2011 Tournament Team Profiles

[Rhodes Scholar]

John Jay Bloodhounds

Location: New York, NY
Region: Atlantic
Conference: City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC)
Record: 13-15 (overall), 6-7 (in conference)
Best wins: Montclair State, Ramapo, York (NY)
Coach: Charles Jackson

Possible Starters
#11 Emilio Gomez 5'9" PG
#25 Gary Brady 6'1" SG
#33 Hakeem Kased 6'4" C
#10 Robert Pierce 6'6" PF
#34 Vaughn Mason 6'3" SF

Key Reserves (Assuming they don't start)
#21 Chris Jaeger 6'5" PF/C
#12 Godfrey Mascall 5'8' PG
#15 Miguel Garcia 6'4" SG
#01 Alex Valerio 6'3" SF

Top Scorers: Mason 14.1 ppg, Garcia 10.1 ppg, Valerio 9.6 ppg
Top Rebounders: Kased 6.2 rpg, Jaeger 5.6 rpg

John Jay won their conference tournament as a sixth seed to receive a Pool A bid. This is the Bloodhounds' first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. This team is erratic but is pretty good when everyone is on the same page, and is capable of pulling off an upset. The team is currently on a four-game winning streak, their longest of the season, and has played well under pressure.

Kased is a saavy big man who understands how to play the game. Jaeger is very physical and can score around the basket. Mason is a superior athlete who can shoot from outside or take it to the hoop. Garcia is a streaky shooter who can put points on the board in a hurry when he's shooting well. Mascall is a lightning-quick point guard who is capable of making some astonishing passes. 

[Greek Tragedy]

UW-STEVENS POINT POINTERS

22-6 Overall
12-4 WIAC

1-2 vs. Whitewater
W vs. Lawrence
W at Augustana
L in OT at Cal. Lutheran (blew 15 pt halftime lead)

STARTERS

Steve Hicklin (6'4" Sr. G):  12.5 pts/2.7 rebs.  Leading the Pointers in scoring, Hicklin is a very steady shooting guard that can hit the 3 (57-137) and excels at the lost art of the midrange jumper.  A solid player that can be counted on to hit a big shot down the stretch.  An impressive 73:31 Assist to turnover ratio.

Pete Rortvedt (6'5" Jr. F):  12.4 pts/4.3 rebs.  2nd in scoring, Rortvedt has come on strong after playing with lingering injuries throughout the year.  He hurt his ankle pretty bad in the WIAC Final game on Saturday vs. Whitewater and his availability is unknown at this time (sounds doubtful though).  Lately, he's been the heart and soul of the team, doing all the dirty work you usually don't see in the boxscore.  He has led the team in scoring and also in rebounding numerous times, so if he can't go, it will be a big loss.  He's also a great 3 pt shooter.  He has struggled this year, but when he's on, watch out.

Bryan Beamish (6'6" Jr. F):  10.0 pts/4.6 rebs.  Very versatile forward who can hit the ocassional 3, but uses his quickness in the post to get some easy layups.  A solid ball hander, he sometimes brings the ball up and also led the team in assists with 93. 

Khalifa El-Amin (5'8" Jr. G):  7.7 pts/1.7 rebs.  A smart quick point guard that doesn't turn the ball over much (30) yet dishes it out well (80).  He can really break down a defense with his penatration and kick out to a host of shooters.

Louis Hurd (6'5" Fr. F):  9.4 pts/3.3 rebs.  Another forward that uses his versatility to his advantage.  He isn't afraid to step outside the arc and hit a 3 or take it inside with a quick move. 

Bench
Matt Moses (6'2" So. G): 6.4 pts/2.9 rebs
Jerome Wotachek (6'8" Jr. C): 6.3/3.2
Ross Rortvedt (6'3" So. G):  5.3/1.3
Scott Hoelzel (6'6" So. F):  4.3/2.1
Jared Jenkins (6'4" Fr. G):  2.9/0.9
Drew Jackson (6'5" Jr. G):  2.5/2.2

Offensively, it's hard to stop them.  They will launch from anywhere and always have four shooters on the floor.  They spread the ball around and are very patient in finding a shot.  TEN players average double digits in minutes, so they rarely get worn down.  There isn't much drop off when the "subs" come in.  Ross Rortvedt is a solid shooter and Matt Moses likes to drive to the basket.  Scott Hoelzel is an athletic big man that can crash the offensive boards while Jerome Wotachek is comfortable from 15-17 feet.

