CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Stony Brook University's Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing, Mich./Holt/Lansing CC) carried first-place Stony Brook to a pair of wins to earn America East men's basketball Player of the Week honors, while University at Albany's Mike Black (Chicago, Ill./Oak Park/Fenwick) earned his second straight Rookie of the Week award. The accolades for the week ending Feb. 14 were announced Monday afternoon.
El-Amin, whose award is his of the season and second of his career, had a pair of monster games last week in helping Stony Brook extend its winning streak to seven. The senior guard, who averaged 27.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, started his week by scoring 22 of his 24 points in the second half in an 83-64 win over Maine Wednesday and also tied a career high with eight rebounds. He followed that performance with a career-high 31 points in the Seawolves 81-61 victory over Binghamton Saturday. For the week, the preseason all-league choice shot 56.7 percent (19-for-33) overall and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from three-point territory.
A second-team All-America East choice during his first season at Stony Brook, the junior college transfer ranks fourth among league leaders averaging 16.2 points per game. El-Amin, who was named Co-Player of the Week on Jan. 5 of last season with UNH's Alvin Abreu, is also third hitting 82 percent of his three-point tries
Black had almost identical numbers to last week, when he took home his first Rookie of the Week honor. He averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a pair of games this week to earn his second straight honor
The freshman guard played a major role in helping Albany stop its eight-game losing streak as he scored 15 points, dished out four assists and hit 4-of-6 three-point tries in a 75-62 win at UMBC Saturday. He also had 14 points and five boards against New Hampshire Tuesday.
CONFERENCE NOTES
STREAKING SEAWOLVES
Stony Brook earned its seventh straight win by downing Binghamton, 81-61, on Saturday to hold onto sole possession of first place in the league standings. The Seawolves, who have won their last four games by an average of 16 points, posted their 18th victory of the season and set a program Divison I record in the process. Stony Brook's 10 league wins are also a program record, while its 11-1 home record marks its best 12-game start in 10 years.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURSTS HEADLINE HONOR ROLL
In addition to El-Amin, several America East athletes had strong offensive showings.
• Binghamton University's Greer Wright (Lake Worth, Fla./Boca Raton Prep/City College of San Francisco) scored 28 points in a loss at Stony Brook Saturday
• Boston University's John Holland (Bronx, N.Y./) tallied 29 points and nearly led his squad to a win over Vermont Tuesday.
• Joe Zeglinski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and canned seven 3-pointers against UMBC Thursday.
• Maine's Gerald McLemore (San Diego, Calif./Worcester Academy) averaged 23.5 points in a pair of games last week, including 25 in a win at UMBC Tuesday.
• UMBC's Chauncey Gilliam (Columbia, Md./Brewster Academy) racked up a career-high 26 points in his team's win over Hartford Thursday. Chris De La Rosa (Washington Heights, N.Y./All Hallows/Siena) added 22 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals and zero turnovers.
• UNH's Alvin Abreu (Lynn, Mass./Boys to Men) averaged 21.3 points in three games, including a 25 points performance at Vermont Sunday.
• Vermont's Evan Fjeld (Durham, N.C./Durham Academy) scored a career-best 22 points in Vermont's overtime win over UNH Sunday.
MARVELOUS MARQUS BLAKELY
Two-time America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year Marqus Blakely is making a case for a three-peat this season. The senior forward is the only player in the country to rank among his league's top-5 in scoring (2nd - 17.7 ppg), rebounding (2nd - 9.1 rpg), assists (4th - 3.6 apg), steals (1st - 2.6 spg) and blocks (1st - 2.0 bpg) and is the only player to lead his team in all those categories. He is also the only active player in the country to have reached at least 1,500 career points (1,747, 900 rebounds (963), 200 assists (270), 200 blocks (242) and 200 steals (212).
MORE MARQUS
On Tuesday, Blakely moved into ninth place on the league's all-time rebound list and sits one board out of eighth place with 963 career caroms. The company he shares makes the feat even more impressive as Blakley passed four-time NBA All-Star and the 1993 America East Player of the Year Vin Baker for ninth. With two more boards he'll pass three-time league Player of the Year Reggie Lewis, who was an NBA All-Star in 1992 before prematurely passing away.
RAINING THREES
A pair of America East standouts are rising rapidly up the conference's all-time 3-point chart. Boston University's Corey Lowe, already the Terriers' all-time leader in treys, passed John Gordon, who split his career between Maine and Delaware, by two for fifth place for sixth on the all-time list with 292. Hartford's Joe Zeglinski, who is tied for fourth nationally with 3.3 makes per game, became the Hawks' all-time leader two weeks ago and trails Gordon by three and Lowe by four.
