Maine 65, Stony Brook 64 ... got to pick the Black Bears here. Hopefully the club can put together 40 minutes of basketball and we'll get to see them on Saturday. The return of Junior Bernal should help. Maine is 1-2 all-time in play-in games. Let's make it .500.
UMBC 75, Maine 61 ... As much as we'll be pulling for the upset of the tourney, it just doesn't look realistic. The Retrievers have been real consistent for the better part of two months, they've got a number of offensive weapons and the Black Bears have been fading. But you never know ... if somebody gets hot, the Black Bears keep the turnovers under 15 and dig in and play some defense?
Binghamton 53, Vermont 52 ... Don't let Vermont's scoring outburst in the season finale against the Black Bears fool you, this game could be played in the 40s if the shooting is off. Neither team will back down, so it'll come down to toughness and we'll give the edge to the Bearcats on their home court.
Hartford 75, UNH 72 ... This figures to be maybe the most entertaining game of the quarterfinal bracket. Both teams are capbable of knocking down 3s in bunches. The Wildcats are the trendy pick in this one, and it does appear this is the best matchup they could hope for coming out of the seven slot. But don't underestimate the Hawks. Leibovitz has them playing together.
Albany 68, Boston U. 67 ... BU's got Corey Lowe and John Holland, two of the better players in AE the past month, but Albany is comfortable at the Events Center.
Semifinals
UMBC 78, Binghamton 69 ... The Zoo Crew is in full roar, but UMBC just has too many weapons.
Albany 65, Hartford 64 ... Great Danes lean on Brian Lillis, Brent Wilson, Jon Iati and they come through, again.
Championship
UMBC 84, Albany 67 ... Two years ago, Retrievers were in the AE play-in round. Now they're headed for a little bigger stage, the NCAA Tournament.
Players to watch
Stony Brook: Ricky Lucas
Maine: Mark Socoby
UMBC: Jay Greene, Ray Barbosa, Brian Hodges, Daryl Proctor
Binghamton: Mike Gordon, Lazar Trifunovic, Dwayne Jackson
Vermont: Marqus Blakely, Mike Trimboli
Hartford: Morgan Sabia, Joe Zeglinski
New Hampshire: Tyrece Gibbs, Mike Christensen
Albany: Brian Lillis, Jon Iati
Boston U.: Corey Lowe, John Holland
Super frosh
Tyrone Conley, Dane Diliegro, Alvin Abreu, New Hampshire; Morgan Sabia, Hartford; John Holland, Boston U.; Sean McNally, Maine
Welcome to Black Bears Pit. We follow UMaine hoops and have a two-part dream: That one day the Black Bears will play in the NCAA Tournament and have a first-class, on-campus facility of their own ... a home for Black Bears basketball. Plans to renovate Memorial Gym (aka, The Pit) were announced several years ago.
Black Bears Pit
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AE Honor Roll
Player of the Year:
Gerardo Suero, Albany
Rookie of the Year
Mark Nwakamma, Hartford
Coach of the Year
Steve Pikiell, Stony Brook
First Team
1.) G - Gerardo Suero, Albany
2.) F - Tommy Brenton, Stony Brook
3.) F - Matt Glass, Vermont
4.) G - Bryan Dougher, Stony Brook
5.) G - Daryl Partin, Boston U.
Second Team
6.) C - Dallis Joyner, Stony Brook
7.) G - Sandro Carissimo, Vermont
8.) C - Alasdair Fraser, Maine
9.) G - Andres Torres, Hartford
10.) G - D.J. Irving, Boston U.
Third Team
G - Alvin Abreu, New Hampshire
F - Brian Voelkel, Vermont
F - Mark Nwakamma, Hartford
G - Mike Black, Albany
G - Dave Coley, Stony Brook
All Rookie
Mark Nwakamma, Hartford
Four McGlynn, Vermont
Justin Edwards, Maine
Nate Sikma, Hartford
Ben Dickinson, Binghamton
Gerardo Suero, Albany
Rookie of the Year
Mark Nwakamma, Hartford
Coach of the Year
Steve Pikiell, Stony Brook
First Team
1.) G - Gerardo Suero, Albany
2.) F - Tommy Brenton, Stony Brook
3.) F - Matt Glass, Vermont
4.) G - Bryan Dougher, Stony Brook
5.) G - Daryl Partin, Boston U.
Second Team
6.) C - Dallis Joyner, Stony Brook
7.) G - Sandro Carissimo, Vermont
8.) C - Alasdair Fraser, Maine
9.) G - Andres Torres, Hartford
10.) G - D.J. Irving, Boston U.
