Men’s Basketball to Face USJ in GNAC Quarterfinals Tuesday

TUESDAY, FEB. 19 // 7:00 PM  GNAC QUARTERFINALS REGAN GYMNASIUM BOSTON, MASS.
LIVE STATS // VIDEO // EYES ON THE GAME SERIES RECORD // SUFFOLK LEADS, 1-0 LAST MEETING // FEB. 14, 2019, W, 79-77 LAST SUFFOLK WIN // SAME STREAK // W1

BOSTON – The Suffolk men's basketball team begins its journey for GNAC glory Tuesday, Feb. 19 when the second-seeded Rams battle seventh-seed Saint Joseph (Conn.) in the conference quarterfinals inside Regan Gymnasium at 7 p.m. 

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2019 GNAC TOURNAMENT
Tuesday, Feb. 19 – Quarterfinals
GAME 1: #8 Lasell at #1 Albertus Magnus – 8:00 PM – LIVE STATS - VIDEO
GAME 2: #5 Colby Sawyer at #4 Emmanuel – 7:30 PM – LIVE STATS - VIDEO
GAME 3: #6 Saint Joseph's (Maine) at #3 Johnson & Wales – 7:00 PM – LIVE STATS - VIDEO
GAME 4: #7 Saint Joseph (Conn.) at #2 Suffolk – 7:00 PM – LIVE STATS - VIDEO 

Thursday, Feb. 21 – Semifinals
GAME 5: Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 1
GAME 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 3 

Saturday, Feb. 23 – Championship
GAME 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 5

RAMS IN GNAC TOURNAMENT
Suffolk makes its seventh straight and 15th overall trip into the GNAC playoffs.  

The Rams will vie for GNAC glory as the second seed for the first time overall and as the highest seed since topping the field in 2002, when the blue-and-gold captured the title for the first and only time in program history. 

Suffolk will host its first tournament tilt since 2004 when the fourth-seeded Rams welcomed fifth-seeded Emerson to Regan Gymnasium for the quarterfinals. The blue-and-gold is 2-1 when playing on its home hardwood in the conference tournament.  

The Rams have only made back-to-back trips to the semifinals in tournament history in 2001 and 2002. Suffolk looks to do so again this season. Overall, in its 15 league postseason appearances, the blue-and-gold has moved onto the semifinals four times and competed in the championship contest once, when it hoisted the trophy in 2002. 

DOUBLEFEATURE
Both Suffolk's basketball teams will compete in the friendly confines of Regan Gymnasium Tuesday night in the GNAC Quarterfinals marking the Rams' fourth doubleheader of 2018-19. The women are 1-2 when playing on the same day on the Larry E. Smith & Michael S. Smith Court, while the men are unbeaten, 3-0, in double features with the blue-and-gold's women. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Suffolk men's basketball team saw its seven-game win streak come to an end Saturday afternoon as the Albertus Magnus Falcons defeated the Rams, 93-87, at the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center.

MORE READING: Albertus Magnus Edges Out Men's Basketball, 93-87

RAMS RUNDOWN
Fourth-year head coach Jeff Juron guided the Rams to their most successful season in over four decades at 18-6 on the year and 9-2 against conference counterparts. The 18 wins are one shy of the program record (19), which was reached twice in Suffolk's annals in back-to-back seasons in 1974-75 and 1975-76. Conference wise, the 9-2 mark is the best according to winning percentage (81.8) since joining the league ranks in 2000-01.  

Suffolk's success is thanks in large part to a well-balanced attack that combines for 79.1 ppg and sees five student-athletes produce double figures; Thomas Duffy (15.4 ppg), Brendan Mulson (13.6 ppg), Michael Hagopian (13.0 ppg), Alex Jacovides (11.7 ppg) and Steven DiPrizio (11.4 ppg). 

The Rams' offense turns into defense with the scoring leaders also pacing the pack on the glass. DiPrizio's 7.3 rpg anchors the team's 36.8 rpg effort, that receives consistent help from Duffy and Mulson, who provide 5.1 rpg and 4.6 rpg, respectively. 

BLUE JAYS BREAKDOWN
After slipping to the Rams last Thursday, Saint Joseph (Conn.) wrapped up its regular season with an 85-68 win over Regis to take the seventh seed in the conference tournament with a 5-6 league ledger. Overall, the Blue Jays went 14-11 in their inaugural season.  

USJ posts 84.8 ppg with Chris Childs' 18.3 ppg leading the way. Delshawn Jackson Jr. (15.8 ppg), Mike Sagay (11.3 ppg) and Ryan O'Neill (10.0 ppg) aid the offense as well. Noreaga Davis' 6.2 rpg paces things on the glass with Sagay pulling down 5.5 rpg to the Blue Jays' 45.3 rpg performance. 

RAMS VS. BLUE JAYS IN GNAC TOURNAMENT

• Suffolk will meet Saint Joseph (Conn.) in the GNAC Postseason for the first time.  

WE MEET AGAIN
The Suffolk men's basketball team hit shots when it needed to down the stretch and played stand-up defense over the final minute to defeat Saint Joseph (Conn.), 79-77, Thursday night inside Regan Gymnasium.  

MORE READING:Men's Basketball Holds Off St. Joseph (Conn.), 79-77

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and USJ met for the first time on Feb. 14, 2019. The Rams took the Valentine's Day meeting, 79-77, to move to 1-0 all-time versus the Blue Jays. 

COMING UP
The winner between the Rams and Blue Jays will advance to the GNAC semifinals set for Thursday, Feb. 21 and will take on the victor of the quarterfinals clash between third-seed Johnson & Wales and sixth-seed Saint Joseph's (Maine).