Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - The third-seeded Vassar College Men's Basketball team will play for a chance for its second Liberty League title on Sunday afternoon as the Brewers will travel to top-seeded RPI for the Liberty League Championship final. Tip-off with the Engineers is scheduled for 2:00 p.m at ECAV Arena.
Quick Glance
- Vassar finished the regular season at 17-8 overall and 13-5 in Liberty League play, which sets a new program record for conference victories in a season.
- The Brewers advanced to the semifinals following a 67-64 victory over sixth-seeded Skidmore in the First Round on Tuesday evening. Sophomore Parker Neuenhaus led the way with 23 points along with junior Shea Fitzgerald posting 18 points and first year Kas Mirza supplying a career-high 18 points off the bench.
- The Brewers then defeated Union for the third time this season and the second time on the road behind a game-high 28 points from Fitzgerald to advance Vassar to its third-ever championship game appearance.
- Vassar now has 19 victories on the season, which ties the program-record for most wins in a single season.
- The Brewers were receiving votes during multiple weeks of the D3Hoops.com Top-25 poll this season.
- Vassar is one of the top defensive teams in the Liberty League, ranking second behind Rensselaer and is in the top-25 in Division III in points per game allowed (64.5 ppg), while also pacing all conference schools in opponent field-goal percentage (.388) and opponent three-point field-goal percentage (.275), all ranking in the top-20.
- The Brewers also lead the Liberty League in rebounding at 42.7 caroms per game, a mark that ranks top-20 in the country.
For The Brewers
- Vassar is led by two double-digit scorers as reigning Liberty League Player of the Year and NABC All-American selection Fitzgerald leads the team in scoring at 16.7 points per game and is the team leader in steals with 43.
- Neuenhaus is second on the squad in points per game with 14.4 and is third on the team in blocks with 22.
- Senior Nathan Denham is averaging 9.1 points per game and a team-high 7.1rebounds per contest along with 41 steals and 23 blocks.
- Junior Sebastian Medina chips in 5.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per night and has handed out 67 assists and recorded 24 blocks.
- Junior Kreekor Karageuzian rounds out the starting five with a team-high 94 assists while posting almost five points a game and 37 steals.
- Off the bench, senior Sacha Greenberg is posting 6.2 points per game and is second on the team in offensive rebounds with 51.
- Sophomore Will Gregory is second on the team in made three-pointers with 23 and first year Gyasi Zinn leads the team in blocks with 30.
Scouting The Engineers
- RPI earned the league's top seed after finishing 21-5 overall and 16-2 in Liberty League play.
- Andrew Deppe leads the way for RPI as he's averaging 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 86 assists, 35 steals and 16 blocks.
- PJ Scalisi tallies 13.0 points per game and 4.5 rebounds while leading the team in steals with 43.
- Yechiel Stewart adds 12.3 points per night and Billy Feeks has knocked down the second-most threes on the team with 44.
- Kellen Driscoll adds 7.8 points per game and Dylan Matchett has totaled 7.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per night.
- The Engineers sit seventh in the conference at 70.1 points per game but have the league's top defense, only allowing 60.3 points per contest.
Regular Season Matchups
- RPI swept the season series as the Engineers earned a 62-56 road victory in Poughkeepsie on January 23.
- RPI was led by four double-digit scorers and knocked down 10 three-pointers in the game.
- Fitzgerald tallied 25 points to lead all scorers but the Brewers struggled in the first half and trailed by 10 at the halftime break.
- The Engineers completed the regular season sweep with a 61-58 win in Troy on February 7.
- Fitzgerald and Neuenhaus combined for 34 points as the Brewers almost overcame a 14-point deficit in the final five minutes of the second half.
Liberty League Recent Championship History
- Vassar's first ever Liberty League Championship crown came following the 2021-22 season where the Brewers toppled Skidmore 65-48.
- The Brewers are making their third trip to the Liberty League Championship game (2013-14, 2021-22)
- RPI has reached the Liberty League final twice since 2021 and has earned two at-large spots in the NCAA Tournament (2022, 2023).
- The two teams have never met in a Liberty League Championship postseason matchup.
What's At Stake
- The winner of Sunday's championship game will earn the league's automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Tournament.