Conference play is in full swing, but that does not mean upsets still are not occurring. Non-conference play prepares teams for the grind of their conference schedule. However, the conference schedule tests just how consistent a team can be. For mid-major programs, it is the beginning of the battle for the automatic bid. This past week saw some early statements from teams that were not the preseason conference favorites.<\/p>\n
Vermont received all of the preseason hype out of the America East. They were the preseason favorites, and rightly so, led by star Anthony Lamb<\/strong><\/a>. However, that can fuel other teams in their quest to dethrone the perceived favorite. Stony Brook put their hat into the ring, defeating Vermont on the road 81-77 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Stony Brook and Vermont are the two winningest programs in the conference over the last nine years, though Vermont usually had the upper hand in head-to-head matchups. This was the Seawolves’ first victory over the Catamounts in their last eight tries. Elijah Olaniyi<\/strong><\/a> led Stony Brook with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Makale Foreman<\/strong><\/a> added 23 points. Lamb had 23 points in the loss for Vermont.<\/p>\n These two teams will meet again on February 20th, this time in New York. This was a big early win, with Olaniyi saying “it feels good because I feel like we earned a little bit of respect.” Stony Brook has put the rest of the America East on notice.<\/p>\n SEAWOLVES WIN! Down go the defending champs!#SeawolvesUnited<\/a> | #AEHoops<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ESfqYa5oA2<\/a><\/p>\n — Stony Brook Men\u2019s Basketball (@StonyBrookMBB) January 9, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n