Point isn't a tall bunch, but they play very well as a team.  They cut the passing lanes down, have solid help defense and nearly always play man-to-man.  Players like Hoelzel, Drew Jackson and Jared Jenkins can come and add athleticism on the defensive end.  If there is a real quick guard or a guy "lighting it up", one of these guys usually come in and play pretty well defensively.  Matt Moses is also known for being a defensive stopper.  I have yet to see Point go to a zone, so it's all man-to-man. 

How to stop Point offensively:  Have a big post player that can play with his back to the basket and back down our smaller forwards (Troy Ruths killed us last year).  Bryan Beamish is probably the guy that is most hard to replace on our team, so if you get him into foul trouble, it hurts us on both ends of the floor.  If you have a lightning quick guard, we might have problems slowing him down and/or him breaking down our standard man-to-man defense and dishing it out for an open 3.

How to stop Point defensively:  Don't let us get open shots.  There have been a couple of games when we have just missed open shots and it hasn't been our day, but that doesn't happen too often.  Point passes the ball very well and they move without the ball very well.  Box out and rebound.  Point is a small team and doesn't seem to rebound very well, nor does it seem like Point "wants" to rebound sometimes (I think they just assume the shot is going in).  Limit us to one shot.  With so many different shooters on Point, it's impossible to focus on just one or two players.                                 

[eclinchy]

Bowdoin College Polar Bears

Come into the tournament at 21-6, an identical overall record to that of Trinity, who beat them in the NESCAC final Sunday to avenge a 2OT loss a month ago.

Losses were to Elms, Bates twice, and Amherst/Trinity/Middlebury.  Schedule was fairly soft.  Biggest win was an upset of Amherst in the NESCAC semifinal Saturday.

Bowdoin plays Curry in Brandeis' gym Friday night.  Winner takes on the Brandeis/Lasell winner.

Starting five

Jordan Fliegel: Senior tri-captain center, 6'5" or 6'6" depending on who you ask.  Second team All-NESCAC.  Very good defender in the low post, and a good scorer as well.  Averaging 13.7 ppg and 5.3 rpg.

Andrew Sargeantson: Senior tri-captain forward, 6'4".  One of the best defensive stoppers around, and an aggressive rebounder on both ends.  Good scorer although not much range. 10.0 points, 7.7 boards, 3.1 assists per game.  Shoots 62 percent, but hasn't attempted a three in over two years.

Kyle Jackson: Junior forward.  Only 6'3", but he's physical -- he was a top-10 rebounder in the NESCAC as a sophomore last year with 6.1 boards a game.  Slight drop-off in the rebounding this year (4.6), but he's a bigger force offensively (12.6 ppg), and he's 48 percent (39 for 82) on threes.  Good all-around player.

Andrew Hippert: Senior tri-captain, 6'0" shooting guard.  Second team All-NESCAC alongside Fliegel.  Takes lots of threes.  A big key to the Bears' success is this guy's shooting, and when he's on, he's really on.  Led the Bowdoin team with 16.2 ppg, but missed part of the season with an injury.  He's healthy now, and he's good.

Mike Hauser: Sophomore point guard, 5'11" 180.  Inexperienced, but he's had a good year.  Fourth in the NESCAC in assists (4.5) and 11th in steals (1.4).  Not much of a scorer though.

Key bench guys:
Mark Phillips: Sophomore big man.  And I mean BIG.  6'6" 250.  Great shot blocker, decent scorer, and really crashes the offensive glass.
Randy DeFeo: 5'11" freshman guard.  Can't shoot much, but good ball-handler/passer/defender.

Defensively, this Bowdoin team is one of the best teams I've seen in a long time.  NESCAC Coach of the Year Tim Gilbride has led them to the program's best season ever, and they could do some damage if Hippert gets hot and their other two senior leaders step up. They've got definite potential.

