America East

America East Basketball News & Notes: Showdown in Vermont

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There are three weeks left in the America East Conference season. The league has its first 20-win overall team as the UMass Lowell River Hawks reached this total on Monday night when they defeated the Hartford Hawks 70-48. For the River Hawks, this is the first time they have won 20 games since the 2010-11 season. They were a division II team at that time. Another interesting trend that is developing in the league is how hard it is to win on the road. Heading into Wednesday’s slate of games, road teams have a 13-31 record away from home.

The game of the week will take place on Saturday night at Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington, VT. as the River Hawks (20-6, 7-4) will take on the Vermont Catamounts (13-10, 7-2). This is the second meeting of the year. The first took place back on January 11 at Costello Athletic Center in Lowell. The River Hawks took care of business that night winning 80-65. It must be pointed out that the Catamounts were without two key players for that game. Finn Sullivan and TJ Hurley missed that game due to injuries. However, they will be in uniform for this one and could be difference-makers on Saturday night. Three-point shooting was key in that game as the River Hawks shot 59% from three-point land (13-for-22), and the Catamounts were 25% (4-of-16). This is where Sullivan and Hurley could be the difference. The River Hawks starting five was good that night scoring 67 points, with four in double figures. Vermont, on the other hand, scored 47 points with two in double figures. It should be a great one on Saturday night. Better get there early.

The River Hawks have a couple of more things going for themselves heading into the big game on Saturday night. First, they are 13-0 when they knock down at least seven three-pointers in a game. Monday night in Hartford, the River Hawks hit eight from deep. When they have a lead at the half UMass Lowell is 17-3. Two things to keep in mind when watching Saturday night’s game.

The Bryant Bulldogs (15-8, 6-4) are playing well of late. They won both games played beating both Maine and New Hampshire at home. The Bulldogs have been a good offensive team all season. Now they are starting to play on the defensive end as well. They held the Black Bears and the Wildcats to a combined average of 49.3 points. On Wednesday night, Bryant will take on UAlbany (6-19, 1-9) on the road. The game will match two of the worst defenses in the league. Bryant is ranked eighth giving up 73.4 points per game. The Great Danes are last in the defense allowing 74.8 points a contest. UAlbany will be trying to snap a 7-game losing streak on Wednesday night.

If the playoffs were to start today, NJIT would be the final team in. The Highlanders (6-16, 3-6) hold a three-game lead in the loss column on UAlbany for the final spot. Of late, the Highlanders are trying to navigate without their best player. Miles Coleman has missed the last four games with a knee injury that was suffered vs Bryant back on January 19. In that span, the Highlanders have gone 1-4 which includes the game at Bryant. Coleman is averaging 14.5 points a game. NJIT will try to increase its lead on the Great Danes when they head to UMBC on Wednesday night.

The AE Player of the Week is Earl Timberlake of Bryant College. In the Bulldogs’ two wins last week, Timberlake averaged a double-double of 15.5 points and 12 rebounds. In the win over the Black Bears, Timberlake went for 18 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. Against the Wildcats, He had a 13-point, 10-rebound game. In the two games combined, Timberlake shot a combined 68% from the field (13-of-19) and averaged 3.3 assists. This is Timberlake’s first weekly award.

The AE Rookie of the Week is Dion Brown of UMBC. He averaged 10.5 points and four boards while shooting 62% from the field (8-of-13). In Saturday’s game vs the Maine Black Bears, Brown scored 19 points and pulled down six rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. He was the only player to finish the game in double-figures as UMBC shot only 38% from the field (19-of-50) with Brown making seven of those shots himself.

That’s all for this week in America East. Next week we will be back with more from the America East Conference.

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