The Stony Brook men’s basketball team fell in the regular season opener to the Maryland Terrapins by a final score of 76-61 at Nassau Coliseum Friday night. Senior forward Tyrell Sturdivant showcased his newfound three-point shooting ability, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points in a losing effort.
Redshirt-sophomore forward Akwasi Yeboah added 15 points and a team-high six rebounds to help Sturdivant keep the Seawolves in the game. But Stony Brook had difficulty stopping Maryland’s offense, allowing five Terrapins to score in double figures.
“I’m really proud of our effort, especially from the new guys,” head coach Jeff Boals said. “To come out against Maryland in an atmosphere like this, I give them a lot of credit for battling.”
Sturdivant led the team throughout the second half, making multiple three-pointers after. Senior guard U.C. Iroegbu and Sturdivant hit back-to-back threes midway through the second half to cut Maryland’s lead down to 12. The Terrapins called a timeout, then went on a 6-0 run to push the lead back to 18 points, sealing the victory.
Maryland has historically been a consistent team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, participating in the NCAA Tournament last year as a No. 6 seed. Terrapins sophomore guard Anthony Cowan Jr. led his team with 15 points, and sophomore forward Justin Jackson had 11 points while grabbing 14 rebounds.
Despite the Seawolves shooting 50 percent from the three-point range in the second half, the points in the paint were the killer for the team. The Seawolves were outscored 50-18 in points in the paint. A majority of Maryland’s points came off pick-and-roll layups, dunks and pick-and-pop jumpshots.
“I thought we played well,” Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon said. “We played at a higher level than I thought we could’ve played at this early in the season.”
Jackson played a major role in creating opportunities for the Terrapins offense. His game-high 14 rebounds helped create fast-break opportunities for Maryland, resulting in a 10-2 fast-break points advantage over Stony Brook.
Nassau Coliseum has recently been renovated and is now home to the NBA Brooklyn Nets G-League affiliate team, the Long Island Nets. For many Stony Brook players, this was a learning experience that they will never forget.
“It’s a great atmosphere,” Yeboah said. “It’s a huge arena, and it’s nice to play on a G-League court. Definitely an experience to remember, that’s for sure.”
All but two Seawolves took to the court Friday night. Junior guard Jaron Cornish did not play due to a knee injury he suffered in the preseason. Cornish’s injury status is currently day-to-day. Freshman guard Jordan McKenzie played the available minutes at point guard, finishing the game with six points and three assists in 27 minutes. Redshirt-freshman forward Andrew Garcia did not play as he is recovering from knee surgery he underwent last season. Boals confirmed that he will be out indefinitely due to setbacks in his recovery.
The team will take part in the PK80 Phil Knight Invitational from Nov. 14-19. During that span, they will take on UConn, Ball State and Michigan State on the road in that order. The UConn game will tip off on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
