America East Conference 2003-04 Recap
The 2003-04 season in America East was full of good stories despite the end result looking a lot like the preseason projections. Most figured it would be a three-team race between Boston University, Northeastern and Vermont, and those three teams comprised the top three seeds in the conference tournament with Maine right behind. It was essentially a two-team race between Boston University and Vermont, two teams that had big winning streaks during the season.
Boston University started the season with three consecutive losses, then went on to win 23 of 24 games entering the America East Tournament. The Terriers’ first three games were not against slouch teams, and they proved it when they ran through the remainder of non-conference play and lost just once in America East play, thanks to a well-balanced lineup at both ends of the floor. Vermont won the first 13 games of conference play before the Terriers beat them at home, then didn’t look nearly as invincible the rest of the way in part due to injuries.
In the middle of the pack, solid defense helped make Maine a contender, while Binghamton had their moments en route to a fifth place finish. Hartford battled injuries all season long, but had some good wins and was always competitive. New Hampshire looked like they might be a real player early on, but then had some struggles and lost a number of close games. Stony Brook and Albany were both competitive despite being hampered by injuries, while UMBC joined the conference as a new team and had some growing pains along the way.
The conference didn’t have a lot of freshmen who made instant impacts like last season, but there were a few who helped their teams out. Much of the young talent from previous years showed up more as players matured into stars for their team this year. At the same time, the conference wasn’t driven entirely by seniors, as less than half of the all-conference selections were seniors and only one first team selection was a senior.
America East Tournament
The first round of the America East Tournament had no surprises, as higher-seeded teams New Hampshire and Stony Brook prevailed to move on. The seventh-seeded Wildcats won a defensive struggle over No. 10 Albany, 43-38, while No. 8 Stony Brook held off No. 9 UMBC 65-59.
The quarterfinals produced three well-played games and one ugly game, all close and two with big surprises. The day began with No. 4 Maine knocking off No. 5 Binghamton, 79-77 in overtime, followed by the biggest upset of the tournament. Stony Brook took on host school and regular season champion Boston University, and with big plays in the final minutes, the Seawolves upset the Terriers 62-58. The upset marked just the second time a No. 1 seed has lost to a No. 8 seed in the conference tournament. In the evening session, Vermont held off New Hampshire, 58-50, then Hartford upset No. 3 Northeastern 79-74 despite 36 points from Husky guard Marcus Barnes. The Hawks barely had enough players at the end of the game due to injuries and foul trouble, but the Huskies’ inability to get the ball inside and use their size advantage played right into the Hawks’ hands.
The semifinal games were a sharp contrast to the quarterfinals, as both were decided by double digits. Maine blew out Stony Brook, 78-54, in a game that was never really in doubt after halftime. The Black Bears had a chance to host the championship game, but Vermont got that honor when the Catamounts scored a 61-48 win over Hartford to advance to the title game.
Vermont head coach Tom Brennan said after the semifinal win that Taylor Coppenrath, who was thought to be done for the season with a wrist injury sustained in mid-February, might play in the championship game the following Saturday if he was at all able to. By Friday afternoon that week, it was apparent that Brennan would get his wish and Coppenrath would play, as he reportedly had good practices during the week.
Coppenrath didn’t just play the game, as it would turn out. He started and played all but the final minute, scoring a championship game-record 43 points in a phenomenal performance as the Catamounts scored a 72-53 win in a packed and raucous Patrick Gymnasium to earn their second straight NCAA Tournament bid. The two-time conference Player of the Year was on fire from the start, scoring 28 points in the first half on 11-14 shooting, and for the game he made 14 of 19 field goal attempts and was 14-15 at the free throw line, adding in 13 rebounds for good measure. While the talk centered on Coppenrath, he had good help as usual, though the only other scorer in double figures was Germain Njila with 13.
Postseason
America East saw two teams reach the postseason once again this year.
Vermont – NCAA 15-Seed
Vermont was the No. 15 seed in the East Rutherford region, matched up against eventual national champion Connecticut. The Catamounts scored the game’s first seven points and gave the Huskies a good battle for about a half before the Huskies took over en route to a 70-53 victory.
Boston University – NIT
Meanwhile, Boston University made the NIT for the second straight season. The Terriers had some internal troubles come before their first round game at Rhode Island, and it showed when the Rams blew them out 80-52 in a game that was never in doubt.
Awards
The league named its all-conference teams and handed out awards prior to the America East Tournament.
