February 22, 2010

Wildcats to host Daniel Webster Tuesday night

BOSTON, Mass. - The Wheelock Wildcat men's basketball team has secured the #3 seed for the 2009-2010 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Men’s Basketball Championship, which begins with quarterfinal matchups on campus sites beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, February 23. Wheelock (15-10, 8-6) will host Daniel Webster College (9-15, 5-9) at 7:00 pm at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill. The winner will travel to Becker College on Friday to play against Elms College in the semi-finals.

The Wildcats split this season’s games with Daniel Webster, losing the first game at home, 75-71, and winning the second 66-65 on a last second shot by Victor Kashouh. This is Wheelock’s second trip to the NECC playoffs under third year head coach John Preziosa. Last year the Wildcats defeated Mitchell College at home to advance to the semi-finals, but lost to eventual champion Elms College.

Becker College claimed the top seed, after going 17-8 overall and 13-1 in conference play. Elms College (19-6 overall) claimed the #2 seed going 12-2 in conference play. Both Becker and Elms have earned quarterfinal-round byes in the six-team tournament field.

Southern Vermont College (9-15,8) will be the #4 seed, Lesley University (8-17, 5-9) is the #5 seed and Daniel Webster College (9-15, 5-9) has claimed the #6 seed.

NECC tiebreaker procedures were used to determine the #5 and #6 seeds, as Lesley and Daniel Webster finished with identical conference records of 5-9. Following the NECC tie-breaker procedures, Lesley won the first criteria of head-to-head having defeated Daniel Webster twice during the regular season on January 9th (64-61 OT) and February 20th (53-52).

The semifinal and final rounds will be hosted by top-seeded Becker on Friday, February 26 and Saturday, February 27, respectively, in Leicester, Mass. In Friday’s semifinals, Becker will face the winner of the Southern Vermont-Lesley quarterfinal at 6:00 p.m., while Elms will meet the winner of the Wheelock-Daniel Webster quarterfinal at 8:00 p.m.

The semifinal winners will square off for the NECC Championship Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

2009-‘10 NECC MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals • Tuesday, February 23
#6 Daniel Webster (9-15, 5-9) at #3 Wheelock (15-10, 8-6), 7:00 p.m.*
#5 Lesley (8-17, 5-9) at #4 Southern Vermont (9-15, 6-8), 7:00 p.m.
* Game to be played at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Semifinals • Friday, February 26 (Hosted by Becker College, Leicester, Mass.)
Winner of #4/#5 at #1 Becker (17-8, 13-1), 6:00 p.m.
Winner of #3/#6 vs. #2 Elms (19-6, 12-2), 8:00 p.m.

Championship Game • Saturday, February 27 (Hosted by Becker College, Leicester, Mass.)
Semifinal Winners, 2:00 p.m.