STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (21-4, 15-1 GNAC) will host Albertus Magnus College (14-11, 9-7 GNAC) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament Quarterfinal on Tuesday at 6:00 PM. The Monks earned the top seed in the GNAC North Division while the Falcons claimed the #4 seed in the GNAC South Division.

OVERVIEW

Tuesday night's victor advances to the semifinal round of the GNAC Tournament and will face the winner of another quarterfinal matchup - #3N Rivier University / #2S Johnson & Wales University – on Thursday evening. The higher seed serves as host throughout tourney play.

The other wing of the bracket features quarterfinal contests between #3S Suffolk University and #2N Norwich University and #1S Emmanuel College versus #4N Simmons College.

The winner of the GNAC Championship game, which will be played on Saturday, February 25th, earns an automatic berth into the 2017 NCAA DIII Women's Basketball Championship, which begins on March 3rd.

SEASON AT A GLANCE

Saint Joseph's:

• St. Joe's is 21-0 when scoring 62 points or more this season
• The Monks have won 20-consecutive home games, a streak that began last January, with a 13-0 record at home this year
• The Monks feature seven players who average at least 6.0 points per game
• The four teams who have defeated the Monks own a collective 74-23 (.763) record so far this season
• Saint Joseph's ranks second in the GNAC in FG% (39.4%), 3FG per game (7.1), 3FG% (33.1%), fewest turnovers per game (14.7), and scoring defense (55.8)

Albertus Magnus:

• The Falcons are 13-1 when scoring 70 or more points this season (Monks are 0-3 when allowing north of 70 points)
•  Albertus Magnus is 6-6 on the road this winter
• Five Falcons are scoring at least 8.0 PPG, including a trio with averages of at least 10.0 PPG
• AMC leads the conference in points per game (71.1), field goal attempts per game (65.7), and free throws attempted (26.2) and made (16.7) per contest

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Saint Joseph's:

• Sophomore guard Kelsi McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.) leads the SJC offense with 15.0 points per game and ranks as the GNAC-leader in three-pointers made (64) and assists (118)
• Sophomore forward Emily Benway (Rochester, N.H.) averages 13.8 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds per contest – the fifth-highest mark in the conference – and is currently third in the GNAC in field goal percentage (51.3%, 138-269)
• Sophomore guard Julia Champagne (Brunswick, Maine) is an all-around contributor, averaging 8.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest and has been playing well down the stretch with 16.7 PPG over the last six games

Albertus Magnus:

• Junior forward Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) – a three-time GNAC Player of the Week honoree – leads the GNAC in scoring (20.3 PPG), points (508), rebounding (12.6 RPG), rebounds (314), and free throws made (132)
• Senior guard Liz Falcigno (Wallingford, Conn.) contributes 14.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per contest and is third in the GNAC in steals (62) and fourth in FT% (78.2%)
• Sophomore guard Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) adds 10.4 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.4 steals per game

ATTITUDE REFLECTS LEADERSHIP:

Saint Joseph's: Mike McDevitt '83 (497-190, .723) - 25th collegiate season
Among the most successful coaches in all of NCAA DIII Women's Basketball, McDevitt ranks 20th among active coaches in both winning percentage and victories. Only three coaches in New England have more wins and four have a higher win rate.

During his tenure at Saint Joseph's, Coach McDevitt has guided the Monks to at least 20 wins in 16 different seasons, the ninth-highest total in the history of NCAA DIII Women's Basketball. During his career, McDevitt has garnered eight Coach of the Year accolades, including the GNAC honor in 2014.

Albertus Magnus: JR Fredette (64-66, .492) – fifth season

Fredette, named as the Falcons' head coach prior to the start of the 2012-13 campaign, has led Albertus to three winning seasons, including the second 20-win performance in program history (20-8) in his first year.

THE LAST TIME WE MET:

These two teams last clashed on December 3rd, 2016 when the Monks topped the Falcons by a 70-54 score at the Harold Alfond Center.

Clinging to a 33-29 lead after two uneven quarters of play, the Monks opened the third frame with a 17-2 run, which was capped by a McNamara three pointer and the hosts securely in the lead, 50-31, with 3:24 left in the penultimate stanza.

The Falcons showed signs of life in the fourth quarter with junior Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) scoring eight of her team-high 15 points, but failed to overcome the Monks' third-quarter performance.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

Saint Joseph's is 12-0 in the history of the series with Albertus Magnus College. The lowest margin of victory – four points (79-75) – occurred in a game played during the 2011-12 campaign.

GNAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY:

The Monks have appeared in the GNAC Tournament in nine of 10 seasons as a member of the conference and claimed the program's first GNAC Championship in 2014, when the Royal Blue defeated Norwich University, 63-47, in the title game at the Alfond Center on March 1st, 2014.

As the top seed in the 2016 conference tournament, Saint Joseph's defeated perennial powerhouse Emmanuel College, 66-62, in the GNAC Championship in Standish to claim the team's second automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons.

The Monks are 9-0 at home – and 10-6 overall - in GNAC postseason play since joining the conference in 2007.

The Falcons will be making their 16th appearance in the GNAC Tournament and looking to advance past the quarterfinal round for the first time since the 2012-13 season, when the team defeated Rivier University on the road before falling to Emmanuel in semifinal action.

Albertus earned the #7 seed in the 2016 conference tourney and fell to Emmanuel, 73-63, in a quarterfinal contest on February 23rd. The Falcons are 10-15 all-time in GNAC Tournament play and last advanced to the GNAC Championship game in 1998, when they fell to University of Saint Joseph by an 85-74 score.

#GOMONKS

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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.