Player of the Year:
Taylor Coppenrath, Vermont
Rookie of the Year:
Jon Iati, Albany
Coach of the Year:
Dennis Wolff, Boston University
Defensive Player of the Year:
Shaun Wynn, Boston University
First team All-America East:
Chaz Carr, Jr. G, Boston University
Jason Grochowalski, Sr. F, Boston University
Jose Juan Barea, So. G, Northeastern
Taylor Coppenrath, Jr. F, Vermont
T.J. Sorrentine, Jr. G, Vermont
Boston University (23-6, 17-1 America East)
The Terriers had a magical season going, winning 23 of 24 games after an 0-3 start, before crashing at the end of the season. The Terriers were first upset in the conference tournament, then came out listlessly in the NIT and were promptly blown out by Rhode Island. Nonetheless, it was a great ride during the season and due largely to great balance and good depth at both ends of the floor. Chaz Carr and Jason Grochowalski were first-team All-America East players, but they had plenty of help from steady seniors Kevin Fitzgerald, Ryan Butt and streaky senior Matt Turner. Sophomore Shaun Wynn’s emergence as perhaps the best do-everything player in the conference was a big reason for their success as well.
Team MVP: Chaz Carr (13.0 ppg)
Leading scorer: Chaz Carr (13.0 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Rashad Bell (6.8 rpg)
Assists leader: Kevin Fitzgerald (3.0 rpg)
Starters leaving:
PG Kevin Fitzgerald (graduated)
SF Jason Grochowalski (graduated)
SG Matt Turner (graduated)
PF Ryan Butt (graduated)
PF Daniel Daccarett (graduated)
Key players returning:
Sr. G Chaz Carr (13.0 ppg, 2.8 apg, 1.4 spg)
Sr. F Rashad Bell (11.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
Jr. G Shaun Wynn (8.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.1 spg)
Jr. F Kevin Gardner (4.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
So. G Pat Martin (1.3 ppg, 1.4 apg)
So. F Etienne Brower (1.4 ppg)
News: Head coach Dennis Wolff was rumored to be a candidate for the St. John’s head coaching position, but he stated all along that he would still be at Boston University and he is still there.
Outlook for 2004-05: The Terriers lose a lot of good experience, but don’t expect them to fall far if at all. They will have a potent trio of upperclassmen, while Gardner should continue to develop into one of the top post players in the conference and Martin and Etienne Brower looked better as their freshman season went along. With Wolff back on the bench, the Terriers will still be among the contenders.
Vermont (22-9, 15-3)
There weren’t many better stories in college basketball this season than the Catamounts. They had injuries to key players and had a stretch in February where they looked very vulnerable, but Tom Brennan’s crew prevailed in the America East championship game for the second straight year. The Catamounts looked unbeatable at the start of conference play before losing to Boston University at home in the game where Player of the Year Taylor Coppenrath was injured. Former conference Player of the Year T.J. Sorrentine led them the rest of the way and to the championship game, where Coppenrath returned and led them to the championship. Far from being a two-man show, the Catamounts got big performances on different occasions from role players like Germain Njila, Scotty Jones, Alex Jensen, Martin Klimes, and David Hehn.
Team MVP: Taylor Coppenrath (24.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
Leading scorer: Taylor Coppenrath (24.1 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Taylor Coppenrath (7.2 rpg)
Assists leader: T.J. Sorrentine (4.6 apg)
Starters leaving:
PF Scotty Jones (graduated)
SF Corey Sullivan (graduated)
PF-C Matt Sheftic (graduated)
G Mike Goia (left school)
F Matt Hanson (left school)
Key players returning:
Sr. F Taylor Coppenrath (24.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G T.J. Sorrentine (14.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G-F Germain Njila (6.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.6 spg)
Sr. G David Hehn (5.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. G Alex Jensen (5.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.4 apg)
So. F Martin Klimes (3.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
News: Coppenrath was named to the NIT All-Star team that toured the Far East in July. Associate head coach Jesse Agel was reportedly a candidate for the Dartmouth head coaching position, but will be back at his alma mater for his 18th season. Also, former Rhode Island center Chris Holm transferred to the school in May. He will sit out next season, and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Outlook for 2004-05: The Catamounts lose five players, three of whom were key players at one time, but should be the preseason pick to win the conference again. Arguably the best class in school history is back for one more go-round led by Coppenrath and Sorrentine, while the role players are all solid at what they do and the team chemistry is impeccable. There is speculation that Brennan, who said after the conference championship that he won’t be around much longer, may hang it up after the coming season; if he does, expect him to go out a winner.
