Men's Basketball Set to Host UNE in CCC Quarterfinals

Wentworth Information:  Roster | Schedule & Results | Statistics
University of New England Information:  Roster | Schedule & Results | Statistics

BOSTON, Mass. – For the second straight season and sixth time in the last seven seasons the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's basketball team will open the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament with a home game in the quarterfinal round.

The second-seeded Leopards (15-10, 13-5) will face seventh-seeded University of New England (13-12, 8-10 CCC) on Tuesday, February 23, at 7:00 p.m. The game will be played in Tansey Gymnasium on the Wentworth campus.

Wentworth earned the second seed for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign after cruising past Roger Williams, 85-59, on the final day of the regular season. Winners of a season-high four games in a row the Leopards established a program record for conference wins in a season with their 13th, besting the previous mark of 12 set during the 1997-98 season and equaled during the 2010-11 season. Senior Kyle Romich (Groton, Mass.) connected on 11-of-17 shots from the floor, including going 5-for-6 from behind the arc, to score a game-high 27 points as the Leopards led wire-to-wire in the win over the Hawks.

Sophomore Jason Ganley (Northbridge, Mass.) leads the team in scoring, averaging 18.2 points per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Romich is averaging 18.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest while sophomore Sam Knollmeyer (Hampton, N.H.) averages 6.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Senior Ian Therriault (Auburn, Maine) is averaging 5.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

Under third-year head coach Arlen Galloway, Wentworth has advanced to at least the semifinal round in each of the previous two seasons. As the number seven seed in 2014, the Leopards upset second-seeded Eastern Nazarene, 81-78, and, last season, Wentworth, as the fourth seed, bested Gordon, 60-53, in the quarterfinals before fending off eighth-seeded and upset minded University of New England, 70-61, in the semifinals to make the program's seventh trip to the conference championship game.

Tuesday will mark the 34th meeting between the Leopards and the Nor'easters with Wentworth holding a 25-8 series advantage. Winners of 13 straight series meetings, Wentworth won both meetings this season after claiming a 59-57 win on Dec. 2 in Biddeford, Maine, and running away with a 70-44 victory on Jan. 27 in Boston. Of the 34 previous meetings, the two teams have met just one time in the postseason, with that game coming last year.

Other quarterfinal round contests feature top-seeded Nichols (22-3, 16-2) hosting eighth-seeded Western New England (8-17, 6-12) at 7:00 p.m., fourth-seeded Endicott (15-10, 12-6) hosting fifth-seeded Gordon (12-13, 9-9 CCC) at 5:30 p.m., and third-seeded Eastern Nazarene (18-7, 12-6 CCC) hosting sixth-seeded Roger Williams (10-15, 8-10).

2016 CCC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals • Tuesday, February 23
#8 Western New England (8-17, 6-12 CCC) at #1 Nichols (22-3, 16-2 CCC), 7:00 p.m.
#7 University of New England (13-12, 8-10 CCC) at #2 Wentworth (15-10, 13-5 CCC), 7:00 p.m.
#6 Roger Williams (10-15, 8-10 CCC) at #3 Eastern Nazarene (18-7, 12-6 CCC), 7:00 p.m.
#5 Gordon (12-13, 9-9 CCC) at #4 Endicott (15-10, 12-6 CCC), 5:30 p.m.

Semifinals • Thursday, February 25
#1/8 winner vs. #4/5 winner, TBA (at higher seed)
#2/7 winner vs. #3/6 winner, TBA (at higher seed)

Championship Game • Saturday, February 27
Semifinal Winners, TBA (at higher seed)