Career Three-Point Field Goals Made
1. 354, T.J. Sorrentine, Vermont, 2000-05
2. 313, Mike DeRocckis, Drexel, 1995-99
3. 311, Kevin Reed, Maine, 2003-07
4. 305, Tony Orciari, Vermont, 1997-2001
5. 292, Corey Lowe, Boston U., 2006-
6. 291, John Gordon, Maine (157)/
Del. (134), 1995-2000
7. 288, Joe Zeglinski, Hartford, 2006-
RISING UP THE RANKS
Four America East standouts continue to charge up the league's all-time scoring chart. Vermont's Marqus Blakely eclipsed the 1,700 point mark and has entered the Top-20 all-time. Boston University's Corey Lowe sits two slots behind with 1,702 points, while Hartford's Joe Zeglinski is 35th with 1,513 points. The Terriers' John Holland rounds out the group with 1,376 points.
BUSTING BRACKETS
The three America East teams tabbed for 2010 BracketBusters received their opponents on Monday. Vermont will host Fairfield, while Boston University will travel to Delaware and New Hampshire will go to Loyola (Md.). The games will be played Saturday, Feb. 20.
TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Albany (7-21, AE 2-11) ended an eight-game losing streak, the longest in the program’s Division I era, with a 75-62 triumph at UMBC on Feb. 13 … The Great Danes halted a nine-game slide on the road which dated back to a win over Penn in The Palestra on Dec. 8 … UAlbany also stopped an 11-game conference road skid and last won at Vermont, 82-77, on Jan. 11, 2009 … The Great Danes shot 52.9 percent from the field at UMBC, the second-best figure of the year … UAlbany has bettered 50 percent shooting five times this season … Freshman guard Mike Black (Chicago, Ill./Oak Park Fenwick) had 12 of his 15 points in the opening period … Black has a four-game, double-figure scoring streak and is averaging 14.5 points in that span … Scotty McRae (Queens, N.Y./Benjamin Cardozo) had his best outing as a collegian with a career-high 21 points … McRae, who made 7 of 9 from the field and 7-of-7 from the line, added nine rebounds and two blocks … Tim Ambrose (Brentwood, N.Y./Our Savior New American) recorded his second career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds … The 6-foot junior scored in double digits for the 50th time as a collegian … Ambrose, who handed out six assists, moved to No. 28 on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,028 points … Brett Gifford (Columbia, Md./Rock Bridge) turned in his best effort in the month of February with six points and four rebounds off the bench … New Hampshire swept the season series from UAlbany in a 62-53 decision on Feb. 9 … The Great Danes suffered their eighth consecutive setback, the longest loss skein since dropping 10 in a row over two seasons in 1955-56 … UAlbany will honor its senior class prior to Friday’s game against league-leader Stony Brook at SEFCU Arena.
Binghamton (11-16, AE 6-6) dropped both games last week and saw its conference record slip to the .500 mark ... The Bearcats are already assured of finishing seventh or higher, which will keep the team out of the play-in game. Binghamton, picked to finish dead last this season, has met or exceeded preseason predictions all nine years in the conference … Junior forward Greer Wright (Lake Worth, Fla./Boca Raton Prep/City College of San Francisco) averaged 20.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in the two games. Wright poured in 28 points at Stony Brook – his third-highest output of the season. In conference play, Wright is averaging 19.3 points and 7.0 rebounds … Junior forward Moussa Camara (Paris, France/Stoneridge) averaged 15.5 points on the week, lifting his season average to 10.5 ppg. Camara pumped in 18 points against the Seawolves … Binghamton wraps up a tough four-game road swing at Boston U. on Wednesday before playing two of its final three regular season games at home.
Boston University (14-12, AE 9-5) split its two games last week with both contests going down to the wire in thrilling fashion … The Terriers turned the ball over in its final possession against Vermont to lose, 76-75, but then rebounded against Hartford with Jake O’Brien (Weymouth, Mass./BC High) hitting an open 3-pointer at the top of the key with 5.6 seconds left to earn a 58-55 victory … Junior John Holland (Bronx, N.Y./St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.)) averaged 20.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 1.5 spg in the two games … He currently ranks 10th all-time in the program record book with 1,376 points and ninth in steals with 138 … He also just needs 22 rebounds to reach 500 career and nine points to become the first Terrier since Tunji Awojobi (’93-’97) to score at least 500 points in back-to-back seasons … Corey Lowe hit three 3-pointers during the week to move into fifth all-time in the America East records for made 3-pointers with 292 … Tyler Morris (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) posted a career-high seven assists against the Catamounts … The Terriers will next host Binghamton on Wednesday at Agganis Arena as part of a basketball double header with the women first hosting Stony Brook at 5:30 p.m. … They have one road game remaining, a trip to former league foe Delaware on Saturday for an ESPNU Bracketbusters matchup.
Hartford (7-18, AE 5-7) endured two tough losses last week, falling at home to UMBC and losing a heartbreaker at Boston University … The Hawks mounted a furious second half rally against the Retrievers, but were unable to pull off the victory, falling 78-70 … Junior Joe Zeglinski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) scored a season-high 29 points in the losing effort, pulling the Hawks to within two possessions with over four minutes to play thanks to his prolific three-point shooting … Zeglinski added a season-best six assists in the effort … Junior Morgan Sabia (San Anselmo, Calif./Sir Francis Drake) put together his second-career double-double, 15 points and 11 rebounds … At Boston University, the Hawks rallied from a ten-point first-half deficit to take a lead with under a minute to play, but could not hold it as Jake O’Brien’s late three-pointer buried the Hawks, 58-55 … Zeglinski (10 pts. and 12 rebounds) and junior Joel Barkers (Washington, D.C./Mt. zion Christian/Kirkwood CC) (19 pts., 13 rebounds) each registered double-doubles, the first time since the 2008 America East Tournament that two Hartford players have had double-doubles in the same contest … In both games this week, Hartford outrebounded its opponent, just the fifth and sixth time all year they have done so … The Hawks pulled down 51 boards against the Terriers, the first time since Jan. 22, 2002 that they have topped the 50-rebound plateau … Up next for the Hawks is a home date with Vermont on Wednesday night, followed by a trip to Maine on Tuesday … Both teams will be looking for season sweeps of Hartford.
Maine (16-9, AE 8-4) defeated UMBC 84-63 on the road before falling at Stony Brook 83-64 … At UMBC, Gerald McLemore (San Diego, Calif./Worcester Academy) recorded his eighth 20-point performance of the season with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting including making 7-of-10 from behind the arc … Freshman Murphy Burnatowski (Waterloo, Ontario/National Elite Development Academy) added 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting while grabbing eight boards…Junior Bernal (Manhattan, N.Y./MCI) added 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Sean McNally (Gardiner, Maine/Gardiner) had 14 points and eight rebounds … At Stony Brook, Maine was led by McLemore’s ninth 20-point performance with 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting including six three-pointers…McNally added 11 points, three rebounds and two blocks … McLemore is averaging 18.7 points in his last three games and his 85 three-pointers made this season tied the school record for threes in a season … He is also fourth in school history with 159 career three-pointers … Bernal is three points away from 1,000 and one rebound away from 500 … McNally’s 554 rebounds put him 21st in school history while Bernal’s 336 assists are seventh … Maine’s 16 wins so far are the 12th most in program history and could move up with four games remaining…Maine continues play in Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the road against New Hampshire on Comcast Sportnet and hosts Hartford on Sunday at 2 p.m.
UMBC's (3-23, AE 2-11) sophomore guard Chauncey Gilliam (Columbia, Md./Brewster Acad.) scored a career-high 26 points and classmate and point guard Chris De La Rosa (Washington Heights, N.Y./All Hallows/Siena) added 22 points as UMBC completed a long journey with a 78-70 victory at Hartford … UMBC beat a blizzard out of Baltimore by leaving campus on Tuesday morning for the Thursday evening contest… The Retrievers set a school record by converting 39 free throw attempts in the game … Junior post Robbie Jackson (Aberdeen, Md./Prince Avenue Prep/Marshall) hit UMBC’s final field goal of the night with 3:33 remaining, as the visitors’ final 17 points came from the charity stripe…De La Rosa added five assists, four rebounds, two steals, and no turnovers in 38 minutes of action … The sophomore guard hit 14-of-15 shots from the free throw line … Gilliam nearly pulled off a double-double with nine rebounds as he hit six of 11 from the floor, including three of five behind the arc … He converted 11-of-14 free throws, all in the final 2:20…The win gave UMBC a modest two-game road winning streak and marked their second straight win in West Hartford after starting out 0-5 at the site of the 2010 America East Championships… Gilliam scored in double figures for the 10th straight game by scoring all 15 of his points vs. Albany in the second half … The Retrievers have hit only 14 of their last 68 (20.6%) shots from behind the arc in the last five home games … De La Rosa now has a conference-leading 132 assists, already the 12th most in a single season in school history… The Retrievers play their final home game on Tuesday against league-leading Stony Brook … It will be the final home game for senior wing Matt Spadafora (Richboro, Pa./Archbishop Wood), who just surpassed the 3,000-minute mark in his career.