Northeastern (19-11, 13-5)
The Huskies had their ups and downs, as they were a little inconsistent early and an injury to Jose Juan Barea didn’t help. They steadily picked it up in America East play, though they couldn’t quite pull off wins against the top two teams along the way. They scored plenty of points, but also gave up plenty, and they were exciting to watch on most nights. While Barea got all the headlines, the Huskies wouldn’t have done anything without the play of warriors like conference rebounding champ Sylbrin Robinson and classmate Javorie Wilson, and freshman Bennet Davis played very well once he was inserted into the starting lineup.
Team MVP: Jose Juan Barea (20.7 ppg, 5.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 35.8% 3-pt. FG)
Leading scorer: Jose Juan Barea (20.7 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Sylbrin Robinson (8.5 rpg)
Assists leader: Jose Juan Barea (5.8 apg)
Starters leaving:
F Sylbrin Robinson (graduated)
G-F Javorie Wilson (graduated)
F Cornelius Wright (graduated)
F Jesse Dunn (graduated)
PG Lateef Melvin (graduated)
G D’wan Youmans (transferred)
Key players returning:
Jr. G Jose Juan Barea (20.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.7 spg)
Sr. G Marcus Barnes (17 ppg, 3 rpg, 2 apg, 1.5 spg)
So. F Bennet Davis (8.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg)
So. G Bobby Kelly (2.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
News: In late June, the school announced it will depart for the Colonial Athletic Association in two years. The move was rumored to be in the works for about a year, and it finally went through.
Outlook for 2004-05: The Huskies lose key players up front, so they’ll be extremely guard-oriented next season and could struggle on the glass if Davis doesn’t continue to improve as he did later in the season. They’ll have the best backcourt in the conference and one better than many in high-major conferences with Barea and Barnes, so they should continue to score plenty of points and cause problems for opponents.
Maine (20-10, 12-6)
The Black Bears fell under the radar to many this season, but John Giannini’s team showed how defense wins games on a consistent basis. They had good balance, though point guard Eric Dobson was the clear leader of the team and Kevin Reed led in key statistical categories. The emergence of Mark Flavin gave the Black Bears an inside complement to their potent perimeter attack, a question mark entering the season as there were no proven inside players, and a solid group of role players were a key to their run as well.
Team MVP: Kevin Reed (14.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.3 spg)
Leading scorer: Kevin Reed (14.5 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Kevin Reed (7.2 rpg)
Assists leader: Eric Dobson (6 apg)
Starters leaving:
PG Eric Dobson (graduated)
Key players returning:
Jr. G Kevin Reed (14.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2.3 spg)
Sr. C Mark Flavin (11.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.9 bpg)
Sr. F Joe Campbell (8.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. G Chris Markwood (5.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.5 apg)
Sr. G-F Freddy Petkus (4.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Sr. F-C David DuBois (4.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
So. C Olli Ahvenniemi (2.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg in 13 games)
News: Guard Jermaine Jackson, expected to be a key cog in the offense, tore his ACL in the first game of the season. He is expected back with a full recovery for next season.
Outlook for 2004-05: Although Dobson was the team leader, the Black Bears return most of their attack and are well-coached, and they will have a big group of seniors leading the way. They’ll remain a solid defensive team with a good inside presence, and if someone takes over at the point, expect them to contend for the title. Giannini has had new players contribute year in and year out when needed, so there’s no reason to expect that he won’t have a capable floor leader next season.
Binghamton (14-16, 10-8)
With much of their offense gone from the previous season, the Bearcats had to win with defense, and it was their defense that won them games and gave them a chance in others. Only Albany was worse at the offensive end, but junior center Nick Billings had another big year blocking shots in the middle and also continued to develop offensively. Brandon Carter provided the senior leadership and Troy Hailey provided the youthful exuberance as one of the conference’s top freshmen as the Bearcats took fifth place in the regular season and lost a tough overtime game against Maine in the conference tournament.
