Jan. 3, 2007

Box Score

Burlington, Vt. - Despite receiving double-digit scoring efforts from Ricky Lucas, Mitchell Beauford, and Mike Popoko, the Stony Brook University men's basketball team fell to Vermont, 80-69, in Burlington, Vt., in the America East Conference opener for both teams.

With the loss, the Seawolves drop to 5-8, 0-1 in conference play while Vermont improves to 9-5, 1-0.

"It is very difficult to win a basketball game when you give up 53 points in a half," said head coach Steve Pikiell. "Our defense let us down tonight, allowing them to shoot 60% from the field in the second half."

The Seawolves shot out to an early 8-2 lead after a three-pointer by Popoko at the 18:13 mark. A Chris Holm's layup capped off a 10-4 run by the Catamounts to knot the game at 12 with 11:12 left in the first half. The teams would trade baskets throughout the rest of the first half until the Seawolves closed out the half on a pair of Mitchell Beauford baskets to give the visitors a 30-27 lead heading into the locker room. The Seawolves shot 54% from the field in the first half.

Vermont shot a blistering 60% in the second half en route to 53 points in the stanza. The Catamounts came out of the locker room and went on a 11-2 run over the first 3:23 to take a 38-32 lead that they would not relinquish. After Solomon Bamiro converted the conventional three-point play to cut the lead to one, 38-37, the Catamounts responded with a 12-3 run sparked by three Joe Trapani trifecta's during a 3:17 span. Stony Brook got as close as four points after a Ricky Lucas jumper with 6:14 to play but the Catamounts iced the game from the foul line on the way to victory. In the second half, the Catamounts entered the double-bonus at the 9:23 mark and went on to shoot 33 foul shots in the second half. The back-and-forth game was tied on seven occasions.

Lucas, the America East Player of the Game for the Seawolves, finished the game with 18 points and six rebounds while Beauford added 16 points and four assists but committed eight turnovers. Popoko scored14 points in the contest and Bamiro ended with nine points and five rebounds.

Trapani scored a game-high 23 points and was honored as the America East Player of the Game for the Catamounts. Trimboli finished with 21 points, seven boards, six assists, and five steals and Chris Holm chipped in with 14 points and nine rebounds. Holm led the Catamounts on the glass as they owned a 42-30 advantage on the glass

The Seawolves return home to continue conference play when they welcome UMBC on Saturday, January 6. Tip-off is slated for 2:00 p.m.