New Hampshire (10-14, AE 5-8) went 2-1 last week, winning on the road at Albany, 62-53, Feb. 9 before rallying past Binghamton, 67-60 at home Feb. 11 … The Wildcats then nearly knocked off Vermont on the road, falling in overtime, 85-76 … Junior Alvin Abreu (Lynn, Mass./Boys to Men Academy) continued his torrid stretch as he extended his double-digit scoring streak to a career-best eight games with a trio of 10-plus point performances last week … Abreu, who has now scored in double figures in 11 of his past 12 contests, led the Wildcats to the win at Albany with a game-high 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-6 from behind the arc … The tri-captain then guided the ‘Cats to the come-from-behind win against Binghamton with a game-high 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists … Abreu did all he could to help his team get past Vermont, matching his season-high with another game-high 25 points, including 20 in the second half and overtime combined … Abreu was 9-of-22 from the floor and added four helpers and three boards in 42 minutes …The junior also jumped into the top 10 on the conference’s free throw list with a 16-for-19 performance at the line during the week … Freshman Chandler Rhoads (Berryville, Va./Air Force Prep) tallied seven points, five assists and two rebounds at Albany before chipping in with 10 points, two assists and two steals against Binghamton … Rhoads then came up big against Vermont with 16 points on 5 of 10 shooting to go along with eight boards, two steals and an assist … UNH is 8-2 at home, matching their best home start since the 1994-95 season when they won 10 of their first 12 games in Durham … the ‘Cats have been victorious in 11 of their last 13 home contests dating back to last year … With win No. 10 of the year versus Binghamton, the Wildcats have now posted four double-digit win season in a five-year span for the first time since 1969-70 to 1973-74 … They have also put together a streak of seven straight nine-plus win seasons for the first time since 1918-19 to 1926-27 … Tallying his 500th point at Albany, junior Dane DiLiegro (Lexington, Mass.) became the 14th member of UNH’s 500 points-500 rebounds club … The Wildcats return to action Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. when they play host to Maine as they White Out Lundholm Gymnasium live on Comcast SportsNet.
Stony Brook (18-7, AE 10-2) won both of its games this week, defeating Maine, 83-64, on Wednesday before beating Binghamton, 81-61, on Saturday night … The Seawolves have now won seven straight games, matching its longest win streak since moving to Division I in 1999 … It is the first time in program history that SBU has won seven straight conference games … The previous high was five, which came in 2002-03 … Stony Brook’s 10 America East wins breaks last season program record of eight conference wins … The Seawolves 18 overall wins are also a Division I program record, breaking the 17 won by the 2000-01 squad … Stony Brook is also 11-1 at home, matching its best 12-game home record since the 2000-01 squad went 11-1 … Senior Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing, Mich./Holt/Lansing CC) scored 19 of his career-best 31 points in first half in the win over Binghamton … It is the most points by a Stony Brook player this season and the most by a Seawolves player since Ricky Lucas scored 33 against Hartford on Jan. 24, 2008 … El-Amin scored 22 of his game-high 24 points in the second half of Wednesday’s win over Maine … El-Amin is averaging 22.5 points per game over Stony Brook’s last four games … Sophomore Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md./Hargrave) had 11 points and 14 rebounds against Binghamton … It was his fifth double-double of the season … Brenton eclipsed 500 rebounds for his career with the 14 rebounds against Binghamton …Stony Brook shot a season-high 53.3 percent against Maine … It was the first time the Seawolves shot over 50 percent this season … SBU then shot 50.9 percent against Maine.
Vermont (19-8, 10-3 America East) went 2-0 on the week, earning wins over both Boston U and New Hampshire … UVM has now won five straight … Junior Evan Fjeld (Durham, N.C./Durham Academy) scored with 9.4 seconds left to lift the Cats over the Terriers on TV on Tuesday … Vermont was down four with 1:05 remaining before scoring the final five points of the contest … Senior Marqus Blakely (Metuchen, N.J./Metuchen) led the Cats with 21 points and 12 rebounds … The Cats picked up their 11th road win of the year on Tuesday, as they continue to lead the nation in victories away from home … With three assists in the game, Blakely passed Tony Orciari ’01 for 10th all-time at UVM as he now has 270 for his career … On Sunday, Fjeld and Blakely combined for 44 points and 17 rebounds in an overtime win over UNH … Fjeld recorded a career-high 22 points and added nine rebounds, while Blakely scored 22 (10 in overtime) and grabbed eight boards … Vermont set new school records in the physically played contest for free throws attempted (55) and made (40) … The last Vermont win in overtime came last season against Stony Brook, 69-64 … UVM is 14-0 when scoring 70 or more this year … The Cats are back in action this week at Hartford on Wednesday and then host Fairfield on Saturday as part of the ESPNU BracketBusters series.