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Thursday, Jan. 3 – 8 p.m. Post vs. Bloomfield Drubner Center – Waterbury, Conn. Coverage: Live Stats | Video (Subscription-based) | Twitter Updates

 
The Post University men's basketball team will conclude its season-long four-game homestand on Thursday night when it welcomes Bloomfield to the Drubner Center for a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) North Division contest. The Eagles are currently 1-2 on the homestand, and dropped a double overtime decision to AIC on Sunday.
 
In the game against the Yellow Jackets, junior Zach Krischer (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) netted a career-high 30 points. It was the highest individual scoring output by a Post player since Trevon Hamlet poured in 32 points against Bloomfield on Feb. 17, 2010, in a 94-69 loss.
 
The Eagles currently sit in second place in the CACC North Division with a 5-1 record, while Bloomfield stands at 4-1 in conference play. Both teams are slightly behind 5-0 Dominican in the division. Thursday's contest will mark the first of two this season between Post and Bloomfield. The teams will meet in New Jersey on Feb. 12, at 8 p.m.
 
Game Notes:
Last Time Out: AIC 96, Post 94 (2OT) – Recap | Box Score
Despite career-highs in scoring from juniors Jerry Cummings and Zach Krischer and a five-point lead in the final minute of the first overtime period, the Post University men's basketball team dropped a 96-94 double overtime decision to American International College in non-conference action at the Drubner Center on Sunday afternoon. Krischer finished with a game-high 30 points and Cummings chipped in 27 points, 22 of which came after halftime.
 
Krischer shot 7-for-16 from beyond the three-point arc and 7-for-8 at the free throw line. Cummings went 9-for-19 from the field, 4-for-6 from distance, grabbed nine rebounds and added three steals. Senior Jake Wilcox matched a season-high with 11 assists and five steals to lead all players in both categories.
 
After the Eagles erased a nine-point deficit, Cummings tied the game at 74-74 as time expired in regulation with a left-wing jump shot. Post opened the first overtime on a 7-2 run over a span of 2:44 to build an 81-76 lead, but the Yellow Jackets tied the game at 81-81 over a span of three seconds. Cummings had the final look at the basket in the first overtime with a chance to give the Eagles a win, but his shot came up short and the teams went into a second overtime.
 
Twenty Or More:
In Post's 13 games this season, four different players have eclipsed 20 points 12 times. Against AIC on Dec. 30, junior Zach Krischer netted 30 points, the highest total to date this season. The last 30-point performance by a Post player was by Trevon Hamlet. He netted 32 points against Bloomfield on Feb. 17, 2010. Below is a list of all the 20-point performances this season.
 
Name – Date – Opponent – Point Total
Zach Krischer – 12/30 – AIC – 30
Jerry Cummings – 12/30 – AIC – 27
Stephen Perry – 12/4 – Caldwell – 27
Jerry Cummings – 11/10 – Queens – 23
Devin Willis – 11/28 – at Bridgeport – 23
Jerry Cummings – 11/20 – Concordia – 22
Stephen Perry – 11/20 – Concordia – 22
Stephen Perry – 11/17 – at LIU Post – 21
Zach Krischer – 12/19 – Felician – 21
Jerry Cummings - 12/1 - Wilmington – 20
Jerry Cummings – 11/14 – at Nyack – 20
Zach Krischer – 11/9 – at Molloy – 20
 
Race To 70:
When Post scores at least 70 points it sits at 9-1 this season while it is 0-3 when held below the threshold. In their victories the Eagles average 81.7 points per game. The team has netted a season-high 94 points in its last two contests. Post defeated Felician 94-70 on Dec. 19, and fell to AIC 96-94 in double overtime on Dec. 30. The output was the highest since the Eagles netted 99 points in a double overtime loss against Concordia on Jan. 19, 2011.
 
Among The Nation's Elite:
In the NCAA Division II statistics report released on Dec. 18, Post is ranked in the top 25 in the country in four categories. The Eagles sit third in three-point field goals made per game (11.3), eighth in three-point field goal percentage (43.4), 17^th in three-point field goal defense (27.7 percent), and 24^nd in blocked shots per game (4.7).
 
Powered By Individuals:
Four Eagles' student-athletes are ranked in the top 20 nationally in four statistical categories. In two 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 ninth nationally with 6.8 assists per game. He is also 16^th in steals per game with an average of 3.0. Sarunas Jackson is ranked 10^th in blocks per game and deflects 2.64 shots per night. That mark leads the conference. Shooters Zach Krischer and Stephen Perry are both in the top 20 in three-point field goal categories. Perry and Krischer are ranked 13^th and 20^th respectively in three-pointers per game with marks of 3.36 and 3.18. Perry is sixth in three-point field goal percentage. He shoots at a clip of 52.1 percent.
 
