STANDISH, Maine - #1 Saint Joseph's College (19-8, 12-0 GNAC) will host #2 University of Saint Joseph (20-7, 11-1 GNAC) in the 2026 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Basketball Championship on Sunday at 3:00 PM.

Having secured the top seed for the second straight season, the defending 2025 GNAC champions are seeking their first repeat conference title since the Monks won six consecutive Western Maine Athletic Conference crowns from 1983-88.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The GNAC champion earns an automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship, which begins Friday, March 6.

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Saint Joseph's:

Saint Joseph's advanced to the GNAC Championship for the sixth time since joining the league in 2008 with a pair of home playoff wins at the Harold Alfond Center: an 85-62 quarterfinal victory over #8 Norwich on Wednesday and a 69-61 semifinal win over #5 Emmanuel on Friday.

In the quarterfinals, the Monks opened on an 8-2 run, never trailed, and built a 38-23 halftime lead before pushing the margin to 22 early in the second half. SJC led by as many as 28, dominated the glass (50-33), and held Norwich to 35.5% shooting, including 22.7% from three. Remijo Wani led the way with 23 points, six rebounds, and six assists, while Wani Donato (15 points, 11 rebounds), Davis Mann (13 points, 9 rebounds), Tong Maiwen (12 points, 10 rebounds), and John Paul Frazier (11 points) also scored in double figures.

In the semifinals, Saint Joseph's erased a 46-43 second-half deficit with a decisive 7-0 run and controlled the final 12 minutes behind defense, rebounding, and interior scoring. The Monks finished with advantages in rebounds (46-41), points in the paint (42-34), and assists (17), while holding Emmanuel to 34.5% shooting and 1-for-6 from three after halftime. Wani scored 26 points to lead SJC, with Mann adding 15, Donato totaling nine points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds, Maiwen contributing nine points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, and Frazier pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds.

University of Saint Joseph:

The Blue Jays advanced to the GNAC Championship for the sixth time in seven varsity seasons with a pair of home postseason wins: a 92-79 quarterfinal victory over #7 Dean on Wednesday and a 73-72 semifinal win over #3 Albertus Magnus on Friday.

Against Dean, USJ jumped out to an 11-0 lead, carried a 46-33 advantage into halftime, and responded after the Bulldogs cut the deficit to 50-48 with a game-changing 13-2 run. Alijah Lovelace scored a career-high 21 points, while Roel Figueroa and Deivone Tanksley Jr. added 19 apiece. Tanksley Jr. and Jakari Tertulien each grabbed 10 rebounds as the Blue Jays owned a 42-32 edge on the glass.

In the semifinal, USJ survived a one-point battle after taking a 33-31 halftime lead and shooting 50.0% in the second half. Figueroa led the way with 23 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including 4-for-4 from three and 5-for-5 at the line, while Friedrich Feldrappe totaled 17 points and nine rebounds and Lence Altenor added 14.

BRACKETOLOGY:

Quarterfinals - Wednesday, Feb. 25

#1 Saint Joseph's College def. #8 Norwich University, 85-62
#2 University of Saint Joseph def. #7 Dean College, 92-79
#3 Albertus Magnus College def. #6 Regis College, 96-57
#5 Emmanuel College def. #4 Lasell University, 76-74

Semifinals - Friday, Feb. 27

#1 Saint Joseph's College vs. #5 Emmanuel College, 69-61
#2 University of Saint Joseph def. #3 Albertus Magnus College, 73-72

Championship - Sunday, Mar. 1

#1 Saint Joseph's College vs. #2 University of Saint Joseph, 3:00 PM

SEASON AT A GLANCE:

Saint Joseph's:

• The Monks enter the championship game having won 16 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak in NCAA Division III. Saint Joseph's also closed the regular season with 26 straight GNAC wins (last conference loss: Dec. 7, 2024 vs. USJ), the longest active conference win streak in the country.
• Saint Joseph's has not lost to a GNAC opponent at home since Jan. 13, 2024 (Albertus Magnus), winning 23 straight home conference games.
• Nationally, the Monks rank fifth in rebound margin (9.9) and assists per game (19.7), ninth in rebounds per game (43.67), 13th in offensive rebounds per game (15.33), 26th in three-pointers per game (10.1), and 28th in scoring offense (85.4).
• Saint Joseph's is 10-1 and averaging 81.4 points per game at home this season.
• For the second straight year, four Monks are averaging at least 14.0 points per game.
• SJC has made 10+ three-pointers in 13 games this season, including 20 in wins over Old Westbury and Colby-Sawyer.

University of Saint Joseph:

• The Blue Jays enter the title bout having won 15 of their last 16 games with the team's only setback being an 84-61 loss to the Monks in Standish on February 21.
• In GNAC play, USJ led the conference in free throw percentage (74.6%), fewest fouls per game (14.9), scoring defense (63.6), and opponents' field goal percentage (38.0%). The Blue Jays also ranked second in free throws made per game (15.7) and steals per game (10.4).
• Nationally, USJ ranks 10th in free throw percentage (77.8%), 22nd in field goal percentage (48.2%), and 32nd in scoring margin (11.2).
• The Blue Jays are 7-5 and averaging 80.0 points in 12 home games this winter.
• University of Saint Joseph features four players who average at least 10 points per game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Saint Joseph's:

