| GAME 14: STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES at NEW HAMPSHIRE WILDCATS |
| LOCATION |
Lundholm Gymnasium | Durham, N.H. |
| DATE | TIME |
Thursday, Jan. 5 | 7 p.m. |
| COVERAGE |
Live Stats | Watch Live |
| GAME NOTES |
Stony Brook | New Hampshire |
STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- The Stony Brook men's basketball team travels to New Hampshire to open America East play against the Wildcats. This is the first conference game of the year for both teams, each of which is coming off of a win to finish non-conference action.
NOTEWORTHY
- The Seawolves are set to begin their 16th season of America East play. They are 128-116 in regular season action and are coming off of a regular season and tournament title in 2015-16.
- Stony Brook has seen seven of its 13 games so far this season be decided in the final minute of play.
- Stony Brook has limited itself to single-digit turnovers five times this season, committing 10 or fewer on seven occasions.
- Senior Lucas Woodhouse followed up a 19-point performance against NJIT by matching his career best, set as a player at Longwood, with 27 points at Brown in the final week of non-conference play.
- Redshirt freshman Akwasi Yeboah notched the first 20-point game of his young career at Brown.
- Tyrell Sturdivant has adjusted well to his new role this season. He hasn't missed a start this year, leading the team in rebounding and ranking second in scoring. He's coming off of a 15-point performance at Brown.
- Junior Bryan Sekunda gave Stony Brook a big lift off the bench in his return to his home state of Pennsylvania. He helped lead the way in the win at St. Francis with a season-high 17 points, including five threes.
- Junior Saintel returned to the starting lineup at St. Francis and earned the first double-figure scoring game of his Stony Brook career. The junior finished with 15 points and six rebounds.
THE OPPONENT
New Hampshire enters league play with a 9-5 overall record. Most recently, the Wildcats topped Wheelock College at home, 95-50. Six players scored in double figures for New Hampshire, while two notched double-doubles in the victory. Prior to the win, the Wildcats dropped their final game of 2016 at Dartmouth, 63-62, after the game-winning shot was called off.
Jaleen Smith and Tanner Leissner lead New Hampshire in scoring so far this season as both players are averaging over 15 points per game for a team that is outscoring its opponent by 7.1 points per game. The Wildcats have lost just one game at home this season, sitting at 5-1 in Lundholm Gymnasium.
THE SERIES
The Seawolves and Wildcats are tied a 16-all in a series that began in 2000. The two teams first met on Nov. 29, 2000 as Stony Brook claimed a 67-60 win on the road. New Hampshire has the edge in the series in Durham, 9-7.
Stony Brook swept the Wildcats last season, sneaking by with a 59-58 win at home after easing to an 80-50 win on the road. The Seawolves have taken 10 of the last 12 meetings.
LAST TIME OUT
Stony Brook closed out non-conference play with a high-scoring win at Brown, topping the Bears 92-89. After a first half that saw seven ties and 12 lead changes, the Seawolves never lost their halftime lead. Stony Brook led by double figures nearing the midway point in the second half, but an 11-2 run by Brown tied things at 78 by the final media timeout of the game.
A three from senior Lucas Woodhouse and a steal turned transition layup out of the press for junior Tyrell Sturdivant put the Seawolves back up five with 2:23 to play. The difference remained at two possessions until Brown's Brandon Anderson hit a pair of free throws with 32 seconds on the clock to get the Bears within one. Junior Bryan Sekunda sent the ball down the court to redshirt freshman Akwasi Yeboah, who threw down the wide-open opportunity and put the Seawolves back up five.
The Bears answered, but were forced to foul still down three. Senior Kameron Mitchell went to the line twice in the final seconds, hitting 1-of-2 both times. A last-second three from JR Hobbie was tipped by Woodhouse and fell short as the Seawolves were able to hold on for the win.
Foul trouble plagued the Seawolves all afternoon as Brown had 34 opportunities from the line, hitting 26 attempts.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
Stony Brook has seen seven of its 13 games this season be decided in the final minute of play. It sits at 3-4 on the season in this situation. Most recently, the Seawolves came out on top in a nail-biter at Brown after Senior Lucas Woodhouse got a hand on the game-tying three by the Bears to hold on for the win.
CLOSING NON-CONFERENCE ON A HIGH NOTE
The Seawolves rallied for the most points they have scored since the 2015-16 season opener, as they topped Brown on the road, 92-89. Senior Lucas Woodhouse matched his career best, set as a player at Longwood, with 27 points, 13 of which came in the first half. Redshirt freshman Akwasi Yeboah notched the first 20-point game of his career as he helped lead four players in double figures.
