CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Two players familiar with winning America East men's basketball weekly awards have done so again. Boston University's John Holland (Bronx, N.Y./St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.) picked up his sixth career Player of the Week honor while University at Albany's Luke Devlin (Sydney Australia/Newington College) earned his fourth Rookie of the Week award of the season. The honors for the week ending Feb. 6 were announced Monday afternoon.
Holland led his program to a pair of wins joined an exclusive group last week. A senior guard/forward, he averaged 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in a pair of wins last week. Holland recorded his first double-double of the season in an 88-78 win over then first-place Maine, which was riding a seven-game win streak, Tuesday. Holland scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half, including the 2,000th of his career, and added 12 rebounds and four assists. He followed up that performance by contributing 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals in a 62-49 victory over Stony Brook Friday.Holland, who also averaged 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks last week, leads America East averaging 18.9 points per game.
Devlin averaged a double-double of 10.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in a pair of games last week. His four Rookie of the Week awards rank only behind Jon Iati's seven in 2003-04 and Jamar Wilson's four in 2002-03 on Albany's all-time list.
A freshman forward, Devlin had 10 points, 14 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in a 62-59 overtime loss at New Hampshire Wednesday. He followed up with another double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds in a 62-59 win over Hartford Saturday. Devlin, who has four double-doubles on the season, is averaging 7.4 points against conference foes and ranks seventh with 6.8 rebounds per contest.
Conference Notes
The Honor Roll
Several other America East players had top performances last week:
• Albany's Tim Ambrose (Brentwood, N.Y./Our Savior New American) averaged 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in two games last week and had 20 points and seven rebounds in Saturday's 62-59 win over Hartford.
• Binghamton's Moussa Camara (Paris, France/The Rock School) poured in 20 points and hit six three-pointers against UMBC Thursday.
• Boston University's Darryl Partin (Seattle, Wash./La Salle) averaged 18.0 points last week, scoring 17 in a win over Maine Tuesday and a game-high 19 in Friday's victory at Stony Brook.
• Milton Burton (Birmingham, Ala./Fairfield Prep/Panola College) scored 16 points and added four assists in a loss at Albany Saturday.
• Maine's Troy Barnies (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) averaged 20 points and 10.5 rebounds and Gerald McLemore (San Diego Calif./Worcester Academy) contributed a league-best 20.5 points per game in two losses last week
• Chris De La Rosa (Washington Heights, N.Y./All Hallows/Siena) led UMBC to two wins in three games averaging 15.3 points, 8.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds. He scored 24 points and added a career and America East season-high 13 assists in Sunday's upset win at Maine.
• New Hampshire's Dane DiLiegro (Lexington, Mass./Worcester Academy) contributed 11.7 points and 8.7 rebounds during a 2-1 week for the Wildcats.
• Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains/N.J./Scotch Plains) averaged 13 points in three games last week and became Stony Brook's all-time leader in three-point field goals.
• Brendan Bald (Millersville, Md./Severna) scored a game-high 19 points in Sunday's win over Stony Brook.
Exclusive Company for Holland
On Tuesday, John Holland became just the 13th player in America East history to reach the 2,000-point plateau. He reached on the mark on a three-pointer from the right elbow extended in the second half as part of a 24-point effort in a win over Maine. Holland, who joined Tunji Awojobi as the only Terriers to ever reach the milestone, also passed former stars T.J. Sorrentine, Speedy Claxton and Malik Rose last week and currently ranks ninth on the all-time list with 2,028 points.
Three at the Top
With just three weeks left in the regular-season, Vermont has assumed a familiar position atop the league standings. Winner of four regular-season crowns since 2004, Vermont (10-2) has won seven straight and sits one and a half games up on Maine (8-3), which has dropped back-to-back games after running off eight straight wins and is one game up on Boston University for second place. The Terriers (7-4) knocked off the Black Bears last week and have won consecutive games for the first time in three weeks.
Jumbled in the Middle
Only one game separates five teams in the middle of the America East standings. Albany (5-6) currently sits in fourth place after winning four of its last six games and is followed by New Hampshire (5-7) winner of back-to-back games for the first time since its 3-0 start to the season. Hartford (4-6) has dropped four straight and is in sixth place with Stony Brook (4-7) and UMBC (4-7) right behind. The Seawolves have lost two straight while the Retrievers posted wins over Binghamton and Maine last week. Binghamton (3-8), loser of eight straight, rounds out the standings.
