America East Men’s Basketball Championship – 40 Years of History 3/15/2019 9:40:07 AM Sean Tainsh So many memorable moments. So many names etched in the record books. So much joy. So much sadness. So much history. That is the epitome of the America East men’s basketball championship game and Saturday, for the 40th time, an #AEHoops men’s basketball champion will be crowned. Through the years this title game has seen stars been born, legends solidify their status, coaches propel themselves to national stardom and magic moments take place. There’s something uniquely special about the America East men’s basketball championship game. Every year, on a Saturday morning in early March in front of a sold-out crowd, nothing else but the task at hand matters. Despite everything the teams and players have accomplished up to that moment, it all comes down to one game. One game to join exclusive company. One game to fulfill a childhood dream and play in the NCAA Tournament. What is it that makes this specific game so special? Just look at the list of coaches who have won America East titles. They need no introduction. Jim Calhoun. Rick Pitino. Jay Wright. Mike Brey. A trio of current coaches have had as much success as any other. UAlbany’s Will Brown is tied with Calhoun for most titles won. New Hampshire’s Bill Herrion has more tournament victories than anyone. And John Becker has taken Vermont to six title games in his eight seasons and won a pair of championships. What about the stars? Malik Rose is still the only player to ever win three tournament Most Outstanding Player honors prior to his long NBA career. But he is far from the only big name to have championship success. The MOP award is named after Reggie Lewis, who led Northeastern to four championships. Taylor Coppenrath and Jamar Wilson both won multiple player of the year awards and two MOPs. The list goes on. Then there are some of the incredible individual performances. Who doesn’t remember Coppenrath’s 43-point performance in the 2004 championship game despite playing with a recently broken wrist? Or Jameel Warney willing Stony Brook to the 2016 title with a 43-point, 10-rebound effort after it had lost the championship game four of the previous six years? There are many more. And, of course, there are the special moments that only this game could produce. Without David Hehn’s shot in the waning seconds of the 2003 title game, does Vermont ever begin its dynastic run that includes six championships and 11 title game appearances in the last 16 years? Without Jarius Lyles’ last-second three-pointer vs. Vermont last year, UMBC doesn’t go on to upset Virginia in the NCAA tournament and become the first #16 seed to beat a #1 seed. And without Peter Hooley’s miracle last second three-pointer to beat Stony Brook in 2015, just weeks after his mother died of cancer, his story doesn’t come full circle and become known to the world. On Saturday, in the 40th rendition of the America East men’s basketball championship game, more names will go into the annals of the greats that have come before them. More moments will air on SportsCenter and be remembered for years to come. And more history will be made. All just part of what makes the America East men’s basketball championship game so special.