Before heading to the much anticipated America East tournament, Stony Brook men’s basketball will play its final two regular season games this week.
On Wednesday, the Seawolves will play their final regular season home game against UMass-Lowell. Four days later, they will head across the sound to play Hartford in their final regular season game.
Should Stony Brook win Wednesday night, it would be their 20th win of the season. This would mark the fifth time in the last six years the Seawolves recorded 20 wins, something they had failed to do from 1991-2009.
In order to secure that 20th win, the Seawolves will need to continue their dominance in the rebounding department. Forwards Jameel Warney and Rayshaun McGrew are the top two rebounders in the America East this season, and they have been the primary reason Stony Brook leads the conference in rebounding margin.
Conversely, UMass-Lowell has the second worst rebounding differential in the conference. They have been outrebounded all year on offense and defense. This provides Stony Brook with a significant statistical advantage. Grabbing boards on both sides of the ball will be pivotal in determining the final score.
When the Seawolves head to Hartford, they will be facing a team that is stunningly average. They are fifth in the conference in offense, defense and scoring margin this season while holding a 13-14 record. With this being the case, Stony Brook will need to utilize its strength on defense. The Seawolves rank second in the conference in scoring defense, holding opponents to just under 60 points per game.
However, Stony Brook has struggled on the road. Despite a 12-2 home record, the Seawolves are just 7-8 on the road. They will need to put their past road struggles behind them come Saturday night. Winning a road game to close out the season could provide a significant boost of momentum heading into the conference tournament.
The Seawolves are currently tied for third in the America East with New Hampshire, as both are 10-4 in conference play. They are three games behind Albany and one behind Vermont. With only two games left, moving up to the two seed would take two wins and two Vermont losses.
Although moving upwards in the standings is unlikely, Stony Brook will need to win these games if they want to keep and secure the third seed.
