Coming off of its best season in 10 years, Stony Brook’s men’s basketball team is preparing to continue that success this year.
The team was selected to finish fourth in The America East Conference Preseason Coaches’Poll.
Stony Brook returns nine letterwinners, including four starters, who led the team to its best record since joining the America East Conference. The 2008-2009 season saw the team finish 16-14 overall and 8-8 against conference opponents, tying for fourth- place in the conference at the end of the season.
Returning Seawolves
Senior guard Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing, Mich.) returns after leading last year’s team in scoring with 15.7 points per game. El-Amin earned national honors as he a 2009 All-America East second team selection.
Sophomores Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) and Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) are back after being named to the America East All-Rookie team a season ago.
Brenton started 29 games for the Seawolves and led the team in rebounds with 8.9 per game, ranking second in the conference. He also led the America East in rebounds during conference play (9.7). Dougher was one of 20 freshmen in the country to start every game for his team. He was third among America East freshmen and second on the team in scoring (11.2).
Fresh Faces
The Seawolves added four freshmen who all earned honors during their high school careers.
Preye Preboye (Springfield, Mass.) earned first team All-Western Mass. honors as a senior and was named team MVP while playing for Springfield Central High School.
Eric McAlister (Hightstown, N.J.) averaged 22.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.3 blocks and 4.1 assists as a senior at Apex Academy. He was a 2009 third team Prep All-State selection.
Marcus Rouse (Upper Marlboro, Md.) led Dematha Catholic High School to a 32-4 record and a No. 7 ranking in the final ESPN RISE FAB 50 boys’ basketball rankings. Rouse was a 2009 second team All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference selection.
Leonard Hayes (Voorhees, N.J.) was a three-year starter at Lawrenceville Prep and eclipsed the 1,000 point barrier as a senior. He averaged 17.5 points per game and was a 2009 All-MAPL, Trentonian All-Prep and Trenton Times All-Prep first team selection. He was also a 2009 McDonalds All-American Nominee.
The Schedule
The Seawolves will begin on the road against Maryland Eastern Shore on Nov. 13, and then return to Stony Brook for their first home game to face Mount Saint Mary on Nov. 16. They will play 13 home games with eight of them against America East opponents, including Vermont, Albany, and Boston University.
Stony Brook also faces a competitive non-conference schedule, including road contests against Big East opponent St. John’s and Atlantic-10 opponents Rhode Island and Fordham.
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