[pbrooks3]

Centre Colonels

Location:      Danville KY; 1,175 students
Conference:   Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC)
Record:   25-2; 14-0 Conference Regular Season; lost to Millsaps in Conference Tournament Final
Coach:   Greg Mason (8th season at Centre – career mark of 168-70) 1994 Centre graduate
Accomplishments:   25-game win streak; 1st team in conference history to go through conference slate regular season undefeated; Greg Mason, Coach of the Year for the 2nd year in a row; Thomas Britt, Player of the Year;  last season Centre finished 24-5 in winning conference tournament and advancing to 2nd round of D3 tournament losing to final 4 participant, Wooster at Wooster.  Ranked as high as #2 in the country this season, currently at #4
Key Wins:      #14 Millsaps; DePauw (twice); Trinity (TX)
Key Losses:   Rust

Centre will play a first round game at home against Franklin College (IN) on Friday, March 7.  Winner will meet the winner of Ohio Wesleyan – Heidelberg game on Saturday, March 8.

Starting Five

Matt Nestheide; 6'0" senior point guard (12 ppg; 4 rpg); 1st team SCAC the last 2 seasons; SCAC Player of the Year 2006-07; runs the offense and scores from all over the court.  Leads team with 112 assists; assist to turnover ratio of 2.20.  Shoots 49% FG; 81% FT.  3-point shooting is down from last year because he's frequently doubled on the perimeter. 

Thomas Britt; 6'0" senior 2 guard (14.5 ppg; 3 rpg; 41 steals); 1st team SCAC this campaign; SCAC Player of the Year 2007-08; quick release on the 3-ball with tons of accuracy - 50% during regular season; led league in 3-point % and FT% (86%).  FG (50%).  Best defender for his size on the team.  Like Nestheide, extremely heady player and is part of one of the best tandem of guards in D3.

T. C. Thomason; 6'3" junior wing (12.7 ppg; 5.4 rpg); 3rd team SCAC performer, gifted athlete-plays above the rim; similar to other starters he can score the 3-ball and is effective on the dribble drive.  Long arms and jumping ability allow him to play bigger.  49% FG; 74% FT; 2nd on the team in steals.

Danny Noll; 6'6" sophomore power forward (12.3 ppg; 5.1 rpg); honorable mention SCAC; balanced player with rapidly-improving post skills.  Came to Centre as a 3-point specialist.  Has developed an all around game in his sophomore season with some power on the low block and always solid 3-point shooting.  Has been a consistent performer through Centre's 25-game win streak. 48% FG; 37% 3FG; 72% FT.

Ross Herman; 6'6" sophomore post (5.1 ppg; 3.4 rpg); improving 2nd year player filling the shoes left by the graduated 6'10" John Patterson.  Physical and bangs in the low block effectively scoring mostly around the hoop.  50% FG shooter with range expanding over the course of the season. 

Key Bench Players

Ryan Crowdis; 6'2" junior point & wing (5.6 ppg; 3 rpg; 34 steals); tenacious offensive player that takes the ball to the hoop while draining 3's at 36%.  He will start in Nestheide's spot next season.  Brings a lot of energy to both the offensive and defensive end of the floor.  2nd in assists on the team with positive assists/turnover ratio.  Shoots 45% FG; 74% FT.

Chris Gowers; 6'4" freshman forward & post (3.9 ppg; 2.5 rpg);  smart & poised for 1st year player.  He's versatile playing both on the wing and in the middle.  He frequently spells Herman in the post now that 6'8" freshman Alex Lloyd is injured.  Excellent 3-point touch as well at 42%. 45% FG; 70% FT.

Others – Rob Matthews; 6'4" junior wing; good ball-handler who can score the 3-ball.  Beau Braden; 6'2" junior combo guard/wing who likes to drive the ball.  Kris Bentley 5'11" junior combo guard with perimeter shooting skills.

