ALBANY - Before Sunday's game against New Jersey Institute of Technology, Gary Johnson couldn't feel his foot.

The trainer had wrapped his rolled ankle so tightly that the senior couldn't feel anything.

Coach Will Brown told him that was a good thing, but Johnson who hasn't had to deal with too many injuries in his career was nervous, when he got out on the court.

After missing two games, due to an ankle sprain against Duquesne, Johnson didn't look nervous.

He scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench, giving the Great Danes a lift.

"He was good," said Brown. 

Johnson got heavily into the mix at the end of last season and was a big reason why the team won the America East and advanced all the way to the NCAA tournament, so getting him back from injury was a big deal.

“It’s great to have him back," said sophomore Peter Hooley.

Johnson's length makes him one of the most versatile players on the team and his athleticism is near the top of the team.

“We’re a completely different team (with him)," Hooley said. "He’s our best perimeter defender and he’s a great slasher offensively."

Johnson's absence actually allowed fellow senior David Wiegmann to pick up more minutes and allowed some of the bench players to get more comfortable on the floor for UAlbany.

"I think having Gary out allowed David to get more comfortable out there," Brown said. "Now, having Gary back, I think we have some really good balance out there."

Johnson wasn't quite in terrific shape, having not had much practice time since injuring the ankle, but he still provided the team with some solid play.

"He made a bunch of plays for us, especially defensively," said Brown.

Johnson won't start on Wednesday against Holy Cross, again coming off the bench. Another injury update is that transfer Anthony Odunsi will be out for at least another week, after suffering a concussion in practice and missing the past two games.

UAlbany Athletics

One thing Brown isn't too thrilled about is rebounding. A statistic that is usually a staple of UAlbany teams since Brown has been at the helm has just been so-so this season.

The Great Danes are just plus-1.3 so far this season, something Brown would like to see improvement on.

"We have to rebound better," he said.

Even though UAlbany is over .500, the Great Danes haven't played a complete game yet this year, according to the players. The team has played 20 good minutes here and played 30 solid minutes against Rider last week. They have actually trailed, at halftime, in six of the seven games so far this season. 

“It is encouraging to know that we have these spurts where we play really good basketball, Hooley said. "And when we don’t have good spurts, we become good when we need to.”

Still, it's something Coach Brown acknowledged, earlier in the year, that will catch up with them eventually. 

AP

ALBANY - Dave Wiegmann was all over the floor on Tuesday evening -- playing so well that coach Will Brown couldn't take him out of the game.

That wasn't the case last season, when Wiegmann (right, playing defense against Ohio State last year) had trouble getting out onto the court.

Continued hard work and determination have Wiegmann playing more than half the game (21.2 min/gm), on average. Currently, the 6-foot-8 forward is even in the starting lineup, as Gary Johnson deals with an ankle issue.

“He just refused to give up," said Brown, following Friday's practice.

Wiegmann is averaging 5.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. In the two starts, he's increased his production to 8.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest.

“I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunities I’ve been given," he said. "Hopefully, I can continue to keep producing.” 

In the 70-59 victory over Rider, Wiegmann grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds, in 37 minutes of action.

“I couldn’t take him off the floor the other day," Brown said. "He got every rebound.”

Wiegmann played just 49 TOTAL minutes last year, after transferring in from Southwestern Illinois Junior College. This year, he's already played 127 minutes, in just six games.

“I still think his best basketball is ahead of him," said Brown.

Wiegmann isn't concerned about maintaining a starting role, once Johnson returns. He just wants to keep helping this team keep pile up victories.

“In the end, it’s what’s most beneficial for the team," Wiegmann said. "Whatever the coaches ask, I’ll do to the best of my ability.”

Last season, Wiegmann just wasn't strong enough to battle inside with the post players, but it wasn't for a lack of effort. He would lift in the hotel room during road trips and put in as much extra work as he could.

“He always fought, worked and competed," said Brown.

Wiegmann would come to Brown routinely last season and ask what he needed to do better or what he should work on, so that he would see more playing time. 

"The one thing that he wants to be able to say is that 'I was a good, solid player and contributed to a team at the Division I level,'" said Brown.

Wiegmann is a great student and is currently looking at what medical school, he would like to attend next year. He could have just continued to work hard in practice and finished up his studies, but he wanted to work even harder to earn minutes and contribute during games this season.

