America East Update: Week 5
December 8, 2025The America East enters Week 5 with teams showing diverse trending patterns. This analysis examines each team’s performance trends using MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) indicators to identify not just where teams stand, but where they’re headed.

Figure 1: Efficiency margin trends for America East teams throughout the season. Teams trending upward show improving performance, while downward trends indicate struggles.
Conference Snapshot
- Week Dates: December 01 – December 07, 2025
- Trending Up (Efficiency): Vermont, NJIT
- Trending Down (Efficiency): Albany, Binghamton, Maine, UNH, UMass Lowell
Team-by-Team Analysis
Albany
Record: 3-7 | Elo: 1413.7 (ranked 300 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -23.27 (ranked 336 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 183 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
- Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 321 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Defensive Trends:
- Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 291 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
- Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 345 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Binghamton
Record: 2-7 | Elo: 1400.0 (ranked 316 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -23.06 (ranked 333 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 326 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
- FT Rate (FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 16 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Defensive Trends:
- Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 242 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
- Opp FGM Per Poss (Opp FG Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 335 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Bryant
Record: 3-7 | Elo: 1518.9 (ranked 160 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -17.12 (ranked 303 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 318 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
- Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 355 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Defensive Trends:
- Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 301 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
- Opp FGM Per Poss (Opp FG Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 302 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Maine
Record: 0-11 | Elo: 1422.0 (ranked 291 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -15.93 (ranked 294 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 361 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
- Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 339 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Defensive Trends:
- Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 325 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
- Opp FGM Per Poss (Opp FG Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 200 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
NJIT
Record: 3-7 | Elo: 1354.7 (ranked 350 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -22.10 (ranked 327 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 350 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
- Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 321 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Defensive Trends:
- Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 162 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
- Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 318 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
UMBC
Record: 6-3 | Elo: 1443.2 (ranked 266 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -4.19 (ranked 201 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 298 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
- Off Tempo (Offensive Possessions Per Game): Currently ranked 216 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Defensive Trends:
- Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 321 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
- Opp Off Tempo (Opp Offensive Possessions Per Game): Currently ranked 214 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
UMass Lowell
Record: 3-7 | Elo: 1458.0 (ranked 248 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -21.75 (ranked 324 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 348 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
- Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 239 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Defensive Trends:
- Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 347 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
- Opp FT Pct (Opp FTM/FTA (%)): Currently ranked 276 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
UNH
Record: 3-7 | Elo: 1384.0 (ranked 328 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -18.86 (ranked 312 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 340 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
- 2Pt Rate (2 Point Attempts/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 178 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Defensive Trends:
- Opp 2PM Per Poss (Opp 2 Point Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 259 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
- Opp 2Pt Pct (Opp 2 Point FGM/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 212 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Vermont
Record: 6-5 | Elo: 1569.1 (ranked 94 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: -1.92 (ranked 182 of 365)
Offensive Trends:
- Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 90 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
- 2Pt Rate (2 Point Attempts/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 321 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Defensive Trends:
- Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 315 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
- Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 282 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Figure 2: Offensive Four Factors comparison across America East teams. The radar chart shows each team’s shooting efficiency (eFG%), ball security (TOV%), offensive rebounding (OREB%), and free throw generation (FT Rate).

Figure 3: Defensive Four Factors comparison across America East teams. The radar chart shows each team’s opponent shooting defense (Opp eFG%), ball disruption (forcing TOV%), defensive rebounding (DREB%), and opponent free throw prevention (Opp FT Rate).

Figure 4: MACD trends heatmap showing which metrics are improving (green) or declining (red) for each team. Stronger colors indicate more pronounced trends.
Looking Ahead
As America East teams continue their season, the MACD trending indicators will help identify which teams are genuinely improving versus those riding unsustainable momentum. Check back next week for updated analysis.
Metrics Glossary
Four Factors (Dean Oliver’s framework for basketball success):
- eFG% (Effective Field Goal %): Field goal percentage adjusted for 3-pointers being worth more (FGM + 0.5×3PM) / FGA. Higher is better offensively, lower is better defensively.
- TOV% (Turnover Rate): Turnovers per 100 possessions. Lower is better offensively (taking care of the ball), higher is better defensively (forcing turnovers).
- OREB% / DREB% (Offensive/Defensive Rebound Rate): Percentage of available rebounds grabbed. Offensive rebounds create second-chance points; defensive rebounds end opponent possessions.
- FTR (Free Throw Rate): Free throws made per field goal attempt (FTM/FGA). Measures ability to get to the line AND convert. Higher is better offensively, lower is better defensively.
Other Metrics:
- Elo Rating: Chess-style rating system that updates based on game results and opponent strength. Higher Elo indicates stronger team.
- Efficiency Margin: Point differential per 100 possessions (Offensive Efficiency – Defensive Efficiency). Accounts for pace of play.
- MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence): Trend indicator comparing 12-game and 26-game exponential moving averages. Positive MACD = improving trend, Negative MACD = declining trend.
Analysis powered by HoopSci’s advanced metrics and MACD trending indicators.