Third Team
G - Alvin Abreu, New Hampshire
F - Brian Voelkel, Vermont
F - Mark Nwakamma, Hartford
G - Mike Black, Albany
G - Dave Coley, Stony Brook
All Rookie
Mark Nwakamma, Hartford
Four McGlynn, Vermont
Justin Edwards, Maine
Nate Sikma, Hartford
Ben Dickinson, Binghamton
2012 America East Tournament
Chase Arena
University of Hartford
March 1
First Round
Binghamton 73, UMBC 67 OT
March 3
Quarterfinals
1.) Stony Brook 78, Binghamton 69
4.) Albany 63, New Hampshire 45
2.) Vermont 50, BLACK BEARS 40
3.) Hartford 53, Boston U. 49
March 4
Stony Brook 57, Albany 55
Vermont 77, Hartford 73 (2OT)
March 10
Championship
Vermont 51, Stony Brook 43
University of Hartford
March 1
First Round
Binghamton 73, UMBC 67 OT
March 3
Quarterfinals
1.) Stony Brook 78, Binghamton 69
4.) Albany 63, New Hampshire 45
2.) Vermont 50, BLACK BEARS 40
3.) Hartford 53, Boston U. 49
March 4
Stony Brook 57, Albany 55
Vermont 77, Hartford 73 (2OT)
March 10
Championship
Vermont 51, Stony Brook 43
America East Standings
- Stony Brook 14-2, 22-10
- Vermont 13-3, 24-12
- Boston U. 12-4, 16-16
- Albany 9-7, 19-15
- New Hampshire 7-9, 13-16
- Hartford 7-9, 9-22
- BLACK BEARS 6-10, 12-17
- Maryland-Balt. County 3-13, 4-26
- Binghamton 1-15, 2-29
AE in the RPI (Feb. 20)
- 134. Vermont
- 159. Stony Brook
- 189. Boston U.
- 213. Albany
- 289. New Hampshire
- 292. BLACK BEARS
- 312. Hartford
- 338. Maryland-Baltimore County
- 344. Binghamton
- America East: 31
Season Leaders
Scoring
Justin Edwards, 13.9
Alasdair Fraser, 12.9
Raheem Singleton, 7.9
Mike Allison, 7.1
Killian Cato, 4.1
Xavier Pollard, 3.6
Andrew Rogers, 3.6
Rebounding
Fraser, 7.8
Allison, 6.9
Edwards, 5.6
Singleton, 3.3
Assists
Singleton, 3.4
Rogers, 3.3
Edwards, 3.3
FG Percentage
Fraser, .543
Allison, .521
Pollard, .513
Edwards, .425
Cato, .377
Singleton, .371
Rogers, .345
3-PT Percentage
Cato, .347
Singleton, .291
Edwards, .262
Rogers, .258
Justin Edwards, 13.9
Alasdair Fraser, 12.9
Raheem Singleton, 7.9
Mike Allison, 7.1
Killian Cato, 4.1
Xavier Pollard, 3.6
Andrew Rogers, 3.6
Rebounding
Fraser, 7.8
Allison, 6.9
Edwards, 5.6
Singleton, 3.3
Assists
Singleton, 3.4
Rogers, 3.3
Edwards, 3.3
FG Percentage
Fraser, .543
Allison, .521
Pollard, .513
Edwards, .425
Cato, .377
Singleton, .371
Rogers, .345
3-PT Percentage
Cato, .347
Singleton, .291
Edwards, .262
Rogers, .258
Non-conference results
About Me
- Dan King
- Fan of UMaine hoops since the late-'80s. Francois Bouchard would be the No. 1 draft choice on my personal all-time Black Bears team. Have attended every America East Tournament since 2000 with my brother-in-law, Steve. We are interested in all things Black Bears basketball and America East. * This blog is not affiliated with the University of Maine.
Steve's Preseason AE Picks
- 1. Stony Brook
- 2. Boston U.
- 3. Albany
- 4. Black Bears
- 5. Vermont
- 6. New Hampshire
- 7. Hartford
- 8. Maryland-Balt. County
- 9. Binghamton
Dan's Preseason AE Picks
- 1. Boston U.
- 2. Stony Brook
- 3. Albany
- 4. Vermont
- 5. New Hampshire
- 6. Black Bears
- 7. Hartford
- 8. Maryland-Balt. County
- 9. Binghamton
America East Coaches Poll
- 1. Boston University
- 2. Stony Brook
- 3. BLACK BEARS
- 4. New Hampshire
- 5. Vermont
- 6. Hartford
- 7. Binghamton
- 8. Albany
- 9. Maryland-Balt. County
Terrance Mitchell
Pit Stop
Some day, UMaine basketball will have a home of its own. And it may look something like this. At least that's the plan.
PICKS TO CLICK
Contact
blackbearspit@gmail.com
Eric Dobson
Among my all-time favorites
1 comment:
I look for the tournament to be wild & wooly this year. One thing's for sure. ... if UMBC doesn't win it, America East's NCAA rep likely will be playing in the play-in ("Opening Round") game.
Stony over Maine (end of an era in Orono?)
UMBC over Stony
Binghamton over Vermont
Hartford over UNH
BU over Albany
Binghamton over UMBC
BU over Hartford
BU over Binghamton
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