (14.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg) in three games last week,
highlighted by a season-high 17 points and eight boards in a win over
Delaware St. Wednesday.
• UMBC's Chauncey Gilliam (Columbia, Md./Brewster Academy) averaged
15.0 points in a pair of games last week and had a career-best 22 in a
near-comeback win against Loyola Wednesday.
• University of New Hampshire's Colbey Santos (East Wareham,
Mass./Thayer Academy./James Madison) was a bright spot in a loss at #25
Maryland Friday. The senior had 14 points and made four 3-pointers in
20 minutes off the bench.
• Stony Brook University's Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md./Hargrave)
averaged a double-double (10.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg) last week to help his
squad improve to 3-0 for the first time since 1994.
• University of Vermont's Evan Fjeld (Durham, N.C./Durham Academy)
scored a career-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field to
lead UVM to a win over Rutgers Sunday. Marqus Blakely chipped in with
17 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and four steals in just 24
minutes of action.
A PAIR OF "BIG" WINS
America
East picked up a pair of wins against teams from power conferences last
week. Boston University knocked off the Big Ten's Indiana, 71-67, at
the P.R. Tip-Off on Friday, while Vermont outlasted the Big East's
Rutgers, 77-71, on Sunday. Boston U's win was the league's first over a
Big Ten team since the Terriers downed Indiana in 2004. The Scarlet
Knights have now dropped two straight against AE teams. Binghamton won
at the RAC, 66-56, last December.
AE WINS OVER THE "BIG SIX" SINCE 2008
BIG EAST - Binghamton 66, at Rutgers 56 (12/6/08)
Vermont 77, at Rutgers 71 (11/22/09
BIG XII - UMBC 66, at Nebraska 64 (12/23/08)
Vermont 84, Colorado 59 (12/30/08)
BIG TEN - Boston U. 71, Indiana 67 (11/19/09)
JUCO IMPACT
A number of junior college transfers have made positive impacts at their new schools early on this season:
•
Binghamton's Greer Wright (Lake Worth, Fla./Boca Roton Prep/CC San
Francisco) ranks second among teammates with 9.0 points and 4.3
rebounds and leads the Bearcats with 2.3 assists through three games.
•
Joel Barkers (Washington, D.C./Mr. Zion Christian/Kirkwood CC) and
Milton Burton (Birmingham, Ala./Fairfield High Prep/Panola College) are
key reasons why Hartford has won back-to-back games. Barkers ranks
third in the league in scoring (17.0 ppg) and nine in rebounding (6.3
rpg) while coming off the bench. Burton is averaging 10.0 points and
4.0 boards through four games. He scored a career-high 14 points in the
Hawks' near upset of Baylor on Nov. 15.
• Terrance Mitchell
(Milton, Fla./Faulkner State CC) is Maine's third-leading scorer to
this point (12.8 ppg). He scored a game-high 21 points to lead the
Black Bears to a win at Fordham in his debut on Nov. 13.
TOURNEY TALK
Several
America East squads are participating in early-season tournaments or
events. Albany went 2-2 in the 2K Sports Classic, benefitting Coaches
vs. Cancer, falling to Syracuse in the Carrier Dome and going 2-2 in
the Albany Sub-Regional at SEFCU Arena. Binghamton fell at Pittsburgh
in the CBE Classic Tuesday and will play three games in three days at
Western Carolina as part of the event starting Monday. Boston U. went
1-2 at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, earning a win over Indiana. Hartford
battled Quinnipiac to the end before falling in the inaugural
Connecticut 6 Classic in Bridgeport on Nov. 15. Lastly, Vermont opened
the Legends Classic with a win at Rutgers Sunday. The 'Cats play three
games in three days as part of the tourney beginning with host Drexel
Friday.
