A very bad New Hampshire squad spoiled Senior Day for LarryJennings, Patrick Spitler, and Joakim Eriksson when they handed Stony Brook a62-55 loss in the team’s regular season finale. New Hampshire improvedits record to 3-13 in the conference and 5-22 overall while SBU dropped to 7-9,posting its second consecutive losing season in the America East Conference.
‘?It’s time to move on. I am not sad, but happyfor the other guys on the team,’ Jennings said. ‘?Hopefully having aweek off will get everyone focused again for the tournament.’
The Seawolves just didn’t have it this game, and the NewHampshire Wildcats came out of the gate very strong and led during the entirefirst half. All three seniors, who usually come off the bench, started forthe last time at the Sports Complex, which played a part in the Seawolves’slow start. In the 17 minutes they played, the three seniors combined for zeropoints on 0-2 shooting from the field and one turnover. New Hampshire used a12-3 run along with 47.1 percent shooting from the field to give it firmcontrol of the game in the first stanza.
With 4:58 left in the first half, the Seawolves managed totrim the Wildcats lead to one, 25-24, but SBU just couldn’t get over the hump.As the first half ended, New Hampshire managed to extend its lead to half adozen, going back into the locker room with a 31-25 advantage.
As the second half came around the Seawolves tried to focusand regain their composure.
They started the half with a 7-2 run and closed the gap towithin a point, 33-32, with 15:27 min left to play. Five minutes later, SBU gottheir first lead of the game thanks to a D.J. Munir three-pointer, making it44-43.
But the Wildcats showed no signs of stopping and clearlywere not intimidated by playing on the road. New Hampshire not only retook thelead, but used a 14-3 run to stake a ten-point advantage, 57-47.
The Seawolves just didn’t have another sustained run in them.Cori Spencer’s lay-up cut the lead to five, 60-55 with under a minute toplay. But Stony Brook went cold from behind the three-point arch and could getno closer, despite having several good looks at the basket. The Wildcats gavethe Seawolves a seven-point loss, 62-55.
Although coach Nick Macarchuk was disappointed with the loss,to New Hampshire he did point to the Seawolves’ victory over top-seedBoston University as evidence that SBU can play with the best.
‘?We just didn’t play,’ he said. ‘?Wedidn’t defend well and we had trouble scoring. With us anything can happen. Webeat the best team in the league and lost to the two worst teams.’
When it came down to it, SBU was off their mark all day.Compared to New Hampshire’s 48.8 percent shooting, the Seawolves shot35.9 percent from the field and a meager 6.3 percent by way of 1-16 shootingfrom three-point land. The Wildcats also controlled the boards, out-reboundingSBU 41-30.
Munir, who scored 31 points in the team’s previousgame, a win over Binghamton, made just one three-pointer and had only one tripto the foul line in this game.
As SBU’s marquee player, Munir blamed himself for theloss. ‘I shouldn’t have allowed us to lose, no matter what,’ hesaid. ‘?I will take responsibility for such a big game. I will acceptthe loss.’
Besides the poor shooting, the absence of a third scorer waspainfully obvious. The omission of forward Jairus McCollum and his 9.3 pointsand 5.5 rebounds per game due to suspension was a huge factor. McCollum didn’tshow up for weight training one morning, and as a result he had to sit out thisgame.
‘?I was upset about McCollum not showing up for weighttraining,’ Macarchuk said.
The Seawolves also had some foul problems in the second half,going over the limit of 10 and allowing the Wildcats to get into the doublebonus with a lot of time left on the clock.
With New Hampshire making more free throws than SBU took inentire the second half, the Seawolves’ chances of making a comeback wasseverely hampered.
Mike Konopka’s disqualification after picking up fivepersonal fouls, along with McCollum’s absence, left Stony Brookundersized and inexperienced in the games waning minutes.
Outside of Munir and Spencer, who scored twenty points apiece, Stony Brook didn’t have anyone step up. None of the otherstarters registered a point, and the bench managed to contribute only 15points.
The loss gives the Seawolves the number six seed going intothe America East tournament, but with a NCAA tournament bid at stake the teamisn’t worried.
‘?Maybe this will be the best thing that happened to uswho knows,’ said Macarchuk.
‘?Maybe this helps us going into the tournament. It isa lesson well learned.’
Munir is also optimistic. ‘?We’ve just got toput this game behind us as much as we can,’ said Munir. ‘?I stilllike our chances in the tournament. We just got to come to play and keep ourspirits positive.’
The Seawolves now head off to Boston to go against thenumber three seed, the Hartford University Hawks.
