STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- The Stony Brook men's basketball team returns home for its first America East game at Island Federal Credit Union Arena this season. The Seawolves are coming off yet another last-second win after topping New Hampshire on the road by three points Thursday night. Albany is looking to bounce back in the Sunday match-up after falling to UMass Lowell on the road in its 2016-17 league debut.
NOTEWORTHY
- The Seawolves began their 16th season of America East play with a win at New Hampshire. They are 129-116 in regular season league action and are coming off of a regular season and tournament title in 2015-16.
- This is the ninth straight season the Seawolves have opened America East play with a victory.
- Stony Brook has seen eight of its 14 games so far this season be decided in the final minute of play.
- Stony Brook has limited itself to single-digit turnovers six times this season, committing 10 or fewer on eight occasions. At UNH, the Seawolves committed just one turnover in the second half to finish the game with nine.
- Tyrell Sturdivant made it back-to-back games in double figures as he used a big second half to notch his second 20-plus point game of the season at UNH.
- Roland Nyama helped the Seawolves get by UNH in their America East opener, scoring 12 of his 14 points in the second half.
- Kameron Mitchell added a career-best five rebounds and five assists, making his fourth straight start in the win in UNH.
- 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.
- Akwasi Yeboah notched the first 20-point game of his young career at Brown.
THE OPPONENT
Albany enters the weekend at 9-7 on the year, 3-5 on the road after dropping its America East opener at UMass Lowell Thursday night, 85-79. Leading scorer Joe Cremo paced the Great Danes with 23 points in the game.
Prior to the start of league play, Albany closed out non-conference play with a three-point win at Columbia, followed by a 69-59 win over Cornell at home on Jan. 2. The Great Danes rank 10th in the nation and lead the league, out-rebounding their opponent by nearly 10 boards per game. Cremo, along with David Nichols, rank in the top five in the America East in scoring.
THE SERIES
Stony Brook leads the all-time series with the Great Danes, 21-19. The two teams first met in 2000, when Albany took a 51-47 win in Stony Brook. The Seawolves boast a 10-8 record against Albany at home. They went 1-1 against the conference foe last season, first topping Albany at home, 69-63. Later in the year, the Great Danes defeated Stony Brook 82-70 in Albany, snapping the Seawolves' 18-game winning streak and handing them their first of just two conference losses that season.
LAST TIME OUT
The Seawolves started America East play with a last-second victory at New Hampshire, 59-56. After a slow first half for both teams, the Seawolves came out of the break ready. Senior Lucas Woodhouse sent a behind-the-back pass to junior Roland Nyama who knocked down the three. On the other end, senior Kameron Mitchell was able to draw an offensive foul on UNH's leading scorer Tanner Leissner and continue the momentum shift as Stony Brook outscored the Wildcats 11-4 by the first media timeout of the new period.
Nyama hit another three with 12:16 left to play to give the Seawolves their first lead since the midway point in the first half. The Wildcats quickly took back the advantage, but back-to-back threes from Nyama and junior Bryan Sekunda would put the game back in Stony Brook's favor for the rest of the night.
Another three from Sekunda quickly broke the game's final tie with 2:29 left to play. UNH was able to get back within one as the clock ticked under a minute, but the Seawolves got a stop on defense and Sturdivant worked in the paint and dropped in the difference-maker and his 20th point of the night with 15 seconds remaining and seal the win.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
Stony Brook has seen eight of its 14 games this season be decided in the final minute of play. It sits at 4-4 on the season in this situation. Most recently, the Seawolves took a one-point lead into the final minute at UNH, but a hook shot by junior Tyrell Sturdivant with 15 seconds remaining made it a three-point game and senior Lucas Woodhouse got a hand on the Wildcats' final attempt.
CLEAN PLAY
The Seawolves have limited their turnovers all season, keeping the number in single digits on six total occasions this season. They have committed more turnovers than their opponent just once this year. Stony Brook most recently limited itself to just nine mishaps in its conference opener at UNH, committing just one turnover in the second half.
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. 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.
