Vermont's shooting proves too much for Stony Brook in loss
Players on the Stony Brook Seawolves bench look on late in the second half of an NCAA Division I men's basketball game against the Vermont Catamounts at Island Federal Arena on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The question posed to Stony Brook head coach Geno Ford was simple:
Does Stony Brook view Vermont as a measuring stick?
"I think so," Ford said.
What, then, does the 80-67 loss to the Catamounts at Island Federal Credit Union Arena reveal about the Seawolves?
"We have to find another notch against them," said Ford, after Stony Brook dropped to 12-7 overall and 4-2 in the America East Conference. "I do think there’s another level for us."
Jahlil Jenkins led the Seawolves with 17 points. Anthony Roberts added 16.
Fourteen days earlier when Stony Brook was routed 98-65 by Vermont at Roy L. Patrick Gymnasium, it was a loss which prompted Ford to challenge his team’s toughness.
The Seawolves responded with three straight wins over UMBC (65-51), Binghamton (74-71), and Albany (86-75) heading into Wednesday’s rematch with the Catamounts. If the previous three games were opportunities to implement an identity for the Seawolves, then this was the first chance to show the America East Conference’s standard-bearer how they have changed and what they now are.
And what did the Seawolves do? They dove for loose balls. They closed out on shooters. They attacked the rim. They didn’t take a backward step.
"Our guys were excited to play," Ford said.
What they did not do was make shots. Specifically three-point shots. The Seawolves shot 3-for-11 from 3 in the first half (27.3%) and 4-for-10 (40%) in the second half, finishing the game 7-for-21 (33.3%).
As basketball at all levels has become a contest as to which team can more efficiently take-and-make perimeter shots, missing 3s against most opponents is suboptimal. Against the second-best 3-point shooting team in the conference, it is a formula for a loss. Vermont hit 12 of 30 three-point attempts.
Vermont, which led 34-31 at halftime, slowly extended its advantage in the second half. The sequence which ended with Ben Shungu’s layup with 3:47 remaining encapsulated how the final 20 minutes went.
Finn Sullivan misfired on a three-point attempt, but Eric Beckett grabbed the offensive rebound and after Shungu converted moments later, the Seawolves were down 75-63.
"Rebounding-wise they hurt us with some timely ones," Ford said.
One minute and twenty-three seconds later, Shungu dashed any comeback hopes Stony Brook may have had by drilling a three to stretch Vermont’s lead to 78-65. Ryan Davis’ two-handed jam with a minute left ended the scoring.
Shungu led all scorers with 21, and Davis finished with 20.
The second and final regular season meeting between the rivals also marked Stony Brook’s first conference game since the announcement the program will leave the America East for the Colonial Athletic Association on July 1.
"It’s a huge thing," Ford said, when asked about the conference move.
Stony Brook women win
Anastasia Warren hit four free throws and Gigi Gonzalez hit two in the game’s final seconds to give the Stony Brook women a 71-63 win over host Vermont in an America East game on Wednesday night.
Warren scored 19 points and Gonzalez 18 to lead the Seawolves (16-2, 7-1 AE). Stony Brook trailed 18-11 after the first quarter but rallied to take a 34-31 lead at the half. Vermont came back to take a 53-51 lead after three quarters but was held to only 10 points in the fourth as the Seawolves put up 20.
It was the Seawolves’ ninth straight win over the Catamounts. Stony Brook sits atop the America East standings.
