BOSTON - The America East men's basketball season enters the home stretch with just four playing dates remaining. Albany remains unbeaten and sits atop the conference standings at 12-0, following by Vermont in second at 11-2. The Great Danes and Catamounts have clinched home quarterfinal games for the America East Playoffs. Read about weekly award winners and league notes below: Player of the WeekEthan O'Day, Vermont - Jr., Mansfield, Conn.
- Averaged a league-best 21.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in two games last week.
- Played just 45 minutes over the two games, averaging 0.96 points per minute.
- Shot a blistering 78.3 percent (18-of-23) from the field.
- Scored 21 points in just 20 minutes of action in a win over UMass Lowell Wednesday.
- Had 22 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a victory over UMBC Saturday.
Rookie of the WeekTanner Leissner, New Hampshire - Fr., Converse, Texas
- Averaged a double-double of 15.0 points and 11.5 rebounds in two UNH wins last week.
- Scored 16 points and added six rebounds in a marquis win over Hartford Tuesday.
- Had 14 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in a win over Binghamton Saturday.
- The award is his fifth of the season and fourth in the last five weeks.
Notes
- Albany is the first team to be 12-0 in America East play since the 2004-05 Vermont squad.
- The Great Danes, which are ranked 20th in the College Insider Mid Major
- Top 25, have won 13 in a row, their longest stretch in Division I, and 16 of their last 17 overall
- Albany is one of just four teams in the country that is unbeaten in conference play.
- Albany went 8-0 without all-league guard Peter Hooley during his leave of absence due to the sickness and death of his mother.
- Hooley returned vs. NJIT Friday and scored 10 points off the bench, including the 1,000th of his career.
- He was named a CoSIDA first-team Academic All-District selection Feb. 5.
- Vermont sits in sole possession of second place in the league standings at 11-2 and has won 11 of its last 13 games.
- The Catamounts 67 percent, including 84 percent in the first half of a 96-53 win over UMass Lowell Wednesday.
- Vermont leads the league and ranks 13th nationally holding foes to 57.4 points per game.
- New Hampshire has won eight of its last nine games and has its most wins (16) since the 1994-95 season.
- Hartford’s Mark Nwakamma became the 43rd player in league history to score 1,500 points Saturday.
- The Seawolves’ Jameel Warney is second in the country in double- doubles (16) and is fifth in rebounds (11.3 rpg).
- Warney is one of just 18 players in the country averaging a double-double.
- The Seawolves’ win over Washington on Dec. 28 was the first for an America East team over a ranked opponent since Vermont beat #14 Boston College on Nov. 13, 2006.
Weekly Award Winners
Nov. 17 - Player of the Week: Rayshaun McGrew, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Jahad Thomas, UMass Lowell
Nov. 24 - Player of the Week: Jameel Warney, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Jahad Thomas, UMass Lowell
Dec. 1 - Co-Player of the Week: Daniel Dion, New Hampshire/Jameel Warney, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Jahad Thomas, UMass Lowell
Dec. 8 - Player of the Week: Marco Banegas-Flores, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Dusan Perovic, Binghamton
Dec. 15 - Player of the Week: Mark Nwakamma, Hartford; Rookie of the Week: Tanner Leissner, New Hampshire
Dec. 22 - Player of the Week: Jameel Warney, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Jourdan Grant, UMBC
Dec. 29 - Player of the Week: Jameel Warney, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Willie Rodriguez, Binghamton
Jan. 5 - Player of the Week: Jameel Warney, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Jahad Thomas, UMass Lowell
Jan. 12 - Player of the Week: Jameel Warney, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Romello Walker, Binghamton
Jan. 19 - Player of the Week: Mark Nwakamma, Hartford; Co-Rookie of the Week: Tanner Leissner, New Hampshire; Co-Rookie of the Week: Jahad Thomas, UMass Lowell
Jan. 26 - Player of the Week: Sam Rowley, Albany; Rookie of the Week: Tanner Leissner, New Hampshire
Feb. 2 - Player of the Week: Sam Rowley, Albany; Rookie of the Week: Tanner Leissner, New Hampshire
Feb. 9 - Player of the Week: Evan Singletary, Albany; Rookie of the Week: Kevin Little, Maine
Feb. 16 - Player of the Week: Ethan O'Day, Vermont; Rookie of the Week: Tanner Leissner, New Hampshire