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WHEN: Thursday, February 27 - 8 p.m.
WHERE: Kaplan Center - 330 Powell Ave. Newburgh, N.Y. 12550
ADMISSION: FREE of charge for all
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NEWBURGH, N.Y. – Two long-time Skyline Conference rivals face off in the Skyline Conference Championship semifinals Thursday (Feb. 27) evening, as the No. 2 seed Mount Saint Mary College men's basketball team takes on No. 3 Farmingdale State College at the Kaplan Center at 8 p.m. for a chance to play in the conference championship game.

Farmingdale State advances to the semifinal round of the tournament after defeating St. Joseph's College (L.I.), 84-57, Tuesday evening in the tournament quarterfinals.

The Knights swept the regular-season series against the Rams in the 2013-14 campaign. The Knights took a sizable early lead in the Jan. 25 matchup in Farmingdale, holding on late for a 94-81 victory. Both teams faced off again this past Saturday at the Kaplan Center in their respective regular season finales, in which the Knights came out on top, 69-58.

A balanced attack has led the Knights to a 20-5 overall record and the 16-2 record in Skyline play that earned them a quarterfinal-round bye. Senior guard Joe Stabach (Staten Island, N.Y.) led the Knights during the regular season with 13.8 points per game. Senior guard Donte Howell (Baldwin, N.Y.) and senior forward Chris Pisciotta (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) were not far behind, averaging 13.6 points per game each.

Stabach ranked first in the Skyline with 75 three-pointers this season and third with a .389 three-point percentage. Howell stands in third in the conference with 4.68 assists per game and his 2.25 assist/turnover ratio also ranks third.

Senior forward Joe Henain (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) leads the league with 10.8 rebounds per game and 7.8 defensive rebounds per game. His 66 blocks, which are two shy of his program record of 68 set last year, are tied for second in the conference and rank 16th in all of Division III. He averages 11.7 points per game and his .542 field goal percentage is fourth in the Skyline. His 11 double-doubles also ranked second in the conference.

Donald Lawes has had a very strong season for the Rams. He leads the team with 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, but more impressively, he leads the nation with 110 blocks and 4.4 blocks per game. His .578 field goal percentage ranks second in the league. He finished third in the Skyline with nine double-doubles.

Jonathan Annan has scored 12.2 points per game. He has dished out a team high 112 assists, while Wilson Molina is right behind him with 103. Annan and Molina rank sixth and seventh in the Skyline Conference with 4.31 and 4.29 assists per game, respectively.

The Knights hold a 10-1 record at the Kaplan Center this season, with their only loss coming against top-seeded and nationally ranked Purchase College back on Jan. 9. They enter the tournament on a five-game winning streak, their third streak of five or more games this season. Their only Skyline losses have come at the hands of Purchase this season.

The Rams finished the year at 18-8 overall, with a 13-5 mark in Skyline play that placed them third in the conference. They are 8-4 away from home this year. Prior to Tuesday night's victory over St. Joseph's (L.I.), the Rams had lost their previous two games (to St. Joe's and Mount Saint Mary). Before their brief losing streak, they had won their previous five games, all against Skyline opponents.

The Rams most recently won the Skyline Championship in 2012, while the Knights last won the title in 2005.

No. 1 Purchase College hosts No. 5 SUNY College at Old Westbury Thursday evening in the other Skyline Conference Championship semifinal matchup. The winners of each game on Thursday will face off for the Skyline Conference Championship on Saturday, March 1, on the home court of the highest remaining seed.

Follow the Knights on Twitter at @MSMCKnights