Owls Face-off Against Nazareth in NCAA Tournament

WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State University men's basketball team is set to tip off in the NCAA Division III tournament against the Nazareth College Golden Flyers on Friday, March 4, at 6:05pm in Rochester, New York.

The Owls enter this matchup with a 22-4 overall record and a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference title under their belts after beating Worcester State in the championship game, 80-66.

Nazareth currently sits at 23-4 overall, squeaking past Utica College in the Empire 8 Championship game by a final score of 54-53.

Westfield has been a MASCAC powerhouse this season, averaging 83.4 points per game as a unit. After a flawless 7-0 month of February while also riding a ten game winning streak, the Owls will get a taste of tournament play for the second consecutive season.

Brendon Hamilton (Worcester, Mass) has led the offensive attack, dropping 15.2 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting this season. Hamilton also leads the nation in rebounding, securing 14.8 boards per game. Senior guard Justin Rennis (Springfield, Mass.) is second in scoring for the Owls, averaging 13.5 points per game. Rennis was also given All-Conference First-Team recognition as voted on by the seven coaches around the MASCAC. Junior guard Jeremy Remigio (Santo Domingo, D.R.) and sophomore guard Gerry McManus (Hudson, Mass.) have split time at the point guard position. Remigio leads the Owls in assists per game, dropping 108 dimes over 25 games for an average of 4.3. McManus has been a major contributor down the stretch as a floor general, dishing out 5.0 assists per game in his last eight contests.

Kumar Brown (Enfield, Conn.) and Hamilton have been some of the biggest contributors on defense for the Owls. Brown leads the team in steals per game with 1.7, and Hamilton, the MASCAC defensive player of the year, has rejected a team high 2.2 shots per contest. As a squad, Westfield is averaging 8.8 steals and 5.5 blocks per game.

The Golden Flyers have been led by Stephen Gabel (Victor, N.Y.) who has averaged 17.8 points over 26 games this season. As a unit, Nazareth has outscored their opponents by 11.5 points on average (77.4-65.9) and shot nearly 45 percent from the floor.

Nazareth is a strong defensive team as well, with an average of 6.6 steals and 3.6 blocks per game. Zach Stenglein (Rochester, N.Y.) has been a menace for opposing guards as he's recorded 51 steals over his 26 games played. Jonathan Park (Angola, N.Y.) has been a huge factor controlling the paint with a team leading 63 blocked shots on his line (2.4 blocks per game). The 6'8" forward also leads the squad in rebounding with 258 total boards for an average of 9.9 rebounds per game.

Emerson College and UMass Dartmouth will meet in the other regional contest at Nazareth College. Emerson is the designated road team and the third ranked team in the four-team pod. Senior Jarred Houston (Norwood, Mass.) trails only Hamilton in Division III in rebounds per game, averaging 14.4 per game while also leading the Lions in scoring at 18.6 points.

UMass Dartmouth is the second ranked team out of the four teams, and is the designated home team. The Corsairs and the Owls played early in the season at Westfield State where UMass Dartmouth edged the Owls 85-81. The Corsairs are led by one of the most versatile players in the country in Marcus Azor (Brockton, Mass.) who is averaging close to a triple-double on the season with 17.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. He leads UMass Dartmouth in scoring, and rebounding, while ranking second in the nation in assists.

Emerson and UMass Dartmouth will tip-off at 3:35pm followed by Westfield State and Nazareth at 6:05pm. The winner of both contests will advance to play in the round of 32 on Saturday, March 5, at 6:05pm with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.

Written by Evan Levrault – Sports Information Intern