Score: UAlbany 75, Vermont 68

Location: Broadview Center | Albany, N.Y.

Records: UAlbany (7-12, 3-1 America East), Vermont (11-8, 3-1 America East)

Short Story: The University at Albany men's basketball team, in front of a thunderous crowd at Broadview Center, took down Vermont on Monday afternoon, 75-68. The Great Danes used efficient shooting (44.4%) and stingy defensive play to defeat their out-of-state rivals in a game that was broadcast on national television, and move into first place in the America East.   

Coach Killings: "We told the guys today that the game honors toughness, and we were the toughest team. I'm super proud of these kids… It's one of the best wins that I've been a part of since I've been here, in an unbelievable basketball environment. I can't thank the community enough for coming out to support our kids. We needed them. We were in a deep hole. We finally got the crowd behind us, and we gave them every single reason to come back into the Broadview Center, which is hands down the best basketball environment in the city… The heart, soul, toughness, their belief, their grit, they proved it. They won it the hard way, and I'm super proud.
 
Key Stats:

• Amir Lindsey led the Great Danes with 24 points in a full 40 minutes of action. Lindsey finished with four rebounds while going 3-6 from deep and 9-10 from the charity stripe.
• Abdoulaye Fall and Isaac Abidde followed with 16 points and four rebounds each. Fall went a perfect 5-5 from the free throw line, helping seal the game in the final minutes.
• Zacharie Matulu led both teams with 13 rebounds. The Capital Region product played all 40 minutes, scoring seven points and recording two steals.
• As a team, the Great Danes shot 44.4% (24-54) from the field and 36% (9-25) from deep.
• UAlbany finished with 32 rebounds to Vermont's 33.

 
How it Happened:

• The Catamounts started on an 11-2 run before UAlbany chipped away to make it a 16-8 game with 12:02 remaining in the half.
• Over the next seven minutes, Amir Lindsey helped the Great Danes go out to a 14-9 run and bring UAlbany's deficit to three, 25-22.
• A three from Tarique Foster tied up the game at 4:55, before Miles Rose gave the Great Danes their first lead of the contest off a layup 27-25, sparking a UAlbany 15-4 run to close out the half and lead 37-26, highlighted by a second three from Foster.
• Vermont and UAlbany exchanged baskets in the opening five minutes, with the Catamounts outscoring UAlbany 9-7 to make. T 44-38 game.
• The Great Danes would go on a 15-5 run of their own with 10 minutes to play, led by seven points from Isaac Abidde.
• Over the next 10 minutes, Vermont would make a 17-6 run to bring its deficit to a two-possession game with a UAlbany lead 65-60 with 1:55 to play.
• The Great Danes were able to hold on late thanks to clutch free throws from Lindsey and Abdoulaye Fall to keep the Catamounts out of reach.

 
UP NEXT: UAlbany will hit the road and head to Orono, Maine, to face the Black Bears on Thursday, January 22 at 6:00 PM
 
Social Central
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