Press Releases

Mar 04, 2002
Men's and Women's Basketball Teams Win ECAC Tournament Berths

First Dual Trip for Southampton College Since 1996

Contact:
Darren Johnson (PR@southampton.liu.edu)
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

Southampton, NY - After successful regular seasons, the men's and women's basketball programs at Southampton College were each awarded with Eastern College Athletic Conference Division II Tournament berths.

As announced today by the ECAC, which includes colleges from the Northeast and New England states, both Colonials teams were given No. 4 seeds in the four-team tournaments and will travel to No. 1 Philadelphia University this weekend.

The Southampton College women (14-13) play on Friday at 7:30 p.m. vs. the host Rams (17-11). The teams were 1-1 against each other during the regular season. At 5:30 p.m., No. 2 Bryant (R.I.) College (15-12) takes on No. 3 CW Post (16-10). The championship is set for Saturday at 2 p.m.

Up until last season, the Lady Colonials had made the ECAC Tournament for six straight years, winning the title twice, in 1997 and 1998. Last week, even though they got 20 points from New York Collegiate Athletic Conference all-star Dani Thomas (13.8 points per game), a junior point guard, the Colonials lost a nail biter to CW Post 76-72 in the NYCAC tournament.

The Southampton men's team (15-12) faces Philadelphia (19-8) on Saturday at 4 p.m. No. 2 St. Rose (16-12) takes on No. 3 NYIT (18-14) in a 6 p.m. game. The men's final will be played on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. This is the first trip to ECACs for the Colonials since 1996.

The Runnin' Colonials feature senior NYCAC all-stars Curtis Small and Jason Lewis who are Nos. 12 and 15 in the nation in scoring in NCAA Division II with 22.1 and 21.4 points per game respectively. Small (1594 career points) leads the nation in free-throw percentage, hitting an amazing 93.8 percent of his foul shots. Lewis (1702 career points, 949 career rebounds) is averaging a double-double on the year, including 10.4 rebounds per game, which places him at No. 15 in the nation. With Lewis injured last week (sprained ankle), the Colonials lost in the first round of the NYCAC Tournament to NYIT 83-71. Lewis is expected to be healthy for the ECAC Tournament.