Assumption : Greyhound basketball teams BOTH headed to the N.C.A.A. tournament!

Greyhound basketball teams BOTH headed to the N.C.A.A. tournament!

March 11, 2008

WORCESTER, Mass. --- It is a double sweet day for Assumption College basketball.

The Greyhounds are one of five institutions in New England---Assumption, Connecticut, Amherst, Coast Guard and Salem State---with TWO 20-game winners and the ONLY member of the Northeast-10 Conference with that distinction. They celebrate together as both of the teams have been selected to participate in their respective N.C.A.A. Division II regional championship tournaments.

TICKET INFORMATION & DRIVING DIRECTIONS WILL BE POSTED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS!

CLICK HERE FOR FREE WEBCAST AND LIVESTATS

The men's team, which finished as the conference playoff runner-up to Bentley College Saturday, enters the competition with a 22-10 record---doubling last year's win total (11-16) as the most improved team in the region under the direction of head coach SERGE DE BARI '71. The Greyhounds are seeded second in the three-day event which will be played at Bentley College Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, March 15, 16, 18. The Greyhounds are scheduled to face No. 7 seeded Holy Family (21-9).

NCAA DIVISION II MEN'S BASKETBALL NORTHEAST REGIONAL

At Bentley College, Waltham

Quarterfinals: Saturday, March 15, 2008

No. 3 Saint Rose (22-7) vs. No. 6 Philadelphia (22-11), 12 noon

No. 2 Assumption (22-10) vs. No. 7 Holy Family (21-9), 2:30 p.m.

No. 1 Bentley (30-0) vs. No. 8 Merrimack (17-11), 6 p.m.

No. 4 L.I.U.-C.W. Post (26-4) vs. No. 5 Bryant (17-12), 8:30 p.m.

Semifinals: Sunday, March 16, 2008

Saint Rose/Philadelphia winner vs. Assumption/Holy Family winner, 5 p.m.

Bentley/Merrimack winner vs. L.I.U.-C.W. Post/Bryant winner, 7:30 p.m.

Championship: Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Winner advances to the Elite Eight, Springfield, MA, March 26-29

TICKETS

Available ONLY at the Door

Adults $8.00 per session

Students/Children $3.00 per session

The women, which finished their regular-season at 21-9---improving last year's record of (13-16)---are seeded fifth and are scheduled to play conference rival Bentley College in the first round. The Greyhounds swept the season series from the Falcons for the first time in their history winning 64-46 in Worcester and 59-58 in Waltham. The three-day event will be played at Holy Family University in Philadelphia, PA Friday, Saturday and Monday, March 14, 15, 17.

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NORTHEAST REGIONAL

At Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA

Quarterfinals: Friday, March 14, 2008

No. 2 Stonehill (26-4) vs. No. 7 Bryant (20-11), 1 p.m.

No. 3 Franklin Pierce (24-5) vs. No. 6 Dominican, NY (22-8), 3 p.m.

No. 1 Holy Family (30-0) vs. No. 8 Molloy, NY (19-11), 6 p.m.

No. 4 Bentley (19-10) vs. No. 5 Assumption (21-9), 8 p.m.

Semifinals: Saturday, March 15, 2008

Stonehill-Bryant winner vs. Franklin Pierce-Dominican winner, 6 p.m.

Holy Family-Molloy winner vs. Assumption-Bentley winner, 8 p.m.

Championship: Monday, March 17, 2008, 7 p.m.

Winner advances to the Elite Eight, Kearney, NE, March 26-29

TICKETS

Available ONLY at the Door

Adults $8.00 per session

Senior Citizens $5.00 per session

Students $3.00 per session

Children Under 2 FREE

The women's team is playing in its third N.C.A.A. regional having been in the 2000 and 2002 events both under the direction of head coach KERRY PHAYRE. This is the fourth season in which the Greyhounds have won 20 games (1999-00, 2001-02, 2003-04, 2007-08).

The women opened with two wins in the Disney Classic and also set a team-record nine-game win streak in midseason. They defeated Lander, SC (84-71), a Peach Belt Conference tournament representative and romped past future Northeast-10 member New Haven (76-55)---the East Coast Conference champion (21-9, 18-1). The team won the Marriott Courtyard Classic defeating E.C.C. tournament champion Molloy (76-61) (19-11) and Concordia (75-33) and then went 2-0 at the San Diego, CA Surf 'N Slam.

The Greyhounds are led by senior forward/captain CHARDE FLOYD (Worcester, MA/Worcester Academy), who averages 9.1 points and leads the Northeast-10 Conference in rebounding (9.6), while also being ranked in steals (72), assists (82), field goal accuracy (.518) and assists/turnover ratio (0.79). Floyd is the fourth Greyhound to reach both 1,000 points (currently 1,212) and 1,000 rebounds (currently 1,056) and merely the second to have four 200-rebound seasons. She was recently named second-team all-conference and the conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year.

Junior guard/captain BETHANY PLASSKI (Fall River, MA/Durfee) leads the team, averaging 15.1 points, and also sets the pace with an .814 free throw percentage and 49 three-pointers. She also reached the 1,000-point plateau in the her career (currently 1,032) and is also the career free throw accuracy leader (.810). She earned first-team all-conference honors.

Junior point guard TRISH GARDNER (North Dartmouth, MA/Dartmouth) has become the most indispensable member of the team and is the first point since 2001-02 with 100 assists (currently 168) and leads the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.97). Freshman guard MOLLY GRIFFITHS (Walpole, MA/Ursuline Academy), conference all-freshman team, averages 9.4 points with 29 three-pointers and sophomore forward KAYLA PARKER (Sanford, ME/Sanford) rounds out the usual starting five averaging 10.0 points and 4.9 rebounds with a team-leading 33 blocked shots.

Senior forward MEGAN URBAN (Portland, ME/Deering) averages 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds with 27 blocks, while sophomore guard LESLIE LUPIEN (Pomfret Center, CT/Woodstock Academy) averages 6.3 points and is among the team leaders in field goal (.481) and free throw (.813) accuracy.

Greyhound men's teams have been invited to 25 N.C.A.A. regional tournaments, including a national record 15 straight from 1962-63 to 1976-77. They also have four N.A.I.A. bids (1955, 56, 57, 58). The team won an N.A.I.A. regional in 1958 and five straight N.C.A.A. regionals (1971, 72, 73, 74, 75). And, this is the team's 14th 20-win season and first since 2002-03, the last time they earned an N.C.A.A. berth.

Assumption is ranked third nationally with its 25th overall invitation tied with Virginia Union (25) and trailing just Kentucky Wesleyan (33) and Philadelphia (30).

The N.C.A.A. postseason win list: 1, Kentucky Wesleyan (91-26), 2, Virginia Union (45-24); 3, California Bakersfield (41-20); 4, Evansville, IN (40-10); 5, South Dakota State (35-22); 6, Cheyney, PA (33-20); 7, ASSUMPTION (32-27); 8, Florida Southern (32-23); 8, Philadelphia (31-32).

The men's team opened with two wins in the Disney Classic including an 85-75 win over North Alabama (currently 24-8), the Gulf South Conference East Division champion, and an 80-65 victory over undefeated Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South champion Philadelphia (currently 22-11 overall). The only loss suffered was to then No. 1 ranked Winona State, MN.

The Hounds have also defeated Post, CT (64-62), the C.A.C.C. North champion, to become the second team in New England Division II history with 1,000 wins. And, won at L.I.U.-C.W. Post (26-4 overall, 17-1 conference), the East Coast Conference champion, 73-71.

Senior forward/captain GREG TWOMEY (Groton, MA/Groton-Dunstable) is the Greyhounds' team inspirational leader averaging 12.0 points and 6.2 rebounds. He became a member of the vaunted 1,000-point club (currently 1,023) in the Hounds' final regular-season game at Pace. Twomey earned third-team all-conference honors this year.

Senior forward COREY DIETHORN (Pittsburgh, PA/Sewickley) leads the team at 14.5 points-per-game and 8.5 rebounds. He is also the conference pacesetter in blocked shots (67) and is among the leaders in floor accuracy (.510). He scored his 1,000th point (currently 1,128) on a dunk at Saint Rose. He was named to the second all-conference team.

Rounding out the usual starting lineup are junior guard/forward PATRICK SHEA (Salem, MA/Salem), the team's top defensive performer, who averages 9.3 points and 7.3 rebounds along with a team-leading 148 assists and 27 blocked shots. Sophomore guard COURTLAND BLUFORD (Ft. Washington, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) averages 10.1 points with 90 assists and 60 steals, while senior forward MIKE FOTI (Franklin, MA/Franklin) averages 10.4 points and leads the team with 47 three pointers (.388).

Top reserves include junior guard MITCH BAJEMA (Whitinsville, MA/Whitinsville Christian), who averages 6.4 points with 38 three-pointers and a team-leading .811 free throw percentage and freshman forward MIKE BALDARELLI (Sutton, MA/Holy Name), who averages 7.0 points and 2.5 rebounds with 34 three-pointers. Baldarelli had a season-high 28 points in the Hounds' win last week against Stonehill.

MEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY

N.A.I.A. REGIONAL TOURNAMENT BIDS: (4) 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958

N.A.I.A. REGIONAL CHAMPIONS: (1) 1958

N.C.A.A. REGIONAL TOURNAMENT: (25) 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2008

N.C.A.A. REGIONAL CHAMPIONS: (5) 1966, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975

TWENTY WIN SEASONS: (14) 1956-57 (21-1), 1970-71 (25-2), 1971-72 (21 6), 1972-73 (25-3), 1973-74 (22-7), 1974-75 (22-8), 1982-83 (21-11), 1987-88 (20-12), 1989-90 (22-10), 1990-91 (24-8), 1997-98 (23-10), 2001-02 (24-6), 2002-03 (20-11), 2007-08 (22-10)