ASCENDING UP THE CHARTS
America
East's three 1,000-point scorers continued their ascent up the league's
all-time scoring list and should do so all season. Boston University's
Corey Lowe, who came into the season 52nd and tops among active
players, reached the 1,400-point plateau by averaging 12.5 ppg in four
contests last week. Vermont's Marqus Blakely, had 17 against Rutgers
and has 1,311 career points. Hartford's Joe Zeglinski, who still has
two seasons of eligibility remaining, is just shy of 1,200 career
points. Blakely also pulled down nine more rebounds last week and
should enter the Top 25 with four games this week.
RECOGNITION ROUNDUP
Several
America East Players received national recognition prior to the season
starting last week. Vermont's Marqus Blakely was named one of 25
preseason All-Americans by CollegeInsider.com. Blakely was also a
first-team selection on College Hoopsnet.com's Mid-Major All-American
First Team. Boston University's tandem of John Holland and Corey Lowe
were honorable mention selections. Stony Brook's Bryan Dougher and
Vermont's Nick Vier were tabbed candidates for the prestigous Bob Cousy
Award, given to the nation's top point guard.
TERRIERS THE TOP PICK
In
search of its first league title since 2002, Boston University is the
unanimous preseason choice of the coaches to win its sixth America East
Men’s Basketball title in 2009-10. The Terriers received all eight
possible first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for their
team) and 64 points, followed by University of Vermont, which received
the remaining first-place vote and 56 points. University at Albany
barely edged Stony Brook University for third place with 43 points,
while the Seawolves came in one point behind with 42, just ahead of
University of New Hampshire’s 39. University of Hartford and UMBC tied
for sixth with 28 points apiece, while University of Maine (14 points)
and Binghamton University (12) rounded out the poll.
THREE UNANIMOUS CHOICES HIGHLIGHT PRESEASON ALL-LEAGUE
The
three returning first-team all-conference selections from last season
highlight the 2009-10 America East Preseason All-Conference Team.
University of Vermont’s Marqus Blakely (Metchuen, N.J./Metchuen) and
Boston University’s tandem of John Holland (Bronx, N.Y./St. Benedict’s
Prep (N.J.) and Corey Lowe (Newton, Mass./West Newton) were unanimous
selections. They were joined by Stony Brook University’s Muhammad
El-Amin (Lansing, Mich./Holt/Lansing CC) as well as University at
Albany’s Tim Ambrose (Brentwood, N.Y./Our Savior New American) and
University of Hartford’s Joe Zeglinski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop
Ryan), who tied for the squad’s final spot.
NEWMAN'S OWN COMES ABOARD
The
America East Conference, the University of Hartford and Newman’s Own,
Inc. announced on Oct. 28 that Newman’s Own, Inc. will serve as the
title sponsor of the 2010 America East Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Championship, slated for March 4-7, 2010 at the University of Hartford.
The Championship trio of America East, Hartford and Newman’s Own, Inc.
will announce a plan later this year that will further cultivate the
principles of community service, education and leadership among
students from the nine conference campuses.
TEAM-BY-TEAM WEEKLY NOTES:
Albany (3-3) hosted the 2K Sports Classic, benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, on Nov. 20-22 at SEFCU Arena … the Great Danes, who conducted an in-season tournament on campus for the first time since 1997-98, won two of three games at the Albany Sub-Regional … the tournament drew 7,832 fans over three days ... the Great Danes upended defending Northeast Conference champion Robert Morris, 71-66, in the third round by holding the Colonials to 34.3-percent shooting … UAlbany held all three 2K Sports Classic opponents under 39 percent from the field … Will Harris (Queens, N.Y./Brewster Academy) posted season-highs in points (22) and rebounds (9), as his team is at the .500 mark after six games for the second straight season … Harris was named to the regional all-tournament team … Harris had 15 points and freshman Derrek Tartt (Chicago, Ill./Oak Park Fenwick) added a career-best 13 off the bench in a 71-55 victory over Alcorn State, the program’s first-ever matchup with a SWAC opponent, to begin tourney play … freshman Blake Metcalf (Camby, Ind./Plainfield) was the unsung hero in both tournament victories … Metcalf totaled six points and seven rebounds vs. Alcorn State, and scored a career-high nine against Robert Morris … Tim Ambrose (Brentwood, N.Y./Our Savior New American) tallied the game-winning basket with an offensive rebound in a 51-50 road win at American on Nov. 16 … Ambrose’s heroics helped his team snap a seven-game road losing streak that dated back to last Jan. 11th … UAlbany has a 12-8 record in one-point decisions at the Division I level … Brett Gifford (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) is tied for 10th on the school’s career blocked shots list (58) … The Great Danes have played four opponents in the first two weeks of the season who made last year’s NCAA Tournament field.
Binghamton (1-2) dropped two road games during the week by an average of 25.5 points… at St. Bonaventure Friday night, Binghamton trailed by one with 9:22 left in the first half before the host Bonnies ran off an 18-4 run to end the half. A 20-6 run Bona to open the second half spelled doom for the Bearcats, who shot just 39% and committed 19 turnovers. Of the 10 players who saw action, five were freshmen and three were walk-ons. Junior guard Chretien Lukusa (Toronto, Ontario/Eastern Commerce) led the team with 12 points in 39 minutes. Junior forward Moussa Camara (Paris, France/The Rock School/Stoneridge) added nine points. Camara (10.3 ppg.) and junior forward Greer Wright(Lake Worth, Fla./Boca Raton Prep/City College of San Francisco) (9.0 ppg.) lead the team in scoring… After three games, BU is averaging just 46.7 points of offense and is turning the ball over an average of nearly 16 times per game… Binghamton opens a challenging three-games-in-three-nights visit to Cullowhee to continue play in the O’Reilly Auto Parks CBE Classic. Up first is a first-ever matchup with Atlantic 10 member Duquesne (2-0) Monday night. The Dukes won’t look entirely new to BU faithful, as head coach Ron Everhart previously coached at Northeastern when the Huskies battled the Bearcats in the America East five years ago. The last time BU had to play games on three consecutive nights was in 2003-04 at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska. The last time BU played in the state of North Carolina was in last year’s NCAA first round on March 19 when the Bearcats lost to Duke at the Greensboro Coliseum 86-62. Before that, BU played UNC to the wire in a 61-60 defeat on Dec. 16, 2001 in Chapel Hill.
Boston University (1-4) played four games in six days, including three at the third-annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off … After dropping a 69-59 decision to George Washington in the home opener at Agganis Arena, the Terriers traveled to San Juan and played three BCS conference schools for the first time in one season since 2004-05 … They stayed close with Kansas State in their first-ever meeting before falling 80-70 on Thursday … Returned the next day and defeated five-time national champion Indiana, 71-67, in their first victory over a Big Ten school since knocking off Michigan, 63-52, on Dec. 14, 2004 … Win marked head coach Patrick Chambers’ first as a head coach … Terriers out-rebounded the Hoosiers, 52-32, and scored 19 second-chance points against IU’s three … Sophomore Jake O’Brien (Weymouth, Mass./BC High) recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds for the win … In the last game of the tournament on Sunday, Terriers trailed No. 19/21 Georgia Tech, 52-51, with 14:53 remaining in regulation before Yellow Jackets surged away with a 22-6 run … John Holland (Bronx, N.Y./St. Benedict’s Prep) led all players with 23 points for his fourth consecutive 20 or more performance of the season … Terriers will next host Northeastern on Wednesday (Nov. 25) at 4 p.m. and then host Harvard on Sunday (Nov. 29) at 5 p.m.
