Matchups
CENTER
Dallis Joyner — Stony Brook
A solid all-around post at 6 feet 7 inches, Joyner does his job on both sides of the floor for Stony Brook, putting up 8.2 points per game and bringing down 6.5 rebounds.
Brett Gifford — Albany
At 6 feet 11 inches, Gifford is not an offensive threat but provides UA with a big body on the inside. Gifford has blocked 25 shots this season, while really playing within his role for the Danes.
Advantage: Stony Brook
FORWARD
Tommy Brenton — Stony Brook
An All-Rookie performer last season, the sophomore made a name for himself this year by grabbing a conference-leading 9.6 rebounds per game. Shooting over 50 percent from the field, Brenton is just another shot of ammunition in Stony Brook’s stacked lineup.
Scotty McCrae — Albany
Hitting double-figures in scoring five times this season, McCrae has the ability to show up for big for Albany, but has often shown inconsistency. His 4.5 rebounds per game is solid and the second-most on the team, but his shooting percentages aren’t threatening. We’ll see if he shows up come tourney time.
Advantage: Stony Brook
GUARDS
Muhammad El-Amin, Bryan Dougher, Chris Martin — Stony Brook
Face it: Stony Brook’s backcourt is stacked. El-Amin is arguably one of the top players in the conference. With all three averaging double figures, there’s not much else that comes to mind other than complete dominance. All three have the ability to lead their squad in scoring at any given time.
Tim Ambrose, Will Harris, Mike Black, Logan Aronhalt — Albany
With two top scorers in Ambrose and Harris, Albany is going to have to find another guard who is ready to step up big to match the all-around success in SBU’s backcourt. With Black and Aronhalt averaging respectable offensive numbers, they and the rest of the UA bench must show up to play offense and defense if they plan on an upset.
Advantage: Stony Brook
BENCH
Stony Brook
Freshman Marcus Rouse scored in double figures four times this season, with his career-high 17 points coming from a victory against Albany. But as for the rest of the Stony Brook bench, they’re forgettable.
Albany
Albany goes deep. With 12 of 13 players averaging over 10 minutes a game, coach Will Brown has proved that he has faith and trust in his players out on the court. It’s going to come down to the little things against Stony Brook, and if Albany produces off its bench and stays solid all the way through, it has a chance.
Advantage: Albany
COACHING
Stony Brook
Head coach Steve Pikiell is in his fifth season at Stony Brook, and he’s proved himself in the conference. Coming off a record-breaking season in the 2008-09 season, Pikiell took the success of its best finish ever and rode it into a regular season conference championship and a No. 1 seed in the AE tournament for 2010. Momentum is in his favor.
Albany
Under ninth-year head coach Will Brown, the Danes broke a four-year streak of winning 15 games or more. After winning the 2007 championship and earning a berth in the NCAAs, the Great Danes find themselves in last place.
Advantage: Stony Brook
OVERALL
Obviously, there is always a chance for upsets in March. Stony Brook ended the regular season with a loss and might be feeling the pressure of being in a position they’ve never been in before. Albany needs to take advantage of top-seed jitters and defend, defend, defend. If Stony Brook performs like a top seed, however, a scrappy Albany squad has no chance.
Advantage: Stony Brook