| GAME 21: STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES vs VERMONT CATAMOUNTS |
| LOCATION |
Island Federal Credit Union Arena | Stony Brook, N.Y. |
| DATE | TIME |
Saturday, Jan. 28 | 7 p.m. |
| COVERAGE |
Live Stats | Watch Live |
| GAME NOTES |
Stony Brook | Vermont |
| TICKETS |
Purchase Here |
| PROMOTIONS |
Island Night - Details |
STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- The Stony Brook men's basketball team remains at home to host Vermont on Saturday evening in a rematch of last year's America East Conference Tournament championship game. Vermont enters the weekend unbeaten in league play after topping Albany on the road Wednesday, while the Seawolves have claimed victory in seven of their last eight games, most recently knocking off UMBC at home.
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.
- The Seawolves sit at 7-1 over their last eight games.
- Tyrell Sturdivant is averaging 15.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in league play and is coming off a 16-point, 7-rebound performance, all scoring coming in the second half, against UMBC.
- 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.
- After averaging 14 and eight last week, Akwasi Yeboah notched the first double-double of his career with 15 points and 10 boards in the win over UMBC
- UC Iroegbu gave the Seawolves a spark off the bench against UMBC in his best performance of the year. He finished with 12 points and five rebounds.
- Stony Brook has limited itself to single-digit turnovers eight times this season, committing 10 or fewer on 12 occasions, ranking 28th in the nation in turnover margin.
- Stony Brook has seen 10 of its 20 games so far this season be decided in the final minute of play.
THE OPPONENT
Vermont enters the game at 17-5 on the season and it sits at 7-0 in conference play, riding a nine-game win streak into the weekend. Two of the Catamounts' five losses have come to top 20 teams (#13 Butler, #20 South Carolina). They also fell to Northeastern earlier in the season, 59-57.
Most recently, Vermont picked up a 60-49 win at Albany on Wednesday evening as Trae Bell-Haynes led the way with 18 points.
As a team, the Catamounts are shooting 49-percent from the field, good for 29th in the nation.
THE SERIES
The Catamounts lead the series against Stony Brook, 24-11. After taking the first meeting, 91-60, in January of 2002, Vermont went on to win the first nine games of the series. Stony Brook has turned it around as of late, claiming three of the last four meetings. Each team picked up a win against the other on the road last season, but the Seawolves came out victorious in the most meaningful clash, coming back from being down 16 in the second half to claim the America East Tournament championship on their home court, 80-74. The win marked the third of five through eight post-season meetings between the two schools.
LAST TIME OUT
Stony Brook returned to its winning ways on Wednesday night, topping UMBC, 83-73. The Seawolves set the tone early on, leading by as many as 21 points in the first half and held a double-digit lead for most of the opening period.
Lucas Woodhouse scored 14 of his game-high 23 points in the first half, while Akwasi Yeboah also reached double figures as he added 11 point off the bench. Despite holding their largest halftime lead of the season, up 15 on UMBC at the break, it was slow-going for the Seawolves to begin the second half.
The Retrievers strung together a 16-1 run in the early minutes of the second half to get back within single digits. They were able to make it a one-point game after Joe Sherburne knocked down a three with 12:59 on the clock. Bryan Sekunda landed his first three of the night from the far corner to make it a two-possession game just inside the 12-minute mark.
A three-point play by Tyrell Sturdivant with 4:38 left in the game put the Seawolves up 12. They maintained a double-digit lead for nearly the remainder of the game, not allowing UMBC to get any closer than eight.
The Seawolves made 16 foul shots in the final four minutes of play.
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, hitting all 28 attempts. Earlier in the year against Northeastern, Woodhouse went 8-for-8 in the final 1:38 of the win before setting a new career best the next game with 12 makes on 12 attempts against Lehigh.
As a team, the Seawolves are shooting 73.3 from the line, good for 73rd in the country.
HELPING HAND
Woodhouse currently leads the America East and is tied for 42nd in the nation with 5.3 assists per game. Woodhouse also sits at 26th in the country in assist-turnover ratio (2.86), while the team ranks 37th (1.32).
CLEAN PLAY
Stony Brook has limited itself in turnovers all season, keeping the number in single digits on eight occasions. The Seawolves currently rank 28th in the nation in turnover margin (3.3). They have committed more turnovers than their opponent just twice this year. Stony Brook most recently matched its season low with six turnovers at UMass Lowell.
LEAGUE PLAY
The Seawolves are in their 16th season of America East play, sitting at 134-117 in regular season league action and are coming off of a regular season and tournament title in 2015-16. The team notched its third 5-0 start to America East play in program history, all coming in the last four seasons. The win at New Hampshire marked the ninth straight season Stony Brook has opened conference play with a victory.