Cruising Catamounts
Another year, another Vermont team is on the verge of a 20-win season. The Catamounts (19-5), whose RPI is a league-high 79, took over first place in America East with a pair of wins last week and have run off seven straight victories and 12 of their last 14. Vermont, which has won 19 of its last 21 home games, is one win shy of its eighth 20-win season in the last 10 after totaling none in its first 87 seasons of basketball.
BracketBuster Bound
For the fifth time in seven years, an America East men's basketball team will appear on national television as part of ESPN's BracketBusters series. Vermont has been chosen to face College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C. on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. on ESPNU as part of the event, which pits NCAA hopefuls against each other. The Catamounts' have made two previous BrackBuster TV appearnces beating Buffalo, 78-70, in front of a sold out Patrick Gym on ESPN2 in 2009 and falling to Nevada in 2005. In the other BracketBuster pool matchups, Boston University will host Canisius, Maine will visit Siena, New Hampshire will travel to Marist and Stony Brook will entertain Manhattan.
Retriever Believers
After losing 16 of its first 17 games this season, UMBC has won four of its last seven. The Retrievers latest victory came via a 17-point comeback at Maine Sunday in which the scored a season-high 84 points. UMBC is scoring 67.3 points per game in conference play, the second-best mark in the league.
1,000-point Club
Vermont's Evan Fjeld became the fifth America East player to join the 1,000-point club this year last week, reaching the mark in Sunday's win over Stony Brook. He joins Stony Brook University's Bryan Dougher, a second-team all-conference selection last season, who became the fourth player in Stony Brook's Division I history to reach the milestone vs. Albany on Jan. 17. Maine's Gerald McLemore, a first-team all-leaguer last year, followed suit by joining 28 other Black Bears in the esteemed club on Jan. 16. Earlier this season, Boston University's Jake O'Brien, a third-team all-conference selection last year, eclipsed the mark, as did UNH's Tyrone Conley. That group is joined by Boston University's John Holland, Hartford's Joe Zeglinski and Albany's Tim Ambrose as active players to reach the mark. Overall, 143 players have scored 1,000 points in America East history.
Big Apple Battle Beckons
For the first time ever, Madison Square Garden, the “World’s Most Famous Arena”, will host an America East men’s basketball conference game when University at Albany and Boston University face off on Thursday, Feb. 10 in the Big Apple Battle. The game, which will be the first played in the arena by an America East team since Boston University appeared in the 2006 Aéropostale Holiday Festival, will follow a St. John’s-UConn contest and tip off at approximately 9:35 p.m. Boston U. will serve as the home team. Overall, it will be the Terriers’ fourth appearance in the Garden, which also includes a win over UConn in the 1959 NCAA Tournament. This will be Albany’s first-ever appearance in the famed arena.
National TV Time
Maine and Stony Brook will meet on national television Saturday when they square off on ESPNU at 11 a.m. The game, which will be played in Stony Brook Arena, will be Stony Brook's fourth on the ESPN family of network's this season and Maine's first.
Catching the Injury Bug
Several of the league's top players have been hit with injuries. Three of America East's 10 returning all-conference players are out indefinitely. Boston University's Jake O'Brien, a third-team all-league choice last year, will undergo season-ending foot surgery after hurting it at UMass on Dec. 31. Stony Brook's Tommy Brenton and New Hampshire's Alvin Abreu, second-team all-league choices last season, both suffered knee injuries that will threaten their seasons. Brenton's happened in September, while Abreu's injury came against Dartmouth Nov. 18. Additionally, Abreu's teammate, Ferg Myrick, an all-rookie selection last year, tore his patella tendon against Boston U. on Jan. 4 and is lost for the season.
Rising up the Charts
A pair of America East standouts are charging up the league's all-time scoring list and will finish among the all-time greats. Boston University senior John Holland, a two-time first team all-conference selection, became just 13th player in league history to reach the 2,000-point plateau earlier this week and ranks ninth with 2,028 career points. Hartford's Joe Zeglinski, a two-time all-league choice, is currently 16th on the all-time list with 1,885 career points.
