Old Westbury vs Stony Brook prediction: Stony Brook opens against Old Westbury and a familiar coaching name
A Division III visitor whose listed coach once ran Stony Brook gives the Seawolves an early look at their new frontcourt size.
- Stony Brook should control this home opener against a Division III visitor. The real information is how its new frontcourt looks.
- Watch Stony Brook's new size, 7-foot-1 Leonardo Van Elswyk and 6-10 Efe Vatan, inside against Old Westbury.
- No spread or total is posted yet. Last season Stony Brook played 66.8 possessions per 40 minutes, 223rd nationally.
A former coach on the other bench
The most interesting name in this game may sit on the visiting bench. Bernard Tomlin, listed on Old Westbury's 2025-26 staff page, had a brief stint at Adelphi before spending eight seasons running Stony Brook, where he won 100 games. His status for this season hasn't been confirmed.
The schools share older history too. Old Westbury's series records show it with 4 wins and 7 losses against Stony Brook between 1983 and 1996. The last listed meeting was a Stony Brook win on Jan. 3, 1996. Whether they have played since is unverified.
The level gap is wide. Old Westbury plays Division III in the Skyline Conference. The last completed result found for the Panthers is a 91-52 loss to Yeshiva on Feb. 25, 2026.
What last season's Seawolves were
Stony Brook went 17-15 last season. The year ended with a 96-89 loss to Campbell in the CAA Tournament. Defense carried the team. It ranked 103rd in defensive efficiency, which measures points allowed per 100 possessions, and held opponents to 47.7% on two-pointers, 43rd nationally.
The offense was the problem. Stony Brook made just 48.8% of its twos, 310th, so it lived behind the arc: threes made up 46.0% of its shots, the 49th-highest share in the country. It also rarely reached the foul line, with a free throw rate (free throw attempts per field goal attempt) that ranked 341st. How much of that roster returns is unknown, so treat last season's profile as a starting point only.
New size up front
The offseason addressed the interior. Leonardo Van Elswyk, a 7-foot-1 center, arrives with four years of eligibility remaining. Efe Vatan, a 6-10 big man, keeps three. Morris Ugusuk joins with one year left, and freshmen Ozgur Cengiz and Kasen Daeger are on the roster. No starting lineup has been reported.
Geno Ford coached his seventh season at Stony Brook in 2025-26. A Division III opponent is the right setting to see whether these bigs give him the two-point scoring his team lacked. The Seawolves travel to Northwestern on Nov. 6, where that question gets a much harder test.
Key players
- Leonardo Van Elswyk (Stony Brook): A 7-foot-1 center who arrives with four years of eligibility remaining.
- Efe Vatan (Stony Brook): A 6-10 transfer who keeps three years of eligibility.
- Morris Ugusuk (Stony Brook): Joins Stony Brook with one year of eligibility remaining.
Numbers that matter
| 3-point attempt rate, last season | 46.0% | Stony Brook's share of shots from three ranked 49th nationally, a reliance its new bigs could reduce. |
|---|---|---|
| 2-point %, last season | 48.8% | It ranked 310th, the weakness the frontcourt additions are meant to fix. |
| Opponent 2-point %, last season | 47.7% | Interior defense ranked 43rd and was the strength of last season's team. |
Old Westbury vs Stony Brook: quick answers
When is Old Westbury vs Stony Brook?
Monday, November 2, 2026 at 12:00 AM ET.