BANGOR, Maine — Husson University will host the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference New England Men’s Basketball Championship this weekend at Newman Gym.
Husson (20-7) is the second seed and will open the tourney against third-seeded Fitchburg State (15-12) at 3 p.m. Saturday.
The second game will feature top-seeded Southern Vermont College (23-4) against No. 4 Anna Maria College (14-12) at 5 p.m.
The semifinal winners will battle for the New England title at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The tourney is an invitational format as Husson lost in a North Atlantic Conference semifinal Saturday to eventual tourney champ Colby-Sawyer, which advanced to the NCAA Division III tourney.
UMaine’s Little earns AE honor
Freshman Kevin Little was the only UMaine men’s basketball player honored when the America East Conference postseason awards were announced on Monday.
Little, a combination guard from Wyandanch, New York, earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
The elusive 5-foot-10 Little emerged as the Black Bears’ leading scorer this season, averaging 12.5 points per game. That included 15.2 ppg in league games, which ranked third in America East.
Little shot 39 percent (41-for-106) from the 3-point arc and 79 percent from the foul line (26-for-33). He also posted 2.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 29.5 minutes per contest.
Jameel Warney of Stony Brook was named the Kevin Roberson Player of the Year for the second straight season and was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Tanner Leissner of New Hampshire was the Rookie of the Year, while Justin Graham of Hartford and Vermont’s Cam Ward were co-winners of the Sixth Man of the Year honor.
Albany’s Will Brown was recognized as the Coach of the Year.
Warner is joined on the first team by teammate Carson Puriefoy, Sam Rowley and Evan Singletary of Albany, and Ethan O’Day of Vermont.
Maine’s Wood player of year candidate
University of Maine women’s basketball standout Liz Wood is a candidate in for the America East women’s player of the year in an Internet fan poll. Those seeking to vote need to visit Women’s #AEHoops Fans’ Choice Player of the Year (americaeast.com).
Wood, the league’s preseason player of the year and a preseason all-conference selection, finished the regular season ranked in the top 10 in the league in nine different categories. She ranks sixth in the league in scoring (14.2), fifth in rebounding (7.3), seventh in assists (3.4) and led the league in steals, averaging 2.8 per game.
Wood hit 50.8 percent from the field in the regular season, led the league in defensive rebounding (5.9) and played 36.3 minutes per game.
Voting closes at noon Thursday.
NCAA regional tips off at Bowdoin
The Bowdoin College women’s basketball team will host an NCAA Division III regional this weekend at Morrell Gymnasium in Brunswick.
Ithaca (22-5) takes on Mount St. Vincent (22-5) at 5 p.m. Friday, and then tourney host Bowdoin (23-4) battles Babson (20-8) at 7 p.m..
The winners will meet at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Bowdoin is making its 15th appearance in the national tournament and 14th showing in the last 15 years. The Polar Bears have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen 10 times, including five Elite Eight appearances and a trip to the Division III championship game in 2004.