Team Notes
Albany (12-14, 5-6 AE) edged Hartford, 62-59, in the 14th Big Purple Growl at SEFCU Arena … UAlbany’s Winter Homecoming produced the largest home crowd (4,037) this season … the event featured 4,000-plus fans for the seventh consecutive year … Jacob Iati (York, Pa./York Catholic) made two key free throws with 2.3 seconds remaining … Tim Ambrose (Brentwood, N.Y./Our Savior New American) reached the 20-point mark for the 21st time as a collegian … Ambrose climbed past Don Cohen (1957-61) into fifth place on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,481 points … UAlbany has played in 11 games decided by four points or less this winter … the Great Danes are six wins better after 26 games than last year’s record … Luke Devlin (Sydney, Australia / Newington College) recorded back-to-back double-doubles last week … the freshman had 11 points and 11 rebounds vs. Hartford … Devlin also had 10 points and a career-best 14 caroms in a 62-59 overtime loss at New Hampshire on Feb. 2 … his rebounding total was one off the program’s Division I single-game standard … UAlbany tied the program’s Division I record with 56 rebounds against UNH, tying a mark set against Canisius on Dec. 13, 2008 … Mike Black (Chicago, Ill./Oak Park Fenwick) scored in double figures for the first time since Jan. 20th with an 11-point, seven-assist effort vs. Hartford … Blake Metcalf (Camby, Ind./Plainfield) grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds vs. Hartford … the sophomore captain has collected six-plus boards 11 times this season … Logan Aronhalt (Zanesville, Ohio/Zanesville) has been named to the Capital One Academi c All-District I Team … the sophomore has a 3.78 grade point average in human biology … the Great Danes meet Boston U. in the Big Apple Battle on Feb. 10, the program’s first-ever appearance at Madison Square Garden.
Binghamton (6-18, 3-8 AE) saw its losing skid hit eight with two defeats during the week ... The Bearcats lost in overtime at UMBC before dropping a six-point home game to New Hampshire ... The losing streak is the program's longest in 33 years ... The team's last four losses have all come by six or fewer points ... Conference opponents are averaging nearly 71 points on 44 percent shooting ... Senior guard Moussa Camara (Paris, France/The Rock School) averaged 16.5 points in the two games. Camara drained a career-high six three-pointers at UMBC ... Senior forward Mahamoud Jabbi (Serrekunda, Gambia/Alfred E. Smith/SUNY Oswego) averaged 12.0 points and 8.5 rebounds. Jabbi pushed his consecutive double-double streak to five with 12 points and 10 rebounds at UMBC. Jabbi also had six blocks in the two games and ranks first in blocks (2.3/game) and third in rebounding (9.2/game) in AE play ... Senior forward Greer Wright (Boynton Beach, Fla./Grandview Prep/City College of San Francisco) returned from an ankle injury and averaged 12.0 points on 54% shooting in the two games. Wright had missed the better part of three weeks with the injury ... Binghamton drew 3,688 fans for the UNH game and the program continues to lead the conference in average attendance (3,427). The Bearcats have won the conference attendance title for seven consecutive years.
Boston University (12-13, 7-4 AE) had a strong week to stay third in the America East standings with an 88-78 win over Maine and 62-49 victory at Stony Brook ... Senior John Holland (Bronx, N.Y./St. Benedict's Prep. (N.J.)) posted his ninth career double-double and first of the season with 24 points and 12 rebounds to help the Terriers defeat the Black Bears and remain a perfect 5-0 at home ... He also added 17 points, seven boards and three steals at SBU ... Setting the school record for minutes played and just two games shy of tying the program record for games played, he currently ranks ninth all-time in the America East record book with 2,028 points ... Needs just four more steals to move into second all-time at BU and 11 more to grab the record ... Freshman D.J. Irving (Chester, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) tied his season high with 16 points vs. Maine ... Junior Darryl Partin (Seattle, Wash./La Salle) had 17 in the same game and a game-high 19 at SBU ... Junior Patrick Hazel (Jamaica, N.Y./Marquette) contributed a career-high 12 points against the Seawolves and added four blocks over the week for 44 total on the season, tied-for-sixth in a season at Boston U. ... The Terriers will next face Albany at MSG on Thursday ... They are 1-2 all-time in the arena with the 1959 NCAA squad defeating UConn there in the first round ... Boston U. went 0-2 in St. John's 2006 Aeropostale Classic.
