MAINE (7-19)Last 10: 3-7
Last Game: Albany 66, Maine 60 on 2/16/20
Last Game with SBU: Stony Brook 73, Maine 52 on 2/23/19; Foreman game-high 22; points off turnovers: SBU 31, Maine 16
Checkmate Unofficial Line: Stony Brook -14.5
NET Ranking: Stony Brook 163, Maine 331
KenPom Rating: Stony Brook 152, Maine 335
KenPom Prediction: Stony Brook 75, Maine 59
Listen/Watch:TV:
http://bit.ly/BBallGm28VidRadio:
http://wusb.fm/Notables:6-7/220 sr F Andrew Fleming 14.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.4 spg, .485 FG%
6-4/205 sr G Sergio El Darwich 14.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.8 spg, .833 FT%
6-8/210 rjr F Nedeljko Prijovic 9.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.0 spg
6-8/215 jr F Vilgot Larsson 6.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
You would think that a home game against Maine would be easy, not as important of the others, etc., but two days after a crushing defeat, we have to get back on our feet and get a W.
Everybody is looking at us as vulnerable, but the other contenders haven't seized an opportunity during Elijah's absence. Hartford's lost four of five. Albany just got pasted at home, and have an impressive win-one, lose-one streak going. UMBC is charging, but it may be too little too late. So we're still in good shape at least in the standings.
On one hand, I'm not terribly confident in what's happening on the court or on the bench. On the other hand, am I really supposed to be afraid of Vermont? Of Lamb? We beat UVM once and had them beat again, even without our best player. So we may have serious questions and you may be skeptical now, but we are very capable of running the table in the AE next month.
Fleming has been the player of note, but it's El Darwich who has stood out in conference play, averaging nearly 18 a night. We held him to four up in Bangor, but he's feasted on just about everybody else, particularly the lower-end teams. He put up 36 on UMass Lowell, and his only other games over 20 were against Binghamton. I still feel like we're playing well defensively, and he won't be allowed to go off.
This is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country. They're at 28.3% for the year. If they have to go inside to score, I like our chances.
Maine has had a way of making teams look good this season, and I think we all could use a pick-me-up right now. Never mind the fact we need the game. As I stated in the previous post, if we and UVM hold serve this weekend, UVM not only clinches the top seed but we'd all but lock up a first-round home game.