Vermont, Albany, UMass Lowell Stay Hot; Week #2 MBB Awards Handed Out
BOSTON – Vermont, Albany and UMass Lowell continued their strong starts to the 2017-18 men's basketball season last week. Vermont beat Bradley, Coastal Carolina and reigning Horizon League champion Northern Kentucky to win the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase, while Albany is off to its first-ever 3-0 start at the Division I level after wins over three teams picked first or second in their respective conference’s preseason poll (Iona, Boston U., Yale). UMass Lowell beat Marist and Cornell to improve to 3-1 on the season.
The Catamounts are ranked 3rd in the MidMajor.com Top 25 while Albany is 18th.
Eighteen players who earned All-Conference, All-Defensive or All-Rookie honors last year are back for the 2017-18 season. America East is coming off one of its best men’s basketball seasons in recent history as its conference RPI of 21 was its best since the 2008-09 campaign. The league’s 57 non-conference wins against Division I opponents were its most in the conference’s modern history. Four teams made postseason appearances for the third-straight year, including UMBC, which became the third America East team to reach the semifinals of a postseason tournament in as many seasons.
ESPN and the Watch ESPN app are your home for all America East basketball home games this season. To watch games live or on replay, log onto WatchESPN.com or download the ESPN app. International viewers can watch select games at AmericaEast.TV.
Here are the week #2 award winners for the 2017-18 season:
Player of the Week
Jahad Thomas, UMass Lowell - Sr., Forward, Williamsport, Pa.
- Averaged 19.0 points,13.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in a 2-0 week for UMass Lowell.
- Scored 21 points and added 17 rebounds and eight assists in a win over Marist Wednesday.
- Had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five dimes in a win over Cornell Sunday.
- This is Thomas' first Player of the Week honor of the season and fourth of his career.
Rookie of the Week
Elijah Jordan, New Hampshire - Fr., Guard, Orlando, Fla.
- Averaged 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in a pair of games last week.
- Had a career-high 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting as UNH nearly upset #8 Florida Sunday.
- This is his first career Rookie of the Week honor.
Weekly Award Winners
Nov. 13 – Player of the Week: Greig Stire, Albany; Rookie of the Week: Obadiah Noel, UMass Lowell
Nov. 20 – Player of the Week: Jahad Thomas, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Elijah Jordan, New Hampshire
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