WORCESTER, Mass. —After claiming the regional title, the Assumption University men's basketball is in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight and will play No. 1 Nova Southeastern University on Tuesday, March 25, at 7:00 pm (6:00 pm CT) in the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. 
 
No. 8 Assumption University Greyhounds - East Regional Champions
THE SEASON TO THIS POINT
Record: 22-9 (14-6 NE10), 9-6 at home, 10-3 on the road, 3-0 at neutral sites. 

• Three Greyhounds players were voted for All-Northeast-10 Conference honors: Daouda Dembele was named to the Second-Team and All-Defensive Team, Njavan Stewart was named to the Third Team, and Lenny Tangishaka was honored to the All-Rookie Team.
• Tayeshawn Cunningham-Pemberton was named the Most Valuable Player on the All-Tournament Team for the NCAA East Regional. Lenny Tangishaka was also named to the All-Tournament Team. 
• Assumption is the lowest seed to make it through since 2006. They are coming in hot — the 22 wins are the most in 16 years for the program — and the Hounds scored 90-plus points twice in the three-game East regional. 
• Assumption's offense had the top ranking (80.4 PPG) in the Northeast-10 Conference this season while ranking sixth in points allowed per game (73.8). 
• The Greyhounds have been known for their balance this season, ranking in the top ten nationally in bench points per game (8th—36.93). The Hounds are also ranked in the top 25 nationally in fast break points (12th — 17.82) and blocks per game (22nd—4.3)
• Assumption has not faced off against St. Thomas Aquinas since December 14, 2022, when the Spartans won the non-conference meeting 72-58. Jamal Barnes on the STAC Spartans—yes that Jamal Barnes—led the game in scoring with 23 points. He went 6-11 from beyond the arc.

 
STATISTICS:

• Points Per Game: Njavan Stewart (11.2), Daouda Dembele (10.9), Tayeshawn Cunningham-Pemberton (9.9)
• Rebounds Per Game: Daouda Dembele (6.3), Tayeshawn Cunningham-Pemberton (5.6), Baril Mawo (5.4)
• Assists Per Game: Zee McCown (3.7), Noah Payne (2.6), Lenny Tangishaka (2.0)
• Field Goal Percentage: Baril Mawo (.538), Lenny Tangishaka (.521), Tayeshawn Cunningham-Pemberton (.484)
• 3-Point Percentage: Lenny Tangishaka (.420), Njavan Stewart (.387), Baril Mawo (.385)

 
POSTSEASON HISTORY

• Prior to the 97-90 win over St. Thomas Aquinas College last Tuesday, the Greyhounds' last East Regional Championship win came 50 years ago when Assumption took an 87-82 victory over Bentley. 
• Assumption is making its 28th appearance in the National Dance. They are 38-30 after Sunday's 81-75 win over No. 7 Dominican (NY) and Saturday's quarterfinal 92-66 win over SNHU.
• 2008 was the last year Assumption made the final of the East Regional.
• The Hounds won five straight regional titles (1971-1975).
• The last time the Greyhounds were in the East Regional (2012-2013), No. 3 Assumption played to a 73-65 win over No. 6 SNHU. The Greyhounds were eliminated in the semifinal by No. 7 Bridgeport by a close score of 58-56.

No. 1 Nova Southeastern University Sharks - South Regional Champions
THE SEASON TO THIS POINT
Record: 33-1 (19-1 SSC), 20-0 at home, 10-1 on the road, 3-0 at neutral.

• The Sharks were recognized by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CAA), with two players named to the All-South Region First Team: Fifth-year guard MJ Iraldi was named the Player of the Year and was joined on the All-South Region First Team by Dallas Graziani.
• Iraldi was also the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year and SSC Tournament MVP this season.
• Nova Southeastern is ranked among the top ten nationally in eight team statistics: Assist/Turnover Ratio (1st—2.10), Field Goal Percentage Defense (7th—39.2%), Offensive Rebounds Per Game ( 5th—15.33), Defensive Rebounds Per Game (10th—28.33), Rebounds Per Game (4th—43.67), Scoring Margin (8th—9.0), Turnover Margin (2nd—6.3), Lowest Turnovers Per Game (2nd—7.0)

 
STATISTICS:

• Points Per Game: MJ Iraldi (23.5), Ryker Cisarik (18.8), Ross Reeves (13.5)
• Rebounds Per Game: Ryker Cisarik (7.4), MJ Iraldi (6.2), Tyler Eberhart (5.7)
• Assists Per Game: Dallas Graziani (9.1), Ryker Cisarik (2.6), Tyler Eberhart (2.5)
• Field Goal Percentage: Alex Mangold (.608), Ryker Cisarik (.606), Tyler Eberhart (.556)
• 3-Point Percentage: Jamie Qualley (.556), Tommy Sala (.471), Alex Mangold (.469)

 
POSTSEASON HISTORY

• For the fourth consecutive season—and fifth time in program history the—Nova Southeastern Sharks men's basketball team punched its ticket to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Evansville, IN., with a 76-69 victory over No. 3 Alabama-Huntsville.
• They are looking for their third-straight NCAA National Championship game appearance.
• NSU is 20-3 in the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Jim Crutchfield.
• MJ Iraldi (MVP), Ryker Cisarik, and Dallas Graziani made the All-Tournament Team for the regional.
• Hosted the SSC and NCAA South Region tournaments as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively. Won both. 

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