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The Greyhounds are one of five institutions in New England---Assumption, Connecticut, Amherst, Coast Guard and Salem State---with TWO 20-game winners and the ONLY member of the Northeast-10 Conference with that distinction. They celebrate together as both of the teams have been selected to participate in their respective N.C.A.A. Division II regional championship tournaments. *TICKET INFORMATION & DRIVING DIRECTIONS WILL BE POSTED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS!* CLICK HERE FOR FREE WEBCAST AND LIVESTATS The men's team, which finished as the conference playoff runner-up to Bentley College Saturday, enters the competition with a 22-10 record---doubling last year's win total (11-16) as the most improved team in the region under the direction of head coach SERGE DE BARI '71. The Greyhounds are seeded second in the three-day event which will be played at Bentley College Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, March 15, 16, 18. The Greyhounds are scheduled to face No. 7 seeded Holy Family (21-9). NCAA DIVISION II MEN'S BASKETBALL NORTHEAST REGIONAL At Bentley College, Waltham Quarterfinals: Saturday, March 15, 2008 No. 3 Saint Rose (22-7) vs. No. 6 Philadelphia (22-11), 12 noon No. 2 Assumption (22-10) vs. No. 7 Holy Family (21-9), 2:30 p.m. No. 1 Bentley (30-0) vs. No. 8 Merrimack (17-11), 6 p.m. No. 4 L.I.U.-C.W. Post (26-4) vs. No. 5 Bryant (17-12), 8:30 p.m. Semifinals: Sunday, March 16, 2008 Saint Rose/Philadelphia winner vs. Assumption/Holy Family winner, 5 p.m. Bentley/Merrimack winner vs. L.I.U.-C.W. Post/Bryant winner, 7:30 p.m. Championship: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 Winner advances to the Elite Eight, Springfield, MA, March 26-29 TICKETS Available ONLY at the Door Adults $8.00 per session Students/Children $3.00 per session The women, which finished their regular-season at 21-9---improving last year's record of (13-16)---are seeded fifth and are scheduled to play conference rival Bentley College in the first round. The Greyhounds swept the season series from the Falcons for the first time in their history winning 64-46 in Worcester and 59-58 in Waltham. The three-day event will be played at Holy Family University in Philadelphia, PA Friday, Saturday and Monday, March 14, 15, 17. NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NORTHEAST REGIONAL At Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA Quarterfinals: Friday, March 14, 2008 No. 2 Stonehill (26-4) vs. No. 7 Bryant (20-11), 1 p.m. No. 3 Franklin Pierce (24-5) vs. No. 6 Dominican, NY (22-8), 3 p.m. No. 1 Holy Family (30-0) vs. No. 8 Molloy, NY (19-11), 6 p.m. No. 4 Bentley (19-10) vs. No. 5 Assumption (21-9), 8 p.m. Semifinals: Saturday, March 15, 2008 Stonehill-Bryant winner vs. Franklin Pierce-Dominican winner, 6 p.m. Holy Family-Molloy winner vs. Assumption-Bentley winner, 8 p.m. Championship: Monday, March 17, 2008, 7 p.m. Winner advances to the Elite Eight, Kearney, NE, March 26-29 TICKETS Available ONLY at the Door Adults $8.00 per session Senior Citizens $5.00 per session Students $3.00 per session Children Under 2 FREE The women's team is playing in its third N.C.A.A. regional having been in the 2000 and 2002 events both under the direction of head coach KERRY PHAYRE. This is the fourth season in which the Greyhounds have won 20 games (1999-00, 2001-02, 2003-04, 2007-08). The women opened with two wins in the Disney Classic and also set a team-record nine-game win streak in midseason. They defeated Lander, SC (84-71), a Peach Belt Conference tournament representative and romped past future Northeast-10 member New Haven (76-55)---the East Coast Conference champion (21-9, 18-1). The team won the Marriott Courtyard Classic defeating E.C.C. tournament champion Molloy (76-61) (19-11) and Concordia (75-33) and then went 2-0 at the San Diego, CA Surf 'N Slam. The Greyhounds are led by senior forward/captain CHARDE FLOYD (Worcester, MA/Worcester Academy), who averages 9.1 points and leads the Northeast-10 Conference in rebounding (9.6), while also being ranked in steals (72), assists (82), field goal accuracy (.518) and assists/turnover ratio (0.79). Floyd is the fourth Greyhound to reach both 1,000 points (currently 1,212) and 1,000 rebounds (currently 1,056) and merely the second to have four 200-rebound seasons. She was recently named second-team all-conference and the conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year. Junior guard/captain BETHANY PLASSKI (Fall River, MA/Durfee) leads the team, averaging 15.1 points, and also sets the pace with an .814 free throw percentage and 49 three-pointers. She also reached the 