By: Sam Perkins in: Conference Notes
3 Mar 2010The America East regular season wrapped up on Sunday; the seedings are set, the teams are ready, and Binghamton managed to once again cause another “international incident” (the Bearcats withdrew from the America East tournament). Certain circumstances have kept me from contributing as regularly as I had desired this season, but make no mistake; I’m [...]
By: Sam Perkins in: Conference Notes
26 Jan 2010A look at the early going in America East, which might not get high marks in terms of strength but will in terms of competitiveness.
DURHAM, N.H. – Dane DiLiegro opened and closed the game with authority, but it took a team effort during his absence to overcome a tenacious Quinnipiac team and earn a 77-70 victory.
With the win UNH improved to 3-1 on the season. Eric Gilchrese scored 20 points, while Mike Christensen added 17 and Alvin Abreu came off the bench for 14, as the Wildcats overcame 25 points each from Quinnipiac’s combo of DeMario Anderson and Evann Baker.
The local media might still be ignoring the Wildcats, but it’s apparent to everyone who’s seen them play that this New Hampshire team is for real.
They say that death and taxes are the only certainties in life. There are other things that are so virtually certain they could almost be added to that list, like college football being a joke as long as the BCS is around or a pleasant driving experience in Boston being elusive. Another possibility in that category is that Boston University will win at home against New Hampshire, and the latest exhibit for it came at just the right time for the Terriers.
A new day, new month, even new year, and the result was different at long last. New Hampshire has been in a number of close games since the beginning of the 2007-08 season, but all too often has wound up on the short end. They were 7-12 last season in games decided by single digits, including a 1-9 mark in games decided by five points or less, and they lost all three overtime games they played in.
Holy Cross continues to be beset by injuries. On Tuesday night, Alex Vander Baan didn’t dress for the second straight game due to his continuing back problems, and at this point the Crusaders are planning to hold him out of remaining non-league games. They are also without Eric Meister for about the same duration. The best news is that they are more optimistic that point guard Pat Doherty may be able to return later in the season, although that’s far from a guarantee that he will.

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Managing Editor Phil Kasiecki spent Friday (3/20) discussing NCAA first-round action on ESPN 1040 in Tampa. Download the broadcast! (5.7 MB)