Trey Hutcheson makes key plays in UAlbany men’s basketball win

“I thought we came together at the right time. We made a lot of really tough plays, came out, played physical with them. And then in the stretch, they did a little run. We had it at 10, they turned it at three, and we just stayed together and found a way to put it away,” Hutcheson stated.

When UAlbany had gone 10 minutes scoreless in the primary half, Hutcheson stole the puck from Saint Rose’s Adam Dudzinski and acquired it to Gerald Drumgoole Jr., who discovered Sarju Patel chopping underneath the basket to finish the drought.

“It began on the defensive finish. He actually did an important job of setting the tone for us defensively, after which that carried over into his offense. I feel that allowed him to get right into a circulate, get him going,” performing coach Bobby Jordan stated.

With the Great Danes up 23-17 late in the primary half, Hutcheson stole the ball once more and handed to Patel for a fast 3-pointer, then tied the sport with a 3 of his personal. In the second half, he scored six straight factors to present UAlbany a lead it might not relinquish.

“It just really showed what a tough player and what a kid he was tonight,” Jordan stated.

But maybe Hutcheson’s hardest play of the sport got here in the ultimate seconds, with UAlbany main by simply 5. He knocked the ball away from Eric Fleming, forcing a turnover moments earlier than crashing into the Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium wall.

“He’s giving it his all. He’s damage proper now and he is giving it his all. He is doing wonders,” stated Patel.

Hutcheson was 0-for-4 with two rebounds in practically 5 minutes in UAlbany’s first exhibition, a detailed win over Skidmore the place his minutes have been restricted by a again harm. Last season, he averaged 5.4 factors per sport and was second on the crew in blocks with 17 (one behind Paul Newman).

“We tried to instill a level of confidence in him,” coach Dwayne Killings stated of Hutcheson just a few weeks in the past. “When we got here, I don’t think he had any confidence in his abilities. We told him ‘shoot, shoot, shoot. You can do this, you can do that. You are a competitive guy. You can retire, you can race, you can guard.’ “

Killings was not in any exhibitions resulting from a five-game suspension.

That message has made a distinction, Hutcheson stated after the Saint Rose sport.

“I’ve plenty of confidence now. It’s simply from my teammates, from my coaches at all times telling me, ‘shoot the ball, the subsequent shot will go in,’ one thing like that. I feel plenty of guys on our crew are like that. We construct one another up so properly, we’re so related, so collectively the belief is simply excessive,” he stated.

Although the Great Danes struggled offensively in each exhibition video games, Hutcheson is assured in the crew in addition to himself.

“I think we just have to keep gelling,” he stated. “Keep working together on offense, move the ball, make shots. I think there are possessions tonight where we moved the ball, we looked really, really good. We just have to keep doing it, keep playing together and we’ll be fine.”

UAlbany opens its season Monday at Towson.

UAlbany at Towson

19:00 Monday, November 7, 2022

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Away: Towson, Md.

Series historical past: 0-1

Last assembly: UAlbany misplaced 77-56 on November 9, 2021, in Dwayne Killings’ first sport as coach.

Note: UAlbany introduced a brand new postgame phase on ESPN 104.5 The Team, which broadcasts UAlbany men’s basketball video games. The present will proceed for half-hour instantly following all video games, residence and away, starting with kickoff and a sport recap, adopted by interviews with coach Dwayne Killings and choose student-athletes.