Summary

This is a smart, court-savvy squad that plays unselfishly.  Key strength is guard play.  Other strengths are patience, good passing, shooting and defense (opponents shoot under 41%).  Rebounding is a weakness.  Colonels frustrate opponents by their superior passing to generate high percentage looks.

[larry_u]

This has been done the last 2 years, lets do it again.  I'll start and if invdividuals could add thier teams we can attempt to get close to all 60.

[larry_u]

Lawrence University Vikings
Rank as of last d3hoops.com poll: 20
Co-Midwest Conference Regular Season Champions
Midwest Conference Tournament Champions
19-6 overall 13-3 in the MWC
Head coach: Joel (JoJo) De Pagter, 2nd season

Key wins: Dec 2 75-59 win at home vs then #7 UW-Stevens Point, Jan 31 94-67 win at then # 24 Carroll, Feb 3, 75-52 win at then # 11 St. Norbert

Record against NCAA Tournament Teams 2-0 (UWSP, Cornell)

Starters:
30 Ryan Kroger 6'2 Sr. Guard- Preseason Street and Smith 1st Team All-American.  Averages 17.7 ppg, shoots 53% 41% from behind the arc
3 Doug Kaddison 6'2 sr. Guard- Averages 5.8 assists, 9.1 points per game.  40% shooter from beyond the arc
23 Jayce Applegren 6'3 Sr. Guard- Averages 12.1 points per game. Shoots 65% from the field 52% from beyond the arc.
25 John Dekker- 6'6 Jr Forward- Averages 14.1 points, 6.2 rebounds per game. 
15 Chris Page 6'6 Sr Forward- Averages 13.5 points, 8.4 rebounds a game. 

Key reserves: 11 Dustin Lee- Guard, 44 Eric Borenson- Center, 24 Jamie DeMathew- Guard

Details: Lawrence Averages 83.4 points per game and only gives up 68.5  Averages 34.8 rebounds per game The teams shoots 52.8% from the field, 40% from beyond the arc, and thier achilies heel only 71.2 % from the free throw line.

Lawrence is in the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row and the 5th in 6 years.  Lawrence's best finish in the NCAA Tournament is an elite 8 finish where they lost to eventual National Champion UW-Stevens Point 82-81 in Overtime in Tacoma, WA. Their overall record in the NCAA tournament is 5-5.

[hasanova]

Guilford College Quakers, Greensboro, NC

Rank in last d3hoops.com poll: 19
Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Regular Season co-Champions
Lost to W&L, 82-76 (2OT), in ODAC quarterfinals
21-5 overall, 14-2 ODAC
Head coach: Tom Palombo, 6th season at Guilford

Key wins: at Averett 73-63 on Nov. 25, Virginia Wesleyan 74-54 on Dec. 6, at McDaniel 68-62 on Dec. 17, at Virginia Wesleyan 66-59 on Jan. 17, Roanoke 77-72 on Jan. 28, Randolph-Macon 71-66 on Jan. 31.

Record against NCAA Tournament Teams: 3-1 (2 wins over VWC, win over Averett, loss at UT-Dallas)

Starters:

11 Clay Henson 6'1" Jr. Guard- ODAC 1st Team.  Averages 19.4 ppg, shoots .805 from FT line, 75 three-pointers this season, 70 assists.
34 Rhett Bonner 6'0" Jr. Guard- ODAC 2nd Team.  Averages 16.2 ppg, shoots .831 from FT line, 65 three-pointers, 85 assists.
15 Tyler Sanborn 6'10" Jr. Center- ODAC 1st Team.  Averages 14.9 ppg, 12.6 rpg, shoots .522 from the floor, 61 blocks.
21 George Neville 6'3" Sr. Forward.  Averages 9.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg and shoots .786 from the FT line.
33 Mat Stanley 6'1" Sr. Guard.  Averages 0.4 ppg, great hustle and unselfish play.

Key reserves:

32 Martin Stephenson 6'4" So. Forward.  Averages 4.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg.
05 Gabriel Lowder 6'1" Fr. Guard.  Averages 5.6 ppg, 18 steals, 23 assists.

Details: Guilford averages 73.7 ppg and yields 64.0.  Rebounding margin is 41.6 to 34.7.  FT .734 as a team.

