El-Amin's jumper with 1.8 seconds left lifts Stony Brook, 68-66

Things started out easy enough for Stony Brook, but they certainly didn't end that way - although it did work out OK.

Muhammad El-Amin drained an 18-foot jumper with 1.8 seconds left to give the Seawolves a 68-66 men's basketball win over host Albany in an America East Conference game Friday night. It was Stony Brook's ninth straight win.

The Seawolves (20-7, 12-2) led 19-5 and 33-18 before falling behind 64-61 with 31/2 minutes remaining. "I need those leads with two minutes left, not 33 minutes," Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell joked.

Bryan Dougher's three-pointer tied it, but Tim Ambrose's layup with 1:30 left put Albany ahead 66-64. On an inbounds play, Dallis Joyner took a feed from Marcus Rouse, pump-faked and powered in a layup with 1:17 to go to tie it. "I like the way my guys executed," Pikiell said. "I called a timeout, drew up the play, and they ran it just like it was supposed to be run."

When Scotty McRae missed a three-pointer, Tommy Brenton picked up his 12th rebound and Stony Brook called timeout with 32 seconds left. Dougher got the ball to El-Amin with 12 seconds left and he made his move to the hoop six seconds later, hitting from straightaway, just inside the arc. "We weren't at our best tonight," Pikiell said. "But I liked the way my guys were able to grind it out."

El-Amin had 19 points and Dougher 11. Will Harris had 17 points, McRae 16 and Ambrose 12 for Albany (7-22, 2-12). Mike Black had nine points and nine assists.

Stony Brook will host second-place Vermont (11-3) on Wednesday; a victory would clinch the regular-season title and at least an NIT bid for the Seawolves.

The last time Stony Brook reached 20 wins was as a Division III program in 1991, when it went 23-4. "Getting to 20 wins is significant," Pikiell said. "It helps with recruiting and it proves that we can win here. I've been trying to sell that since I got here."