Men’s Basketball Wraps Up Three-Game Road Trip at Maine
COVERAGE: America East.tv
Twitter: @UAlbany_MBB
ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men’s basketball (8-9, 2-2 AE) makes the long trip to Orono this weekend to face Maine (3-13, 1-3 AE) at Memorial Gym on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Great Danes suffered their second straight league loss on Wednesday night, 70-66 in overtime. Sam Rowley, Gary Johnson and DJ Evans had 13 points apiece in the loss. Evans also had six assists.
UAlbany recorded its second-worst turnover margin against the River Hawks, committing 15 turnovers to UML’s eight. The Purple & Gold downed Rider 70-59 earlier this season despite committing 11 more turnovers (21-10) than the Broncs.
PRODUCTIVE PUK
Senior center John Puk recorded his 51st start in 52 games against UMass Lowell on Wednesday. Puk has also recorded at least one block in each of the last three games, including a career-high five against UMBC on Jan. 8. The senior has 91 career blocks to rank first in Division I program history.
FIVE FOR FIGHTING
The Great Danes rank fifth in the nation in free throw percentage (.771), and top the America East for the ninth-straight week. Sophomore guard Peter Hooley ranks 28th (.882, 82-93) overall, 21st among players who have attempted 50 or more free throws and 10th among those who have attempted 75 or more.
DANES AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!
Sophomore guard Peter Hooley and Junior Forward Sam Rowley each recorded their second career starts against Maine on Jan. 12, 2013. Rowley recorded his first back-to-back career double-doubles in that game with 10 points and 13 rebounds, along with 21 points and 13 boards at Binghamton on Jan. 7.
Rowley recorded his third career double-double in the game at Orono in 2012-13 with 19 points and 15 rebounds. The 15 rebounds is still a career high for Rowley.
STATE FARM-WORTHY
Senior point guard DJ Evans recorded a career high in assists against UMass Lowell with six. Evans played the entire 45 minutes of the game, marking the first time in his career that he has played the full 40+ minutes.
ROOKIE RUMBLE
Sophomore guard Ede Egharevba got called up for his first career start against UMass Lowell on Jan. 15, and nearly recorded a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. Egharevba isn’t the first rookie to make waves, as freshman Dallas Ennema scored eight points, including a 2-for-3 clip from three point-land against Yale to be named AE Rookie of the Week on Dec. 23.
DEJA VU
Assistant Coach Jon Iati will continue the pattern of meeting former opponents on the sidelines against Maine. Iati and Maine assistant coach Jon sheets played against each other in the 2005-06 season. The Great Danes assistant was also reunited with former foes John Zito and Jay Greene of UMBC earlier this season.
SCOUTING MAINE
• Maine (3-13, 1-3 AE) suffered an 83-46 defeat at the hands of Vermont on Thursday night at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. No Black Bears tallied more than 10 points.
• The Black Bears are led on offense by Xavier Pollard (15.3 ppg), Dimitry Coronel (13.9 ppg) and Zarko Valjarevic (12.9 ppg). Sophomore Shawn Lawton is also averaging 4.5 assists per game.
• Maine is returning two starters from last year’s game in Orono in Pollard and Valjarevic. The pair combined for 20 points in a 66-52 Maine win at the Alfond Center. Pollard had 13 points and six rebounds in Maine’s one-point loss to UAlbany in the America East Quarterfinals last season.
• Coronel is a two-time America East Player of the Week. The sophomore earned the award for the weeks of Dec. 30 and Jan. 6.
• Maine was picked to finish last in the America East standings in the preseason poll among teams eligible for the postseason.
