MEDAILLE LANDS TOP SEED, HOSTING RIGHTS FOR AMCC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

The AMCC men's basketball championship tournament tips off Wednesday night when #3 La Roche College hosts #6 Pitt-Bradford and when #4 Penn State Altoona hosts #5 Hilbert College. Medaille College finished the regular season with a conference-best 16-2 record to earn the top seed and hosting rights to the 2017 men's basketball championship tournament. 

#1 Medaille College (19-6, 16-2 AMCC) will be looking for their second conference title in the past three years. The Mavericks are led by senior guard Jonathan Belton who ranks third in the AMCC with 18.4 points per game. He is also tops in the nation with 82 steals and is second in the conference with a 46.8 three-point percentage. Junior forward Mike Hollenbeck leads the Mavs, and is fourth in the conference with 7.1 rebounds per game, while also leading the conference with 37 blocks and adding 12.4 points per game. Junior guard Justice Fagan also chips in with 13.9 points per game.

Penn State Behrend (19-6, 14-4 AMCC) enters the tournament as the #2 seed and has found success this season due to their balanced offensive attack, as they have five players averaging double figures. Sophomore guard Andy Niland leads the attack with 13.2 points, followed by senior guard Malquan Pullium's 13.1, sophomore forward Dan Wanker's 12.2, sophomore forward Justin Gorny's 11.3, and junior guard Connor McLaughlin's 10.1. 

#3 La Roche College, similar to Behrend, also focuses their offense on a balanced scoring effort. Sophomore guard RayQuan Phifer leads the RedHawks with 13.6 points per game. Junior forward Arnes Bajora and senior guard Evan Bonnaure each chip in 11.8 and 11.6 points, respectively. Freshman guard Trell Thomas (10.6) and sophomore guard Zach Gould (10.0) round the double-figure scorers for the RedHawks.

#4 Penn State Altoona will be hosting its first conference tournament game since the 2007-08 season. The game will also mark the Lions' first postseason appearance since the 2009-10 campaign. Senior guard Javon Wilson leads the Lions, and is fourth in the conference with 17.3 points per game and ranks second with 63 steals. Senior forward Jordan Smith is third in the conference with 7.5 rebounds per game, while also adding 10.0 points per game. 

Hilbert College enters the tournament as the #5 seed and is led by junior guard Jalen Smith's 20.0 points per game, which is second-best in the conference, while he also leads the AMCC with 75 made three-point field goals. Junior forward Derrek Carman ranks second in the league with 7.6 rebounds per game, while adding 12.1 points per game. 

Rounding out the field is #6 Pitt-Bradford, who boasts AMCC Preseason Player of the Year Evan Greening. Greening leads the league in both points and rebounds, with 20.2 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. The Panthers also get 12.2 points per game from senior guard Fateem Brockington and 11.8 from senior guard Manny Welch.

MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET

First Round: Wednesday, February 22, 2017

#6 Pitt-Bradford at #3 La Roche, 7pm
#5 Hilbert at #4 Penn State Altoona, 7pm
#1 Medaille College (bye)
#2 Penn St. Behrend (bye) 

Championship Round at Medaille College
Semifinals: Saturday, February 25, 2017
1:00pm:  #1 Medaille vs. winner of 4v5
3:30pm:  #2 Penn St. Behrend vs. winner of 3v6

Finals: Sunday, February 26, 2017 - 1:00 p.m.

Click here for the men's basketball tournament information page.
*Please note: Admission to the men's basketball semifinals and finals will either be a monetary donation of $3 to the local food pantry or a non-perishable can good.