Guilford is in the NCAA tournament for the 3rd year in a row ... earlier success as an NAIA team in 1960's-80's, including 1973 national champs.

Three solid juniors (Henson, Bonner and Sanborn) alternate on leading the charge.  All can score and 6'10" Sanborn averages over a dozen boards ... had 21 in last game.

Elite 8 finish in '07 where they lost to eventual runner-up Va. Wesleyan.  Senior-laden '08 team was d3hoops pick to win it all when tournament started, but were upset by St. Mary's (MD) in 1st round.  The Quakers are 24-5, 24-5 and 21-5 since Nov. 2006.

Overall NCAA tournament record:  3-2

[fritzdis]

Franklin & Marshall College Diplomats
22-5, 14-4 CC, Centennial Conference regular season champions
Head coach: Glenn Robinson, 38th season at F&M

Starters:
G Georgio Milligan (Fr, 6'2") - 1st-team All-CC, 13.5 ppg, 5.4 apg, 2.4 spg
G Anthony Brooks (So, 6'2") - 10.2 ppg, .546 FG%, 2.5 apg, 1.8 spg
G Clay Scovill (Jr, 6'3") - 10.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.2 apg
F Mike Baker (So, 6'7") - 10.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg
F James McNally (So, 6'6") - 1st-team All-CC, 16.1 ppg, .545 FG%, 7.3 rpg

Key Reserves:
G Steve Tolliver (So, 6'2") - 7.0 ppg, .493 3FG%
F Dan Selig (Sr, 6'7") - 7.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg

The Diplomats are a young team (Scovill and Selig are the only upperclassmen to play at least 10 minutes per game) that has exceeded pre-season expectations.  With all 5 starters for F&M averaging 10+ ppg, each is capable of leading the way on a given night.  Despite making (and taking, I suspect) the fewest 3-pointers per game in D3, they have the an above average offense (76.6 ppg) thanks to a .494 FG%.  While not a dominating defensive team (66.9 ppg), they are aggressive (9.6 S/G, 3.9 B/G) and usually manage to tighten up the defense when necessary.

F&M stumbled a bit down the stretch, losing 3 of their last 4, with 2 of those losses coming to Gettysburg (whose senior leadership and talent showed up at the end of the season).  They're certainly capable of getting at least to the Sweet 16 if they can rediscover their play from earlier in the season (they looked close to it in the CC final).  F&M makes its 20th NCAA tournament appearance after a 4 year absence.

[Argylebballer]

Rhode Island College, Providence RI

Rank in last d3hoops.com poll: 17
Little East Conference Regular Season Champions
Lost to UMass Dartmouth in LEC Finals
23-5 overall, 13-1 ODAC
Head coach: Bob Walsh, 6th season at Guilford

Key wins: Bridgewater 86-80, @ UMass Dartmouth 69-66, Amherst 72-61, UMass Dartmouth 82-71

Record against NCAA Tournament Teams: 4-2

Starters:
G- Terril Hill 11.1 ppg
G- Antone Gray 11.0 ppg
G- Bobby Bailey 11.9 ppg
F- Kaseem Johnson 8 ppg and 7 rpg
C- Wil Lyons 10.6 ppg and 6.1 rpg

Key Reserves
F- Mason Choice 9.4 ppg and 5 rpg
G- Cameron Stewart 8.0 ppg

Third staight NCAA Tourney.  
2007 Elite Eight
2008 Second Round

[lebron23]

College of Wooster Fighting Scots, Wooster, OH
Rank Last in d3 hoops.com poll: Unranked
North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Outright Regular Season and Tournament Champions
22-6 Overall Record, 14-2 NCAC
Head Coach Steve Moore- 22nd Season

Key Wins: Dec. 6th, 82-65 vs. Ohio Wesleyan; Jan. 7th, 74-64 @ Kenyon; Feb. 4th, 89-87 @ Hiram; Feb.14th, 67-53 @ Wittenberg. 

