MOUNT ST. MARY'S (0-0) at No. 4 VILLANOVA (0-0)
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | 4:30 p.m.
Finneran Pavilion | Villanova, Pa.
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GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS
MOUNT STORY LINES
- Mount St. Mary's opens the 2021-22 season at No. 4 Villanova. This will be the first meeting between the two teams since Villanova recorded a 76-56 win over the Mount in the First Round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, N.Y. The Mount led the majority of the first half in that game before trailing 30-29 at the break. The Wildcats took control of the game with a 13-2 run to open the second half.
- Mount St. Mary's was picked third in the annual Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Wagner is the NEC preseason favorite, followed by Bryant and the Mount.Â
- This will be the 113th season opener for the Mount St. Mary's men's basketball program. The Mount has a 58-54 all-time record in season openers, but is just 4-29 in season openers since moving to NCAA Division I in 1988-89. The Mount won its season opener last year, 62-55, at Morgan State.
- Mount St. Mary's is 1-32 all-time against ranked opponents. This will be the Mount's first game against a ranked opponent since falling to No. 9 Kentucky, 82-62, on Nov. 22, 2019. The Mount's win came at No. 21 Georgia Tech on Dec. 18, 1995. Jeff Balistrere hit a game-winning lay-up at the buzzer to send the Mount to the win.
- Mount St. Mary's won the NEC Tournament last year, earning the school's sixth NCAA Division I Tournament bid. The Mount fell to Texas Southern, 60-52, in the NCAA First Four. In the NEC Tournament, the Mount downed top-seeded Wagner (66-60) and second-seeded Bryant (73-68) on the road to secure the NEC Tournament title.
- Up next, the Mount welcomes Washington (Md.) to Knott Arena for the home opener on Thursday, November 11, at 7:00 p.m.
