Albertus Magnus College
Men's Basketball GNAC Tournament Preview

#2 Albertus Magnus (22-4, 9-2 GNAC)
at
#1 University of Saint Joseph (25-2, 11-0 GNAC)
Sunday, March 1 • 1 PM • O'Connell Center (West Hartford, Conn.)

Postseason Continues
The Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team ended the 2019-20 regular season with a 20-4 overall record and a 9-2 mark in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) to earn the No. 2 seed in the GNAC Tournament. 

The Falcons' quest for a ninth league championship began on Tuesday, Feb. 25, with an 82-79  quarterfinal victory over seventh-seeded Suffolk University at the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center. Albertus then defeated the sixth-seeded Lasers of Lasell University in dramatic fashion, 95-94, in the semifinals to advance to their ninth straight GNAC Championship Game.  

Postseason Notes

• This year marks Albertus' 20th all-time appearance in the GNAC Tournament.
• The Falcons own a 35-11 overall record in the league tournament.
• Albertus has won eight GNAC Championship Titles, with head coach Mitch Oliver leading them to seven championships over the past 10 seasons.
• If the Falcons win Thursday, they will play in their ninth straight GNAC Championship Game and 10th overall.

2019-20 Recap

• After capturing its eighth GNAC Title in 2018-19, Albertus topped the GNAC Preseason Coaches' Poll for the ninth time in the past 11 years.
• Following a loss to Lynchburg University in the season opener, the Falcons went on an 11-game win streak, which included high-profile victories over then-No. 22 WPI (71-60), York (Pa.) College (76-73), George Fox University (97-82) and Keene St. (83-81).
• Albertus kicked off the home portion of its schedule by posting a single-game program record in points with a 125-71 triumph over Lesley University on Nov. 12.
• The Falcons have been as high as No. 18 in the D3Hoops.com Top 25 Poll, being ranked or receiving votes in seven polls so far this season.
• Albertus kicked off GNAC play with three straight victories over Colby-Sawyer College, Regis (Mass.) College and Saint Joseph's College of Maine.
• After suffering a pair of league losses, the Falcons went on a tear to end the season with six straight conference wins, five of which were by double-figures.

GNAC Honors

• Jahmerikah Green-Younger (Norwalk, Conn.)  - GNAC Player of the Week (Week 3)

GNAC Tournament Schedule

Quarterfinals - Tuesday, Feb. 25 (at high seeds)
Game 1: #8 Regis 75 | #1 St. Joseph (CT) 95
Game 2: #5 Saint Joseph's Maine 66 | #4 Anna Maria 82
Game 3: #6 Lasell 98 | #3 Emmanuel 77
Game 4: #7 Suffolk 79 | #2 Albertus Magnus 82  

Semifinals - Thursday, Feb. 27 (at high seeds)
Game 6: #6 Lasell 94 | #2 Albertus Magnus 95

Semifinals - Friday, Feb. 28 (at high seeds)
Game 5: #4 Anna Maria 79 | #1 St. Joseph (CT) 94

Championship - Saturday, Feb. 29 (at highest remaining seed)
Game 7: #2 Albertus Magnus at #1 St. Joseph (CT) - 1PM

This Year vs. St. Joseph (CT) 

• The Falcons fell at home to in-state foe the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), 98-79, earning their first GNAC loss of the season.
• Game (01/29/2020): Saint Joseph (Conn.) 98 | No. 19 Albertus Magnus 79 –BOX SCORE
• Quick Highlights: Senior Damian Grant (Waterbury, Conn.) posted a season-high 18 points to go along with eight rebounds and three blocks. Senior Liam Perryman (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) led the defensive unit, along with Grant, with three blocks. 

Scouting St. Joseph (CT)

• Points per Game: 90.5 PPG (2nd in GNAC)    
• Rebounds per Game: 44.4 RPG (1st in GNAC)    
• Assists per Game: 17.2 APG (3rd in GNAC)    
• Scoring Defense: 70.7 PPG (1st in the GNAC)  

St. Joseph (CT) Player and Team Highlights

• Sophomore Delshawn Jackson Jr. stands as the Blue Jays leading scoring with 21.0 points per game, the third-best average in the conference. 
• Junior transfer Jordan Powell has also been key to USJ's success, leading the team in rebounds per game (7.6) and field-goal percentage (70.5), while also scoring 15.6 points per game. 
• Freshman Jaecee Martin paces the GNAC with 2.8 steals per game. 
• St. Joseph leads the country in scoring margin (19.8 PPG), while also being third in field-goal percentage (51.7), total rebounds (1,198) and rebound margin (11.8). 
• The Blue Jays enter Sunday's game with a 15-1 record at home. 

Scouting Albertus Magnus

• Points per Game: 91.2 PPG (1st in GNAC)
• Rebounds per Game: 44.1 RPG (2nd in GNAC)
• Assists per Game: 14.1 APG (7th in GNAC)
• Scoring Defense: 80.3 PPG (5th in GNAC)

Albertus Magnus Player & Team Highlights

• Green-Younger leads the Falcons in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game behind 49.8% shooting from the field.
• Junior Tyreek Perkins (New Haven, Conn.) has dished out a team-high 2.2 assists per game, while also ranking second on the team with 13.7 points per game.
• Sophomore Andrew Rice (West Haven, Conn.) has served as a defensive threat for the Falcons as the forward leads the team with 1.9 steals per game.
• Sophomore Terry Dawkins (Bronx, N.Y.) paces the Falcons with 6.7 rebounds per game and is third on the team with 12.6 points per game.
• As a team, Albertus ranks in the top 10 in nine different statistical categories. Entering Sunday, the Falcons are in the top 10 of Division III in scoring offense (8th - 91.2 PPG), steals per game (9th - 10.8), total rebounds (10th - 1,146), free throw attempts (6th - 693), free throws made (5th - 475), total steals (8th - 280), offensive rebounds per game (4th - 16.35), turnovers forced (10th - 19.04), total rebounds per game (10th - 44.08).
• Albertus has been a staple in the D3Hoops.com Top 25 Poll for much of the season, being ranked or received votes in six consecutive polls between Dec. 10 and Jan. 27, and getting back in the receiving votes section in the most recent edition of the rankings.