Record Against NCAA Tournament Teams- (0-2) L 66-74 @ Carnegie Mellon; L 67-76 Neutral Site vs. Wisc.-Platteville

Starters
22 PG- 6-1 175 So. Nathan Balch- 12 PPG, 90% FTA, 47% 3PA
33 SG- 6-3 175 So. Ian Franks-     15 PPG, 79% FTA, 39% 3PA
14 SF- 6-4 205 Sr. Marty Bidwell-  10 PPG, 71 % FTA, 42% 3PA
40 PF- 6-7 200 Fr. Justin Hallowell- 14.5 PPG, 89% FTA, 4.5 RPG, 52% 3PA
32 C- 6-6  205 So. Bryan Wickliffe- 7.5 PPG, 6 RPG, 71% FTA

Key Reserve(s)
12 G- 6-1 175 Jr. Dustin Geitgey- 5 PPG, 82%FTA, 3 RPG
20 G- 6-1 180 Fr. Matt Fegan- 5 PPG, 48% 3PA
42 F- 6-4 200 Fr. Mike Evans- 4.5 PPG, 37% 3PA
54 F- 6-5 205 Fr. Greg Ross- 4.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG

Other Notes
5th Straight Outright NCAC Championship
254-44 Record Since 2000 (85.2%) Winning Percentage...Best in ALL divisions
Final 4 Appearances in 2007 (4th Place) and 2003 (3rd Place)
Overall NCAA Record since 1990- (16-17)
7th Consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearance

[ScotsFan]

To add to lebron's well done overview of the COW:

Wooster is also a very young team, but they are also very talented!  I believe around 80% of their scoring comes from freshmen and sophomores!  Their top 3 scorers are a sophomore, a freshmen and a sophomore DI transfer in his first season with the Wooster program.  They only have one sr. on the roster total and that is starting forward Marty Bidwell.  He is also the defensive stalwart for the Scots as he usually draws the opponents top offensive threat.

Wooster can also score the basketball as they are averaging 81.1 ppg while allowing 69.8 ppg.  They are one of the better 3-point shooting teams in the country as they finished the season 2nd in the nation in 3-point fg % and 4th in 3-pointers made!  They have 4 players who shoot better than 40% from beyond the arc led by freshman Justin Hallowell who broke the school record for made treys at 92 and also finished 4th in the country shooting them at a 51.7% clip!  Not far behind was first year guard Nate Balch who made 47.1% from deep.  Wooster's leading scorer, sophomore Ian Franks nearly made it 5 Scots above 40% as he finished the season a measley (note, sarcasm    ) 38.5 from deep!

Wooster comes into the tournament having won their last 9 games to finsish the season and 17 of their last 19 as well.  But, they also come into the tournament, both with heavy hearts and on a mission to keep winning for Corey Cline.  He is asst. coach Doug Cline's 3 year old son who died tragically the Sunday before the NCAC tournament began in a car accident.  I think it could be argued that Wooster played their best 3 games of the season during their run in the NCAC tournament playing for Corey!  Here's hoping they can keep it up to make a deep run in the big dance!

One last note:

With Wooster's 22 wins, the Scots have now had a DIII best 13 straight seasons of 20 or more wins!  And with all of the succes they have enjoyed with all the youth on this team, there really doesn't seem to be an end in sight for that streak anytime in the near future!   8)

[tu-fan]

Transylvania University-Lexington, KY
Rank in last d3hoops poll: unranked
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (Regular Season and Tournament Champions)
22-5 Overal Record, 13-3 HCAC
Head Coach: Brian Lane 8th Season

Key Wins
Bridgewater St (N) (MASCAC Champions), @ Center College (SCAC Champions), Maryville TN (GSAC Champions), Thomas More (PAC champions).

Record Against NCAA Tournament Teams: 4-0 (see above)

Starters
15 Aaron Cash G SR 5-11 190
5 Tim Tierney G JR 5-11 170
22 Matthew Parton G JR 5-10 165
33 Joey Verax F SR 6-5 215
40 Blake McCowan F JR 6-5 230

Key Reserves
3 Scott Bauman G SO 5-8 170
20 Chris Owens G/F FR 6-3 170
30 Brock Jones F SR 6-4 205
44 Matt Wise F SO 6-5 205
10 Drew Kring G SO 5-11 165

Other Notes
Appeared in NCAA Tournament 3 out of last 4 years
Elite 8 in 2005

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Wow.  I didn't realize Wooster was so young.  That's one bright future there.

