STANDISH, ME - The NCAA has announced the DIII Men's Basketball
Tournament pairings, and Saint Joseph's College (21-7, 12-6 GNAC)
will play at Bridgewater State College (20-6, 10-2 MASCAC) in the
opening round on Thursday, March 5th at 7:00 PM.
The Monks earned an automatic berth into the tournament with a
74-72 overtime victory over Emmanuel College in the title game of
the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tourney on Saturday. The
GNAC championship is the Monks' first as a second-year member of
the league, while the NCAA DIII Tournament appearance is the
program's second. Saint Joseph's advanced to "The Dance" in 2003 as
an NCAA DIII Independent.
The 20-win season is the 16th in Monks Basketball history and the
second under sixth-year Head Coach Rob
Sanicola's watch.
The Bears defeated Salem State College, 77-66, in the Massachusetts
State College Athletic Conference Championship on Saturday night to
gain the MASCAC's automatic berth. The win marked the second time
in four years and third time overall that Bridgewater has captured
the MASCAC crown.
For Bridgewater, the trip the NCAA appearance is the program's
fourth, with 2006 being the last occurrence. At 20-6, the Bears
reached the 20-win plateau for the third time in program
history.
With a first-round bye, Middlebury College (VT) will face off
against the victor of the St. Joe's-Bridgewater contest in Vermont
on Saturday. Middlebury defeated Amherst College, 77-68, in the New
England Small College Athletic Conference Championship on Sunday
and was rewarded with the NESCAC's automatic qualifier.