1,000-point plateau in the her career (currently 1,032) and is also the career free throw accuracy leader (.810). She earned first-team all-conference honors. Junior point guard TRISH GARDNER (North Dartmouth, MA/Dartmouth) has become the most indispensable member of the team and is the first point since 2001-02 with 100 assists (currently 168) and leads the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.97). Freshman guard MOLLY GRIFFITHS (Walpole, MA/Ursuline Academy), conference all-freshman team, averages 9.4 points with 29 three-pointers and sophomore forward KAYLA PARKER (Sanford, ME/Sanford) rounds out the usual starting five averaging 10.0 points and 4.9 rebounds with a team-leading 33 blocked shots. Senior forward MEGAN URBAN (Portland, ME/Deering) averages 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds with 27 blocks, while sophomore guard LESLIE LUPIEN (Pomfret Center, CT/Woodstock Academy) averages 6.3 points and is among the team leaders in field goal (.481) and free throw (.813) accuracy. Greyhound men's teams have been invited to 25 N.C.A.A. regional tournaments, including a national record 15 straight from 1962-63 to 1976-77. They also have four N.A.I.A. bids (1955, 56, 57, 58). The team won an N.A.I.A. regional in 1958 and five straight N.C.A.A. regionals (1971, 72, 73, 74, 75). And, this is the team's 14th 20-win season and first since 2002-03, the last time they earned an N.C.A.A. berth. Assumption is ranked third nationally with its 25th overall invitation tied with Virginia Union (25) and trailing just Kentucky Wesleyan (33) and Philadelphia (30). The N.C.A.A. postseason win list: 1, Kentucky Wesleyan (91-26), 2, Virginia Union (45-24); 3, California Bakersfield (41-20); 4, Evansville, IN (40-10); 5, South Dakota State (35-22); 6, Cheyney, PA (33-20); 7, ASSUMPTION (32-27); 8, Florida Southern (32-23); 8, Philadelphia (31-32). The men's team opened with two wins in the Disney Classic including an 85-75 win over North Alabama (currently 24-8), the Gulf South Conference East Division champion, and an 80-65 victory over undefeated Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South champion Philadelphia (currently 22-11 overall). The only loss suffered was to then No. 1 ranked Winona State, MN. The Hounds have also defeated Post, CT (64-62), the C.A.C.C. North champion, to become the second team in New England Division II history with 1,000 wins. And, won at L.I.U.-C.W. Post (26-4 overall, 17-1 conference), the East Coast Conference champion, 73-71. Senior forward/captain GREG TWOMEY (Groton, MA/Groton-Dunstable) is the Greyhounds' team inspirational leader averaging 12.0 points and 6.2 rebounds. He became a member of the vaunted 1,000-point club (currently 1,023) in the Hounds' final regular-season game at Pace. Twomey earned third-team all-conference honors this year. Senior forward COREY DIETHORN (Pittsburgh, PA/Sewickley) leads the team at 14.5 points-per-game and 8.5 rebounds. He is also the conference pacesetter in blocked shots (67) and is among the leaders in floor accuracy (.510). He scored his 1,000th point (currently 1,128) on a dunk at Saint Rose. He was named to the second all-conference team. Rounding out the usual starting lineup are junior guard/forward PATRICK SHEA (Salem, MA/Salem), the team's top defensive performer, who averages 9.3 points and 7.3 rebounds along with a team-leading 148 assists and 27 blocked shots. Sophomore guard COURTLAND BLUFORD (Ft. Washington, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) averages 10.1 points with 90 assists and 60 steals, while senior forward MIKE FOTI (Franklin, MA/Franklin) averages 10.4 points and leads the team with 47 three pointers (.388). Top reserves include junior guard MITCH BAJEMA (Whitinsville, MA/Whitinsville Christian), who averages 6.4 points with 38 three-pointers and a team-leading .811 free throw percentage and freshman forward MIKE BALDARELLI (Sutton, MA/Holy Name), who averages 7.0 points and 2.5 rebounds with 34 three-pointers. Baldarelli had a season-high 28 points in the Hounds' win last week against Stonehill. MEN'S BASKETBALL HISTORY N.A.I.A. REGIONAL TOURNAMENT BIDS: (4) 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 N.A.I.A. REGIONAL CHAMPIONS: (1) 1958 N.C.A.A. REGIONAL TOURNAMENT: (25) 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2008 N.C.A.A. REGIONAL CHAMPIONS: (5) 1966, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 TWENTY WIN SEASONS: (14) 1956-57 (21-1), 1970-71 (25-2), 1971-72 (21 6), 1972-73 (25-3), 1973-74 (22-7), 1974-75 (22-8), 1982-83 (21-11), 1987-88 (20-12), 1989-90 (22-10), 1990-91 (24-8), 1997-98 (23-10), 2001-02 (24-6), 2002-03 (20-11), 2007-08 (22-10)