[daoustian]

Amherst College Lord Jeffs, Amherst, MA
Rank in last in d3 hoops.com poll: 21
New England Small Colleges Athletic Conference (NESCAC) regular season and tournament runners up
21-6 Overall Record, 7-2 NESCAC
Head Coach David Hixon, 32nd season (598-231)

Key Wins: 12/2 104-77 vs. Lasell; 1/10 65-60 @ Williams; 1/30 73-52 @ Bowdoin; 2/14 71-64 vs. Middlebury; 2/28 86-74 vs. Williams (quasi neutral site)

Record Against NCAA Tournament Teams- (1-3) L 58-73 vs. Brandeis; L 61-72 @ Rhode Island College; W 71-64 vs. Middlebury; L 68-77 @ Middlebury

Starters
20 PG- 6-3 200 So. Conor Meehan - 10.9 PPG, 4.1 APG, 45% FG
23 SG- 6-5 205 Jr.  Steven Wheeler - 12.2 PPG, 87% FT, 41% 3PTM (2.6 3PTM/G)
24 F- 6-6  225 Sr. Brian Baskauskas -  16.4 PPG, 51% FG, 6.4 RBS
21 F- 6-6  210 Fr. David Waller - 7.1 PPG, 47% FG, 41% 3PTM
40 F- 6-5  215 Sr. Mike Holsey - 5.0 PPG, 1.7 BLKS, 57% FG

Key Reserve(s)
11 G- 6-0 180 Sr. Marcus Bradley - 5.9 PPG, 2.0 APG
30 F- 6-7 205 Fr. Jeff Holmes - 5.9 PPG, 5.4 RBS
3 G- 6-5 200 Fr. Taylor Barrise - 5.8 PPG, 49% FG
5 G 6-3 210 Sr. Glenn Wong

Other Notes
10th Consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance
Final Four in 4 of the past 5 years (2004, 2006-2008)
National Champion 2007, National Runner Up 2008
227-40 record since 2000 (85% winning percentage)

Key questions: will Coach Hixon's 600th career win have to wait until Fall 2009 or can the Jeffs win 2 in the tournament? 

[gobombers15]

Ithaca Bombers (Ithaca,NY)

Conference: Empire 8
Record: 24-2 (15-1 Empire 8 )
Empire 8 Regular Season Conference Champions (Lost in E8 semis)
Head Coach: Jim Mullins, 12th Season

Rank: #8

Record vs Tourney Teams: 2-1
W @St. Lawrence (95-89)
L @ Rochester Tech (84-87)
W vs Rochester Tech (101-74)

Other Key Wins
W @ Rochester (80-71)

Starters

G- #4 Sean Burton (5'9''), Sr: 22.4 PPG, 7.7 APG, 3.5 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 92% FT
G- #23 Chris Cruz (6'2''), So: 13.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 36% 3pt%
G- #32 Brendan Rogers (6'3''), Sr:  11.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 89% FT
F- #12 Sean Leahy (6'7''), Sr: 11.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.5 APG
C- #55 Jeff Bostic (6'5''), Sr: 10.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.8 BPG

Key Reserves
G- #21 Jordan Marcus (6'1''), Fr: 10.2 PPG, 38% 3pt%
G- #3 Scott Ruffrage (6'0''), Gr: 4.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 33% 3pt%
F/C- #52 Tom Brown (6'5'') Jr: 3.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 81% FT

Statistics

Points/Game: Ithaca (89.1)  Opponents (73.8 )
Rebounds/Game: Ithaca (41.3)  Opponents (37.0)
FG%: Ithaca (45.5%)  Opponents (45.1%)
FT%: 78.7%

Details

-Sean Burton named E8 Player of the Year, First Team All-E8
-Jeff Bostic named to Second Team All-E8
-Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2002, Lost to Alvernia in 1st Rd (67-76)