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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The Skidmore College men's basketball team continues its run at a national championship when it takes on Wesleyan University (Conn.) in the NCAA Division III Tournament first round, Friday evening at Johns Hopkins.
 
Skidmore (19-7) vs. Wesleyan (19-8)
Game Details: Friday, March 7 – 5:30 p.m. | Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, Md.
Game Coverage: Live Stats/Video
Tournament Home Page:   NCAA-Hopkins    
Tickets:  $6 Adults, $3 Youth, Seniors, Students with ID. For Friday call box office: (410)516-7490. Box office will open 60 minutes prior to first game. Games are expected to sell out.                       
 
SCOUTING THE THOROUGHBREDS:
Skidmore captured its third Liberty League title in five years with a 68-64 win over Clarkson in Saturday's championship game. Junior guard Erik Sanders was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after scoring 25 points on 8 of 9 shooting against the Golden Knights. Senior forward Connor Merrill had 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks and junior guard Aldin Medunjanin added 13 points and four boards. The Thoroughbreds shot 53.3% (24-45) from the field, marking the seventh time this season they have shot over 50%.
 
Skidmore, which is currently riding an eight-game win streak, has established one of the nation's top defenses this season. The Thoroughbreds rank fifth out 417 Division III teams in field-goal percentage defense (37.6%), 11th in blocked shots per game (4.8), 19th in defensive rebounds per game (28.3) and 39th in scoring defense (62.3 ppg). Skidmore has held its opponents to under 40% shooting in 16 of 27 games. The Thoroughbreds are 16-2 over their last 18 games.
 
Medunjanin, who named the Liberty League Player of the Year, holds a conference-best 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio while ranking second in the conference in assists per game (4.1), third in steals per game (1.7), sixth in scoring (14.8 ppg) and seventh in 3-pointers per game. He is averaging 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game over the last nine games.
 
Merrill's shot-altering ability has played a vital part in Skidmore's defensive success this season. The four-time All-Liberty League selection has blocked four or more shots in eight games this season, averaging a league-best two blocked shots per game. He has also been a key contributor at the offensive end of the floor, leading the conference in field goal percentage (48.6%) and ranking ninth in scoring (14.1 ppg).
 
Sanders, who was named to the All-Liberty League Second Team, has made a habit of getting to the basket, as indicated by his 133 free-throw attempts this season. He ranks second on the team in points per game (14.3), assists per game (2.2), steals (26) and 3-pointers per game (1.4).
 
Freshman guard Royce Paris has been the team's unsung hero down the stretch, averaging 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in Skidmore's last 10 games. He tied a career-high with 19 points in the Thoroughhbreds 69-53 win over Clarkson in the final game of the regular season, helping Skidmore clinch its first ever regular season conference title. He also contributed eight points, eight rebounds and three assists in the championship game. He is averaging 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game off the bench this season.
 

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SCOUTING THE CARDINALS:
Wesleyan knocked off Amherst, 74-70, in overtime in the NESCAC championship game to earn a berth into the NCAA tournament. Junior guard Jack Mackey was one of four Cardinals to score in double figures, tallying a team-high 18 points. Junior forward Rashid Epps recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards and Joseph Kuo and BJ Davis added 12 points each.
 
The Cardinals, who were the six seed in the NESCAC tournament, defeated Bates on the road in the quarterfinal and before downing Trinity in the semifinal. Wesleyan has won five-straight games.
 
The Cardinals average 72 points per game and are shooting 42.7% from the field, including 37.8% from beyond the arc. Wesleyan has made 10 or more 3-pointers in 12 games this season. The Cardinals have held their opponents to an average of 63.6 points per contest on 39% shooting from the field, including 30.5% from 3-point range, which places them 28th and 31st, respectively, in Division III.
 
Kuo has been a force for the Cardinals all season long, leading the team in team in scoring (12.0 ppg), rebounds per game (7.5) and blocked shots per game (1.4). Mackey and Davis are tied for second on the team in scoring, with each averaging 11.4 points per game. Davis averages a team-high 3.5 assists per game and 1.0 steals per game, while Mackey sits second in both categories. Sophomore Harry Rafferty also averages in double figures in scoring, putting up 10.8 points per game.
 

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NEXT UP:
The winner will advance to take on the winner of Friday's matchup between host Johns Hopkins and Keene State. The second round game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, March 7.