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ALBANY, N.Y. – Sam Rowley scored a game-high 24 points and added seven rebounds to lead the Albany Great Danes to a 79-73 victory over visiting Vermont in the America East regular season finale for both teams.
Albany moves to 21-8 overall and finishes the regular season with a 15-1 conference mark. Vermont stands at 17-12 overall and finishes league play at 12-4. The Great Danes are the No. 1 seed in the upcoming America East Playoffs, while the Catamounts will be the No. 2 seed.
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Box Score (.pdf)Rowley was 7-for-12 from the field to lead three Great Danes in double figures. Peter Hooley added 18 points off the bench and Ray Sanders chipped in 15 points and five rebounds.
Ethan O'Day led the Catamounts with 19 points and added a game-high eight rebounds.
Dre Wills chipped in 13 points and
Trae Bell-Haynes handed out eight assists.
Vermont led 10-4 to open the game, but Albany used 14-2 run over the next 6:14 to take a 18-12 lead with 10:32 remaining in the half. The Catamounts responded with a 9-4 spurt, capped with a 3-pointer by
Brandon Hatton to take a 31-29 lead with 3:48 left.
The two teams traded baskets over the final three minutes, but a driving layup by
Trae Bell-Haynes pushed UVM back in front to give Vermont a 39-37 lead at the break.
Vermont opened the second half with a 9-2 spurt, including five points from O'Day to pull out to a 46-39 lead. The Catamounts extended their lead seven points with 16:58 showing on the clock, but the Great Danes responded with a 9-0 spurt to regain the lead, 50-48, with 13:52 remaining.
Vermont regained the lead on a layup from
Dre Wills at the 12:33 mark, but that was the last lead the Catamounts would hold the rest of the way.
Albany pushed out to a 63-56 advantage with 8:27 left, Vermont sliced it to two at the 6:56 mark on a free throw by
Cam Ward. The Great Danes used a 14-6 run to open up a 10-point lead, the largest by either team, and led 77-67 with 2:54 left in game.
A 3-pointer by Steidl cut the lead back to five with just over a minute left in the final Vermont rally, but the Great Danes were able to secure the win down the stretch.
Vermont is the No. 2 seed in the America East Playoffs and will host No. 7 UMBC on Wednesday (March 4) at 7 p.m. at Patrick Gymnasium in the quarterfinal round.
The game can be heard on ESPN 101.3 FM (online:
1013ESPN.com) with A.J. Kanell calling the action. The game will also be steamed online for free via
AmericaEast.tv.
NOTES: Vermont was 15-for-27 (55.6%) from the foul line, while Albany was 29-for-38 (76.3%) … The Catamounts won the battle of the boards out rebounding Albany 39-26 overall and 18-5 on the offensive glass … UVM handed out 17 assists on 27 baskets … In the first matchup between the two teams, Albany posted a 47-44 victory at Patrick Gymnasium, the score at the half was 39-37 Vermont. QUARTERFINAL TICKET INFORMATIONRESERVED SEAT SEASON TICKET HOLDERS AND SPONSORS:Vermont reserved seat season ticket holders who chose not to pre-order their seats can purchase the seats they held during the regular season on Friday (February 27) and Monday (March 2). Tickets will be held in the season ticket holders name until close of business on Monday. The UVM Athletic Ticket Office in Patrick Gymnasium will be open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and Monday. Tickets need to be picked up in person. If you are unable to pick up your tickets in person and would like someone else to pick up for you, please notify the ticket office in advance via email at athletic.tickets@uvm.edu. Additional tickets will not be available for purchase during this period. ** If seats were pre-ordered, tickets can be picked up during the UVM Athletic Ticket Office hours (8 a.m.-6 p.m.) or at Will Call before the game. VICTORY CLUB MEMBERS: Victory Club members at the Catamount level ($1000+) and above can request tickets Friday (February 27) and Monday (March 2) by contacting the Victory Club Office via phone: 802-656-0956 or email: victory.club@uvm.edu. All requests will be filled based on established Victory Club priority and availability. UVM STUDENTS: A limited number of FREE student tickets will be made available to UVM students beginning on Friday (February 27) at 9 a.m. at the UVM Athletic Ticket Office in Patrick Gymnasium. Tickets are limited to one (1) ticket per UVM ID, students must present their own UVM ID at the ticket window, no other ID's will be accepted. UVM FACULTY/STAFF: Faculty/Staff with valid UVM ID (or spouse with valid UVM spouse ID) may purchase up to four (4) tickets on Friday (February 27) and Monday (March 2) in person only at the UVM Athletic Ticket Office in Patrick Gymnasium. Tickets are for personal use only. GENERAL PUBLIC: A public sale will begin on Tuesday (March 3) & Wednesday (March 4) in person at the UVM Athletic Ticket Office in Patrick Gymnasium or online at UVMathletics.com. There is a limit of four (4) tickets per person. Ticket office hours will be 8 a.m.–6 p.m. TICKET PRICES (ALL SEATS ARE RESERVED):$15 – reserved seatsFree - UVM students
QUARTERFINAL FAN FEST
UVM Athletics will sponsor a "Fan Fest" prior to the quarterfinal game on Wednesday ... The event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the west lobby of Patrick Gymnasium ... The first 500 fans will received FREE t-shirts compliments of America East ... The "Fan Fest" will feature free food from Leonardo's, Cabot Cheese and Sodexo along with face painting sponsored by the UVM Alumni Association and a poster making station for kids.