Brian Lillis Leads University of Albany to an 80-79 Overtime Win Against Vermont in America East Play

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Brian Lillis scored 19 of his career-high 29 points in the second half in leading UAlbany to an 80-79 overtime victory over Vermont in an America East Conference contest on Sunday, Jan. 6 at SEFCU Arena.

In a battle that featured 18 lead changes and 10 ties, Lillis helped decide the game on the final two possessions. After Vermont’s Chad Powlovich hit a back-door layup off Marqus Blakely’s feed from the post for a 79-78 lead, Lillis converted off a spin to his right from the left block with 10.3 seconds remaining. Blakely, who had 23 points and eight rebounds, attempted a short jumper in the lane in the closing moments, but Lillis deflected the shot and the clock ran out.

“(Brian) Lillis was aggressive and not passive like he was in his last game,” said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team has won five of six home games this season. “He got into the flow and kept it simple. We are not good enough as a team to not play with passion and intensity. We were aggressive even when we made mistakes.”

Vermont (6-8, AE 1-1) trailed 42-33 early in the second half, but nearly wiped out that deficit with 10 of the game’s next 12 points. Freshman guard Joey Accaoui buried one of his three 3-pointers to start that outburst. Blakely, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, later hit a spinning shot in the lane and made a conventional three-point as he was fouled scoring off a lob pass in closing the gap to 44-43 with 12:11 to play.

The contest went back and forth throughout the rest of regulation. The Catamounts, who had their three-game win streak halted, took a 70-68 lead when Nick Vier drilled a three-point field goal from the top of the arc with 43.2 seconds to play. Lillis, a 6’5” senior who made 13-of-21 from the field, tied the contest on his team’s next possession with a 12-footer in the lane. UVM’s Mike Trimboli, who had 17 points, misfired on a 14-foot fadeaway with four seconds left.

In the extra period, Vermont’s Keith Cieplicki, who had 11 points, made a 19-foot jumper from the left wing off an in-bounds pass to break a 75-75 deadlock. UAlbany (6-8, AE 1-1) would eventually go back in front. Lillis, who added seven assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals, stole Powlovich’s errant pass and later made another shot in the lane off the dribble for a 78-77 advantage with 50 seconds to play.

“This is an unbelievable win,” offered Lillis, who has scored in double figures in 13 of 14 games this year. “We showed we wanted to win from the beginning and that got the crowd behind us. I took my last performance to heart.”

The Great Danes, who ended a four-game slide, trailed by as much as eight points in the opening half. But UAlbany rallied to grab a 28-26 lead late in the period on a pair of free throws by Brian Connelly, who finished with 15 points. Brent Wilson, a 6’8” senior, added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a matchup between two programs who have combined to win the last five America East titles.

“It was all the little things in this game,” explained Vermont coach Mike Lonergan, whose club was coming off a 71-60 win over Binghamton in its conference opener. “We had unforced turnovers, missed free throws, and didn’t get to some rebounds. But we need to play better defense in order to win. (Brian) Lillis got into us no matter who we put on him. He is my favorite player in the league outside of my own players.”