Danes down, but so is league; Still, coach says UAlbany needs best to win again.(Sports)

Byline: MARK SINGELAIS - Staff Writer

ALBANY - If the University at Albany men's basketball team is having a down year, then the Great Danes apparently picked the right season for it.

Most of the America East Conference is struggling worse than UAlbany (5-7), the two-time defending champion, which has lost six of seven games entering tonight's league opener at New Hampshire.

On Wednesday, the America East was ranked 29th out of 31 Division I leagues, according to two different versions of the Ratings Percentage Index, a computer formula used to help select and seed teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Maryland-Baltimore County (8-5) is America …