Hooley's Heroics Lift Albany to Men's Basketball Title - Mar 15, 2015

For the third-straight year, Albany is going dancing thanks to Peter Hooley (6'4''-G-92). The junior guard's three-pointer from the top of the key with the Great Danes trailing by two and just 1.6 seconds left lifted them to a 51-50 victory in the America East men's basketball championship game Saturday afternoon at SEFCU Arena. This is the Great Danes' third consecutive America East title and fifth overall since 2006.

By virtue of his game-winning shot, Hooley earned Reggie Lewis Most Outstanding Player honors for the second-straight year, becoming the fifth player to win the award in consecutive years. He averaged 13.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in Albany's three tournament wins.

The title was improbable given that Stony Brook (23-11) led by seven, 49-42, with 1:43 left. Evan Singletary (6'1''-G), a first-team all-conference selection, started the Great Danes' comeback with a jumper to cut the deficit to five. After a pair of missed free throws by Stony Brook, Samuel Rowley (6'6''-F-92), an All-Championship team selection, hit a layup to make the score 49-46 with one minute remaining. The Great Danes then forced a turnover on the ensuing possession and Mike Rowley (6'8''-F-94, college: Albany) drew Albany to within one by hitting a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left.

Carson Puriefoy (6'0''-PG-94), who scored a game-high 23 points and earned All-Championship honors, split two free throws, setting the stage for Hooley. He took the carom of a deflected rebound after Ray Sanders (6'4''-G)' missed game tying attempt, and buried the trey, Albany's first of the game. Puriefoy brought the ball up the court but lost it out of bounds before getting a shot off.

Albany, the fourth America East program to win three-straight titles and the first since Vermont did so from 2003-05, will learn its NCAA draw on Sunday during the nationally televised tournament selection show on CBS at 6 p.m.

Hooley finished with 10 points while Rowley led Albany with 14 points and seven rebounds. Warney racked up his 23rd double-double of the season, scoring 20 points to go with 14 rebounds.

Both teams started off slowly, with each hitting just one field goal in the game's first six minutes. The Great Danes, who improved to 5-0 all-time in title games, scored six of the game's next 10 points, capped by Richard Peters' turn around left-handed hook shot in the lane with 8:30 left in the first half to give them a 10-4 lead.

Stony Brook, which was making its fourth championship game in the last five years, countered with a 9-2 run over the next 2:32 and took its first lead, a 13-12 advantage, following Warney's three point play with 5:02 left in the half. The Seawolves found their shooting touch after a cold start, hitting 6-of-9 shots to close the half after a 2-for-16 start. Puriefoy capped the half by hitting a three-pointer with 34 seconds left to give his team a 20-16 edge entering halftime.

Warney powered the Seawolves in the first half, scoring 12 of their 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Puriefoy shouldered the load for Stony Brook in the second half, scoring 17 of his 23 in the stanza, and pushing Stony Brook's advantage to as many as eight in the frame.

Courtesy of AEC

AEC Tournament Final: Albany - Stony Brook 51-50
AEC Tournament Semifinals:
Stony Brook - Vermont 79-77
Albany - New Hampshire 60-58