Top-Ranked Men's Basketball Earns No. 1 Seed in GNAC South Division

WINTHROP, Mass. – The banner year for top-ranked University of Saint Joseph enters its playoff phase next week, as the 25-0 Blue Jays get set to host No. 4 North seed Anna Maria College (7-18, 6-11 GNAC) on Tuesday, February 21 at 7:00 PM as the No. 1 South seed in the 2023 GNAC Men's Basketball Tournament. 

In addition to holding down the D3hoops.com No. 1 national ranking since December 19, USJ was ranked atop the most recent regional rankings last week. USJ ran through the GNAC regular-season slate with an 18-0 mark, holding league opponents to just 59.2 points per game. 

Emmanuel College (17-8, 13-4 GNAC) held on to clinch the No. 1 North seed despite losing four of six entering tournament play. The Saints will take on No. 4 South seed Johnson & Wales University (1312, 10-8 GNAC) on Tuesday at 5:30 PM, as JWU just defeated Emmanuel, 84-75, on Feb. 8.

No. 3 South seed Regis College (14-11, 10-8 GNAC) will travel to No. 2 North seed Saint Joseph's College of Maine (14-11, 10-7 GNAC) for a 7:30 PM tipoff on Tuesday night after SJC just defeated Regis, 68-58, earlier this past week on Valentine's Day. The visiting Pride have won seven of nine in GNAC play since late January, while the Monks are winners of six of their last eight against league foes. 

GNAC powerhouse Albertus Magnus College (16-9, 14-4 GNAC) put together its most recent stellar season in the GNAC, falling only to Emmanuel and Regis in league play in addition to its two setbacks versus in-state rival USJ. The Falcons will welcome No. 3 North seed Colby-Sawyer College (10-16, 7-9 GNAC) at 7:30 PM this upcoming Tuesday. 

Albertus and USJ have gone head-to-head in the GNAC Championship game in 2019, 2020, and 2022.

The GNAC semifinals will take place on Thursday, Feb. 23, with the title game scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25. There is no reseeding throughout the tournament, with the 2023 champion earning the league's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Tournament.