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PREGAME SHOOTAROUND: Key America East, MAAC battles on the slate

Peter Hooley, Jr., Jameel Warney, Jr., Mike Rowley

Albany’s Peter Hooley, Jr., left, deflects the ball away from Stony Brook’s Jameel Warney, Jr., (20) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the America East Conference tournament championship in Albany, N.Y., Saturday, March 14, 2015. At right is Albany’s Mike Rowley. (AP Photo/Tim Roske)

AP

GAME OF THE DAY: Albany at Stony Brook, 9:00 p.m.

Stony Brook’s reached the last two America East tournament finals, only to have the Great Danes eliminate them and earn the league’s automatic NCAA tournament bid. Friday’s meeting is the first of two this season, and with the higher seed getting home court in each round of the conference tournament these match-ups take on even greater importance. Forward Jameel Warney and guard Carson Puriefoy lead the way for Steve Pikiell’s Seawolves, who are currently 5-0 in conference play. As for the Great Danes, Peter Hooley’s back to lead as a senior with Will Brown’s team boasting a 4-1 league mark.

THIS ONE’S GOOD TOO: Saint Peter’s at Iona, 7:00 p.m.

With Monmouth losing at Manhattan Thursday night, John Dunne’s Peacocks enter this matchup in sole possession of first place in the MAAC. As usual Saint Peter’s has been stout defensively, but they’ve also been better offensively in league play than they were during non-conference play. Freshman Antwon Portley has been one of the MAAC’s best newcomers, averaging 15.3 points per game to lead three SPC players averaging in double figures. Scoring isn’t a problem for Iona, which is led by senior guard A.J. English, but being engaged defensively for 40 minutes has been at times. Tempo will be key here; SPC will be best in a half-court game, while the Gaels will look to ramp things up.

OTHER NOTABLE CONTESTS


  • Already two games behind first-place VCU in the loss column, the game between Rhode Island and George Washington (3:00 p.m.) is a critical one with both at 3-2 in Atlantic 10 play. Keep an eye on how often the Colonials head to the foul line. URI hasn’t done the best job of keeping opponents away from there, and those points could prove to be the difference.
  • Valparaiso looks to maintain its lead atop the Horizon League as they visit second-place Wright State (7:00 p.m.). Billy Donlon’s Raiders have done a good job defending the three as well as knocking them down at a solid clip, but they’ll have to be better offensively if they’re to knock off a Valpo team led by forwards Alec Peters and Vashil Fernandez.
  • The top two teams in the MAC West meet in DeKalb as Northern Illinois hosts Toledo (7:00 p.m.). Mark Montgomery’s Huskies are 4-1 in conference play and their defense is a big reason why, with opponents shooting less than 44 percent inside of the arc. Tod Kowalczyk’s Rockets have been good offensively for most of the season, but they’ve had issues stringing together stops at times.

THE REST OF FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE


  • Duquesne at George Mason, 2:00 p.m.
  • UIC at Northern Kentucky, 7:00 p.m.
  • Fairfield at Marist, 7:00 p.m.
  • Yale at Brown, 8:00 p.m.