Hartford (7-16, 4-6 AE) dropped two games last week, playing without leading scorer and rebounder Morgan Sabia in contests against Vermont and at Albany ... the Hawks never led in either game, falling to Vermont 61-47 and at Albany 62-59 ... Hartford got significant production from some unlikely sources against the Catamounts, with sophomore Ross Erickson (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks/Sisters) setting a career high with nine points, and freshman Oren Faulk (Muskogee, Okla./Muskogee) adding three points, four boards and two blocks - all career bests ... despite the absence of Sabia, the Hawks improved on their rebounding and low-post numbers from a week previous in Burlington, only being outrebounded by the Catamounts, 40-35, and outscoring them in the paint 28-20 ... at Albany, Hartford got off to a slow start offensively, but held Albany at bay with defensive pressure that forced 12 turnovers and created 10 steals ... senior Joe Zeglinski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) reached a career milestone with his 100th career double-digit scoring game, pouring in 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three ... as a team, the Hawks hit 10 three-pointers in the second half, but fell just short in their comeback
Maine (14-9, 8-3 AE) fell at Boston University and to UMBC 84-79...At Boston, Troy Barnies (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) notched his fourth 20-point 10-rebound effort with 26 points and 10 rebounds but it was not enough...Gerald McLemore (San Diego, Calif./Worcester Academy) added 17 points and three assists...McLemore scored 24 points on 5-of-10 shooting from long range while Barnies added 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead Maine against UMBC...Freshman Alasdair Fraser (Falkirk, Scotland/Falklirk Clark Eriksson Fury) had a solid game with nine points and eight rebounds...Sean McNally (Gardiner, Maine/Gardiner) scored 11 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and a pair of blocks...McNally's 664 career rebounds puts him 12th all-time at UMaine... Barnies' current average of 7.9 rebounds per game would be the highest since Justin Rows averaged 9.4 during the 2002-03 season...McLemore's 1,095 points has him 17th all-time at UMaine...Former standout Bob Warner had his number 52 retired before the UMBC game...Warner is the all-time leader in rebounds with 1,304 and is second with 1,758 career points.
UMBC (5-19, 4-7 AE) scored season-highs of 83 and then 84 points in back-to-back come-from-behind victories over Binghamton (83-79, ot) and Maine (84-79) to cap a 2-1 week... The Retrievers are 4-3 in their last seven outings... UMBC trailed Binghamton by seven points at 59-52 with 9:50 to play and rallied from a 14-point second half deficit (49-35, 19:05 remaining) at Maine... Sophomore guard Brian Neller (Red Bank, N.J./Christian Bros. Academy) led five Retrievers in double figures with 21 points... UMBC never trailed in overtime, despite the fact that junior guard Chris De La Rosa (Washington Heights, N.Y./All Hallows/Siena) suffered his first career disqualification late in regulation... The win snapped a five-game losing streak to the Bearcats... UMBC won its seventh overtime decision in eight extra-session affairs in eight years of America East play... De La Rosa set a career -and America East single-game high with 13 assists in the come-from-behind win at Maine... He also led the Retrievers in scoring (24 points) and rebounding (6) in that game... He scored or assisted on 12 of 15 field goals as UMBC hit 15 of 22 attempts in the second half... Grad. forward Justin Fry (New Bloomfield, Pa./West Perry) was somewhat overshadowed by De La Rosa, but he scored a career-high 20 points, hitting 9-of-10 shots from the floor in 20 minutes of action... The Retrievers have won four consecutive times at Alfond Arena and are 5-3 all-time in Orono... The week-opening 69-59 loss at Stony Brook featured the first career double-double for freshman forward Chase Plummer (Elizabeth, N.J./St. Patrick), who scored 13 points and added a season-best 11 caroms... Plummer averaged 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game during the week... The Retrievers return home for a pair of games this week, entertaining league-leading Vermont on Wednesday and UNH on Saturday.
