Men's Basketball GNAC Semifinal Preview vs. Emerson

Sixth ranked Lasell College is coming off a 75-70 upset victory over no. 3 seeded St. Joseph's College of Maine as they head into the Great Northeast Athletic Conference semifinals against no. 2 Emerson College on Thursday, February 25^th.  The Lasers are 11-15 this season, having finished the GNAC with an 8-10 slate.  Emerson is 19-7 overall, after a 63-45 defeat of seventh seeded Norwich University in the quarter finals, and finished the regular season with a 15-3 conference record.

The Lasers and the Lions have met six times in their history and come into this game with three wins each in those six meetings. In the two contests this season, Lasell has fallen short of the victory, dropping the first conference matchup 83-75 at Emerson, and the second game 80-70 at home, while last season, Lasell was the victor in both GNAC matchups.  During the 2007-2008 season, each team took home a win at the others home court, however, Lasell's 2008 triumph took place in the finals of the GNAC Championship Tournament, and resulted in the Lasers becoming conference champions and heading to the big dance at the NCAA Tournament.

Javon Williams (Mattapan, MA) and Charles Horton (Detroit, MI) lead the Lasers on offense, averaging 20.6 and 13.6 points per game respectively.  Williams is ranked 3^rd in the GNAC for overall scoring, while Horton is ranked 18^th.  In addition to being ranked offensively, Williams is also ranked in the GNAC for rebounds per game (3^rd, 8.8 RPG), field goal percentage (5^th, 53.8%), steals (3^rd, 2.1 SPG), free throw percentage (12^th, 71.1%), and blocked shots (10^th, 1.1 BPG).  Horton also grabs nods in assists per game (11^th, 2.8 APG), free throw percentage (2^nd, 81.7%), three-point field goal percentage (12^th, 36.3%), and three-pointers made (3^rd, 2.7 PG).

Sophomore Dominik Orlow (Slupsk, Poland) and freshman Justin Harris (New Orleans, LA) are also keys to the Lasers' success.  Orlow is averaging 8.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 49% from the field.  Harris is also averaging 8.5 points, as well as 4.3 boards, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.  Harris is ranked 13^th in the GNAC in assists per game, and had a game, season, and career-high 21 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in the Lasers' quarterfinal win over St. Joe's. 

Emerson currently leads the conference in scoring margin (+6.5).  Emerson also boasts some of the top players in the league, including Bryan Rouse (East Greenwich, RI) and Jeremy Shannon (Lowell, MA).  Rouse is ranked 4^th in points per game, averaging 19.4 per contest, 6^th in free throw percentage (77%).  Shannon is ranked 7^th in points per game (15.1) and rebounds per game (7.3), 4^th in steals (2.0), 11^th in field goal percentage (48.9%) and 1^st in assists per game (5.2).

Emerson's Tommy Messanger (Florence, MA) is one of the top three-ball shooters in the conference, ranked 2^nd in three-point field goal percentage (44.5%) and 6^th in three's per game (2.5).

The Last time these two teams met, on February 11^th, Rouse scored a game-high 35 points, and tore down seven rebounds.  The Lasers held Shannon to just seven points and five rebounds, well below his season average. 

Also in that contest, the Lasers were guided by Williams with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while shooting 70% from the field.  Adam Topel (Boca Raton, FL) chipped in with 11 points for the Lasers. 

The Lasers and the Lions will tip off Thursday, February 25^th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Brown & Plofker Gym in Boston, Massachusetts.