No. 8 MOUNT ST. MARY'S (12-19, 8-12 MAAC) vs. No. 9 CANISIUS (10-19, 8-12 MAAC)
Tuesday, March 7, 5:00 p.m.
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | Atlantic City, N.J.
GAME NOTES (PDF) | LIVE STATS | WATCH on ESPN+
MOUNT STORY LINES
-  Mount St. Mary's persevered for a 74-69 win at Manhattan in the regular season finale to clinch the No. 8 seed in the MAAC Tournament. Jalen Benjamin scored a game-high 21 points while Dakota Leffew added 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists. The Mount led by as many as 19 points in the first half before Manhattan rallied to take a 55-49 lead. The Mount was able to respond to the Jasper run and come away with the victory.
- Mount St. Mary's has won four of the past five games to finish the season as the No. 8 seed in their first year in the MAAC. This will be the Mount's first neutral site conference tournament game since falling to No. 1 seed Monmouth, 64-52, in the Northeast Conference Quarterfinals on March 6, 2004. The NEC Tournament was hosted by Wagner that year.
- The Mount swept the season series with Canisius and is 3-0 all-time against the Golden Griffins. Dakota Leffew averaged 17.5 points in the two wins over Canisius while Jalen Benjamin averaged 14.5 points and 9.0 assists. Jordan Henderson led Canisius in the two games, averaging 18.5 ppg.
- Malik Jefferson broke the Mount's all-time record for games played in the win over Manhattan. Jefferson has now appeared in 132 games (130 starts) in his Mount career. The 6-9 graduate student is averaging 11.0 points and 10.7 rebounds over his past three games.
- Jalen Benjamin led the Mount with 21 points in the win over Manhattan. It is the fifth time over the past eight games that Benjamin has scored 20 or more points. He is averaging 20.0 points over that stretch, shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 40.0 percent (12-of-30) from three-point range. Benjamin has scored 20 or more points eight times this year.
- Mount St. Mary's scored 74 points in the win over Manhattan, marking the fifth time over the past eight games the Mount has scored 70 or more in a game. Prior to the eight-game stretch, the Mount had not scored 70 points in a game in the previous 15 contests.
- The winner of the Tuesday's matchup will advance to the MAAC Quarterfinals to face top-seeded Iona on Wednesday, March 8, at 7:00 p.m.
