Men's Basketball | 2/19/2023 3:20:45 PM
Top-seed Utica University looks to win its second league title in three seasons, as the 2022-23 Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Championship begins on Tuesday, Feb. 21 with first round action at host sites before semifinal and championship action takes place from Utica on Friday, Feb. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 25 at Utica.
No. 3 seed Alfred University will host No. 6 Medaille University, while No. 5 Hartwick College travels to face No. 4 St. John Fisher University in the opening round Tuesday evening with both games starting at 7 p.m. The winner of St. John Fisher vs. Hartwick will take on Utica from the Harold T. Clark Athletic Center in the first semifinal at 5:30 p.m. Friday. No. 2 seed and defending Empire 8 Champion Nazareth College will face the winner of Alfred vs. Medaille will battle in the second semifinal at 7:30 p.m. The two semifinal winners will meet for the 2023 Empire 8 Championship on Saturday at 3 p.m.
The league champion receives an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship, which begins March 3-4.
2022-23 Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament Participants
No. 1 – Utica (17-1 E8, 22-3 Overall)
No. 2 – Nazareth (14-4, E8, 20-5 Overall)
No. 3 – Alfred (14-4 E8, 19-6 Overall)
No. 4 – St. John Fisher (14-4 E8, 18-7 Overall)
No. 5 – Hartwick (8-10 E8, 9-15 Overall)
No. 6 – Medaille (7-11 E8, 9-16 Overall)
The 2022-23 Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Championship schedule is below. For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on Twitter (@Empire8) and
www.empire8.com.
2022-23 Empire 8 Men's Basketball Championship Schedule
Tuesday, February 21 – First Round (at Higher Seed)
No. 5 Hartwick at No. 4 St. John Fisher – 7 p.m.
No. 6 Medaille at No. 3 Alfred – 7 p.m.
Friday, February 24 – Semifinals (at Utica)
Winner of St. John Fisher/Hartwick at No. 1 Utica – 5:30 p.m.
Winner of Alfred/Medaille vs. No. 2 Nazareth - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 25 - Championship Final (at Utica)
Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2 - 3 p.m.
Utica is looking to win its second Empire 8 title in the last three seasons. The Pioneers enter the tournament with a 22-3 overall record and set an Empire 8 men’s basketball record by winning 17 league games this season. The Pioneers are out-scoring opponents by 11 points per contest. Four players are averaging in double figures, while the Pioneers are shooting 45 percent from the floor as a team. Justice Brantley is enjoying a tremendous season for the Pioneers, with a team-best 16.2 points per game, which is also fifth in the league. He is also sixth in the E8 in rebounding, averaging 7.8 boards per game and leads the team in assists. Thomas Morreale, the 2019-20 E8 Rookie of the Year and two-time All-E8 first team selection, is averaging 14.0 points and 5.8 boards per game, while shooting 51.4 percent from the field. Darius Hopkins, a three-time All-Empire 8 selection, is averaging 12.2 points per game, while first-year standout Dayion Thompson is averaging 10.6 points per game. Avery Coston, Damien Call, Griffin Barasa and Luke Bourgault are all integral contributors for a deep Pioneers team. Barasa and Coston are both elite defenders who are tied for second on the team in assists, while Call is shooting 57 percent from the field off the bench.
Nazareth is looking for back-to-back titles for their first time as an E8 member and fifth league championship in program history. The Golden Flyers enter the tournament with a 20-5 overall record, having finished 14-4 in league play. Nazareth is out-scoring its opponents by an average of 16 points per game in 2022-23 and are shooting 46 percent from the floor as a team. Graduate student Jonathan Park, a three-time All-Empire 8 selection, leads the league in field goal percentage (57.8 percent), rebounds (12.6 per game) and blocked shots (2.4 per game), while leading the team in scoring (13.7 points per game). First-year standout Jaylen Savage is averaging 13.3 points, while shooting 45 percent from the floor. The duo of Logan Blankenberg and Jordan Haggard are averaging 12.6 and 11.2 points per game, respectively, while Zach Stenglein, the 2019-20 E8 Defensive Player of the Year is second in the league in assists per game (4.4) and steals per game (1.9).
Alfred enters the Empire 8 Tournament with a 19-6 mark, including a 14-4 record in conference play. The Saxons are out-scoring opponents, 74.7-65.2 this season and hold a 40.0-35.4 edge on the boards. Graduate student Brewster Marshall is among the league leaders with 16.6 points (third), 8.0 rebounds (fifth) and 1.5 blocks per game (second), while shooting 57 percent from the floor (second) and 51 percent from the 3-point line. Senior Mike Schmidt is averaging 13.2 points and a league-best 5.5 assists per game. Adam Enders is averaging 10.2 points per game on the strength of 59 made 3-pointers, which leads the conference. Elliot Bowen is shooting 57 percent from the field, while Kevin Durkin and Darren Miller are also seeing over 17 minutes per game.
St. John Fisher enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed after finishing 14-4 in league play. The Cardinals, who are 18-7 overall, will attempt to win their tenth E8 title in program history and second in four seasons. St. John Fisher is out-scoring its opponents by an average of just over nine points per game in 2022-23, while shooting 48 percent from the floor as a team. In addition, the Cardinals are out-rebounding its opponents 39.3-33.8 this season. Senior Daniel Cook, the 2021 and 2022 E8 Player of the Year, is enjoying another banner season, among the league leaders with 18.5 points (second), 8.9 rebounds (second), 3.1 assists (sixth) and 1.5 steals per game (seventh), while shooting 53 percent from the floor (third best). Ryan Gentile is averaging 9.4 points per game, while shooting 46 percent from the floor, while Jack Foley, Connor Recore and Brendan McRoy have played a greater role as the season has progressed.
Hartwick is in the Empire 8 Tournament for the sixth time in program and is looking for its fourth league title, having also won in 2011, 2014 and 2016. The Hawks won eight league games to earn the No. 5 seed. Cooper Francis leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.3 points and rebounding with 8.4 caroms per game. He also leads the conference in foul shooting, converting 90.4 percent of his attempts in 2022-23. Kevin Felasco, Bobby Connors, Sammuel Prosper and Jeremiah Boateng are all key contributors. Felasco is averaging 11.7 points per game, while Connors has given the Hawks a spark during the second half of the season, averaging 11.1 points, 8.6 boards and 1.3 blocks per game. Boateng is shooting 54 percent from the floor during his debut season.
Medaille has advanced to the Empire 8 Championship in its first year as a member of the conference. The No. 6 Mavericks won seven league games in its debut season, clinching a postseason berth on the final day of the season. Daunte Wilcott leads the Mavericks and is sixth in the league in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game, while shooting 48 percent from the floor. Jorarei Bile leads the team in shooting at 54.2 percent from the floor. He is averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 boards per game. Colby Moultrie, Oscar Wolter and Bryce Smith have also been key contributors offensively, while Dante Moultrie helps key the defensive unit for the Mavericks.
St. John Fisher swept the regular season series versus Hartwick, winning by scores of 100-67 on Jan 20 and 77-65 in the regular season finale on Feb. 18. The top-seeded Pioneers won both matchups versus both Hartwick, while St. John Fisher was the lone team to defeat Utica in league play, 65-63 on Feb. 7.
Alfred swept the regular season series versus Medaille, winning by scores of 77-50 on Jan. 17 and 77-62 on Feb. 7. The winner would advance to play Nazareth on Friday. The No. 2 seeded Golden Flyers won both matchups versus Alfred and both versus Medaille split earlier this season.
The top four seeds are the same as last season, with the exception of St. John Fisher and Alfred switching one spot. Nazareth won the E8 title in dramatic fashion at Utica last season, 54-53.
Admission
$6.00 - Adults
$4.00 - Students and seniors with ID
Free - Children under 12
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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