Behrend Heads To Juniata To Face Saint Vincent in ECAC Quarterfinals

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The No. 5 Penn State Behrend men's basketball team battles No. 4 Saint Vincent in the Eastern Collegiate Athletics Conference (ECAC) Men's Basketball Quarterfinals on Saturday, March 2, hosted by Juniata. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. The winner of this contest will play the hosts in the semifinals on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Coverage:

Video | Live Stats | Game Notes

No. 5 Behrend News & Notes:

* This marks the 19^th appearance for the Lions in the ECAC Tournament, the last time being the 2021-22 season where they fell to Rutgers-Newark in the semifinals (66-50)
* Last Saturday, Behrend couldn't overcome La Roche in the AMCC Championship, falling 80-69
* Tommy DiRienzo (Pittsburgh, PA/Bethel Park) recorded a double-double in the conference tournament, averaging 20.5 points per game and 12.5 rebounds per game to earn All-Tournament Team honors
* This week, DiRienzo was announced as the AMCC Player of the Year, becoming the 12^th player in program history to earn this honor and the first since Kenny Fukon was selected as Co-Player of the Year in 2022
* The Pittsburgh native finished the regular season as the AMCC leader with 468 points, first in the conference in free-throw percentage (83.7), and second in points per game (18.7)
* Sophomore guard Matthew McDonough (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) claimed All- AMCC Second Team, ending the regular season with a conference-high 70 made three-pointers (2.9 per game) and sixth in three-point percentage (40.9)
* Mason Blankenberg (Ontario, NY/Wayne) was also named to the AMCC All-Tournament Team, tallying 12.5 points per game in two contests
* Behrend is looking to win its third ECAC title and first since 2010

No. 4 Saint Vincent News & Notes:

* Saint Vincent comes into Saturday's contest with a 23-4 overall record, falling to Geneva in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championship (83-63)
* Dev Ostrowski led the Bearcats with 21 points and nine rebounds on Saturday against the Golden Tornadoes
* Sophomore forward Jaden Gales was selected PAC Most Valuable Player and to the All-PAC First Team, while Ostrowski earned Second Team All-PAC and Mike Iuzzolino notched Honorable Mention
* Gales leads the team with 17.8 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game. Ostrowski (17.3 ppg), Osyon Jones (15.1 ppg), and Iuzzolino (12.5 ppg) also average double-figures
* This is the Bearcats first ECAC appearance since they defeated Post in the Division II Championship in 2008

Series History:

* Saint Vincent leads the all-time series, 12-5. The Lions and Bearcats have not met since the 1991-92 when Behrend scored a 66-62 victory

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