Hartford (2-2) rebounded from two season-opening losses by taking care of business in its first two home games, defeating Marist and Fordham … The Hawks started the week with a 75-38 rout of Marist … Joe Zeglinski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) scored 22 points thanks in part to 6-of-8 from beyond the arc … Andres Torres (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Adianez) knocked down eight points while dishing out seven assists against no turnovers, improving his assist-to-turnover ratio to 11.5, second-best in the nation … All 14 Hawks played in the game for the first time this season … The Hawks followed up that convincing victory with another strong win, this time over Fordham, 70-62 … The win marked the first over an Atlantic-10 program for head coach Dan Leibovitz, who spent ten years in the conference as an assistant to John Chaney at Temple … Zeglinski put together his first double-double of the season, adding a career-high 12 rebounds to his 10 points … Torres also had a career high with 16 points to go along with seven assists … Morgan Sabia (San Anselmo, Calif./Sir Francis Drake) led the way for the Hawks with 20 points … Hartford will hit the road this week for games at Lafayette on Tuesday and Dartmouth on Saturday.
Maine (2-2) fell at Norfolk State 72-71 before beating Delaware State 59-56 and then losing at Brown 75-72 … In the Norfolk State game, Maine led most of the game but Norfolk converted late to win the game…Maine was led by Gerald McLemore (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) who had 24 points while Sean McNally (Gardiner, Maine/Gardiner) had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds … Against Delaware State, Maine was behind 29-19 at half, but rebounded for the 59-56 win ... Maine was led by McNally who had 17 points and eight rebounds while Troy Barnies (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) chipped in with 10 points and 12 rebounds ... McNally made a clutch shot with just over a minute to go to extend the Black Bear lead to three … In Sunday’s game at Brown, Maine was led by McNally with another double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds … Junior Bernal (Manhattan, N.Y./MCI) had a great game with 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks … Maine returns to action on Tuesday when the Black Bears host Quinnipiac at 7 p.m.
UMBC (0-3) rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit and led by a point with less than two minutes remaining, but dropped a 69-66 decision to Loyola on Nov. 18 at the RAC Arena … Sophomore wing Chauncey Gilliam (Columbia, Md./Brewster Acad.) sparked the Retrievers with a career-high 22 points as he and freshman wing Shawn Grant (San Jose, Calif./St. Francis) (11 points) each hit three of four shots from behind the arc … Senior wing Matt Spadafora (Richboro, Pa./Archbishop Wood) tied a career-best with seven rebounds vs. the Greyhounds … Sophomore point guard Chris De La Rosa (Washington Heights, N.Y./All Hallows/Siena) recorded career highs in assists (8) and minutes played (37) and tied a career-best with three steals in the game … UMBC had not lost its first two home games of a season since dropping its first three to start the 2003-04 campaign … In UMBC’s first road game of the season, George Washington (3-0) hit 9-of-13 from behind the arc in the first half and cruised to a 94-51 win over the Retrievers… The Colonials’ 57 rebounds was one shy of a UMBC all-time opponents’ high, as Penn State garnered 58 on Feb. 1, 1992… UMBC has allowed 49 offensive caroms in three games and has been outscored, 38-18, in second chance points … Due to foul trouble, the Retrievers’ posts of junior Robbie Jackson (Aberdeen, Md./Prince Avenue Prep/Marshall), sophomore Jake Wasco (Philadelphia, Pa./Franklin Learning Center) and freshman Adrian Satchell (Windsor, Conn./Windsor) played a total of 31 minutes vs. GW and Jackson (8 points) fouled out in 10 minutes … Grant led UMBC with 14 points in the game … The Retrievers will face local rival Coppin State at home on Tuesday, meeting the Eagles for the first time in ten seasons.
