FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WINTHROP, Mass. – The outstanding year for the top-ranked University of Saint Joseph moves into the playoffs next week as the 25-0 Blue Jays take on Anna Maria College (7-18, 6-11 GNAC) on Tuesday, February 21 (19-19). :00 p.m.) as the South seed No. 1 at the 2023 GNAC Men’s Basketball Tournament.
In addition to holding the #1 national ranking by D3hoops.com as of December 19, USJ was placed at the top of the most recent regional ranking last week. USJ ran through the GNAC regular-season streak with an 18-0 mark, keeping league opponents at just 59.2 points per game.
Emmanuel College (17-8, 13-4 GNAC) stopped at No. 1 North Saat despite losing four out of six players who entered the tournament. The Saints meet No. 4 South-Seed Johnson & Wales University (1312, 10-8 GNAC) at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday as JWU just defeated Emmanuel (84-75) on Feb.
The no. 3 South Seed Regis College (14-11, 10-8 GNAC) travels to No. 2 North Seed Saint Joseph’s College of Maine (14-11, 10-7 GNAC). after SJC just defeated Regis, 68-58, earlier last week on Valentine’s Day. The visiting Pride have won seven of nine GNAC games since late January, while the Monks have won six of their last eight against league opponents.
GNAC powerhouse Albertus Magnus College (16-9, 14-4 GNAC) compiled his most recent stellar season in the GNAC, falling only to Emmanuel and Regis in league play in addition to his two setbacks against rivals USJ. The Falcons will welcome Colby-Sawyer College (10-16, 7-9 GNAC), seeded No. 3 from North, next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Albertus and USJ competed in the 2019, 2020 and 2022 GNAC Championship game.
The GNAC semi-finals will take place on Thursday February 23rd, with the title game scheduled for Saturday February 25th. There is no reseeding throughout the tournament as the 2023 champion automatically qualifies for the NCAA Division III tournament.
Tuesday 21 February – QUARTERFINALS
GAME 1: #4S JWU at #1N Emmanuel – 5:30 p.m
GAME 2: #3N Colby-Sawyer at #2S Albertus Magnus – 7:30 p.m
GAME 3: #3S Regis at #2N Saint Joseph’s Maine – 7:30 p.m
GAME 4: #4N Anna Maria at #1S St Joseph CT – 7:00 p.m
Thursday 23 February – SEMIFINALS
GAME 5: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner
GAME 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner
Saturday 25 February – CHAMPIONSHIP
GAME 7: with highest seed remaining
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III federation comprised of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes in the New England area. Established in 1995, GNAC sponsors and administers 22 championships annually while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement to enhance the experience between students and athletes.
– #TheGNAC –
COURTESY OF GNAC SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE
