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Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and Elite 8 Preview

| By: Evelyn DeVaux

HARTFORD, Conn. – The third-ranked Trinity College Men's Basketball team is preparing to host the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Tournament at Oosting Gymnasium Friday and Saturday. Randolph-Macon and Calvin College will square off in the opening game at 4:45 p.m., followed by the Bantams versus Tufts University at 7:45 p.m. The winners will move onto the Elite Eight meeting Saturday at 7:45 p.m.

Bantam Bytes

  • The Bantams hold a 28-1 record on the season, setting a new program record for wins in a season, besting the mark of 24 wins in 1984-85 & 1994-95.

  • The Bantams are ranked #3 in the Nation in the latest D3hoops.com Men's Basketball Top 25 Poll, their highest ranking in program history.

  • Trinity returns to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship field for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

  • The Bantams enter the Sweet Sixteen after collecting wins over Utica College (83-54) and Swarthmore College (83-74) last weekend.

  • Head Coach James Cosgrove and assistant Trey Witter and John McNair were named the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Coaching Staff of the Year after guiding the Bantams to the Nation's best scoring margin (21.4 ppg).

  • As a team, the Bantams are one of the top defensive teams in the country, allowing the third-fewest points to opponents, 56.4 points per game, and are ranked fourth in field goal defense, limiting opponents to a .37 mark from the field.

  • Trinity led the NESCAC in field goal percentage (.449), field goal defense, three-point field goal percentage (.341), and turnover margin (4.56).

  • Graduate Dana Smith was recognized as the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the fourth player in program history to win the award.

  • Senior Ben Callahan-Gold and sophomore Henry Vetter received NESCAC All-Conference First Team honors.

  • Callahan-Gold logged career-highs in points (447), rebounds (165), blocks (37), and assists (24). Callahan-Gold connected on a career-high 82 three-pointers, second-most in a season in program history, and shot 38% from beyond the arc, fourth-best mark in conference.

  • Vetter, the 2023 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, received his first All-Conference selection after totaling career-highs in points (392), rebounds (131), assists (93), steals (30) and blocks (11). Vetter shot .408 from the floor, including a .355 mark from three-point range. Vetter led the league from the free throw line, connecting on a career-best 91.5% of his attempts.
  • Callahan-Gold carries the Bantams averaging 16.5 points per game shooting 44.7% from the field, 38.1% from beyond the arc and 84.5% from the charity stripe.
  • Vetter follows closely behind Callahan-Gold netting 14.5 ppg shooting 42.8% from the field, 33.8% from three and leads the team from the foul line, 92.8%, as well as handing out 3.4 assists per game.
  • Jarrel Okorougo collects a team high of 1.3 steals ppg, averaging 5.8 boards and shooting 52.8% from the floor.

Scouting Tufts

  • Tufts posted a 21-7 record on the season with a 5-5 mark in the New England Small College Athletic Conference.

  • The Jumbos earned an at large bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Tournament where they defeated Stockton University (59-55) and #8 New York University (65-62) in the first round of the tournament.

  • Currently owns the programs sixth high for wins in a season with 21, tied with the 1999-00 team (21-6). 

  • The Jumbos are making their eighth trip to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Tournament (1994-95, 1996-97, 2005-06, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2019-20, 2022-23).

  • Tufts is riding a two-game win streak heading into the Sweet Sixteen match-up with Trinity.

  • The Jumbos offense features three players averaging double figures in scoring.

  • As a team, Tufts is shooting 44.9% from the field, fifteenth in the nation, including 72.7% from the foul line.

  • Scott Gyimesi is Tufts' leading scorer, averaging 13.4 points per game, with an average of 11 rebounds.

  • Khai Champion averaged 11.4 points, while shooting 72.2% from the charity stripe.

  • Jay Dieterle leads the Jumbos shooting 93% from the foul line, averaging 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game. 

Scouting Randolph-Macon

  • Randolph-Macon enters the tournament with a 25-4 record and a 15-1 record in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC).

  • The Yellow Jackets were bested by Washington Lee (74-71) in the semifinals of the ODAC tournament, and are making the program's 8th appearance in the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. 

  • Randolph-Macon earned an at-large bid to the tournament field after being knocked out of the ODAC in the semifinals.

  • The Yellow Jackets collected five wins over Nationally Ranked teams this season (California Lutheran, Guilford, Hampden-Sydney, and University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)(twice)).

  • Randolph-Macon won the 2022 National Championship.

  • The Yellow Jackets rank sixth in the Nation in scoring margin, at 15 points allowing 55.8 points to opponents.

  • As a team, Randolph-Macon is shooting 46.4% from the field, 34.7% from three-point, and 67.5% from the foul line.

  • Keishawn Pulley Jr leads the RMC offense with a team-high 14.1 points per game, while shooting 44.1% from the field and 36.2% from three-point range.

  • Daniel Mbangue averages 9.7 points, 8.2 rebounds per game with a team-high 112 assists averaging 3.9 a game.

  • Jabril Robinson is grabbing a team-high 1.5 steals per game with the teams second highest of 13.7 points per game, while shooting 42.9% from the field and 68.3% from the charity stripe.

Scouting Calvin

  • Calvin logged a 24-4 record on the season with a 12-2 mark in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association(MIAA).

  • The Knights are riding a two-game win streak, and have won 9 of their last 10 games.

  • Calvin received an at-large bid spot in the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Tournament after falling in the semifinals to Hope College, 83-68.

  • The Knights posted three victories over Nationally Ranked teams, defeating Trine (73-66), Elmhurst (93-78) and John Carroll (71-66).

  • Calvin were the 1992 and 2000 NCAA Division III National Champions.

  • As a team, Calvin is shooting 47.2% from the field, 33.5% from three-point range, and 68.5% from the charity stripe.

  • Jalen Overway paces the Knights offense with a team-high averaging a double-double of 20.0 points per game and 10.3 rebounds, shooting 56.2% from the floor and 33.3% from three-point range.

  • Luca Ressler dishes out 2.7 assists per game while netting 7.7 points per game shooting 68.9 from three.

  • Uchenna Egekeze averages 11.9 points per game with a 52.3% from the field and 62.3% from the foul line..

History

  • The Bantams are 45-38 all-time versus Tufts dating back to their first meeting in 1905-06 season till now.

  • Trinity has never faced Randolph-Macon College or Calvin University in program history.

TRINITY ATHLETICS


 
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