CCC PLAYOFFS RELEASE/BRACKET | CCC ALL-CONFERENCE RELEASE
BEVERLY, Mass. – The fourth-seeded Endicott men's basketball team (17-8) will host No. 5 Western New England University (11-14) on Tuesday, February 19 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Tournament quarterfinal round at 7 PM at MacDonald Gymnasium. Here's a preview of Tuesday's matchup.
SERIES HISTORY: Endicott holds a 15-7 advantage in the all-time series. Meanwhile, this season both teams split the regular season series as the Gulls took game one by an 83-64 score on 1/3/19. Western New England countered in the second game, however, as the Golden Bears notched a 104-76 victory over Endicott on 2/13/19. (GM 1 | GM 2)
SCOUTING ENDICOTT: Home court has been favorable to Endicott this season as the Gulls currently sit at 8-3 overall in games played at MacDonald Gymnasium. That 8-3 record also includes a 3-0 mark in February with wins over Wentworth (86-64), UNE (128-79, program record for points) and crosstown rival Gordon (80-71).
Offensively, this season, Endicott ranks third in the conference in points per game (88.7) and third in fewest points allowed (74.8).
Individually, the Gulls will feature the CCC Defensive Player of the Year in Joe Shehadi (Dorset, Vt.) on Tuesday along with CCC All-Conference honorees Keith Brown (Pelham, N.H.) and Matt McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) who rank second (23.1) and No. 13 (13.4) overall in points per game in the league.
SCOUTING WESTERN NEW ENGLAND: Road wins have been hard to come by for the Western New England as the Golden Bears sport a 3-9 record headed into Tuesday's playoff showdown with the Gulls.
Western New England has been rolling as of late, however, with key wins over Curry (98-62), Salve Regina (93-80), and Endicott (104-76) down the stretch (2-0 at home, 1-0 on the road).
As a team, the Golden Bears rank fifth in the conference in points per game (83.0) and sixth in fewest points allowed (81.7). Individually, All-Conference student-athletes Mikey Pettway (Bridgeport, Conn.) and Mike McGuire (Garden City, N.Y.) are the ones to watch. Pettway is currently averaging 20.6 points per game, 4.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 assists, while McGuire has figures of 13.0 points per game (46.7 FG%, 45.2 3PT%, 94.1 FT%), 3.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 assists.
WHAT'S NEXT
The winner between No. 4 Endicott and No. 5 Western New England will play No. 1 Nichols on Thursday, February 21 in the CCC Tournament semifinal round at a time to be determined later.
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(Photo credit - David Le '10)