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OSWEGO, N.Y. – The eighth-seeded State University of New York at New Paltz men's basketball team (9-16, 6-12 SUNYAC) will look to advance past the first round of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Men's Basketball Tournament for the first time since 2003 on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. It will have to go through top-seeded SUNY Oswego (22-3, 18-0 SUNYAC) in order to do so, though, as the two teams will take to the floor at Oswego's Max Ziel Gymnasium.

TICKETING INFORMATION
Tickets for adults are $6, while college students with valid ID will be admitted for $3. Advanced online ticketing can be found at https://tickets.oswego.edu/TheatreManager/95/login?event=0.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Oswego holds the upper hand in the all-time series between the two programs at 34-14, including 17 straight wins dating back to the 2000-01 season. The Lakers are 17-6 all-time at home against the Hawks, and their first meeting was on Dec. 19, 1958. Oswego and New Paltz have never met in the postseason, and they are the only two teams competing in this year's tournament that have not won a league title.

NEW PALTZ IN THE POSTSEASON
New Paltz has now qualified for the SUNYAC Tournament for the third straight year. Only one other time in the program's history—from 1993-96—has this feat been accomplished before. The Hawks have made the conference finals twice—in 1996 and 2003—but they have never won the league title. In both of the SUNYAC finals, New Paltz fell to Buffalo State by double-digit margins. All-time, New Paltz is 6-10 in the SUNYAC Tournament.

HOT AT THE LINE
The Hawks are one of the most consistent free-throw shooting teams in the country, as they ranked at No. 8 in the most recent NCAA Division III statistical rankings (through games Feb. 16) with a 77.2 percent showing from the charity stripe. Individually, junior forward Matt Devine (Manalapan, N.J./Freehold Township) came in at No. 40 in the Feb. 16 release of the NCAA Division III statistical rankings in free-throw percentage (85.6 percent). Oswego also has shown excellence in knocking down its freebies, as the Lakers are ranked 27th nationally in free-throw percentage (74.6).

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Devine, senior guard/forward Harris Wichard (Merrick, N.Y./Bellmore JFK) and junior guard Nick Taldi (Merrick, N.Y./Bellmore JFK) account for 69.7 percent of New Paltz's average scoring output of 70.6 points per game, and all three rank among the SUNYAC's top 25 in scoring. Devine boasts a conference-leading 21.5 points per game, while Wichard's average of 17.7 points per game ranks third in the league. Taldi ranks in at 25th with 10.0 point per game. Devine also ranks second in the SUNYAC in rebounding with 8.5 rebounds per game, and Devine (.855) and Taldi (.848) rank second and third in the SUNYAC in free-throw percentage, respectively. New Paltz has struggled taking care of the ball all season, as it ranks last in turnover margin (-5.84), and the Hawks rank last in the league in steals per game with 3.7. The Hawks, who sport a nine-man lineup with an average height of 6-1, often are outpaced on the board, as they yield a -3.4 differential in rebounding per game. New Paltz's offense, which is its bread and butter, ranks smack dab in the middle of the league in scoring.

HEAD COACH MIKE REJNIAK
Mike Rejniak took over the New Paltz men's basketball program in the summer of 2011 and is wrapping up his first year at the helm. Prior to arriving on New Paltz's campus, he served as an assistant coach at Amherst College from 2007-11. During his seven years as an NCAA Division III assistant coach, he mentored 11 players—including four All-Americans—that went on to play professionally after graduation. Rejniak obtained his Bachelor of Arts from Springfield College in 2004 and earned his Master of Education from The College of New Jersey in 2006.

SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Oswego heads into Tuesday's game riding a 13-game win streak, and the Lakers have won 32 straight SUNYAC games dating back to last season. That is the second-longest active streak in NCAA Division III, with Becker College's 35-game tear being the lone active streak that is longer in duration. The Lakers advanced to the second round of the 2011 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament and was ranked second in the NCAA Division III East Regional Rankings as of last Wednesday, meaning that even with a loss in the SUNYAC Tournament, Oswego has a strong case to earn an at-large bid into the 2012 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament. In addition, the Lakers were ranked at No. 14 as of the Week 12 D3hoops.com Men's Top-25 Poll, which was released on Monday, Feb. 20. Oswego ranks first in the league in scoring defense (61.7 points per game) and outscores its opponents by a 13-point margin, on average. The Lakers also are tops in the league in three-point field-goal percentage (.388), which is bolstered by Sean Michele, who is the most efficient shooter from long range in NCAA Division III with a 51.9 percent mark from distance. Chad Burridge is the reigning SUNYAC Player of the Year and is averaging 2.3 blocks per game and 17.7 points per game, while Hayden Ward averages 15.3 points per game. Jason Leone is finishing up his first year at the helm of the program, as he joined Oswego's staff over the summer after guiding NCAA Division III Keystone College to a 71-35 mark from 2007-11.