BOSTON – America East men’s hoops teams wrap up non-conference play this week before the league schedule kicks off on Saturday.
UMass Lowell beat Boston University to improve to 12-2 on the season and will take its best-ever record into league play. UMBC plays at Maryland on ESPNU on Wednesday and will take a six-game win streak into that contest. Bryant beat CAA-favorite Towson last week to improve to 9-4.
Conference play kicks off Saturday with the first of 72 league games kicking off. Conference positioning will again prove key for the Jersey Mikes #AEPlayoffs. Every round of the Jersey Mikes #AEPlayoffs will take place on the higher seed’s home court and earning home court advantage will prove crucial once again.
The league champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, where America East teams have won nine games all-time, including UMBC’s historic upset of Virginia in 2018.
League Links
On December 20, ESPN announced it has chosen the Bryant at Vermont game January 5 contest to air on ESPNU. Tip off is 7 p.m.
Fans will once again be able to watch every #AEHoops game this season regardless of where they live! The majority games will air on The AE on ESPN, either ESPN+ or ESPN3, in the United States. Games will also be available internationally on AmericaEast.TV. Those games will be available on computers, OTT devices and the brand new America East app, which is available on all IOS and Android devices and can be found by searching ‘America East Conference’ in app stores.
The men’s #AEHoops preseason poll was announced on Oct. 20.
2022-23 Weekly Award Winners (Dec. 27)
Player of the Week
Abdoul Karim Coulibaly, UMass Lowell – Sr., Bamako, Mali
- Led UMass Lowell to a win over Boston University with an all-around stellar performance.
- Scored 21 points and added 11 rebounds, four steals and three blocks.
- This is Coulibaly’s second #AEHoops Player of the Week honor of the season.
Rookie of the Week
Jonathan Beagle, UAlbany – Fr., Forward, Hudson Falls, N.Y.
- Scored 14 points in lone game of the week, a win vs. Northern Illinois on Tuesday.
- Added three assists.
- Scored career-high 21 points in only 19 minutes of action in win over Loyola.
- This is Beagle’s third #AEHoops Rookie of the Week honor of the season.
Weekly Award Winners
Nov. 14 – Player of the Week: Sherif Gross-Bullock, Bryant; Rookie of the Week: Jonathan Beagle, UAlbany
Nov. 21 – Player of the Week: Kellen Tynes, Maine; Rookie of the Week: Jaden Clayton, Maine
Nov. 28 – Co-Player of the Week: Antwan Walker, Bryant & Abdoul Karim Coulibaly, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Jonathan Beagle, UAlbany
Dec. 5 – Player of the Week: Jacob Boonyasith, UMBC; Rookie of the Week: TJ Hurley, Vermont
Dec. 12 – Player of the Week: Clarence Daniels, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: TJ Hurley, Vermont
Dec. 19 – Player of the Week: Kevin Osawe, NJIT; Rookie of the Week: Dion Brown, UMBC
Dec. 27 – Player of the Week: Abdoul Karim Coulibaly, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Jonathan Beagle, UAlbany
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.
– Building the Complete Student-Athlete –