ALFRED, NY — The Alfred University men's basketball team is preparing to take on host and top-seeded Hartwick College Friday evening in the first round of the Empire 8 Conference championship tournament.

The Saxons (18-7, 9-5 Empire 8) will play the Hawks at 8 p.m. in one semifinal game. Earlier in the evening, at 6 p.m., second-seeded Stevens will play third-seeded Nazareth. The semifinal winners will play for the conference title, and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III championship tournament, at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Alfred split the regular season series with Hartwick, falling 131-124 in overtime at Hartwick on Jan. 17 and winning at home, 105-98, on Feb. 8. Hartwick (16-9) finished tied with Stevens and Nazareth atop the Empire 8 standings with a 10-4 league mark, but earned the tournament's top seed due tiebreakers.

AU also split the season series with Stevens and Nazareth, with the home team winning each time.
This is the first time AU has made the four-team conference tournament field in the 15 years since the Empire 8 was founded. AU will be seeking its fourth-ever NCAA tournament appearance. The Saxons last competed in the NCAAs in 1997, when they were members of the Presidents Athletic Conference. AU also played in the national championship tournament in 1986 and 1989.

All three Empire 8 tournament games at Hartwick will be video-streamed live on Empire 8 TV. In addition, live stats will also be provided for both semifinal games Friday and Saturday's championship game.

Heading into the weekend, Alfred finds itself ranked among the nation's Division III statistical leaders in several team categories. The Saxons lead the country in total rebounds (1,198), total steals (301) and offensive rebounds per game (22.7) and are ranked second in points per game (97.8) and steals per game (12.5). The team ranks fourth in total assists (422) and turnover margin (7.0 per game); fifth in steals per game (17.6); seventh in total free throw attempts (688); and eighth in total three-point field goals made (233).

Senior guard/forward Thomas Tsatsis (Neponsit, NY/Townsend Harris) ranks 17^th in the nation in total steals (61) and 19^th in steals per game (2.54).

Tsatsis leads the team in scoring, with 13.0 points per game, while freshman guard Tyler Seelman (Lorton, VA/Hayfield Secondary) is second with 11.0 points per game. Senior center Steve Lothridge (East Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse-Minoa (OCC)) leads the team in rebounds per game (6.1) and Tsatsis ranks second (5.1). Junior guard Tim Pacheco (Mt. Pocono, PA/Pocono Mountain East) ranks first in assists per game (3.0) and Tsatsis is second (2.4).