Coming off Historic Season, Vermont Unanimously Chosen as 2017-18 #AEHoops Men’s Favorite
BOSTON – After posting one of the most successful seasons in #AEHoops history, Vermont is the unanimous favorite in the 2017-18 America East Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll announced Thursday morning. Preseason poll voting was conducted by the conference’s nine head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Vermont returns four starters from a team that won a program-record 29 games last year, including all 19 against conference opponents, and its sixth America East title. The Catamounts, who will be led by reigning America East Player of the Year, Trae Bell-Haynes, and Rookie of the Year, Anthony Lamb, earned all eight possible first-place votes and the maximum 64 points.
Albany received the final first-place vote and earned 57 points en route to being selected second for the second time in three seasons. Preseason All-Conference choices Joe Cremo and David Nichols will drive a Great Dane squad that reached the postseason for the sixth-straight season last year.
UMBC followed in third place after posting a 14-win turnaround last year. The Retrievers won 21 games and advanced all the way to the semifinals of the CIT. Preseason All-Conference choice Jairus Lyles, America East’s top returning scorer (18.9 ppg), is back as is All-Defensive team honoree K.J. Maura.
Stony Brook rounds out the top four after its surprising season a year ago. The Seawolves lost several key contributors to their 2015-16 America East title winning squad, but won 18 games, including 12 in conference play. Third-team All-Conference choice Tyrell Sturdivant will lead the 2017-18 Seawolves.
Here is the full poll:
2017-18 Men's #AEHoops Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank School Pts (1st-Place Votes)
1. Vermont 64 (8) - unanimous
2. Albany 57 (1)
3 UMBC 45
4. Stony Brook 38
5. New Hampshire 37
T6. Binghamton 29
UMass Lowell 29
8. Hartford 16
9. Maine 9
Eighteen players who earned All-Conference, All-Defensive or All-Rookie honors last year return for the 2017-18 season. America East is coming off one of its best men’s basketball seasons in recent history as its conference RPI of 21 was its best since the 2008-09 campaign. The league’s 57 non-conference wins against Division I opponents were its most in the conference’s modern history. Four teams made postseason appearances for the third-straight year, including UMBC, which became the third America East team to reach the semifinals of a postseason tournament in as many seasons.
The 2017-18 season begins on November 10 with conference play starting on January 3. Conference positioning will again prove key for the #AEPlayoffs. After drawing record-attendance figures each of its first three years, every round of the #AEPlayoffs will take place on the higher seed’s home court for the fourth-straight season. The league champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, where America East teams have won eight games all-time and is in the midst of its best three-year seeding average in 15 years.
Follow the brand-new @AEHoopsNews Twitter account to stay up-to-date on #AEHoops news all season long.
- #3Pillars – Building the Complete Student-Athlete -