N.C.A.A. MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

March 9, 2009

Assumption College seeded fourth in the upcoming N.C.A.A. Division Men's Basketball East Regional will play against Northeast-10 Conference rival Stonehill College Saturday at 8:30 p.m. The Greyhounds advanced to their 26th N.C.A.A. regional event by virtue of winning the Northeast-10 Conference postseason championship Saturday at the Laska Gym. Despite the fact that the Greyhounds have played Stonehill 94 times in their history---leading 53-41 in the series dating back to 1948---the teams have never played in the N.C.A.A. postseason.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Game 1: No. 6 Merrimack 86, No. 3 Massachusetts Lowell 84, ot

Game 2: No. 2 Bentley 79, No. 7 Bridgeport 53

Game 3: No. 1 L.I.U.-C.W. Post 73, No. 8 Philadelphia 51

Game 4: No. 4 Assumption 61, No. 5 Stonehill 49

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Game 5: Merrimack vs. Bentley, 5 p.m.

Game 6: L.I.U.-C.W. Post vs. Assumption, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Game 7: regional championship final, 7 p.m.

The winner advances to the N.C.A.A. Division II Elite Eight scheduled for the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA, March 25, 26, and 28. The East regional winner is slated to meet the Midwest regional in the national quarterfinals.

DIRECTIONS TO L.I.U.-C.W. POST: Mass. Pike (I-90 West), I-84 West, Charter Oak Bridge, I-91 South to I-95 into New York state, follow signs for I-295, over Throgs Neck Bridge, Clearview Exp., I-295 South, Exit to Long Island Exp. (I-495 East), Exit 39N, north two miles, right (east) on Northern Blvd., Route 25A, campus two miles on right

TICKETS: tickets (available at the door only) for the event are $8 for adults general admission and $4 for students (with valid I.D.) for each session. The tournament has two sessions Saturday, one in the afternoon and one in the evening, while Sunday and Tuesday games are considered one session.

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ABOUT THE GREYHOUNDS: postgraduate forward GREG TWOMEY (Groton MA/Groton-Dunstable) scored all 15 of his points in the second half to lead the Greyhounds past Le Moyne College, 77-63. It is the fourth conference postseason championship won by the Greyhounds including 1983 at American International College (96-84), 1991: vs. Bentley (89-72), 1998, vs. Saint Anselm (93-73). The Hounds lost in the final twice in 1999 at Saint Michael's (75-76) and last year at Bentley (77-93).

The team has been invited to 26 N.C.A.A. regional events since 1960, 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). And, this is the program's 15th 20-victory season and second straight under head coach SERGE DEBARI '71.

The Greyhounds trail only Kentucky Wesleyan (34), Philadelphia (31) and Virginia Union (27) in the number of tournaments earned. Kentuckey Wesleyan and Philadelphia earned bids in the 2009 event, Philadelphia could very well be an opponent in the later stages of this East Regional. Virginia Union is now Division I.

The games will be webcast LIVE by the CBS College SportsNetwork FREE of charge (there is no charge for any N.C.A.A. postseason basketball game in any division). Free LIVESTATS will also be provided online by the host institution.

The Greyhounds are led by four double-figure scorers including sophomore forward MIKE BALDARELLI (Sutton, MA/Holy Name) (14.2 ppg, 6.2 rebounds) including a team-leading 51 three-pointers, postgraduate forward GREG TWOMEY (Groton, MA/Groton Dunstable) (11.9 ppg, 117 assists)---the only forward in Hounds' history with two 100-assist seasons, junior transfer (Samford University) forward SAVOY FRAINE (Grenada Hills, CA/Grenada Hills) (11.1 ppg and a tam-leading 59 blocked shots) and super sub junior guard COURTLAND BLUFORD (Ft. Washington, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) (10.9 ppg).

Senior forward/guard/captain PATRICK SHEA (Salem, MA/Salem) averages 9.4 points and 6.1 rebounds with 110 assists, 40 steals and a team-leading .794 free throw percentage. He has scored 961 points in his career and is, obviously, looking to play more than one game. Senior guard/captain MITCH BAJEMA (Whitinsville, MA/Christian) averages 8.1 points with 44 three-pointers.