New Hampshire (1-1) went 0-1 last week, dropping an 82-55 decision to 25th-ranked Maryland at the Comcast Center on Nov. 20 … senior Colbey Santos (Onset, Mass./Tabor Academy) led the Wildcats, scoring all 14 of his points in a 5:05 stretch during the second half on 5 of 10 shooting, including 4 of 9 from behind the arc, to go along with three assists and only one turnover Nov. 20 at 25th-ranked Maryland … After the Terps built their biggest lead of the game at 67-32 with 10:45 to play, Santos responded in a big way, sinking four treys and hitting a layup as part of a 19-6 Wildcat run that sliced their deficit to 73-51 … The tri-captain sparked the run with a 3-pointer at 10:12, then followed with another one at 9:05 and a layup at 6:50, before hitting a trifecta at 6:17 and again at 5:07 to cap the run … Senior Radar Onguetou (Yaounde, Cameroon/New Hampton School) added nine points on 3 of 4 shooting from deep, and has now hit five of his first six 3-pointers to start the season … Junior Alvin Abreu (Lynn, Mass./Boys to Men Academy) also scored nine points to go along with three assists … Sophomore Russell Graham (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) played well in 24 minutes, tallying five points, eight rebounds and three assists, while turning the ball over just one time … Juniors Dane DiLiegro (Lexington, Mass./Worcester Academy) and Tyrone Conley (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) each recorded five points and four boards … sophomore Brian Benson (Rochester, N.Y./Greece-Athena) added four points, three rebounds and a block in 12 minutes … The Wildcats return to action Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. when they head to Lavietes Pavillion to take on Harvard University.
Stony Brook (3-0) won both of their game this week, defeating Mount Saint Mary College, 87-53, on Monday in its home opener before beating host Wagner, 72-48, on Saturday night … It’s the Seawolves' first 3-0 start since the 1994-95 season … Stony Brook will be trying to start 4-0 for the first time since the 1990-91 season on Tuesday at Rhode Island … Senior Desmond Adedeji (Landover Hills, Md./DeMatha/Dayton) had 11 points, 15 rebounds and a career-high seven assists … It was the 14th time in his career he has reached double-figures in rebounds … It was also the fourth time he has had at least 15 rebounds … the seven assists was the most since Eddie Castellanos (Jersey City, N.J./Hoboken) recorded eight against No. 19 Notre Dame on Dec. 30, 2006 … The Seawolves 19 assists against Mount Saint Mary was their most in a game since tallying 22 in a 95-51 victory over Rhode Island College on Dec. 2, 2002 … Sophomore Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) led five players in double figures with 12 points in Saturday’s win at Wagner … Senior Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing, Mich./Holt/Lansing CC) scored all of his 11 points in the first half, passing 500 for his Stony Brook career … He also tallied a career-best six assists … the Seawolves broke a 16-all tie with a 23-0 run midway through the first half … Sophomore Danny Carter (Londong, England/Reading Rockets) recorded a career-high seven rebounds … Stony Brook held Wagner to 29.8 shooting (17-for-57).
Vermont (2-1) won its only game of the week, knocking off Rutgers on Sunday on the road, 77-71 as part of the Legends Classic … Junior Evan Fjeld (Durham, N.C./Durham Academy) netted a career-high 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the floor to go with five rebounds and a career-best four steals … Four Cats reached double figures, as senior Marqus Blakely (Metuchen, N.J./Metuchen) and Maurice Joseph (Montreal, Quebec/Champlain-St. Lambert/Michigan State) each scored 17, while sophomore Garvey Young (Washington, D.C./Georgetown Prep) tallied a season-high 10 … Blakely added nine rebounds, five blocks and four steals in only 24 minutes of play … The win was only Vermont’s second ever over a team in the Big East … The Cats’ only other win over a Big East team came in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament when they topped Syracuse in overtime, 60-57 … With 17 points Blakely moved into 11th place on UVM’s all-time list and now has 1,328 for his career … Vermont converted 20 Rutgers turnovers into 26 points … The Catamounts out-rebounded a bigger Big East team, 37-32 and held a 42-36 scoring edge in the paint … Vermont has a busy week ahead with four games on tap … The Cats open the week with their second straight Big East opponent as they travel to face Providence on Tuesday and then they wrap up the Legends Classic with three games at Drexel … Vermont takes on the host Drexel on Friday, then faces Cornell (Saturday) and Toledo (Sunday).