Team MVP: Nick Billings (12.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.5 bpg)
Leading scorer: Nick Billings (12.5 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Nick Billings (6.9 rpg)
Assists leader: Troy Hailey (2.4 apg)
Starters leaving:
SG Brandon Carter (graduated)
G Brett Watson (graduated)
Key players returning:
Sr. C Nick Billings (12.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.5 bpg)
So. PG Troy Hailey (9.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Sr. F Alex Adediran (8.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
Jr. F Sebastian Hermenier (6.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
Sr. G Billy Williams (4.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. C Joe White (2.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
Jr. G Joel Casseus (2.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
Jr. G Louie Karis (1.7 ppg)
News: The school opened up its new Events Center this past season, and it immediately paid dividends not only for the team’s play, but also for next year. In April, it was announced that the 2005 America East Tournament will be held there after three straight seasons in Boston.
Outlook for 2004-05: Billings and Hailey are solid bookends to build on next season. If Adediran and Hermenier play to their potential, and role players like White and defensive specialist Williams continue to contribute as they have, the Bearcats will compete with the conference’s top teams.
Hartford (12-17, 6-12)
The Hawks were ravaged by injuries all season long, starting with star guard Jerell Parker but also including several other key players, especially in the frontcourt. Nonetheless, they pulled off some good wins and were competitive all season long. Aaron Cook was a constant thorn in opponents’ sides, while steady senior Ryan Stys ran the show capable and Charles Ford’s return gave them a big boost. Role players up front did well to help, and the Hawks pulled off an upset in the conference tournament along the way.
Team MVP: Aaron Cook (15.0 ppg)
Leading scorer: Aaron Cook (15.0 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Sean Regan (6.2 rpg)
Assists leader: Charles Ford (2.6 apg)
Starters leaving:
PG Ryan Stys (graduated)
SG Jerell Parker (graduated)
Key players returning:
Jr. SG Aaron Cook (15.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.7 spg)
Jr. PG Charles Ford (9.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.2 spg)
So. F Bo Taylor (7.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Sr. C Trevor Goode (4.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
So. G Rich Baker (4.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.8 apg)
So. PF Alex Zimnickas (3.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg)
Sr. F Louis Bosley (2.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Sr. SG Sean Regan (2.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
News: After the season, the NCAA refused to grant a sixth year of eligibility to Parker, putting an end to his college career.
Outlook for 2004-05: Losing Stys and not getting Parker back will hurt, but Larry Harrison got a lot out of this season’s team and will surely do it again. Ford and Cook will form one of the top backcourts in the conference, and if the Hawks stay healthy, they’ll be a tough team to beat.
New Hampshire (10-20, 5-13)
The Wildcats made some strides this season, though losing several close games makes one wonder just how much better the season could have been. Newcomers Craig Walls and Blagoj Janev were impact players, while Damione Liddell came on strong later in the season to complement holdovers like Ben Sturgill and Marcus Bullock. While Bullock’s shooting was more like that of his sophomore year, Sturgill once again couldn’t stay healthy the entire season, and without him the Wildcats’ offense lacked a go-to guy inside. Walls was a double-double machine early on, but wasn’t a big scorer.
Team MVP: Craig Walls (7.1 rpg)
Leading scorer: Ben Sturgill (13.1 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Craig Walls (7.1 rpg)
Assists leader: Shejdie Childs (2.8 apg)
Starters leaving:
G Marcus Bullock (graduated)
F Griffin Walker (graduated)
F-C Kyle Peterson (graduated)
Key players returning:
Sr. F-C Ben Sturgill (13.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Sr. F Craig Walls (9.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)
So. F Blagoj Janev (10.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Sr. F Damione Liddell (5.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Jr. PG Shejdie Childs (5.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.0 spg)
Jr. SG Ronnie Dennis (6.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
So. PG Jermaine Anderson (4.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Jr. SF Ioannis Karalis (3.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg)
Outlook for 2004-05: Bullock was the only significant personnel loss, although Walker gave them some good athleticism on the wing. The Wildcats should be strong up front, though Sturgill’s health will again be a big factor, as he’s their most aggressive inside scorer and rebounder. With Bullock gone, someone must emerge as a shooter.
Stony Brook (10-20, 5-13)
It was a difficult season for the Seawolves, who were beset with all sorts of injuries throughout the season that added to their challenge. Injuries especially decimated the frontcourt, but Cori Spencer and Mike Popoko had solid seasons to help the Seawolves stay competitive. The backcourt was not the problem, led by senior D.J. Munir and freshman Mitchell Beauford, who showed plenty of potential in his first year.
