For the third-straight year, the College of Staten Island men’s basketball team will be playing in the CUNYAC Championship Final, taking on Baruch College tonight at 8:30pm at Hunter College against top-seeded Baruch College. The Dolphins punched their ticket with a 70-57 win last night over John Jay College, while Baruch enters fresh off of their 73-59 win over Brooklyn College on Wednesday.
#2 CSI VS. #1 BARUCH COLLEGE AT-A-GLANCE
Matchup: CSI (17-9, 12-4 CUNYAC) vs. Baruch (21-5, 14-2 CUNYAC)
Where: Hunter College Sportsplex – 68th Street & Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Live Stats: https://cunyathletics.com/sidearmstats/mbball3/summary
Live Video: CUNYAC Facebook Page
Tickets: Register for Tickets Here
All-Time Series: CSI leads, 57-21
Last Meeting: February 13, 2019 – Baruch won, 82-78
Players to Watch (CSI): The Dolphins got a career-high 19 points from sophomore Rigaud Destime, lifting his season-total to 7.3 markers per game to go with 3.5 rebounds per contest as well. The Dolphins continue to be paced by Christian Taylor. The CUNYAC Player of the Year is averaging 19.5 points per game and poured in 16 in CSI’s semifinal win on Thursday night. Taylor took MVP honors at last year’s CUNYAC Postseason Tournament. CSI’s rebounding leader is Adeola Latunji, who paces the team with 8.2 points per contest. Latunji is averaging 17.9 points per game as well. Stephen Flagg is the other major scoring threat, pouring in an average of 10.2 points per game while averaging 6.0 rebounds per contest. Look for interior threats Chamald Martin and Joseph Zieris to stay hot. Both are shooting well above 60% on the interior, combining for over 11 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Players to Watch (BC): Andre Harris is the team leader for Baruch in a host of categories. He is pacing the Bearcats with 15.8 points per game, adding a team-best 9.0 rebounds, while shooting 47.1% from the field and 78.8% from the free-throw line. Bryler Paige had a huge game against the Dolphins the last time these two teams paired up and he is next on the Baruch list with 14 points per game. Downtown shooting ace William Sixsmith is Baruch’s lone other double-digit scorer, connecting on 11.9 points per game thanks to a heavy 69 three-pointers this season in 212 attempts. Benjamin Boateng is a big x-factor for Baruch. He is averaging 6.2 points with 5.8 rebounds per game, and the last time these two teams connected he put up 11 points in Baruch’s four-point victory.
News & Notes: Tonight will be the tie-breaker in the season series between the two sides as both teams have taken one win apiece during the regular season, with both teams winning on their home floor. CSI handed Baruch their biggest loss of the season back on January 16, 74-49, their largest win over the Bearcats in over five years. The Bearcats returned the favor by defeating CSI, 82-78, most recently on February 13, the final regular season game for both teams before postseason play. Overall the two teams have split the last four meetings. Prior to that, CSI had ripped off six-straight wins in the series. CSI does own a big advantage over Baruch on neutral ground, boasting an all-time record of 12-3 against the Bearcats on a neutral court. Their last such meeting came in last year’s CUNYAC Semifinal, a 77-67 CSI win. CSI also took a 71-54 win over Baruch in the 2017 Semifinal round as well, so tonight’s meeting marks the third-straight year that the teams are pairing in the CUNYAC Postseason Tournament. The Dolphins have faced Baruch in the CUNYAC Postseason more than any other CUNYAC team, as tonight will mark the 20th meeting between the two teams in the CUNYAC Tournament. CSI is 14-5 overall against the Bearcats in the Tournament. Baruch’s last win over CSI in the postseason came in 2010, a 94-76 Bearcats win in quarterfinal play. Tonight marks the second time Baruch and CSI are meeting in the CUNYAC Championship. The teams met in the 1982 Championship, an 83-77 CSI win. The Dolphins are chasing their 16th CUNYAC title tonight. CSI is 15-6 all-time in CUNYAC Championship games. A win tonight would mark their third-straight CUNYAC Championship, a feat accomplished only one other time in their history from 1981-83.
