Stony Brook Celebrates First America East Crown

BY JIM FURLONG

From last place to top of the league.

The Stony Brook Seawolves achieved a school-first Wednesday night, which led to a lingering celebration on their Suffolk campus. By beating Vermont 82-78, the Seawolves improved their winning streak to 10 games and clinched first place in the America East men's regular-season standings. Coach Steve Pikiell knows how far the program has advanced since he took command almost five years ago. His first Stony Brook team finished 4-24. Now the Seawolves are 21-7 and assured a post-season tournament bid to the NIT. "We talked about going from worst to first and (Wednesday night) we lived that," said Pikiell. "It's been a long journey and there have been tough times. This is a great day for us. We beat the team considered the best program in the conference." For the first time since joining NCAA Division I basketball 10 years ago, Stony Brook earned a championship. "It means a lot," said the team's leading scorer, Muhammad El-Amin. "Because when we go to the other (conference) schools, they all have a flag. " ... We don't have a flag." A second after the final buzzer inside packed Pritchard Gym, more than 100 energetic SBU students and cheerleaders stampeded to the center of the court and surrounded the jubilant players, who jumped up and down and shared hugs and high fives."

Dallis Joyner, who scored a career-high 20 points; El-Amin, who scored 23 points; Bryan Dougher, 18 points; Chris Martin, 15 points; and Tommy Brenton, a game-high 11 rebounds, happily posed for pictures with their teammates and accepted the America East first-place trophy.

Pikiell praised his players and many in the sellout crowd of 1,650.

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