The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team is making its seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance, taking the #7 seed into Saturday's opener against #2 Franklin Pierce at 2:30 p.m. at the Dana Center at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass.
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How They Got Here - The Spartans completed an impressive regular season with a 24-4 record, including a 17-1 East Coast Conference mark, good enough to win its fifth regular season crown, taking the #1 seed and hosting duties into the conference tournament. After receiving a bye into the semi-finals, STAC raced past #5 Roberts Wesleyan College, 84-64, before capturing their third straight ECC Tournament title by beating #2 seed Daemen College, 59-48 in an instant classic.
The Match-Up, First Meeting This Season - These teams have never met in the nine-year tenure of Head Coach Tobin Anderson, and have only faced off seven total times in the history of both programs, with the last meeting taking place in 1999. STAC holds a 5-2 advantage in those meetings.
Spartans in the Post-Season – STAC won five games in each of the two seasons preceding the hiring of Coach Tobin Anderson ('11-12 and '12-13). The Spartans have advanced to the ECC Finals in eight of the past nine seasons, winning the six Tournament Championships in the program's history. In the Division II era, STAC is 22-8 in playoff competition (all in the past nine years under Anderson), with a 15-3 mark in ECC Tournament action, 7-4 in NCAA East Regional play, and 0-1 at the Elite Eight. Today's game is STAC's eighth NCAA Tournament meeting against a Northeast-10 foe – with the Spartans posting a 5-2 record in those matchups.
All-Conference Selections – A testament to the recruiting prowess of Anderson and his staff, St. Thomas Aquinas placed four players in this year's ECC post-season awards, in addition to Anderson's fourth Coach of the Year nod:
Osbel Caraballo – ECC First Team All-Conference – Fittingly, two Spartans dotted the conference's First Team, starting with senior forward Osbel Caraballo, who took home his fourth such honor in as many seasons. Caraballo is second on the team and fifth in the conference with 14.9 points per game, while ranking first on the squad with 5.7 rebounds per contest. He reached double-figures in scoring in his 18 of his 24 games played, with a season-high 29 at Dominican on November 13. He was named to the ECC All-Tournament team and was the 2020 MOP at the ECC Championships
Demetre Roberts – ECC First Team All-Conference – Another player who is no stranger to post-season kudos, senior Demetre Roberts earned his third consecutive First Team award. Roberts added to this season's balanced attack with 16.2 ppg, currently first on the team and third in the ECC, while his 4.2 assists per contest currently sits third among the ECC leaders. He stood tall with a career-high 36 points as the Spartans battled to a 104-92 victory against Molloy on February 7 and added 20 in the ECC final vs. Daemen. He was named Tournament MOP at the ECC Championships.
Grant Singleton – ECC Second Team All-Conference – A senior, Grant Singleton captured his second post-season award, earning his Second Team slot, following an outstanding season. Singleton's shooting touch and tremendous speed made him a dynamic player in this season's run, standing third on the squad at 11.6 ppg. His season-high 27 points also helped to lead STAC to a 104-92 victory over Molloy on February 7. He was named to the ECC All-Tournament team and was the 2021 MOP at the ECC Championships
Jamal Barnes – ECC Third Team All-Conference – Rounding out the Spartans' All-Conference parade, sophomore Jamal Barnes took home Third Team kudos for his breakout season in Sparkill. Barnes' perimeter and three-point shooting abilities have complimented the STAC attack this season, as currently ranks third in the league and second on the team from beyond the arc (43.5 percent), just behind fellow teammate Antonio Vendola (45.7 percent).
All-Region Accolades - As announced by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) on Friday, Demetre Roberts was selected to the All-East Region Second Team, his first such honor as a Spartan.
A Winning Recipe - St. Thomas Aquinas' style of play, solid coaching and roster make-up give the Spartans a winning formula year-to-year, from the season opener to the NCAA Tournament. That is no different in 2021-22, as STAC's record each month shows a level of excellence that is unmatched by most teams within the East Region. November 4-3, December 6-0, January 5-1, February 9-0, March 2-0 (All Postseason) *Note St. Thomas Aquinas is currently on a 14-game win streak.*
Everyone Plays a Role – Though Tobin Anderson often uses many combinations in his lineup, he had a stable core of starters this season, with Grant Singleton starting all 30 games, Demetre Roberts starting all but two, and Osbel Caraballo starting 22.
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Calm Under Pressure – While Spartans have developed a well-earned reputation for bringing games down to the wire before pulling out victories, this year's team can get out to big leads, having won 12 contests by 20 or more points and have scored 100 plus points in five matchups this season.
2022 NCAA EAST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 12 - Quarterfinals
Game 1: #6 New Haven vs. #3 Saint Anselm - 12 p.m. (LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS)
Game 2: #7 St. Thomas Aquinas vs. #2 Franklin Pierce - 2:30 p.m. (LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS)
Game 3: #8 Felician vs. #1 Bentley - 5 p.m. (LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS)
Game 4: #5 Pace vs. #4 Dominican - 7:30 p.m. (LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS)
Sunday, March 13 - Semifinals
Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 - 5 p.m. (LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS)
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 - 7:30 p.m. (LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS)
Tuesday, March 15 - Championship
Game 7: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 - 7 p.m. (LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS)
2022 NCAA DIVISION II MEN'S BASKETBALL EAST REGION
No. 1 seed – Bentley University (22-4, 14-5 NE10)... NE10 Northeast Division Regular Season & Tournament Champions (automatic bid)
No. 2 seed – Franklin Pierce University (18-10, 12-7 NE10)… NE10 Tournament Runners-up (at large bid)
No. 3 seed – Saint Anselm College (17-10, 11-8 NE10)... (at large bid)
No. 4 seed – Dominican College (21-7, 12-5 CACC)… CACC Tournament Runners-Up (at large bid)
No. 5 seed – Pace University (19-9, 14-5 NE10)… NE10 Southwest Division Regular Season Champions (at large bid)
No. 6 seed – University of New Haven (17-8, 13-6 NE10)… (at large bid)
No. 7 seed – St. Thomas Aquinas College (26-4, 17-1 ECC)… ECC Regular Season & Tournament Champions (automatic bid)
No. 8 seed – Felician University (19-9, 11-6 CACC)… CACC Tournament Champions (automatic bid)
TICKETS
$8 Adults, $5 Students/Children/Seniors.
Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/12136/dana-center
Per NCAA policy, no complimentary admissions will be issued.
Note: Saturday's quarterfinals are held in two sessions, which require separate admission. One ticket for the afternoon games, and another for the evening contests.
COVID 19 POLICY
Please note that if you are planning to attend, masks are now optional, but recommended at the Dana Center.
All spectators will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test administered within the past 72 hours.
For members of the Bentley community, showing your Bentley ID will provide sufficient proof for entry. As all students, faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated—and those with approved medical or religious exemptions are required to test each week.