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GAME CENTER

Tuesday, Feb. 18 – 8 p.m. Post (9-14, 9-7 CACC) vs. Bloomfield (16-7, 14-2 CACC) Drubner Center – Waterbury, Conn. Coverage: Live Stats | Live Video

WATERBURY, Conn.  – The final week of the regular season begins Tuesday night for the Post University men's basketball team as it hosts Bloomfield on Senior Night. A victory by the Eagles will clinch their ninth-consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Tournament bid.
 
Last Time Out: Chestnut Hill 72, Post 69 – Box Score | Recap
Four Eagles finished in double figures, led by senior Stephen Perry Jr. (Westhampton, N.J.) with 16 points. Senior Josh Tatum (Greenville, N.C.) scored 12 points and grabbed a game-high nine boards. Senior Derrick Strong (St. Louis, Mo.) had 12 points and three steals.
 
Strong hit a layup with 3:23 remaining to put Post ahead 69-66. The senior grabbed a defensive board on a miss by the Griffins next time down the floor, but a turnover by the Eagles gave Chestnut Hill the ball. Carson Murphy made two free-throws to cut the deficit to one with 1:57 left.
 
The Griffins rebounded a Strong miss on the other end and Noel Hightower made a second-chance layup with 1:00 remaining to put Chestnut Hill ahead 70-69. Post was forced to foul after a turnover and Jakeem Bogans hit two from the foul line with 0:17 left to extend the visitor's lead to 72-69.
 
Senior Zach Krischer (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) missed a three-pointer with 0:07 left and the Eagles fouled the Griffins again. Hightower missed both free-throws, but Post was unable to get a shot off before time expired.
 
Scouting the Deacons
Bloomfield enters the week in first place in the CACC North Division at 16-7 overall and 14-2 in conference play. The Deacons have won their last five games, most recently a 103-82 victory over Georgian Court. Claude Blue is in the top-10 in the CACC at 15.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Bloomfield is the top rebounding team in the conference and 12^th in the nation at 43.3 boards per contest and score 80.6 points per game, which is good for second in the CACC.
 
All-Time Series Against Bloomfield
Post is 8-16 overall against the Deacons, but has fared well with a 7-4 record at Drubner. Earlier this season, the Eagles were defeated on the road 76-70. Post's last victory against Bloomfield came at home back in 2011.
Previous Results
12/18/13 ............... A ........... L, 76-70
2/12/13 ................. A ........... L, 80-75
1/3/13 ................... H............ L, 92-60
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
 
Playoff Positioning
The Eagles are in a great position to make their ninth-straight CACC Tournament appearance. Post is currently in fourth at 9-7 in the conference. Nyack sits behind the Eagles at 7-10 in CACC play with two games remaining. A win by Post in any of their final three games or a loss by the Warriors will give the Eagles a tournament berth.
 
Juggling The Lineup
Post has used eight different starting lineups this season and a total of 12 players have made at least one start. Derrick Strong has started 22 of the Eagles' 23 games, only coming off the bench in the opener against Southern New Hampshire.
 
Eagles Among The Leaders
Post boasts three of the top six three-point shooters in the conference. Effrin Ellison (45.6%) and Stephen Perry Jr. (44.2) are second and third, respectively. Derrick Strong is sixth at 41.3%. Strong is also second in the CACC at 2.5 steals per game, which is good for 11^th in the nation. Post leads the league with a 38.1 shooting percentage from distance and is second at 7.5 steals per game. The Eagles are 32^nd in the country with 8.8 threes made per contest.
 
Hitting The Glass
After struggling on the glass early in the season, the Eagles have picked up the pace as of late. Post has outrebounded its opponents in four of the last seven games. The Eagles grabbed a season-high 48 boards, 13 more than their opponent, in a 79-50 victory over Concordia. Post also outrebounded Felician, Holy Family, and Nyack. The Eagles are 4-1 in games in which they grab more boards than their opponents this season.
 
Honored For Defensive Prowess
Derrick Strong was named CACC Defensive Player of the week on Dec. 9 and Jan. 20. Strong tied a career-high with six steals in Post's 79-50 victory over Concordia on Jan. 14. The senior also had six steals in Post's victory over Wilmington on Dec. 7. He is the second Eagle to receive the honor this season after AJ Harris on Nov. 11. In his Eagles debut against Southern New Hampshire on Nov. 9, Harris recorded seven steals, which was the highest single-game total since the 2006-07 season.
 
The Road Ahead
Post visits Dominican in its second-to-last game of the season on Thursday, Feb. 20. The Eagles defeated the Chargers 71-70 at home earlier this season. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.