New Hampshire (11-13, 5-7 AE) went 2-1 last week, dropping a 63-49 decision at Vermont on Monday before recording a 62-59 overtime victory at home against Albany on Wednesday and pulling out a 65-59 win at Binghamton on Saturday for the first road victory of the conference season ... with their 10th win of the season against Albany, the Wildcats have now put together three straight double-digit win seasons for the first time since 1973-74 ... in the Albany game, junior Brian Benson (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena) recorded 14 rebounds, while senior Dane DiLiegro (Lexington, Mass./Worcester Academy) pulled in 11 boards ... it marked the first time a pair of Wildcats have recorded 10-plus rebounds in the same game since DiLiegro and Mike Christensen pulled down 12 and 11, respectively, March 8, 2008 in an America East quarterfinal tilt against Hartford ... Benson, who was not on either of UNH’s top-10 blocks lists coming into the contest, is now sixth on both the program’s all-time and single-season blocks lists after swatting a career-best six shots against the Great Danes ... DiLiegro recorded his fourth double-double of the season, while sophomore Chandler Rhoads (Berryville, Va./Air Force Prep) led the 'Cats with 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals ... the Wildcats are 19-7 (.731) in their last 26 home contests dating back to 2008-09 ... senior Tyrone Conley (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) led UNH with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4 of 5 from deep, against Binghamton ... DiLiegro added his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and 10 boards ... Rhoads added 14 points ... after turning the ball over more than their opponent in eight consecutive games from Dec. 18-Jan. 11 (-6.3 TO margin), the Wildcats have done so just once in their last eight contests (+2.4) ... that has a lot to do with freshman point guard Jordon Bronner (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y./Iona Prep), who has racked up 24 assists and turned the ball over just five times in his last six games ... Bronner averaged 4.3 ppg to go along with 4.7 assists and 1.0 turnover per contest this week ... the Wildcats have yet to allow 80 or more points in a single game this season, the deepest any UNH team has made it into the schedule without allowing an opponent to reach the 80-point mark ... no UNH team has gone an entire season without allowing 80 or more points in a game since the 1949-50 campaign ... the Wildcats are 7-2 in games decided by five or less points this season, 8-4 when scoring first, 9-4 when leading at halftime, 6-1 when outscoring their opponent in the paint and 5-2 when shooting 40 percent or better from the floor, including 3-0 when shooting over 50 percent … defensively, the ‘Cats are 9-2 when holding their opponent to 60 points or less.
Stony Brook (9-14, 4-7 AE) went 1-2 last week, earning a victory over UMBC while dropping games to Boston University and Vermont...the Seawolves held UMBC to 30 percent shooting, the 11th time this season they have limited an opponent under 40 percent...SBU took 31 free throw attempts against UMBC but then had only 19 combined free throw attempts in the BU and Vermont losses...the Seawolves are 9-2 this year when they take a greater or equal amount of free throw shots than their opponents, 0-12 when they take fewer shots...Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) averaged 13.0 points to lead the Seawolves in the three games last week...he made nine three-pointers, becoming Stony Brook's all-time leader in three-point makes, surpassing Josh Little, who put up 221 from 1997-2001...Dougher now has 225 in just 85 career games...Dougher ranks first in the league in three-pointers per game (2.8) and second in free throw shooting (.877)...Eric McAlister (Hightstown, N.J.) scored a career-high 12 points against UMBC, doubling his previous high of six...he was 5-for-7 from the field on the week...the Seawolves had a season-high seven blocks against the Retrievers, including three from Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.), who also added 12 rebounds in the game...he averaged a team-high 6.3 caroms on the week...Stony Brook plays at New Hampshire Wednesday and then hosts Maine in a nationally televised ESPNU game Saturday at Stony Brook Arena, site of last year's NIT match with Illinois.
Vermont (19-5, 10-2 AE) went 3-0 on the week, picking up a trio of conference victories … The Cats opened the week with a 63-49 win at home over New Hampshire behind 15 points from senior Joey Accaoui (Lincoln, R.I./St. Andrews) … Prior to the game Vermont was selected to take on Charleston as part of the ESPN BracketBusters series on the road on February 19 at 5 p.m. in a game that will be televised on ESPNU … UVM traveled to Hartford and earned a 61-47 win behind a career-high 14 points from freshman Sandro Carissimo (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y./Iona Prep) … The win was the 11th straight over the Hawks … The win moved the Cats into a tie for the second-most road wins in the nation … Vermont won its seventh straight game overall on Sunday with a 65-42 win over Stony Brook at home … Sophomore Brendan Bald (Millersville, Md./Severna Park) netted a game-high 19 points, while senior Evan Fjeld (Durham, N.C./Durham Academy) tallied 14, including the 1,000th point of his career … The Catamounts shot a season-best 56.5 percent from the floor for the game to improved to 11-1 at home this season … Freshman Brian Voelkel (Pleasantville, N.Y./Iona Prep) added a career-high 10 assists … In each of UVM's 10 conference victories it has held its opponent to 54 points or less … Vermont is back in action this week with a road game at UMBC on Wednesday (7 p.m.) and a home date vs. Binghamton on Sunday (1 p.m.).