• (#10) Remijo Wani (Jr., G, Portland, Maine) – 23.1 PPG, leads GNAC scoring; also ranks among league leaders in total points (486), field goals made (188), and three-pointers made (64). 2025 GNAC Player of the Year and became the 15th member of the program's 1,000-Point Club earlier this season.
• (#12) Wani Donato (Sr., F, Portland, Maine) – 15.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.9 APG; 56.6% FG. Ranks among the GNAC leaders in blocks, assists, steals, and rebounding, and reached 1,000 career points earlier this season.
• (#24) John Paul Frazier (Sr., G, York, Maine) – 15.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.3 APG; 44.2% FG, 39.3% 3PT, 70.8% FT. Leads the GNAC in three-pointers made (72), has 1,446 career points, and ranks second among active NCAA Division III players with 311 career threes.
• (#0) Davis Mann (Fr., G, Falmouth, Maine) – 14.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.8 APG; 45.8% FG, 30.3% 3PT, 86.0% FT. Six-time GNAC Rookie of the Week and ranks second in the conference in free-throw percentage.

University of Saint Joseph:

• (#11) Lence Altenor (Sr., G, Everett, Mass.) – 15.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.7 APG; 44.7% FG, 34.5% 3PT, 78.6% FT. Ranks among the GNAC leaders in total points, assists, and three-pointers made.
• (#15) Friedrich Feldrappe (Sr., F, Berlin, Germany) – 13.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.7 APG; 52.2% FG, 40.2% 3PT, 91.1% FT. Ranks among the GNAC leaders in defensive rebounds and field-goal percentage.
• (#20) Roel Figueroa (So., G, Cidra, P.R.) – 12.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.3 APG; 50.4% FG, 43.0% 3PT, 80.3% FT. Leads the GNAC in three-point percentage and ranks fifth in free-throw percentage.
• (#4) Deivone Tanksley Jr. (Sr., Swingman, Hartford, Conn.) – 10.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.5 APG; 48.2% FG. Ranks among the GNAC leaders in offensive rebounds and total rebounds.

ATTITUDE REFLECTS LEADERSHIP:

Saint Joseph's: Tyler Ackley - 5th season (85-53, .616)

Ackley led the Monks to a standout 2024-25 season, guiding Saint Joseph's to a 24-5 overall record, a 13-1 GNAC mark, the top seed in the conference tournament, and the program's second GNAC Championship. The Monks returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009, and Ackley earned GNAC and Maine State Coach of the Year honors.

Named the fifth head coach in program history in September 2021, Ackley has steadily elevated the program after a 9-18 debut season, followed by records of 15-12, 18-9, and 24-5. Before Saint Joseph's, he spent four seasons at Colby College as The John "Swisher" Mitchell Assistant Coach, helping the Mules reach their first NESCAC Championship game and first NCAA Tournament berth in 23 years.

University of Saint Joseph: Glen Miller (22nd Season, 5th as Head Coach at USJ; 349-233, .600)

Glen Miller - former Associate Head Men's Basketball Coach at the University of Connecticut - is in his fifth season as Head Coach at USJ in after three seasons as full-time Associate Head Coach. Miller owns a 116-24 (.829) record as the Blue Jays' skipper, including an 11-2 mark in GNAC postseason action with conference championships in 2022 and 2024.

In 2022-23, Miller led the Blue Jays to a historic campaign, guiding USJ to a 29-2 record, a No. 1 national ranking, and the winningest season in program history. His team also earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16.

THE LAST TIME WE MET - Saint Joseph's def. University of Saint Joseph, 84-61 (Feb. 21, 2026, Standish):

Saint Joseph's took control early and never let USJ settle in, using defense-to-offense runs and a huge first half to separate. After the Blue Jays grabbed a brief 4-3 lead, the Monks answered with a 13-3 burst and later stretched the margin again with transition baskets and timely threes. The decisive stretch came late in the opening half, when SJC closed on a 17-5 push to carry a 50-26 lead into the break.

The Monks shot 50.7% (34-67) overall and 39.1% (9-23) from three, with all nine triples coming in the first half. SJC also dominated the paint (46 points) and converted turnovers into 22 points. USJ shot 31.5% (17-54) and went 1-for-12 from beyond the arc.

Remijo Wani led Saint Joseph's with 30 points and eight rebounds, while Wani Donato added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Tong Maiwen also finished in double figures with 12 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists.

Both teams entered that day's action riding a 13-game winning streak.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

With the win, Saint Joseph's improved to 2-9 in the all-time series against the University of Saint Joseph. The triumph was the Monks' first over the Blue Jays since the programs' first-ever meeting (1/12/2019, 98-87).

GNAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY:

Saint Joseph's has qualified for the GNAC Tournament in all 18 seasons as a conference member and has won at least one postseason game in each of the last four years. The Monks are 21-15 all-time in GNAC Tournament play, with conference championships in 2009 and 2025 and runner-up finishes in 2011, 2014, and 2024.

USJ is 16-3 in GNAC postseason play with three conference titles in five GNAC Championship appearances. The Blue Jays claimed their first GNAC crown in 2020 and proceeded to win the 2022 and 2024 championships.

The Monks and Blue Jays have met four times in the GNAC Tournament and USJ has come out on top in each meeting: 2019 semifinal (91-86), 2022 quarterfinal (95-45), 2023 semifinal (88-49), and the 2024 GNAC Championship (78-59).

University of Saint Joseph is 2-2 in road playoff games as a loss in the 2025 GNAC semifinal at Lasell ended the team's bid for consecutive conference titles.

GNAC TEAM STATS COMPARISON: