The Friday Fives

Another Friday, another edition of the Fives. Scroll down for this week's top plays, games to watch this weekend and a look at some conference stats leaders as we approach the halfway point. Enjoy the weekend!

Top Plays



Marquee Matchups

MBB: Vermont at Albany, Sat 7:30 p.m.

Albany will be looking for some redemption after falling to Vermont in Burlington earlier this year. The Catamounts, meanwhile, are looking to get back on track after a road loss at Maine. Plus, it's always fun when these two teams get together.

WBB: Vermont at Albany, Sat 5 p.m.

The doubleheader begins with a matchup of first place versus third place. Albany is flying high after a win over Boston U. and is last undefeated team in conference play. Vermont has hit its stride over the last six games and could make a huge statement with a road win.

MBB: New Hampshire at Binghamton, Sat 7 p.m.

Binghamton has been playing better of late and could make it a two-game winning streak if it can defeat the Wildcats. For New Hampshire, this game presents an opportunity to regain some momentum as they try to turn things around in the second half of conference play.

WBB: Boston U. at UMBC, Sat 2 p.m.

The UMBC women have found a high scoring trio and are beginning to look dangerous as we approach the midway point. And how will Boston U. respond to its first loss of the conference season? Stakes are high for both teams in this one.

MBB: UMBC at Boston U., Sat 1 p.m.

The Terriers currently have the only winning steak in the America East and are coming off of a thrilling overtime victory against Albany. The Retrievers have had a hard time on the road in conference play, but have a big opportunity. This one will be a real dog fight (bad pun alert).

Conference Confidence -- Men

The leaders in five conference-only stat categories

Points per game: Mark Nwakamma (Hart) -- 7 games, 18.1 ppg

Rebounds per game: Mike Allison (Maine) -- 6 games, 9.8 rpg

Assists per game: Brian Voelkel (UVM) -- 7 games, 5.6 apg

Steals per game: Brian Voelkel (UVM) -- 7 games, 1.9 spg

Blocks per game: Jameel Warney (SBU) -- 6 games, 2.0 bpg

Conference Confidence -- Women

The leaders in five conference-only stat categories

Points per game: Chantell Alford (BU) -- 7 games, 15.9 ppg

Rebounds per game: Cari Reed (UNH) -- 6 games, 9.3 rpg

Assists per game: Tierra Shumpert (UVM) -- 6 games, 4.5 apg

Steals per game: Ebone Henry (Alb) -- 6 games, 4.3 spg

Blocks per game: Kim Browning (UMBC) -- 6 games, 1.7 bpg

Linked Up

Check out this preview of the men's Albany vs. Vermont rematch this Saturday on ESPN3 which will support Coaches vs. Cancer.

UMBC posted the latest edition of the Coach's Corner with men's basketball coach Aki Thomas.

New Hampshire women's lacrosse coach Sarah Albrecht will play for the U.S. National Team this weekend as they take on Northwestern. Check it out on ESPN3!

The Press and Sun has news of some projects and renovations slated for the Binghamton campus.

Believe it or not, the championships for swimming and diving and indoor track and field are less than a month away. Get ready by taking a visit to the Championship Central pages for each.

The Daily Word: Conference Roundup

Box Scores, Recaps and Highlights

Men's Basketball

Boston U. 85, at Albany 80: Box/Recap

Maurice Watson Jr.

• Top Performer
• D.J. Irving (BU): 20 points (7-16 FG; 5-11 3FG; 1-2 FT), 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
• Big Stat
• Irving's late-game heroics (two three's in the final nine seconds to tie the game) got them there, but once the Terriers reached overtime they showed no mercy. Boston U. put the game away by making all six of its overtime field goals, including three treys, and seven of its eight free throws. 
• Supporting Cast
• Featured in Tuesday's "Under The Radar" post, Maurice Watson Jr. poured in a game-high 21 points to go with seven assists. For Albany, Mike Black led with 20 points and Sam Rowley had another excellent game in his new starting role. The big man had 14 points (6-8 FG) and 8 rebounds.
• Local Media 
• Albany Times Union
• Troy Record

Stony Brook 67, at UMBC 60: Box/Recap

• Top Performer
• Dave Coley (SBU): 17 points (6-11 FG; 2-4 3FG; 3-4 FT), 8 rebounds, 2 assists
• Big Stat
• The Seawolves set the tone early in the game, starting on 16-4 run to open play, and never trailed throughout. Stony Brook continues to be tough on the road and this victory was its eighth true road win of the year, which is tied for the most in the nation.
• Supporting Cast
• Tommy Brenton had 12 points, seven boards and four helpers for Stony Brook and Carson Puriefoy also reached double-figures with 10 points. For UMBC, Ryan Cook led the way with 14 points while Chase Plummer, Brett Roseboro and Quentin Jones all tallied 11 points.
• Local Media
• Newsday
• Baltimore Sun

Women's Basketball

Albany 57, at Boston U. 50: Box/Recap/Highlights

• Top Performer
• Ebone Henry (Alb): 15 points (7-11 FG; 1-2 3FG; 0-2 FT), 8 steals, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
• Big Stat
• Albany was able to hold Chantell Alford in check in the victory, despite her 17 points. Alford shoots 42.3 percent on the year but was limited to a six of 23 shooting performance in this one. Henry's eight steals led the defensive efforts for Albany.
• Supporting Cast
•  Lindsey Lowrie also had a nice game for the Great Danes, chipping in 16 points and making seven of her eight free throws. For Boston U., Danielle Callahan added 11 points on the strength of three treys.
• Local Media
• YNN (Albany)

at Hartford 63, New Hampshire 56: Box/Recap/Highlights

Amber Bepko

• Top Performer
• Nikkia Smith (Hart): 21 points (9-14 FG; 3-4 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 block, 1 assist, 1 steal
• Big Stat
• Hartford had a big edge in bench production, including 17 (3-4 3FG) from Amber Bepko. Overall, the Hawks got 25 points from their bench compared to the six that New Hampshire got. That made the difference in a close game.
• Supporting Cast
• Kaylee Kilpatrick had an excellent game for the Wildcats, netting 19 points on 9-12 shooting from the field. Morgan Frame also had 14 points and eight boards.
• Local Media
• Hartford Courant
• Foster's Daily Democrat

at UMBC 70, Stony Brook 59: Box/Recap/Highlights

• Top Performer
• Brittany Crowell (UMBC): 25 points (9-15 FG; 3-7 3FG; 4-4 FT), 8 rebounds, 1 assist
• Big Stat
• UMBC's "big three" of Crowell, Raven Harris and Bria White combined for 54 points, nearly matching Stony Brook's point total. The Retrievers also finished strong in this one, shooting 57.1 percent in the second half.
• Supporting Cast
• The aforementioned Harris filled up the stat sheet, combining her 17 points with seven assists, five rebounds and four steals. For the Seawolves, Chikilra Goodman chipped in 15 points and six boards. Sabre Proctor also nearly reached a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.

at Vermont 61, Maine 53: Box/Recap/Highlights

• Top Performer
• Liz Wood (Maine): 22 points (8-16 FG; 3-6 3FG; 3-5 FT), 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 assist, 1 block
• Big Stat
• Vermont had great success taking the ball into the post last night, scoring 32 of its 61 total points in the paint. The Catamounts also double up Maine in fastbreak points 12-6 en route to a win.
• Supporting Cast
• Annie Wheeler gave Vermont a big boost off the bench, recording 14 points in only 19 minutes. Niki Taylor also chipped in 13 points and five rebounds for the Catamounts. For Maine, Ashleigh Roberts turned in 11 points and seven boards as a reserve.
• Local Media
• Burlington Free Press
• Bangor Daily News

Linked Up

Go behind the scenes with the Vermont women's basketball team and their recent trip to Boston U.

As a part of the Play4Kay fundraising efforts, the Maine women's basketball team is offering a spot on the bench as an honorary coach for the highest donation.

The New Hampshire Society of Women Engineers ran an outreach program with local middle schoolers.

Check out the Stony Brook baseball "In It To Win It" video.

Make sure to tune in to ESPN3 tonight for a men's basketball tangle between New Hampshire and Hartford!

Under The Radar: Women's Basketball

Yesterday we started of the Under The Radar series by taking a look at three men's basketball players that have quietly been having very nice seasons. Today, we'll switch over to women's basketball to get our list started with Albany, Binghamton and Boston U. Keep in mind that we're looking for players that were not on preseason all-conference squads. Enjoy!

Megan Craig

Albany Great Danes

Albany has a few players that could be mentioned here. Of course it all starts with their pre-season all-conference selections, Ebone Henry and Julie Forster. But Lindsey Lowrie, who shot a solid 36 percent from long-range last year, has evolved into one of the top three-point threats in the nation. Freshman Shereesha Richards has burst onto the scenes to become a big threat inside. However, Megan Craig has quietly become one of the most efficient players in the league.

Craig plays just 19.1 minutes per game, yet she averages 11.6 points per game (4th in AE) and 5.1 rebounds per game (T-17 in AE). In particular, her offensive efficiency is tough to match. Of the 13 players in the America East currently averaging 10 points per game or more, Craig is the only one to play fewer than 20 minutes per game. She is the only player in the top seven that doesn't play at least 30 minutes per game. Her short spurts of dominance have been a huge boost for Albany this year.

Binghamton Bearcats

Having lost three players that averaged double figures in scoring from a year ago, Binghamton knew it would face a challenge in replacing that scoring. Jasbriell Swain averaged 2.5 points per game in 2011-12, but here in 2012-13, the junior is top 10 in the conference with 10.7 points per game. Swain has also found a multitude of ways to help out when she's not scoring. She averages 1.2 blocks per game (3rd in AE) and 3.5 assists per game (4th in AE). This combo is a testament to her athleticism.

Swain has been the Bearcats leading scorer in four of their six conference games, including a career-high 25 against Vermont and 11 in a big win over Hartford. As she continues to come into her own as a scorer, opposing defenses will have their hands full.

Rashidat Agboola

Boston University Terriers

The Terriers have been winning games all year long thanks in large part to their senior duo of Chantell Alford and Mo Moran. A battle-tested pair, Alford leads the league in scoring while Moran leads in assists. As it turns out, Boston U. also boasts the America East's leading rebounder as well.

Rashidat Agboola has been part of a trio that has Boston U. off to a 16-3 start including 6-0 to date in conference play. The 6'1" Massachusetts native has been a force on the boards, hauling in 9.1 per game, including 3.1 per game on the offensive glass (2nd in AE). Agboola, however, is not simply a rebounder and if you take a look at the conference leader boards, you'll see her name all over the place: 1.6 blocks per game (2nd), 35.6 minutes per game (2nd), 11.4 points per game (6th), 45.6 percent FG (8th). It's hard to believe she still has another year to get better.

Box Scores, Recaps and Highlights

at Maine 71, Vermont 68: Box/Recap/Highlights

• Top Performer
• Alisdair Fraser (Maine): 20 points (9-15 FG; 2-4 3FG), 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks
• Big Stat
• Justin Edwards went to work in the second half, netting 15 of his game high 22 points in the final 20 minutes. Plagued by turnovers in the first half, Edwards turned over the rock just once in the second half, a huge key for Maine. Vermont also went cold from distance in the final 20, shooting just 18.2 percent compared to 44.4 percent in the first half.
• Supporting Cast
• Clancy Rugg continues to step up big time for Vermont in the absence of the Luke Apfeld. The lanky forward had 21 points and six boards in this one. For Maine, Zarko Valjarevic had a career-high 13 points on the game but 10 of them came in the second half. Those 10 points included two big free throws to seal the win.
• Local Media
• Bangor Daily News
• Burlington Free Press

Linked Up

The Troy Record has a pair of Albany men's basketball stories today, one on Jacob Iati and the other on Peter Hooley.

The Bearcats Basketball Blog has news of men's basketball commitment.

New Hampshire track and field athletes participated in the Pease Greeters Program.

Stony Brook announced a multi-year agreement with PMI College and Madison Sports Partnerships this morning.

When you watch the HarBowl in about a week and a half, make sure to look for former New Hampshire football star and current Baltimore Ravens cornerback, Corey Graham.

Under The Radar: Men's Basketball

Earlier this year we took a look at the preseason all-conference squads for both the men and the women. At that point it was still early, but we knew that those names would be ones to watch throughout the year. Now that we've nearly reached the midpoint of the conference season, let's take a look at which players on each team have been under the radar this season. We'll start with the men and do three schools each day, in alphabetical order. If there's someone you think we missed, reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments!

Sam Rowley

Albany Great Danes

Coming into the year, Mike Black was a name that many fans heard when it came to Albany -- and rightfully so. Black has had a superb year for the Great Danes and is one of the top players in the conference. Fifth-year guard Jacob Iati may not have been as well known, but he made a name early on for himself and remains one of the top three-point threats in the country. But Albany's pleasant surprise is a player who hadn't started a game this year until January 7 at Binghamton.

Sam Rowley, who hails from Sydney, Australia, made quite the first impression that night against the Bearcats. The 6'6" 230 pound forward racked up 21 points and 13 boards that night and earned himself another start. Then Rowley had another double-double, followed by a third double-double. Now you look up, and Rowley has posted the following numbers over his last four games: 14.5 points per game and 11 boards per game on 57.9 percent shooting from the floor. America East fans are going to know his name very quickly.

Binghamton Bearcats

Jimmy Gray has been the heart of this year's Binghamton squad and it's only appropriate that he nailed a three-pointer to seal his team's first conference win over Maine. While freshman teammate Jordan Reed has been racking up double-doubles, Gray has quietly been playing the 35.9 minutes per game (second in the conference) all at the demanding point guard position.

In our guest post on the Binghamton men's squad, head coach Tommy Dempsey was quoted as saying: "As I've gotten to know my team better, I think it's very important that we have the ball in Jimmy's hands". That is exactly what the Bearcats have done and Gray has rewarded his coach's faith with 11.2 points per game including over two three-pointers each time out.

Boston University Terriers

Much like Mike Black, D.J. Irving has played like an All-Conference performer. He has had to lead this Terrier squad that lost some key pieces from a year ago. Another guy that has stepped up is freshman Maurice Watson Jr. The speedy point guard has handled much of the ball handling duties as the year has gone on and has rewarded that faith by posting the fourth-best assist to turnover ratio in the America East.

Watson trails only Tommy Brenton with his 4.6 assists per game and has also been a nuisance to opposing offenses by turning in 1.6 steals per contest. If you've seen him play in person, you notice his speed and quickness with the ball right off the bat. Coach Joe Jones has got something to build around in Watson.

Linked Up

Michael Bustamante, Leonardo Fernandes and Jake Keegan were all selected in the MLS Supplemental Draft earlier today. A huge congratulations to all three players!

The Binghamton women's basketball team is taking part in the "Lacing Up 4 Pediatric Cancer" campaign.

We've got Vermont and Maine men's basketball on ESPN3 tonight, but make sure you tune in at noon tomorrow to watch the UMBC women host Stony Brook!

AEC Rewind: 1/21/2013

Another weekend of conference play down and whether you are ready or not, February is knocking on our door. That means America East play is closing in on the halfway point. Each game ups the ante as our nine schools battle it out for their #Chance2Dance. Let's get our rewind on.

Box Scores, Recaps and Highlights

Men's Basketball

Albany 56, at Hartford 46: Box/Recap/Highlights

• Top Performer
• Peter Hooley (Alb): 18 points (7-14 FG; 3-4 3FG; 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, 3 assists
• Big Stat
• After shooting 46.7 percent in the first half (including 4-10 3FG), Hartford was held to just four made field goals in the second half. Albany was able to take away the open looks, particularly from downtown and that made the difference.
• Supporting Cast
• Sam Rowley had another big game, as it seems the big man has really arrived as an inside threat for Albany. In 27 minutes, Rowley had 17 points and 8 boards. For the Hawks, Yolonzo Moore II had a big game that included 18 points, 7 boards, 4 steals and 2 helpers.
• Local Media
• Albany Times Union

Jimmy Gray

Binghamton 57, at Maine 56: Box/Recap/Highlights

• Top Performer
• Jordan Reed (Bing): 20 points (10-21 FG; 0-2 FT), 10 rebounds, 2 steals
• Big Stat
• Reed played some really big basketball down the stretch for the Bearcats, netting 16 of his 20 points in the final 20 minutes. His efforts helped Binghamton score 11 points off turnovers and 18 points in the paint in the second half.
• Supporting Cast
• Reed may have had the best game, but Jimmy Gray was the hero for Binghamton. The senior knocked in the game-winning three-pointer with 2.0 seconds remaining in regulation. Gray finished with 14 points including four threes. Justin Edwards led Maine with 12 points and 6 boards.
• Local Media
• Press and Sun
• Bangor Daily News

Boston U. 69, at New Hampshire 59: Box/Recap

• Top Performer
• Dom Morris (BU): 18 points (6-8 FG; 6-9 FT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist
• Big Stat
• New Hampshire came into the game ranked No. 2 nationally in three-point defense, holding its opposition to 24.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Boston U. was able to crack that defense, nailing eight treys on the day while shooting 50 percent from distance.
• Supporting Cast
• Maurice Watson Jr. chipped in 13 points, including 11 in the second half to go with four assists and just one turnover. For the Wildcats, Chandler Rhoads led in the scoring column with 16 points to go with three assists.
• Local Media
• Seacoast Online

at Vermont 81, Stony Brook 73: Box/Recap/Highlights

• Top Performer
• Clancy Rugg (UVM): 19 points (4-8 FG; 0-1 FT; 11-16 FT), 15 rebounds, 1 block
• Big Stat
• Vermont had two big runs in the second half of this game, including a 9-0 run early and a 12-0 run with 10 minutes to go. Aided by a 61.9 percent shooting performance -- and 17 points from Candon Rusin -- the Catatmounts did what they needed to down the stretch.
• Supporting Cast
• Hardly just a supporter, Rusin had a game-high (and career-high) 25 points in this one. In the final two minutes of the game, Rusin made a pair of plays that helped seal the deal for Vermont. Stony Brook freshman Jameel Warney was again outstanding, recording a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) while shooting a cool 66 percent from the floor.
• Local Media
• Burlington Free Press
• Newsday

Women's Basketball

at Albany 55, Hartford 48: Box/Recap

• Top Performer
• Megan Craig (Alb): 13 points (5-9 FG; 3-5 FT), 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 steal
• Big Stat
• In what was a defensive battle the entire game, Albany took control in overtime by outscoring the Hawks 8-1 and never letting them find an offensive rhythm. Hartford's only score in the overtime period was a free throw with just 21 seconds left.
• Supporting Cast
• Taylor Clark was great for Hartford on the day, netting 16 points (8-11 FG) while grabbing five boards and not turning the ball over once. The Great Danes, meanwhile, got a well-rounded effort from Ebone Henry. The senior only put up six points, but had 12 rebounds and six steals on the day.
• Local Media
• The Troy Record

Liz Wood.

Binghamton 67, at Maine 65: Box/Recap

• Top Performer
• Liz Wood (Maine): 20 points (6-9 FG; 2-2 3FG; 6-7 FT), 9 rebounds, 6 assists
• Big Stat
• Binghamton's bench made a huge difference in this game, scoring 25 points in comparison to just three from Maine's bench. Those 25 points came from Sherae Swinson (13 points) and Kim Albrecht (12 points).
• Supporting Cast
• Stephanie Jensen had herself a game, including what would prove to be the game-winning three-pointer with 1:16 remaining. Jensen had 15 points on the day including 12 in the second half. Maine also got a nice game from Lauren Bodine, who had 15 points and three steals.
• Local Media
• Press and Sun
• Bangor Daily News

Boston U. 55, at New Hampshire 53: Box/Recap

• Top Performer
• Cari Reed (UNH): 22 points (8-15 FG; 6-10 3FG), 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
• Big Stat
• A back and forth game throughout, Boston U. used a 14-2 to go up 54-38 with 3:21 to play. New Hampshire saddled the Terriers with their first halftime deficit in conference play and nearly came back one more time, but that big run late in the half was too much.
• Supporting Cast
• Morgan Frame also had a big game for the Wildcats, netting 16 points (7-13 FG) while hauling in six boards. For the Terriers, Chantell Alford led the way with 13 points while setting a new Boston U. record with 220 career three-pointers.
• Local Media
• Boston.com

at Stony Brook 68, Vermont 53: Box/Recap/Highlights

• Top Performer
• Sabre Proctor (SBU): 16 points (7-11 FG; 2-2 FT), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
• Big Stat
• Stony Brook got four players into double-figures for the game, including Proctor's big effort off of the bench. This balanced scoring attack proved to be the big difference against Vermont, which had only one starter reach double-figures.
• Supporting Cast
• Brittany Snow also dumped in 16 points for Stony Brook, a career-high for her. Jessica Previlion also had a nice game, notching a double-double (10 points, 10 boards) for the Seawolves. Vermont was led by Kayla Burchill, who had 12 points and six boards in 14 minutes.
• Local Media
• Newsday
• Burlington Free Press

Linked Up

The Maine Campus praises Mike Allison as a "defensive fixture" on the men's basketball team.

Allison and the rest of the Black Bears will be in action tomorrow night in Orono against Vermont on ESPN3.

CollegeInsider.com has a great video feature up on New Hampshire head coach Bill Herrion and his brother Tom Herrion, who is the head coach at Marshall.

In case you missed it this weekend, check out the first episode of America East On Campus on demand!

Did you know that Dr. Martin Luther King earned his Ph. D. in theology 55 years ago at Boston University? Check out some of what Boston U. is doing to celebrate his life and legacy.