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Game Center:

Saturday, Dec. 8 – 3 p.m. Post at Chestnut Hill Drubner Center – Waterbury, Conn. Chestnut Hill Coverage: Live Stats | Video

 
The Post University men's basketball team seeks a 5-0 mark in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) play as the Eagles travel to Chestnut Hill for a conference tilt on Saturday afternoon. Game time is set for 3 p.m. Post has won its last eight games, which matches the longest winning streak in the program's NCAA Division II history.
 
The Eagles enter the contest with an unblemished 5-0 record in the all-time series with the Griffins. Last season, Zach Krischer (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) netted a game-high 21 points in a 79-75 victory at the Drubner Center on Feb. 11. The victory was the third in the row for Post and gave the team its longest winning streak of the 2011-12 season.
 
Game Notes:
Last Time Out: Post 72, Caldwell 55 – Recap | Box Score
Behind the strength of 10-for-18 shooting from the field by junior Stephen Perry, Post powered past CACC North Division foe Caldwell on Tuesday night at the Drubner Center. Perry netted a career-high 27 points and nailed seven triples in 22 minutes of action.
 
With the win, Post (8-1, 4-0 CACC) extended its region-best win streak to eight games and is off to its first 4-0 start in conference play since the 2003-04 campaign. Junior Jerry Cummings added 10 points and seven rebounds on 3-for-5 shooting from the field. Cummings went 2-for-4 from distance. Senior Sarunas Jackson netted nine points, five assists and four blocks on the night.
 
Among The Nation's Elite:
In the first NCAA Division II statistics report, which includes games through Dec. 2, Post is ranked in the top 30 in the country in six categories. The Eagles sit third in three-point field goals made per game (11.8), 14^th in three-point field goal percentage (43.8 percent), 18^th in blocked shots per game (4.8), 24^th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.37) and turnover margin (5.3) and 26^th in three-point field goal percentage defense (27.9 percent).
 
Powered By Individuals:
Four Eagles' student-athletes are ranked in the top 20 nationally in five statistical categories. In three of the stats, the Post player also leads the CACC for individuals who are at the NCAA minimum requirement. Jake Wilcox leads the conference and is ranked 13^th nationally with 6.8 assists per game. He is also 19^th in steals per game with an average of 3.13. Sarunas Jackson is ranked 10^th in blocks per game and deflects 2.63 shots per night. Shooters Zach Krischer and Stephen Perry are both in the top 20 in three-point field goal categories. Krischer is 18^th in three-pointers per game with a mark of 3.38 and Perry is 13^th in three-point field goal percentage. He shoots at a clip of 54.5 percent.
 
Dialed In From Distance:
Over the last seven games, the Eagles are shooting 48.1 percent (90-for-187) from three-point range. During the stretch, Post has not shot less than 43 percent from three-point range. The Eagles went hit a season-high 16 triples and shot 64 percent from beyond the arc in an 86-48 win at Nyack on Nov. 14. As a team, Post has shot greater than 50 percent from distance in three games during the stretch.
 
Receiving Votes:
For the second consecutive week, Post received votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25. This week the Eagles picked up 12 votes on Tuesday, Dec. 4. On Nov. 27, Post made its first appearance in the poll of the year and was awarded six votes.
 
Eight Straight Wins:
Since a season-opening loss to Molloy on the road, Post has won its last eight contests and is 4-0 at home this year. The winning streak is the longest under head coach Al Sokaitis and it has matched the longest in the program's NCAA Division II history.
 
CACC Player Of The Week:
Junior guard Stephen Perry was named the CACC men's basketball player of the week on Tuesday, Nov. 27. In a pair of Post home wins, Perry shot 10-for-15 from three-point range and 11-for-18 from the field as Post collected home wins over Concordia and Queens last week. He netted 22 points in the team's second straight CACC win, an 87-70 decision over Concordia, to open the season, including six triples made. Perry rounded out the week with a 5-for-7 performance from the floor as he scored 15 points against Queens in an 83-67 win. For the week, he shot a perfect 5-for-5 at the foul line and averaged 18.5 points per game in the victories.
 
First Career Double-Double:
Cummings tallied his first career double-double in Post's 79-78 overtime victory behind 23 points and 10 rebounds. In his first two contests this season, he pulled down 10 boards in each game. For his efforts in the first week of the year, Cummings was given a CACC Honorable Mention.
 
All-Time Series With Chestnut Hill:
Post is 5-0 all-time against Chestnut Hill and won the only road contest in the series on Jan. 22, 2011, a 64-59 decision.
Previous Results:
2/11/12............. H.... W, 79-75
1/22/11............. A.... W, 64-59
1/23/10............. H.... W, 74-70
2/14/09............. H.. W, 108-97
1/19/08............. H.... W, 88-77
 
Scouting the Griffins:
Chestnut Hill, picked third in the CACC South Division and one first-place vote, is 3-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play. The Griffins have lost their last two games and surrendered a 74-66 score against Wilmington on Tuesday night to give the Wildcats their first triumph of the season. Chestnut Hill has three players who average double figures in scoring led by Mark DiRugeris, Jr.  with 16.1 points per game. Alssene Saintilus and Seamus Radke add 12.5 and 10.5 points per game respectively. Radke is the leading rebounder and collects seven caroms per game.
 
The Last Meeting: Feb. 11, 2012 – Post 79, Chestnut Hill 75 – Recap | Box Score
Behind a season-high 21 points from sophomore guard Zach Krischer, the Eagles earned their third straight win, after a 79-75 triumph over Chestnut Hill in a CACC game Saturday afternoon at the Drubner Center.
 
Krischer scored 14 of his game-high 21 points in the first half, and he shot 4-for-5 from distance in the stanza. He finished the game 7-for-9 from the field. Juniors Jerry Cummings and Sarunas Jackson chipped in 14 and 13 points, respectively.
 
The Eagles went on a 21-7 run to close the first half over the final 6:59 of the period. Senior Geraldo Fernandez scored the first six points of the spurt. His jumper with 6:18 to play in the first half gave Post a 1-point advantage, 27-26. Krischer added 11 points during the spurt, including a triple as time expired in the stanza. The Eagles held a 10-point advantage, 43-33, at the break.
 
Sharp Shooter:
Last season, Zach Krischer led the CACC in three-point field goal percentage with a mark of 48.2. In fact his percentage from distance was better than his overall field goal percentage (47.7). Nationally, Krischer sat 82^nd in three-point field goals made per game with an average of 2.39.
 
Internationally Known:
Post men's basketball head coach Al Sokaitis was named the Tanzania national head coach of the men's and women's basketball programs on Aug. 29. The goal is for the country to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
 
Preseason Prognostications:
The Eagles were tabbed to finish third in the North Division of the CACC Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was released on Monday, Nov. 12. Post totaled 59 points and one first place vote from the league's 13 head coaches. Sokaitis' team was picked behind Bloomfield and Dominican in the North Division.
 
On The Horizon:
Post will begin its longest homestand of the season, a four game stretch, when the Eagles host Saint Anselm on Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. The Post University athletic department will offer live video and live stats for the contest.