INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (February 3, 2011) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s basketball team is ranked sixth in the East Region, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced Wednesday night after releasing its first Regional Rankings of the season. In addition, through games played up to January 30, junior forward Simon Smith was 10th in the nation and rebounding and 22nd nationally in field-goal percentage. The Ducks are currently 13-5 overall and 6-3 in the Empire 8.
SUNY Oswego is first in the region and Empire 8 rival Ithaca College is second. The University of Rochester is third, Hobart College is fourth, and SUNY Plattsburg is fifth.
Smith was averaging 12.0 rebounds at the time the statistical ranks were released and is now grabbing 12.2 boards per game after snaring 16 in the Ducks’ win over the College of Staten Island on Tuesday night. His 61.2 percent conversion rate on field-goal attempts is leading the team and is 22nd nationally. The Cranford, N.J. native’s nine double-doubles at the time of the rankings was 25th-best. Smith now has 10 on the season.
As a team, Stevens is 11th in the nation in field-goal percentage defense, holding the opposition to 38.3 percent from the floor. The Ducks’ rebounding margin of plus-8.6 is 12th in the country and they are 45th in field-goal percentage, hitting 47.6 percent of their shots.