Team MVP: D.J. Munir (15.3 ppg, 2.9 apg)
Leading scorer: D.J. Munir (15.3 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Mike Popoko (5.2 rpg)
Assists leader: D.J. Munir (2.9 apg)
Starters leaving:
PG D.J. Munir (graduated)
F Mike Konopka (graduated)
Key players returning:
Sr. F Cori Spencer (10.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
So. PG Mitchell Beauford (10.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.8 spg)
So. SF Mike Popoko (8.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
Sr. G-F Mike Orfini (3.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Jr. G Bobby Santiago (3.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Sr. F-C JonPaul Kobryn (4.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg in 7 games)
Jr. G-F Hendrick Feist (3.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
News: The coaching staff welcomes newcomers Dagan Nelson and Dan Rickard.
Outlook for 2004-05: Losing Munir will certainly be a blow, but the Seawolves have two excellent young players to build around in Beauford and Popoko and a good senior post player returning in Spencer. If Santiago rebounds from the tough sophomore year, they’ll be in much better shape, but they need the bodies in the frontcourt to be healthy and productive as well.
UMBC (7-21, 4-14)
The Golden Retrievers knew this year would be one for getting to know America East, and it wasn’t pleasant very often as they struggled. Along the way, they got a glimpse into what they’ll need to compete at this level, and their younger players showed some potential for the next couple of seasons. Rob Gogerty ran the show steadily with help from freshman Chris Pugh, Kareem Washington was the team’s leading scorer and Cory McJimson led a frontcourt that showed potential at times but searched all season long for an identity.
Team MVP: Rob Gogerty (10.5 ppg, 4 apg, 1.6 spg)
Leading scorer: Kareem Washington (11.6 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Cory McJimson (5.5 rpg)
Assists leader: Rob Gogerty (4 apg)
Starters leaving:
Kareem Washington (graduated)
Key players returning:
Sr. PG Rob Gogerty (10.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4 apg, 1.6 spg)
Jr. F Cory McJimson (9.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Jr. F John Zito (9.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Sr. C Andrew Feeley (6.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
Jr. F Seth Davis (4.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
So. PG Chris Pugh (4.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.3 apg)
News: Before the America East Tournament, then-head coach Tom Sullivan was placed on administrative leave, and Randy Monroe took over as interim head coach. Before March was over, Sullivan resigned and Monroe had the “interim” label removed from his title.
Albany (5-23, 3-15)
This was sure to be a building season for the Great Danes, as they had two Division I transfers sitting out this year and had just one senior on the roster. It turned out to be just that, but one with a lot of growing pains as injuries depleted the roster and gave them little room for error. The season-ending injury to super sophomore Jamar Wilson decimated the offense, but freshman Jon Iati stepped right in and was a key cog in the offense along with Levi Levine, who had another solid season. Aquawasi St. Hillaire’s development eased the pressure on Levine, who didn’t have to be the main inside presence again.
Team MVP: Levi Levine (14.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.6 spg)
Leading scorer: Levi Levine (14.3 ppg)
Leading rebounder: Aquawasi St. Hillaire (6.8 rpg)
Assists leader: Jon Iati (3 apg)
Starters leaving:
None
Key players returning:
So. G Jamar Wilson (redshirted with a knee injury)
So. PG Jon Iati (14.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3 apg)
Jr. F Levi Levine (14.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.6 spg)
Sr. PF Aquawasi St. Hillaire (9.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Sr. PF Chris Wyatt (6.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
So. G Courtney Johnson (5.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 spg)
Jr. F Jerrad Knotts (3.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
News: Wilson said he would be working out with the team right away during the offseason and joined them immediately.
Outlook for 2004-05: Next year is the year for the Great Danes to break loose. Wilson will return in better shape and will be joined by impact transfers Lucious Jordan and Kirsten Zoellner, who give them more scoring and size, respectively. Iati can run the show and let Wilson and Jordan score, and the Great Danes will have plenty of depth and some interchangeable parts. Will Brown is building a good program, and next year will start to show the fruits of his and his staff’s labor.
America East 2004-05 Outlook
Don’t be surprised if the championship game features the same two teams next season. Vermont returns a strong lineup for one more run, while Maine might get its best chance to finally get over the hump and win the conference. But they won’t be prohibitive favorites; Boston University will reload and Northeastern will have an explosive backcourt that might overshadow a lack of depth up front, and teams that finished in the lower half of the conference all return key players and will be capable of cracking the first division. Albany will be the team to watch, as they return super sophomore Jamar Wilson and add key transfers, making them a prime candidate for a big jump in the standings. As a whole, the conference returns most of its elite talents, and only two teams (Stony Brook and UMBC) lose their leading scorer from the 2003-04 season.
