Endicott Pitted Against Stockton in NCAA First Round

NCAA Division III Tournament Interactive Bracket

BEVERLY, Mass. – On Monday, the NCAA Selection Show revealed that the Endicott men's basketball team will travel to Galloway, New Jersey to face #17 Stockton in the First Round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Friday, March 6th for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Stockton is also the host site for the First Round matchup between Bates and St. Vincent with the winners of both opening round games to meet on Saturday. 

After a 20-5 (14-4 NJAC) regular season, Stockton defeated Rutgers-Newark in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Semifinals by 16 points before edging out William Paterson 65-61 to capture the Ospreys eight league title in program history.

Stockton is no stranger to NCAA postseason play as the Ospreys are making their 15^th appearance in the tournament under 29^th-year head coach Gerry Matthews. Most recently, the 2013-14 Stockton squad captured the NJAC's automatic qualifying bid, won their First and Second Round games over Bowdoin (72-66) and Cabrini (85-76), and nearly found themselves among the NCAA Quarterfinalists were it not for an 8-1 run by Morrisville State over the final 1:18 of regulation to hand the Ospreys an 88-81 loss in the Third Round.

When Endicott takes the court against Stockton on Friday, the Gulls will be charged with the task of slowing down NJAC Player of the Year Josh Blamon (Cinnaminson, N.J.) who led Stockton with a 17.8 scoring average as well as a 6.3 rebounding average. Blamon, a 6-2 senior forward, has provided Stockton with both an inside and outside scoring threat as he has drained 63 three-point attempts at a 35% clip while drawing enough contact to reach the free throw line for 88% (142-of-161) efficiency. The Ospreys also saw junior guard Armin Cane (Pleasantville, N.J.) earn a spot on the NJAC Honorable Mention Team after averaging 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists with a team-high 47 steals.

As a team, Stockton scores 66.7 points per game while allowing opponents to score 59.0 against them which ranks eighth among NCAA DIII teams. The Ospreys are shooting 41% as a team overall, 32% from behind the three-point line, and 70% at the free throw line. The team holds a +2.2 rebounding average over their opponents on the season, commits just over 14 turnovers, creates 8.7 steals, and blocks 3.7 shots per game.

This will be just the second time Endicott has faced a NJAC school in program history with their only other game coming in November of 2001, a 89-53 loss to Kean.

Endicott comes into their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance riding a 14-game win streak with a 23-5 overall record. Two days ago the Gulls defeated Wentworth 90-60 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship behind a 27-point, eight rebound, four assist game from CCC Co-Player of the Year Kamahl Walker (Worcester, Mass.) and 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals from All-CCC Second Team captain John Henault (Lunenburg, Mass.)