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MBB Selection Show

NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship First & Second Round Preview

| By: Chris Kendrick
HARTFORD, Conn. – The top-ranked Trinity College Men's Basketball team will welcome Keuka College, Babson College and St. Joseph's College (Maine) to Hartford for the First and Second Round of the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Tournament at Ray Oosting Gymnasium from March 6-7.
 
Bantam Bytes:
  • Trinity enters the NCAA Championship Tournament with a 25-2 record, including victories over Bowdoin (64-63), Tufts (80-70) and Wesleyan (80-55) for their third straight New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship.
  • The Bantams checked in a #1 in the country in the latest edition of the D3hoops.com Men's Basketball Top 25 Poll.
  • Trinity sits atop the NESCAC in scoring offense (84.3), scoring margin (25.5), field goal percentage (.469), offensive rebounding (14.4), turnover margin (9.15), assist-turnover ratio (1.52), total steals (329), and steals per game (12.19).
  • Defensively, the Bantams are limiting opponents to 58.7 points with a .369 field goal percentage, including a 31.6% clip from three-point range.
  • Henry Vetter became the fourth player in program history to earn three All-Conference designations, and the second player to claim three First Team selections, joining Tyler Rhoten (2004-06). Vetter ranked third in the league in three-point field goal percentage (.400), fourth in total assists (78), total steals (45), steals per game (1.7), seventh in assists per game (2.9) and ninth in the league in scoring, averaging nearly 14 points per game.
  • Jarrel Okorougo is a three-time All-Conference selection, taking home First Team honors after ranking sixth in the conference in scoring, averaging a career-high 15.8 points per game, seventh in total steals (36) and steals per game (1.3), ninth in rebounding (6.6) and field goal percentage (.484).
  • Drew Lazarre is the sixth player in program history to receive Defensive Player of the Year status, and just the third player to be named DPOY and earn two-plus All-Conference selections, joining Okorougo and Ed Ogundeko. Lazarre led the league in steals (65) and steals per game (2.6), while posting 10.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game with 66 assists and 21 blocks. Lazarre shot 42.3% from the field, including 37.3% from three-point range.
  • Jared Berry is chipping in 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds, David Ayles ranks second in the NESCAC in steals (2.0) and eighth in assists (2.7), and Tristan Davis is contributing 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds with 32 steals and a team-high 24 blocks.
 
Scouting Keuka:
  • The Wolves are 15-13 on the season with a 9-7 mark in the Empire 8 Conference, earning the seventh-seed in the conference tournament.
  • Keuka defeated second-seeded Nazareth (96-89 (OT), third-seed SUNY-Geneseo (55-53), and fifth-seed Brockport (83-80) to earn their first trip to the NCAA Championship Tournament.
  • Offensively, the Wolves are generating 74.3 points per game, while allowing 73.1 points to opponents. Keuka is shooting 42% from the field, including 31.5% from long-range, and 71.1% from the free-throw line.
  • Opponents are connecting at a 41.3% clip from the floor and 33% from beyond the arc.
  • The Wolves are edging opponents by 2.6 rebounds per game, averaging 40.0 boards with 8.0 steals and 3.8 blocks.
  • Keuka is paced by senior Lamar Lovelace, who lead the Empire 8 in scoring, netting 21.8 points per game, shooting 43.3% from the field and 87% from the foul line, with 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.5 steals.
  • Akinlana Popoola is adding 13.6 points per game, while Kaleb Nutifafa ranked fifth in the Empire 8 in blocks (30) and eighth in rebounding (7.1) with 9.8 points per game.
  • Makya Morrison is converting a team-high 52.1% from the floor with 8.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Morrison leads the Empire 8 in blocks per game (1.9) and third in total blocks (46).
 
 
Scouting Babson:
  • The Beavers own a 21-6 record with a 13-3 record to claim the two-seed in the New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).
  • Babson downed third-seeded Salve Regina (78-58) and fifth-seeded Wheaton College (81-56) in the Championship Game to win their third conference crown in the last four years.
  • The Beavers are making their fifth appearance in the NCAA Championship Tournament since 2020.
  • Babson is riding a nine-game win streak and have taken 15 of their last 16 games heading into the weekend.
  • The Beavers led the NEWMAC in scoring offense (76.9), scoring defense (66.7), scoring margin (10.2), three-point field goal percentage (.379), rebounding margin (5.2), assist-turnover ratio (1.31), assists (419), and steals (208).
  • Babson is shooting 45.9% from the field, while opponents are shooting 43.6%, including 30.5% from three-point.
  • Thomas Ferdinando nabbed NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and First Team honors after ranking fifth in the league in scoring, averaging 17.0 points per game while shooting 45.2% from the floor with 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
  • Timmy Mulvey was a First Team All-NEWMAC selection after averaging 16.1 points, connecting at 46.8% clip from the floor, a 42.9% rate from long range. Mulvey led the NEWMAC from the free throw line (.923) and registered two 30-point games.
  • Timmy O'Toole was tabbed as the NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference after pacing the NEWMAC in rebounding (9.1) and ranking third in steals (45) and fifth in blocks (29), while adding 9.9 points. O'Toole logged five games with 15-plus rebounds, including a season-high 20 boards versus Springfield College.
  • Tyler Lauder is shooting 50.3% from the field, adding 6.3 rbeounds and 5.3 points per game, while ranking seventh in blocks (25) and eighth in assists (76).
 
Scouting St. Joseph's (ME):
  • The Monks sit at 20-8 on the season after claiming their second straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title after defeating Norwich (85-62), Emmanuel (69-61) and University of Saint Joseph (92-58).
  • St. Joseph's are making their second straight appearance in the NCAA Championship Tournament, and their third overall appearance as a program.
  • As an offense, the Monks are netting 85.6 points per game, shooting 45.6% from the field, while leading the conference in rebounding (43.5), rebounding margin (9.8) and assists (19.6).
  • Defensively, St. Joseph is giving up 74.4 points with foes shooting 42.3% from the field, while ranking second in blocks (4.4) and fifth in steals (8.5).
  • Remijo Wani was tabbed as GNAC Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference for consecutive seasons after pacing the league in scoring (23.3) and total points (513). Wani is adding 6.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 49.4% from the field, 41.0% from three-point range, and 75.0% from the free-throw line.
  • Wani Donato earned back-to-back GNAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and First Team recognition, averaging 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Donato finished second in the league in field-goal percentage (.570) and blocked shots (42), third in field goals made (183) and total rebounds (210), fifth in assists (105), sixth in steals (50), seventh in both offensive rebounds (64) and defensive rebounds (146), eighth in rebounding average, and tenth in total points (434).
  • Davis Mann was named the GNAC's Rookie of the Year after averaging 13.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. He shot 45.5% (131-288) from the field, 30.3% (31-102) from three-point range, and a conference-best 86.2% (81-94) from the free-throw line.
 
History:
  • The Bantams hold a 1-0 record against Keuka and are facing the Wolves for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
  • Trinity owns a 1-4 record all-time against Babson with the Bantams claiming their first win with a 77-44 victory this season.
  • Against St. Joseph's, the Bantams are 1-0 all-time dating back to their lone meeting during the 1979-80 season.
 
NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship First Round
Friday, March 6
    4:30pm – Babson vs. St. Joseph's (ME) (Game 1)
    7:00pm – Trinity vs. Keuka (Game 2)


NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Second Round
Saturday, March 7
    7:00pm – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
 
 
Click HERE for Ticket Information
 
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