Daily Word: First Impressions

The hoops season is heating up and we've seen America East squads play all across the country in these opening weeks. As a part of the season kick-off, we're taking a look at some of the standout statistics from each men's and women's team. Last week we highlighted Albany, Binghamton and Boston U. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and this week we'll move on to Hartford, Maine and UMBC. As an added bonus, the first batch of NCAA statistics went up and we'll tell you which America East players have a spot on the leaderboards. First up, the men.

Hartford

Hartford's Mark Nwakamma

Hawks sophomore forward Mark Nwakamma is one of only two players in the conference to be in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding. Through five games, Nwakamma has been the focal point of Hartford's offense, leading the team in scoring (17.0 ppg), rebounding (7 rpg), field goals made and attempted (33 for 70) and blocks (7). He's also second in minutes (33.4 per game) and assists (12). Safe to say that he is going to be a focus point for defenses all year long.

Fellow Texan Yolonzo Moore II has stepped up as a floor general for Coach Gallagher, leading the team in assists while also joining Nwakamma as the only other Hawk to average double-figures. The sophomore is tenth in the conference with 3.2 dimes per contest and has also been one of the most accurate shooters from distance so far, making 46.7 percent of his three-point attempts.

Maine

The big man in the middle, Alasdair Fraser, has delivered so far this season after being selected to the preseason all-conference squad. Fraser has two double-doubles already and just missed a third in the team's first win over Siena on Sunday. Aside from an uncharacteristically low-scoring game in the season opener against Dartmouth, the junior has reached double-figures in every other game.

Justin Edwards, the Black Bears' second leading scorer a season ago, has resumed his high-scoring ways in 2012-13. Through five games, Edwards 13.4 points per game are just a hair below his 13.9 per game average last year. Edwards has also been the top thief in the America East thus far, swiping 2.8 steals per game.

UMBC's Chase Plummer

UMBC

How about the start Ryan Cook is having? The senior has poured in 16.6 points per game while hauling in 8.2 boards for the Retrievers. When UMBC nearly topped Central Connecticut St. a week ago, Cook had a monster double-double with 20 and 10. Cook has been extremely effective on the offensive boards, averaging 4.4 boards per game on that end. Paired with Plummer, who we'll talk about in just a second, the Retrievers have themselves a nice one-two punch.

Chase Plummer joined Fraser as a preseason all-conference selection has contributed an excellent 13.2 points per game in the early going. And while opposing defenses have forced him into a few too many turnovers, Plummer is making up for it in other ways, like his 1.8 steals per game and his five boards per contest. Additionally, Plummer has done all of this without finding his touch from the field yet. If his shooting percentage takes a hit up to the 41.6 percent mark from last season, look out.

NCAA Leaderboards (for games through 11/25)

Individual

Jordan Bronner (UNH): T-9 in assist/turnover ratio (6.0)
Alasdair Fraser (Maine): T-41 in blocks per game (2.4); T-25 in rebounds per game (10)
Sandro Carissimo (Vermont): T-1 in free throw percentage (100% -- 12 for 12)
Luke Apfeld (Vermont): T-19 in free throw percentage (94.7% -- 18 for 19)
Justin Edwards (Maine): T-25 in steals per game (2.8)
Jacob Iati (Albany): T-16 in three-pointers made per game (3.33); T-25 in three-point FG percentage (51.3)
John Papale (Boston U.): T-23 in three-pointers made per game (3.2)

Team

Albany: T-33 in three-point field goal percentage (40.5)
Boston U.: T-30 in thee-pointers made per game (8.6); 34th in turnovers per game (11.2)
New Hampshire: 20th in defensive field goal percentage (35.7)
Stony Brook: 50th in rebounding margin (+7.3)
Vermont: 18th in free throw percentage (77.4); 37th in scoring defense (56.8)

Linked Up

People are taking notice of the rising athletics program at Stony Brook.

Stony Brook (18) and Albany (20) made an appearance in the ILWomen's 2013 preseason rankings.

Mike Black fought off injury last night to will Albany to a victory over Wagner.

The New Hampshire women turned to their bench to get a win over Cornell yesterday.

UMBC's Pete Caringi III, Stony Brook's Leonardo Fernandes and Vermont's Conor Leland are all nominees for the Soccer News Net College Boot Player of the Year award. Follow the link to vote!

What's Next?

Women's Basketball

UMBC at American, 7 p.m.
Vermont at Fairfield, 7 p.m.
Canisius at Binghamton, 7 p.m.
Boston U. at Rhode Island, 7 p.m.

Men's Basketball

Vermont at Harvard, 7 p.m.