Men's Hoops Set For GNAC Quarterfinal Clash vs. JWU

BOSTON, Mass. – After finishing the regular-season with an overall record of 17-8 and a 13-4 mark in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action, the Emmanuel College men's basketball program has earned the No. 1 seed in the GNAC North Division and will host Johnson & Wales University, the No. 4 seed from the GNAC South, on Tuesday, February 21 at 5:30 PM on the Andy Yosinoff Court in the 2023 GNAC Men's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals.

SEASON AT A GLANCE:
Emmanuel:

• The Saints enter postseason play ranked second in the GNAC in team shooting percentage at 46.0%, only behind the top team in the nation as USJ leads the league shooting at a 46.8% clip.
• Emmanuel is tops in the conference from the free throw line, shooting at a 73.8% mark.
• EC currently ranks eighth in the nation among NCAA Division III programs in three-point defense, holding opponents to just 28.0% from behind the arc on the year.
• While the Saints rank in the middle of the GNAC in team rebounding, ranking sixth with 37.2 boards per game, EC ranks 12^th overall in offensive rebounding among conference peers averaging just 8.5 offensive boards each game.

Johnson & Wales:

• The Wildcats rank second in the GNAC in team scoring-defense, allowing opponents to an average of 71.4 points per game, only behind the USJ Blue Jays.
• JWU finished the regular-season with 672 made field goals (seventh in the GNAC) but ranks last in the conference averaging only 10.5 assists per game.
• The squad has rebounded the ball well throughout the year, ranking third in the conference in rebounds per game (40.4 rpg) and rebounding margin (+2.8).
• Despite the strong defensive numbers, JWU only forces its opponents into an average of 14.0 turnovers per game to rank 11^th among league affiliates.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Emmanuel:

• Junior guard Donte Pope (Middletown, Conn.) leads EC in scoring and rebounding with 16.5 points per game and a 7.6 rebounds per game while posting six double-doubles and nine games with 20+ points this season, shooting over 50% from the field (52.6%).
• Junior swingman Ryan Grijalva (Stratham, N.H.) provides depth and scoring as the squad's sixth man, ranking second in team scoring at 12.3 ppg while shooting at a 42.9% mark from behind the arc, good for second among eligible GNAC sharpshooters.
• First-year guard Zaire Baines (Queens, N.Y.) is averaging 11.8 points a night and ranks eighth in the league from the charity stripe, shooting at 77.8% from the line.

Johnson & Wales:

• Senior guard Aireus Raspberry (Cranston, R.I.) leads the GNAC while ranking fourth nationally in minutes per game (37:31) and leads the conference and nation in field goal attempts (497). He's one of only two players in the league averaging over 20 points per game, ranking second behind the nation's leading scorer, EJ Day of Lasell.
• Sophomore guard Josh Zangerle (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) provides the one-two punch with Raspberry, averaging 17.4 ppg to rank third in the GNAC. The 2022 GNAC Rookie of the Year has connected on 55 threes, ranking tied for fifth in the GNAC with EC senior Ricky Martin (Sicklerville, N.J.).
• Graduate student Bryan Davis (Miramar, Fla.) ranks fourth in the GNAC in rebounds per game, averaging 8.5 boards including 3.3 offensive rebounds a night which ranks third in the GNAC.

COACHES' CORNER:
Littell White - Emmanuel
Coach White has enjoyed a productive sophomore campaign at the helm of the program posting 17 wins including 13 in GNAC play to earn his second consecutive postseason berth as a collegiate head coach. This year's squad earned the top seed in the GNAC North for the first time in program history. He currently ranks third all-time at Emmanuel in career wins (32) as a head coach and enters the 2023 GNAC tourney with a 1-1 postseason record from a year ago.

Jamie Benton  – JWU
In 19 seasons at Johnson & Wales, Coach Benton has recorded 256 victories and helped guide the Wildcats to now 17 GNAC tournament appearances. Under his leadership, JWU has picked up three GNAC titles in 2011, 2016 and 2018, advancing to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 round in 2016. Benton was tabbed the 2016 GNAC Coach of the Year and has coached three separate GNAC Players of the Year, two GNAC Defensive Players of the Year, along with two GNAC Rookies of the Year.

THE LAST TIME WE MET:
On Saturday, February 4, the Saints led by 17 (53-36) early in the second half before the Wildcats mounted an impressive comeback that included a 12-0 run to close out the game and Emmanuel in JWU's 84-75 home win.

Raspberry led all scorers with 35 points, going 10-for-11 from the free throw line including a few clutch freebies down the stretch to ice the game. Pope led the Saints with 26 points on an efficient 10-for-15 shooting performance from the field.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
In 40 career meetings, the Wildcats are now 26-14 all-time against EC dating back to their first meeting in 2002. This will mark the fourth GNAC postseason meeting between the squads.

In the three previous GNAC tourney showdowns, Johnson & Wales owns a 2-1 record during the series. Emmanuel picked up a 90-86 win in the 2009 GNAC Quarterfinals, marking their only other meeting in the opening round. Johnson & Wales is 2-0 in GNAC Semifinals match-ups, posting a dominant 77-43 win in 2015 followed by a 97-79 win in 2016 when the Wildcats were ranked No. 14 in the nation and would go on to advance to the Sweet 16.

POSTSEASON HISTORY:
The Saints are back in the tourney field for the fourth straight campaign and for the program's 17^th trip to the GNAC postseason while the Wildcats make their 25^th appearance in field.

Emmanuel owns a 12-16 overall record in GNAC tournament play and has never won the GNAC title. The Saints appeared in the GNAC Championship in 2007 and 2009 but fell to Rivier in '07 (59-57) and to Saint Joseph's (ME) in '09 (74-72, OT).

JWU has qualified for the GNAC tournament every year since joining the league in 1996 except the 2019-20 campaign. They hold four GNAC Championships (2004, 2011, 2016, 2018) and in the Jamie Benton era, have posted a GNAC postseason record of 16-13 including a 9-7 record in Quarterfinal round play.

TICKET INFO
Tickets for the GNAC Quarterfinals must be purchased on site and are valid for both the Emmanuel men's and women's GNAC playoff doubleheader. No advance tickets will be sold. Adult admission is $8.00 and senior citizens and children under 12 is $5.00. Emmanuel College students, staff and faculty may receive free admission but must present a valid student/college ID at the door. Season passes are not valid for GNAC tournament play as noted on the season-pass.

COVERAGE
Tuesday's GNAC Quarterfinal game will be streamed live on the web with the voice of the Saints Matt LaPan on the call. To tune into the live action, click on one of the links below:

LIVE VIDEO
LIVE STATS

2023 GNAC MBB TOURNEY SCHEDULE
Tuesday, February 21 – QUARTERFINALS
GAME 1: #4S JWU at #1N Emmanuel - 5:30 PM
GAME 2: #3N Colby-Sawyer at #2S Albertus Magnus - 7:30 PM
GAME 3: #3S Regis at #2N Saint Joseph's Maine - 7:30 PM
GAME 4: #4N Anna Maria at #1S St. Joseph CT - 7:00 PM 

Thursday, February 23 - SEMIFINALS
GAME 5: Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner
GAME 6: Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner

Saturday, February 25 - CHAMPIONSHIP
GAME 7: at highest remaining seed