Men’s Basketball Concludes Three-Game Homestand with UMass Lowell on Wednesday Night
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ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men’s basketball (11-11, 5-4 AE) wraps up a three-game homestretch on Wednesday night against UMass Lowell (7-14, 5-4 AE) at 7:00 p.m., at SEFCU Arena. The Great Danes will celebrate Fraternity & Sorority night as well as the Summer Sessions Beach Party.
The Great Danes had their five-game home winning streak snapped on Saturday night, 55-45 by Vermont. UAlbany totaled just 12 points in the first half, the team’s lowest first-half total of the season, on 5-for-26 (.192) shooting.
Will Brown’s squad held the Catamounts to their lowest point total in league play, and second-lowest overall. Providence beat Vermont 70-49 on Nov. 18.
Peter Hooley led UAlbany with 11 points and four assists, while Gary Johnson had 10 points and six rebounds. Sam Rowley had seven rebounds.
In a rare occurrence for the Purple & Gold, Vermont made more free throws (14-18) than UAlbany attempted (7-12). The Great Danes are now 0-5 when they attempt 12 free throws in a single game. UAlbany’s lowest single-game free throw attempts total is 10, set at Pittsburgh on Dec. 31.
TWO OF A KIND
Sophomore shooting guard Peter Hooley is the only player in the league to rank in the top-10 in the America East individual standings in points per game, minutes per game, assists and free throw percentage both overall and in conference-only play.
Hooley also ranks 31st in the nation in free throw percentage (.875) overall, 11th among players with 100+ attempts and 5th among sophomores.
NO DRAMA FOR DALLAS
Freshman Dallas Ennema ranks second in league-only three-point field goal percentage, going 9-for-17 (.529). Ennema is the only freshman ranked in the top-10 in the category, and has made at least one three in his last four games.
STEADY AS JOHNSON GOES
Senior forward Gary Johnson has scored 10 points or more in his last six games, highlighted by a 28-point scoring effort at Maine on Jan. 18. Johnson ranks sixth in league-only field goal percentage (.500) and fourth overall.
SCOUTING UMASS LOWELL
• Former rivals in the NECC, The River Hawks took the 6-3 advantage all-time when the teams were both in the Division II ranks. The last time the teams met in NECC competition, was on Jan. 16, 1999, when UAlbany won 51-46. The teams met in the Division I ranks for the first time almost exactly 14 years to the day, on Jan. 15, 2014.
• The River Hawks won the first meeting in America East play, 70-66 in overtime. The game marked the first career start for Ede Egharevba, who replaced an injured Peter Hooley. The win ended a streak of 22 consecutive appearances for Hooley. Four UAlbany players were in double figures, including Sam Rowley (13), Gary Johnson (13), DJ Evans (13) and Egharevba (12) in the loss.
• The win against UAlbany marked a three-game winning streak in the league, extending UML’s America East record to 3-1 at the time. The River Hawks are now 5-4 in conference with additional wins against Maine and Binghamton.
• Akeem Williams and Antonio Bivins lead the River Hawks and the league with 15.0 and 15.4 points per game in league play, respectively. UMass Lowell is also holding its America East opponents to just 26.4% from the 3-point line.
