On the final day of the America East regular season, Albany and Vermont met with no more than pride on the line. For these fierce rivals the game was played as if it was the championship. In a back and forth game, it was Albany's lone senior Sam Rowley (24 points) and his co-captain Peter Hooley (18 points) who carried the load for the Great Danes, leading them to a 79-73 victory. With Vermont pulling away in the second half Hooley brought the Danes back with some dynamic outside shooting. Then with the game on the line Rowley took over and insured that his senior night would be a memorable one. The 24 points were a career high for Rowley as he showcased his entire offensive arsenal. In a hard fought, physical game the result was decided at the free throw line. Albany got to the line early and often finishing the night 29-38 (76%) from the line.
On the Vermont side, the Catamounts struggled to execute down the stretch, particularly at the free throw line. With Albany seizing control of the game, Vermont had several chances to keep the game close from the charity stripe. When the horn sounded, the final numbers were an abysmal 15-27 (56%) from the free throw line. The young Catamounts turned the ball over 11 times in the second half as the more experienced Great Danes clamped down on defense. Vermont was led by Ethan O'Day with 19 points and 8 rebounds. Dre Wills chipped in 13 points on 6/9 shooting from the field.
The 79 points were the most given up in conference play by a Vermont team that had held 9 straight opponents under 60 points. Albany shot 52 percent from the field including 6/9 from three. Vermont had a sustantial advantage on the boards, outrebounding Albany 39-26.
Albany will be the number one seed in the upcoming America East tournament and host Maine on Wednesday. Vermont is the two seed and will host UMBC.