GAMEDAY: MEN'S BASKETBALL MAKES DIVISION II POSTSEASON DEBUT AGAINST UDC IN ECC CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

3/1/2023 9:00:00 AM

Washington, D.C. - The College of Staten Island Men's Basketball Team will make their first appearance in the postseason as an NCAA Division II program tonight head to Washington, D.C. for a matchup with the University of the District of Columbia in the first round of the East Coast Conference Championship Tournament. The Dolphins come into tonight's game as the #5 seed and will take on the #4 seeded Firebirds. The Dolphins finished the regular season 9-18 overall and a 7-9 record against the ECC. The Firebirds finished the season 12-13 with a 10-6 record against conference opponents.

The two teams split two games during the regular season with each team picking up the victory on their home floor. In early December of last year, the Dolphins knocked off the Firebirds at The Tank by a final score of 74-63. The two teams didn't face off again until February 18^th when the Firebirds defeated the Dolphins 80-70. With that victory, UDC took a 3-1 lead in the all-time series and earned the split of the season series.

Messiah Mallory delivered his best game of the season in CSI's first game against the Firebirds finishing with a 29-point, 13-rebound double-double. He finished the second meeting one rebound shy of another double-double and scored another 15 points. Chris Velasquez averaged 14 points per game against the Firebird this season and finished the regular season with the best statistical month of his career. That stretch included a 21-point effort against the Firebirds and his final home game at The Tank on Senior Day. Both Bryce Waterman and Luis Armas had a double-digit scoring game against UDC this season as well, but the Firebirds have done a good job limiting the three-point shooting of the Dolphins in their two games against CSI. The reigning ECC Rookie of the Week JJ Chestnut also scored 15 in the most recent meeting between the two teams and is coming off another 15-point game on Saturday.

Hartnell Haye has done more damage against the Dolphin than any other Firebird this season as he registered a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double in the second meeting after finishing with 10 points and 6 rebounds in the first meeting. Micah Campbell averaged 12.5 points against the Dolphins this year and Jahmir Marable-Williams, the team's second-leading scorer, was limited to just 6.5 points per game against CSI. After scoring 21 against the Dolphins in December, Michael Aiken, UDC's leading scorer, did not play in the second meeting.

Gametime - 8:00 PM
Location - Washington, D.C.
All-Time Series - UDC leads, 3-1
Last Meeting - 2/18/23: UDC won, 80-70

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