Eight Straight Wins:
After its season-opening loss to Molloy on the road, Post won eight straight contests, including four at home. 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. The streak was snapped in a 70-66 overtime defeat against CACC foe Chestnut Hill on Saturday, Dec. 8.
 
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.
 
Double-Doubles:
This season, Jerry Cummings has notched the team's lone pair of double-doubles, and the first two of his career. In the Eagles' first win, a 79-78 overtime victory over Queens, Cummings turned in 23 points and 10 rebounds. Against Wilmington on Dec. 1, he netted 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Post's 80-60 win over CACC foe Wilmington.
 
Dialed In From Distance:
Over a seven-game span from Nov. 14 – Dec. 4, the Eagles are shooting 48.1 percent (90-for-187) from three-point range. During the stretch, Post did not shot less than 43 percent from three-point range. The Eagles 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.
 
All-Time Series With Bloomfield:
Post is 8-13 since 2003 in the head-to-head series with Bloomfield. The Eagles have lost the last two meetings between the two schools and the last Post win came on Feb. 15, 2011, at the Drubner Center.
Previous Results:
2/16/12........... H… L, 75-72 (OT)
12/8/11............. A..... L, 80-69
2/15/11............. H.... W, 86-72
1/25/11............. A..... L, 89-81
3/1/10........ A (CACC) L, 80-75
2/17/10............. A..... L, 94-69
1/26/10............. H... L, 105-99
2/5/09............... H.... W, 96-92
1/13/09............. A..... L, 79-58
3/1/08........ H (CACC) L, 90-85 (2OT)
2/13/08............. H.... W, 82-71
1/29/08............. A.... W, 86-81
2/20/07............. A..... L, 85-79
1/16/07............. H.... W, 96-95
2/16/06............. H.... W, 90-81
1/10/06............. A..... L, 89-73
2/15/05............. A..... L, 88-77
1/11/05............. H..... L, 81-73
3/6/04........ N (CACC) L, 97-90
2/24/04............. A.. W, 102-92
12/20/03........... H.. W, 101-98
 
Scouting the Deacons:
Bloomfield enters the contest after consecutive losses to Saint Anselm and Merrimack on Dec. 30, and Dec. 31, respectively. After they opened the season with three straight setbacks, the Deacons won five in a row from Nov. 17 – Dec. 4. As a team, Bloomfield shoots 41.1 percent from the field and individually Marvin Williams leads the team with 14.3 points per game. Kevin Udo is ranked fourth in the CACC in rebounding and leads the Deacons with 9.7 boards per game.
 
The Last Meeting: Feb. 16, 2012 – Bloomfield 75, Post 72 (OT) – Recap | Box Score
Bloomfield's Matt Wafula hit a layup with one-tenth of second remaining in regulation to force overtime, and the Deacons went on to steal a victory from the Post on Thursday night at the Drubner Center in a CACC game. The final score was 75-72.
 
Wafula hit the game-tying shot on a left-handed layup after he received an inbounded pass to even the score at 67-67. The basket came after guard Jake Wilcox split a pair of foul shots with 15.2 seconds to play, to give the Eagles a 67-65 lead.
 
In the extra period, Post led by three, 72-69, after Josh Lopez hit a three-pointer with 2:53 to play. However, Bloomfield scored the final six points of the contest to secure its 20^th victory of the season.
 
Coming To A TV Near You:
Post's 94-70 win over Felician on Dec. 19, was taped by CPTV Sports and will continue to air on the network throughout the winter months. Check out http://www.cptvsports.org for channel listings and a broadcast schedule.
 
Receiving Votes:
For three straight weeks, Post received votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25. On Dec. 11, the Eagles garnered four votes and were 28 votes behind #25 Alaska-Anchorage. Post began receiving national consideration on Nov. 27.
Previous Vote Totals:

• Dec. 11 – Four votes
• Dec. 4 – 12 votes
• Nov. 27 – Six votes

 
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 hit the road on Saturday, Jan. 5, when it takes on CACC foe Philadelphia in a conference tilt at the Gallagher Center. Game time is set for 3 p.m. The Eagles are 2-8 since 2005 against the Rams. The last Post win in the series came at Philadelphia on Feb. 19, 2011, a 69-44 decision.