BOSTON -- A new year brings with it a new season of America East basketball on TV. The league's 20-game schedule kicks off this weekend and features 15 regular-season contests, the semifinals of the America East women's championship and women's title game and fans have several options for viewing this season.
Stony Brook and Boston University face off on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Case Gym. Eric Frede (play-by-play) and Frank Sullivan (analyst) begin their third season together as the broadcast team. Those in New England can watch on NESN, while fans in New York and New Jersey can catch the game on MSG Plus. All season long, games will also be available to ESPN Full Court subscribers, on ESPN360.com and for free at the new AmericaEast.tv.
The game features the league's top offense in Boston U., which averages 70.0 points per game, and one of the top defenses in Stony Brook, which is second holding opponents to 62.2 points per game and a league-best 40.5 shooting percentage. These two teams played an epic contest last January that ended with a 99-97 Boston University victory in four overtimes. Stony Brook won the return matchup in February on Long Island, 66-54.
John Holland leads the Terriers and ranks second among league leaders with 18.7 points per game. Corey Lowe, who ranks sixth with 14.9 points per game, has averaged 18.2 in five career games against the Seawolves. Three of those efforts have been 20-point performances, including a 33 point effort in last year's four OT thriller.
Tommy Brenton is one of the league's top defenders and leads the conference with 9.4 rebounds per contest. Muhammad El-Amin, who ranks 10th among league leaders with 13.9 points per game, tied an America East season-high and equaled his season total with six steals in the Seawolves' win over Holy Cross Thursday.
AMERICA EAST TV SCHEDULE
JANUARY
Sat. 2 MBB: *Stony Brook at Boston U. 12 p.m. AETV: MSG/NESN
Sat. 16 WBB: *Hartford at Binghamton 12 p.m. AETV: NESN/TW
Sun. 17 MBB: *Boston U. at Vermont 2 p.m. AETV: ESPNU
Mon. 18 MBB: *UMBC at Stony Brook 5 p.m. AETV: MASN/MSG+
Sun. 24 MBB: *Albany at Stony Brook 12 p.m. AETV: MSG
Tue. 26 WBB: *Hartford at Vermont 7 p.m. AETV: NESN
Wed. 27 MBB: *Vermont at New Hampshire 7 p.m. AETV: NESN
FEBRUARY
Thu. 4 MBB: *New Hampshire at Boston U. 7 p.m. AETV: CSN
Tue. 9 MBB: *Vermont at Boston U. 7 p.m. AETV: CSN
Thu. 11 MBB: *UMBC at Hartford 7 p.m. AETV: MASN/CTS
Wed. 17 MBB: *Maine at New Hampshire 7 p.m. AETV: CSN
Thu. 18 WBB: *Binghamton at Hartford 7 p.m. AETV: CTSN/TW
Fri. 19 MBB: *Stony Brook at Albany 7 p.m. AETV: MSG+
Wed. 24 MBB: *Vermont at Stony Brook 7 p.m. AETV: MSG+/NESN
Sat. 27 MBB: *Maine at Boston U. 2:30 p.m. AETV: CSN
MARCH
Sun. 7 WBB: AE Championship Semifinals TBA AETV
MBB: AE Championship Semifinals TBA AETV
Sat. 13 WBB: AE Championship Final 8 p.m. AETV: CSN