America East Basketball News & Notes: A So-So Week

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If you were hoping for a breakthrough win, last week’s results did not bring one. There were the lost weekends by both UMass Lowell and UNH. It was offset by an undefeated week for UAlbany and a nice win by Bryant University. Still, it was a mixed bag, to say the least. This week 21 more games are scheduled, and we are hoping for better results. Here is how things went in America East.

In the Small Conference Top 25 Poll, the results from last week did not do much damage to the league as a hold. Three teams are ranked in the poll. UMass Lowell is at #4, ahead of Saturday’s home game with Quinnipiac who is also ranked at #14. Bryant is at #13 as they get ready to meet the University of Delaware on the road. Vermont is at #19, looking to get on track after a tough road loss to Iona on Friday night.

For the Great Danes (3-1), last week was a very good seven days. First, they went to Hanover NH. and knocked off the Big Green of Dartmouth on Wednesday night. The 87-73 win was helped out by four players ending up in double-figures. America East Player of the Week Justin Neely had 18 points and six rebounds off the bench for UAlbany. On Saturday, in the Albany Cup before a sold-out crowd at the Broadview Arena, the Great Danes took down Siena by an 80-70 score. Once again, Neely had a big game with 21 points and eight rebounds.

Neely is an interesting story. Back in 2022, he was named the America East Rookie of the Year. However, injuries over the last two seasons have really set him back. Fully healthy, he is back and helping the Great Danes off the bench. It is good to see him back on the floor and playing well for UAlbany.

Bryant’s (2-1) only game last week was on the road at Buffalo University. The 87-64 win was paced by five players, four of them starters, scoring in double-figures. Earl Timberlake came within two rebounds and two assists of a triple-double. He finished the night with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists. The wire-to-wire win also saw the Bulldogs score 34 points in the paint and 30 off the bench.

The UNH Wildcats (1-6) spent the weekend in Providence, RI playing in a tournament at Brown University. The appearances in that event did not go very well. Losses to Sacred Heart, Holy Cross, and Brown have left UNH with a 5-game losing streak heading into this week. It is the longest losing streak in the conference to date. UNH will try to turn things around against Endicott College on Wednesday.

The River Hawks (2-2) took a cross-country trip to the Pacific Northwest over the weekend. They faced a couple of big-time programs once they got there. On Friday night, they met the #3 ranked team in the country the Gonzaga Zags. The 113-54 loss was not unexpected given the talent they went up against. On Sunday night, they faced the Washington Huskies out of the Big 10. UMass Lowell gave themselves a chance to steal this one having a lead of two points at 48-46 with 11:11 left in the game. The Huskies made shots down the stretch to hold off the River Hawks and get the win. Quinton Mincy recorded his sixth career double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds in 38 minutes. Yuri Covington led all River Hawks scorers with 19 points. UMass Lowell did have 44 points in the paint but did get outrebounded by a 53-26 margin.

The Rookie of the Week is also from UAlbany. Amir Lindsey, a guard out of Farmington, Ma. averaged six points and 1.5 rebounds in 14 total minutes off the bench in last week’s two games. He had 10 points and three rebounds in the win at Dartmouth. This is his first weekly award.

Next week we will check back in on the America East Conference.