STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- The Stony Brook men's basketball team will look to return to its winning ways Wednesday night as it hosts UMBC. The Seawolves have gone 6-1 in their last seven games, but recently snapped the impressive winning streak with a last-second decision at Binghamton. UMBC is coming off of a lopsided win at UMass Lowell on Sunday.
NOTEWORTHY
- The Seawolves started America East play with five straight wins for the third time in program history, all three times coming over the last four seasons.
- Stony Brook has limited itself to single-digit turnovers eight times this season, committing 10 or fewer on 12 occasions, ranking 20th in the nation in turnover margin.
- The Seawolves sit at 6-1 over their last seven games.
- Stony Brook has seen 10 of its 19 games so far this season be decided in the final minute of play.
- Tyrell Sturdivant is averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in league play.
- Lucas Woodhouse leads the nation in free throw percentage and has not missed from the foul line in league play. He is currently shooting 70-percent from beyond the arc in America East play.
- Akwasi Yeboah came off the bench to average 14 and 8 through games against Hartford and at Binghamton last week.
- Junior Saintel helped the Seawolves earn their fifth straight win in league play notching the first double-double of his career with 13 and 10 against the Hawks.
- The Seawolves overcame the largest deficit in program history as they trailed Albany by 21 with under just over seven minutes remaining and went on to claim a 72-70 win at the buzzer.
THE OPPONENT
UMBC enters the midweek game with a 13-6 overall record, sitting at 4-2 in the America East. The Retrievers are 6-4 on the road this season. They started conference play with three straight wins, but stumbled at Vermont and against Albany. UMBC recently bounced back with a win at UMass Lowell Sunday afternoon, topping the River Hawks 102-86.
Joe Sherburne currently ranks second nationally, shooting 53-percent from beyond the arc, sitting just ahead of Stony Brook senior Lucas Woodhouse in conference standings. Leading scorer Jarius Lyles is second in the league in scoring, while Nolan Gerrity and K.J. Maura lead the America East in blocks (1.1) and steals (1.8), respectively.
THE SERIES
Stony Brook leads the all-time series with the Retrievers 22-8. The Seawolves took the first meeting on Jan. 7, 2004, 61-56 in Stony Brook, and have claimed each of the last 17 matchups. Stony Brook boasts a 12-2 record against UMBC at home.
LAST TIME OUT
The Seawolves snapped a six-game winning streak Sunday afternoon as it fell at Binghamton on a late three, 71-67. Stony Brook controlled the momentum early on, leading for the majority of the first half, but a 9-2 run by Binghamton to close out the half gave the Bearcats the two-point edge at the break.
After trailing at the half, the Seawolves allowed the deficit to get to double figures early in the new period.
Redshirt freshman Akwasi Yeboah started a 12-2 run midway through the second half that gave Stony Brook its first lead since there was 3:23 left in the first half. He added seven points in the scoring stint.
The Bearcats quickly took back the advantage, but back-to-back threes from junior Bryan Sekunda and senior Lucas Woodhouse put the lead in Stony Brook's hands until the final two minutes of play. A three from Sekunda with 49 seconds remaining put Stony Brook back on top, 67-65.
The Seawolves were called for a foul and Binghamton's Bobby Ahearn went 1-of-2 from the line, but the Bearcats got ahold of the loose rebound and Timmy Rose hit the team's seventh three of the second half to take back the lead with 20 seconds on the clock.
Stony Brook was unable to execute on its final play of the game as a three from the corner was denied. Binghamton came alive from beyond the arc in the second half, hitting 7-of-14 after connecting on just 2-of-10 in the opening period.
FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE
Senior Lucas Woodhouse leads the nation from the free throw line, shooting 95-percent from the line on the year. Woodhouse has not missed a free throw in league play and earlier in the year made 28 consecutive free throws through a seven-game span. He went 8-for-8 in the final 1:38 of the win over Northeastern, before setting a new career best the next game with 12 makes on 12 attempts against Lehigh.
As a team, the Seawolves are shooting 73.7 from the line, good for 62nd in the country.
HELPING HAND
Woodhouse currently leads the America East and ranks 45th in the nation with 5.3 assists per game. Woodhouse also sits at 26th in the country in assist-turnover ratio (2.97), while the team ranks 25th (1.38).
CLEAN PLAY
Stony Brook has limited itself in turnovers all season, keeping the number in single digits on eight occasions. The Seawolves currently rank 20th in the nation in turnover margin (3.6). They have committed more turnovers than their opponent just once this year. Stony Brook most recently matched its season low with six turnovers at UMass Lowell.
