Men's Basketball Hosts Maine in Valentine's Day Matinee Sunday

AMERICA EAST STANDINGS | AMERICA EAST STATISTICS

ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men's basketball (20-7, 9-3 AE) looks to bounce back from a Thursday loss with a victory Sunday against Maine (8-17, 4-8 AE). The 2:00 p.m., tip will be available on America East TV and Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.  

LINKED-IN

LAST TIME OUT

HOOLEY UALBANY RECORD CHECK

TEAM WINDEX

Mike Rowley and Greig Stire have posted 69 offensive rebounds each this season, ranking fourth in Division I program history in single-season offensive boards. The pair is chasing a record set by Sam Rowley last season with 81.

CHARITY STRIPE KINGS

The Great Danes come in at No. 2 in free throws made (522) nationally and fifth in attempts (697) through 27 games. Will Brown's squad is three makes behind the top team, Howard and is 20th in the nation in percentage (.749). With four regular season games remaining, the 2015-16 Danes are on track to set a new Division I program record for makes and attempts.

HOOLEY NAMED TO COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT FIRST TEAM

For the third straight season, University at Albany men's basketball guard Peter Hooley was voted to the 2016 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District First Team, the organization announced Thursday. He is the first Great Dane in program history to take the honor three times.

Hooley holds a 3.60 graduate GPA and is averaging 13.0 points per game in 2015-16. The senior three-time co-captain was selected to the Academic All-District First Team in his final season after a storybook ending to his 2014-15 campaign. A three-time America East Champion and two-time league tournament Most Outstanding Performer, Hooley graduated with a dual degree in journalism and psychology last season. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Communications in his fifth year.

The Adelaide, Australia native ranks second at UAlbany in Division I free throws made (396), third in assists (319), minutes played (3,677) and fourth in scoring (1,446 points). He is fourth all-time in free throws made and ninth in scoring. Hooley is a three-time America East All-Conference and two-time All-Academic selection, and was named a Senior CLASS Award candidate earlier this season.

Sports information directors select student-athletes to eight district teams nationwide as part of the CoSIDA Academic All-District Program. Hooley is now eligible to be named Academic All-America following another round of voting. 

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS WITH DOC SAUERS

With 60 years gone by since his first season as the men's basketball coach, Doc Sauers will be recognized Sunday at SEFCU Arena for his service at the men's basketball game against Maine. The Great Danes will also host an honorary dinner on Saturday, April 23rd beginning at 5:00 p.m., in SEFCU Arena.

Doc Sauers amassed an impressive 702 wins in 41 seasons as the men's basketball head coach from 1955-87, and 1989-97. He coached 1,032 games at the helm of the Great Danes in the Division II and III ranks with 11 NCAA Tournament invites. At the time of his retirement in 1997, he was one of just 11 NCAA coaches with 700 wins or more including Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith and Bobby Knight. Sauers was inducted into the UAlbany Hall of Fame in 2004, and posted just one losing season in 41 years.

Following his retirement from basketball in 1997, Sauers served as the women's golf head coach from 1997-2012. He saw the program transition from Division II to Division I, and was selected the America East Coach of the Year in 2010 to go with the league title that season. He was also the UAlbany baseball coach from 1958-59. He is currently a special assistant to the Director of Athletics.

DOC SAUERS HIGHLIGHTS:

• New York State Basketball Hall of Fame
• UAlbany Hall of Fame
• Capital District Sports Hall of Fame
• Slippery Rock University Hall of Fame
• 1985 NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year
• 40 winning seasons
• 11 NCAA Tournament bids – 10 between 1975 and 1995
• 4 NAIA postseason appearances
• ECAC Champions – 1978, 1989
• 7 ECAC playoff nods
• All-time best single-season record in 1993-94 of 25-3 

UALBANY BASKETBALL WEEKLY ON MY4 – SPONSORED BY MOHAWK HONDA

For the second straight year, Will Brown will headline UAlbany Basketball Weekly Presented by Mohawk Honda on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m., with Rodger Wyland, Chris Onorato and Ashley Miller on NewsChannel 13 WNYT, MY4.

Wyland & co. will recap all the news and highlights of UAlbany's most recent games with Coach Brown from Mohawk Honda's show room in Glenville. The show will also spotlight player guests. WNYT's production will run weekly through the America East postseason.

SCOUTING MAINE

Maine stole the last meeting in Bangor 81-79 on Jan. 15 for its first victory in the series since 2013. UAlbany leads the all-time series 18-13 including a 10-6 clip at SEFCU Arena.

In the Jan. 15 loss, Peter Hooley exploded for 29 points to lead all scorers. However, the Purple & Gold allowed season highs in field goal percentage (.569, 33-58) and assists (17) from Maine. Four Black Bears finished in double figures, two starters and two off the bench.

Bob Walsh's squad has a high-octane offense, averaging 77.5 points per game and 80.4 per game in conference play. The Black Bears are giving up an average of 87.2 points per game in league play on a .512 opponent field goal percentage.  On the defensive end, Maine leads the league in conference-only steals per game (9.4), but ranks last in defensive rebounds per game (22.4 RPG).

BY THE NUMBERS

DIVISION I LEADING CAREER SCORERS