“He should be an example for all kids of all ages," said Brown.

ALBANY - From the first day of open gym for the University at Albany men's basketball team, Gary Johnson stood out to his teammates.

A 6-foot-6 junior college transfer, Johnson showed he was athletic and capable of playing big minutes for the Great Danes.

That didn't happen right away, however.

But over the past three weeks, Johnson has become an invaluable piece of the puzzle for UAlbany, which plays at Vermont, in the America East Conference championship game on Saturday, at 11:30 a.m.

“He’s a guy that doesn’t need the ball to be effective," said UAlbany coach Will Brown.

Johnson has started the past five games for the Great Danes, including both games in the America East tournament. In those games, he was matched up against the league's leading scorer, in Maine's Justin Edwards and the conference's MVP, in Stony Brook's Tommy Brenton.

“They gave me an assignment and I took it personal," Johnson said. "I have pride in my defense. It was fun playing against Justin Edwards and Tommy Brenton because they’re both aggressive and good players. I’m just happy we got the ‘W’.”

Over the past 11 games, Johnson is averaging 6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 assists per game in 22.5 minutes.

Over the team's first 22 games, Johnson played a total of just 54 minutes and compiled stats of nine points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two assists.

“I think he was trying to pick up on everything that we were doing and adjust to this level of basketball," said guard Jacob Iati.

An injury to all-rookie selection Peter Hooley, allowed Johnson to step into the starting lineup. When Hooley returned, the duo has been used effectively by Coach Brown.

“Having him and Pete Hooley on the wing is an awesome advantage for us," said Iati.

Johnson's athleticism couldn't be questioned, but he was trying to get familiar with this level of basketball.

“At the beginning of the year, it was a big transition from junior college to Division I," he said. "The coaches told me that and at first, I didn’t understand. But now I understand and I’m just happy I can have an impact on the team.”

Johnson just kept working and it all culminated in the big victory over Stony Brook, where he had nine points and four rebounds, in the 61-59 victory, which resulted in the crowd storming the SEFCU Arena court.

“It was the funniest game I’ve ever played in," he said.

Now, the Great Danes are just one win from the NCAA tournament and Johnson is hoping he can do whatever it takes to help his team win the America East title.

"We want to win this game bad," he said. "It's not going to be easy. We know it's going to be a tough game, but we're prepared."

J.S. Carras - The Record

ALBANY - It wasn't the first time somebody had asked the question and Mike Black knows it won't be the last.

How will the University at Albany men's basketball team cope with the loss of its two top scorers from a season ago?

The question is even tougher since, both Gerardo Suero and Logan Aronhalt were slated to be part of the Great Danes this year. Suero left to play professionally and Aronhalt is now at the University of Maryland, for a graduate year of study.

“We wish them the best…They’re not here anymore," Black said. "We have a new team, new players and we’ll be fine.”

Suero and Aronhalt combined for 35.3 points per game last year. This year's team will likely be more concentrated on defense.

“We’ll find a way to make up that," Black said. "We’re going to be more defensive minded this year.”

Suero averaged 6.9 free throws made per game, something that coach Will Brown believes the team will miss greatly.

“That’s the only thing that I think we might miss from last year’s team is Suero’s ability to get to the free throw team,” Brown said.

Losing their two top scorers means everyone will have to step up, starting with Black.

“I think Mike’s as good as any player in the league," Brown said. "Mike will be our leading scorer, he’ll be our go-to guy. That’s already been addressed with this team, but his game doesn’t need to change.”

Black averaged 13.4 points per game last season, in addition to being the point guard and running the offense.

“I know I can score with the best," he said. 

UAlbany has three new players this season, all junior college transfers, in Dave Wiegmann, D.J. Evans and Gary Johnson.

Evans is a pest on defense and really quick, Johnson is a slasher, who can score and Wiegmann is a solid rebounder, hard worker and good shooter.

“We expect the new guys to contribute a lot this year," said Black.

The Great Danes know they were close last year, coming up short on a last-second shot by Stony Brook, in the semifinals. That is all the motivation they need to work hard in preparation for this year.

“It definitely did give me that extra motivation going into my senior year, knowing that this is my last chance and everything can change in 0.2 seconds," said senior Blake Metcalf.