CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - In their first North Atlantic Conference (NAC) playoff appearance since 2007-08, the No. 4 seed Lesley University men's basketball team will travel to No.1 seed SUNY Delhi on Friday, February 21, for a 5:30 p.m. NAC West Division Quarterfinals matchup.
Lesley men's basketball head coach Devon Mayo is looking forward to the challenge ahead in this year's NAC playoffs and feels the squad is ready. "We are confident and looking forward to competing with SUNY Delhi," said Mayo. "Throughout the season, we've had hard-fought and competitive battles, but we believe we match up well against them. Nobody believed we would be in this position, but the best part is that we're going into Friday with some momentum, winning three of our last five games against high-seeded opponents."Al
Five Things To Know
- Friday's matchup will be the third time both sides have played each other. Both schools have split the regular season matchup, but Lesley came away with an 88-80 victory in the most recent contest.
- Lesley's three conference wins this year have come against two top-three-seeded NAC West Division teams (SUNY Delhi, VTSU Lyndon-twice).
- In the two games against SUNY Delhi, Lesley outscored the Broncos 156-139.
- Last season, SUNY Delhi reached the NAC West Division Finals before falling to SUNY Cobleskill, 84-82.
- On the defensive side of the ball, the Lynx are one of the best teams in the NAC at getting steals, ranking second in the conference.
Who To Watch For
- Malachi Howard (Winter Haven, Fla.) will be a crucial factor for the Lynx on Friday. The senior forward has been a consistent force on both sides, leading the team in multiple categories. On the year, Howard scored a team-high 378 points (15.1 ppg) while shooting 44.1 percent (153-347) from the field. In 20 of his 25 games played this year, Howard has finished with 10 or more points, and in seven of those contests, he posted 20 or more points, highlighted by a career-high 32 versus Husson (Jan. 12). In Howard's two games against SUNY Delhi, he has scored 33 points (16.5 ppg). Defensively, Howard led the team in blocks with 22 (0.9 bpg) and rebounds at 181 (7.2 rpg). He was also one of six Lynx to record 20 or more steals on the year (26). Howard had six games where he recorded 10 or more rebounds, and five of those six games resulted in a double-double highlighted by a career-tying 14 rebounds in a 88-80 win against VTSU Lyndon (Feb. 11). He also was recognized by the NAC for his defensive efforts as he was named a NAC Defensive Player of the Week four times.
- Lesley's offense also features four-time NAC Rookie of the Week Tavon Rhodes (Dorchester, Mass.). Rhodes had a stellar regular season for the Lynx, finishing second on the team in scoring with 297 points (12.9 ppg) on 47.9 percent shooting (113-236). In 14 contests this year, Rhodes has finished with 10 or more points, highlighted by a career-high 31 against Rivier (Nov. 21). On the glass, Rhodes was one of Lesley's best rebounders finishing third on the team with 86 (3.7 rpg) and brought down a career-high eight four different times this year. He also was all over the floor defensively, swiping a total of 30 steals (1.3 spg) which ranked second on the team.
- Along with Howard and Rhodes, the Lynx offense features four other scorers who have scored over 100 points on the season: Tarell Joseph (Hempstead, N.Y.)-233 points (9.3 ppg), CJ Leonard (Raynham, Mass.)-226 points (9.8 ppg), Hezekiah Brown (Stafford, Va.)-140 points (7.8 ppg), and Jaxon Miles (Arlington, Texas)-112 points (4.5 ppg).
- Senior guard Isiah Barnes will be looked upon for the Broncos to guide the SUNY Delhi offense. Barnes started in all 24 games for the Broncos and finished with a team-high 271 points (11.3 ppg) on 38.8 percent (90-232) shooting. Barnes scored 10+ points in 16 of his 24 games this year, highlighted by a season-high 21 points against Lesley (Dec. 6). In his two games against the Lynx this year, Barnes scored a total of 25 points (12.5 ppg). On the glass, Barnes also led the squad in rebounding with 129 boards (5.4 rpg).
- Besides Barnes, SUNY Delhi's offense showcases five other student-athletes who have scored 100-plus points including: Lester McCarthy-199 points (12.4 ppg), Brennan Heaven-198 points (8.3 ppg), Noah Colin-144 points (6.3 ppg), and Abdul-Jaleel Ibrahim-144 points (6.3 ppg).
What's Next
The winners of both NAC West Division quarterfinals on Friday will meet on Saturday, February 22, for the semifinals at a time to be determined later.