March 1, 2009

Final Stats

Durham, N.H. - Tyrece Gibbs hit the game-winning three-pointer with 34 seconds left in overtime to lead the New Hampshire Wildcats to a 58-57 victory over the Stony Brook University men's basketball team on Sunday afternoon at Lundhold Gymnasium in the regular season finale for both teams. Despite the loss, the Seawolves still finished the regular season in a tie for fourth-place with UNH in the America East standings, their best finish ever. Stony Brook will take on these same Wildcats in the 2009 America East Tournament quarterfinals next Saturday, March 7 in Albany, N.Y. Game time is set for 8:30 p.m.

"What a terrific basketball game against a very good New Hampshire team," Stony Brook head coach Steve Pikiell said. "I'm really proud of the toughness our guys showed today, UNH just made the plays they had to make in crunch time."

The Seawolves (16-13, 8-8 America East) finish the regular season with a program record eight America East wins and are guaranteed of just their second winning season since 1992-93. SBU also won its most games over Division I opponents, 15, since joining Division I in 1999-00.

Junior Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing, Mich.) scored a team-high 18 points for the Seawolves, while senior Demetrius Young (Sacramento, Calif.) added 15 points and five rebounds. Gibbs scored a game-high 21 points for the Wildcats as he knocked down six of his 14 three-point attempts.

The Seawolves held a 47-43 lead following fast-break hoop from senior Marques Cox (Jamaica, N.Y.) with five and a half minutes left in regulation but Gibbs then nailed a long three to bring UNH back within one. But Young had an answer on the other end, knocking down a long jumper to give SBU a 49-46 lead with 4:26 to go in the game. A free throw from freshman Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) would push the lead to four before another Gibbs three brought UNH to within one with 1:24 left.

SBU then turned it over on its ensuing possession to give UNH a chance to take the lead with under a minute left. Gibbs missed a short jumper from the left baseline but Dane DiLiegro got the rebound and looked to be going in for the go-ahead score but freshman Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) made a spectacular block to preserve the lead.

Dougher picked up the ensuing rebound and was fouled with 35.5 second left. He hit both of his free throws to put SBU up 52-49 but Gibbs then drilled a three from the top of the key with four seconds left to send the game into overtime.

Following a free throw from freshman Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.) a minute into the overtime, Tyrone Conley nailed a three to put UNH up by two with 3:29 remaining in overtime. But Young answered with a put-back hoop to tie the game at 55 with 2:20 left. Brenton hit two free throws to put SBU on top 57-55 with 43.7 seconds left but Gibbs then drilled a three with 33.6 seconds left to put UNH on top by one.

El-Amin missed on a jumper on the Seawolves ensuing possession and Gibbs then grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 13 seconds left. He missed the front end of the one-and-one but the Seawolves were unable to get a shot off before the buzzer as the Wildcats defeated SBU for the second time this season.

Both teams struggled to score early, with New Hampshire holding a slim 5-4 lead just under eight minutes into the game. Young put the Seawolves in front with an inside hoop and junior Andrew Goba (Durban, South Africa) then followed with a short jump hook to put SBU up 8-5 midway through the half.

The Seawolves would eventually push their lead to four on a three-point play from El-Amin before UNH ran off five straight points to take a 12-11 advantage with 7:42 remaining in the first half. Brenton answered with a three from the right wing though to start a 9-2 run that put SBU up 20-14 with 5:01 to go until halftime.

UNH would close within one on a Conley hoop with two minutes remaining in the first half but Young scored with 40 seconds left to send SBU into the break with a 24-21 lead. El-Amin scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in the first half for the Seawolves, who held the Wildcats to 33.3 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes.

Stony Brook built its lead to five on a Young free throw just over six minutes into the second half but the Wildcats would climb back within one, 37-36, on a Gibbs jumper midway through the second half. UNH would take the lead a possession later on an Eric Gilchrese three from the right wing. UNH would eventually build its lead to four but Young scored two straight baskets to tie the game at 41 with 7:34 left in the game.

2009 America East Men's Basketball Championship
at University at Albany's SEFCU Arena (Albany, N.Y.)

Friday, March 6
Session I - First Round Game
Game 1 - No. 8 Maine vs. No. 9 Hartford 7:05 p.m. AmericaEast.com

Saturday, March 7
Session II - Quarterfinal Games
Game 2 - No. 2 Vermont vs. No. 7 Albany 12:07 p.m. Time Warner Cable
Game 3 - No. 3 Boston U. vs. No. 6 UMBC 2:30 p.m.* Time Warner Cable
*time approximate, game will begin 30 minutes following conclusion of prior game

Session III - Quarterfinal Games
Game 4 - No. 1 Binghamton vs. Winner Game 1 6:07 p.m. Time Warner Cable
Game 5 - No. 4 New Hampshire vs. No. 5 Stony Brook 8:30 p.m.* Time Warner Cable
*time approximate, game will begin 30 minutes following conclusion of prior game

Sunday, March 8
Session IV - Semifinal Games
Game 6 - Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3 2:04 p.m. Comcast SportsNet (td)/TW Cable
Game 7 - Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 5:04 p.m. Comcast SportsNet/TW Cable

Saturday, March 14, at home court of higher seeded team
Session V - Championship Game
Game 8 - Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 11:02 a.m. ESPN2

Stony Brook Seawolves Men's Basketball

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