SAINTS LOOK TO SLAY THE BEAST IN GNAC SEMIFINALS

BOSTON, Mass. —The fifth-seeded Emmanuel College men's basketball team looks to upset the top-seeded Johnson & Wales Wildcats in Thursday's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tournament semifinal in Providence at 7:30 p.m.

FOR THE THOUSANDS IN ATTENDANCE...

GNAC Semifinals
#1 Johnson & Wales University (24-2) vs. #5 Emmanuel College (10-16)
Wildcat Center - Providence, R.I. - 7:30 PM 

...AND THE MILLIONS WATCHING AT HOME

Both live stats and live video will be available, courtesy of Johnson & Wales Athletics.

BRACKETOLOGY

Quarterfinals - Tuesday, February 23
Game 1: #8 Saint Joseph's Maine 36, #1 Johnson & Wales 73
Game 2: #5 Emmanuel 91, #4 Anna Maria 89
Game 3: #6 Mount Ida 87, #3 Albertus Magnus 109
Game 4: #7 Suffolk 64, #2 Lasell 78

Semifinals - Thursday, February 25
Game 5: #5 Emmanuel at #1 Johnson & Wales - 7:30 PM
Game 6: #3 Albertus Magnus at #2 Lasell - 7:00 PM

Championship - Saturday, February 27 (Higher seed hosts)
Game 7: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner

HOW'D WE GET HERE

The Saints and #24 nationally-ranked Wildcats took different roads to get through their respective quarterfinal matchups on Tuesday night. Johnson & Wales led #8 Saint Joe's Maine by 16 points at halftime and outscored the Monks 40-19 in the second half en route to a 73-36 victory. On the other hand, the Saints battled back from a 13-point second half deficit to win 91-89 on a last second floater by senior Kyle Davis (Groveland, Mass.)

LET'S NOT DWELL ON THE PAST

The Wildcats beat the Saints in two contests earlier this season by scores of 82-54 and 116-74. The 116 points scored by the Wildcats was the highest point total by any Saints' opponent in program history. Johnson & Wales owns a 22-10 all-time record against EC and has won 14 of the last 15 games in the series, including 10 in a row. The last time Emmanuel defeated the Wildcats in Providence was Jan. 10, 2009.

The teams have met twice in the postseason and split the pair of contests. Emmanuel won a 90-86 quarterfinal affair on Feb. 24, 2009 and then lost last year's semifinal matchup by a 77-43 margin.

SCOUTING THE SAINTS

Since an 82-54 loss to JWU on Jan. 28, the Saints have been one of the hottest teams in the GNAC, rattling off seven wins in their last nine games. EC has only allowed 80+ points in two of those nine games, as their defensive intensity has carried them on this run.

Probable Starters (based on prior contests):

• Kyle Davis (Groveland, Mass.) – Sr. C - Davis leads the team in scoring with 13.7 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting, and in rebounding with 8.9 boards per game.
• John Clay (Westport, Mass.) – Sr. F - Clay also scores in double-figures, averaging 10.7 points per game, while adding 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.
• Matt Raine (Miami, Fla.) – So. F - Raine plays 19.3 minutes per game and scores 5.0 points per game.
• Kyle Smith (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Jr. G - Smith ranks fourth on the Saints in scoring with 9.4 points per game on 38.1 percent shooting. He leads the team in assists with 2.8 per game and has posted a 1.1 assists-to-turnovers ratio.
• Colin Cordero (Bolton, Conn.) – So. G - Cordero dishes out 2.2 assists per game. He also adds 8.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS

After losing the first game of the season, the 2015-16 GNAC regular season champions have won 24 of 25 games while rising up to #14 in the national rankings. The Wildcats average over 90 points a game and have scored 100+ points six times. JWU set program records with 24 total victories and a 17-1 GNAC record.

Probable Starters (Based on prior contests):

• Quarry Greenaway (Westchester, N.Y.) – Sr. G - Greenaway leads the entire GNAC with 25.7 points per game on 54.7 percent shooting. He adds 9.2 rebounds per game, to go with 2.5 assists and 1.9 steals. The five-time GNAC player of the week ranks fourth in the conference in rebounds per game and fifth in steals.
• Tom Garrick (Seekonk, Mass.) – Sr. G - Garrick ranks second on the team and in the GNAC with 22.2 points per game, shoots 49.0 percent from the floor, and pulls down 6.6 boards per game. He ranks seventh in the GNAC in rebounding, third in steals, and second in blocks.
• Anthony Jernigan (East Hartford, Conn.) – Jr. G - Jernigan averages 10.2 points per game on 51.0 percent shooting. He also pulls down 3.7 rebounds per game, hands out 5.0 helpers, and grabs 3.6 steals per game. His assist numbers are the second highest in the GNAC, he leads the conference in steals, and is fifth in 3PT percentage.
• Clayton Roker (New City, N.Y.) – Sr. G - Roker scores 7.0 points per game on 48.0 percent shooting. He also averages 2.1 assists per game, while chipping in with 1.7 steals and 3.2 rebounds. The senior is sixth in the GNAC in steals and 19th in assists.
• Michael Kiser (Pike Road, Ala.) – So. C - In 17.3 minutes per game, Kiser scores 5.5 points on 68.4 shooting from the floor. He adds 3.5 rebounds per game. His 20 blocks on the season are the sixth-most in the GNAC.

WHO'S GOIN' TO THE 'SHIP?

The winner of Thursday's semifinal contest will advance to the GNAC Championship game on Saturday, Feb. 27. If Emmanuel earns the win, it will travel to the home gym of the Albertus Magnus-Lasell winner. If Johnson & Wales moves on to the finals, it will host the title game at the Wildcat Center.