Moravian Heading to New York to Play Keene State (N.H.) in Opening Round of 2019 NCAA DIII Tournament
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- The Moravian College men’s basketball team is headed to Hamilton (N.Y.) College for the first two rounds of the 2019 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, and the Greyhounds will play Keene State (N.H.) College in the First Round on Friday, March 1 at a time still to be announced.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- The Moravian College men's basketball team is headed to Hamilton (N.Y.) College for the first two rounds of the 2019 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, and the Greyhounds will play Keene State (N.H.) College in the First Round on Friday, March 1 at a time still to be announced.
The Hounds reached the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year and fourth time in school history after capturing the program's second straight Landmark Conference championship Sunday afternoon at Drew University with an 86-72 win. Keene State is 20-7 on the year and won the Little East Conference title.
Moravian traveled to Williams College in Massachusetts a year ago, falling to Ramapo College of New Jersey, 86-61. The Hounds other two trips to the NCAA Tournament in 1983 and 2008 were as at-large selections. The Blue and Grey lost to John Jay College, 80-74, in the First Round in Johnston Hall in 2008, and the Greyhounds dropped a 73-59 decision to The University of Scranton in the First Round in 1983 and a 76-54 contest to Grove City College in the consolation round played back in the early NCAA Tournaments.
The full NCAA Division III interactive bracket for the 2019 Tournament can be found at https://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/basketball-men/d3.
Moravian Head Coach Justin Potts has the Greyhounds in the postseason for the third consecutive winter in just his fourth season back at his alma mater, and he has a 69-39 career record. The Blue and Grey have won 19 games after setting the school record with 20 victories a year ago and the third straight season under Potts' direction the Blue and Grey have won 19 games and just the fifth time in 82 years the program has registered 19 wins.
Leading the squad on the court have been seniors forward Oneil Holder, who was selected as the Landmark Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player, and guard Jimmy Murray. Holder tops the squad at 18.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game to go along with 73 assists, 46 steals, 28 blocked shots and 26 three-pointers while Murray is netting 13.9 points per contest to go with 60 rebounds, 47 three-pointers, 43 assists and 23 steals. Holder, who has played in a school record 108 career games, is fourth all-time with 1,620 points and sixth with 703 rebounds while Murray is seventh in school history with 1,496 points in 101 career games.
Junior guard C.J. Barnes is contributing 12.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per outing to go with 59 three-pointers, 18 steals and 16 assists while senior guard Nicholas Casazza is scoring 9.1 points per game with a team-high 60 three-pointers, 60 rebounds, 38 assists and 26 steals this winter. Junior guard Elijah Davis is adding 6.4 points per contest with 76 rebounds, 33 assists, 28 steals, 29 three-pointers and 19 blocked shots while junior forward Addis Ralph is netting 5.4 points per outing with 50 rebounds, 15 three-pointers and 12 assists and junior forward John Hargraves had 87 points, 37 rebounds and 11 blocked shots before being sidelined with an injury.
Senior guard Will Brazukas leads Moravian with 88 assists to go along with 69 rebounds, 34 steals, 11 three-pointers and a 5.2 point per game scoring average. Sophomore guard Matt O'Connor has contributed 109 points, 44 rebounds, 25 assists, 19 steals and 18 three-pointers while freshman forward Steve Breeman has 84 points, 47 rebounds, 15 three-pointers and 12 assists in his debut season. Sophomore guard Keith Otto has added 71 points, 47 rebounds, 19 assists, 13 steals and 11 three-pointers while sophomore guard Shon Wilson has 57 points, 34 rebounds, 15 steals and 10 three-pointers this winter. Junior guard Mike Martino has contributed 57 assists, 48 rebounds, 22 points and 15 steals while freshman guard Noel Karameros had three rebounds and two assists before being sidelined for the season.
