The Misericordia University men's basketball team accomplished many program firsts during the 2011-12 season.

In the midst of a school-record 12-game winning streak, the Cougars have compiled the best record in school history at 21-6 and they won their first Freedom Conference championship.

With that, head coach Trevor Woodruff and his Cougars earned their first NCAA Championships and will open the tournament at New York University, Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

The winner will advance to Saturday's second-round where they will meet second-ranked Amherst.

“We're excited about everything that we've accomplished throughout the season,” said Woodruff.  “The best part is yet to come and that is that we are still playing.  We're really looking forward to the experience of the NCAA Tournament.”

The Cougars are led by Freedom Conference Player of the Year Ethan Eichhorst, a senior forward who was third in the Freedom in scoring (17.9 ppg) and eighth in rebounding (7.3 rpg).

Junior forward Steve Artzerounian, a second-team All Freedom selection, is second on the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg).

Senior guard Jeff Slanovec, who went over the 1,000 career point mark in the Freedom title game, adds 9.2 ppg, including 42 three-pointers while classmate Chris Undersinger adds 5.1 ppg and is fourth in the Freedom in three-point percentage (44.1%).

Sophomore point guard Matt Greene leads the Freedom with 3.7 assists and 2.3 three-pointers per game.  He is third in three-point percentage (44.2).

Freshman point guard Joe Busacca adds 7.5 points off the bench for the Cougars.

“Our scoring balance has been one of our strengths throughout the year,” said Woodruff.  “It makes us tough to guard and it's allowed us to overcome when one guy might have an off night.”

The Cougars rank 10th in the nation in team free throw percentage (76.8%) and 21st in three-point shooting (39.2%).
Eichhorst is ninth in the country in free throw shooting at 88.9%.

NYU, 20-5, received an at-large berth and is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 14 years after finishing second in the UAA.

The Violets are the top-ranked three-point shooting team in the nation at 41.7% and are second in the country with 19.1 assists per game.  NYU ranks seventh in the nation in overall field goal percentage at 50.3%.

Andy Stein leads three players in double figures with 16.3 points per game while Kyle Stockmal and Carl Yaffe added 14.7 and 14.3 ppg, respectively.

Stockmal is third in the country in three-point shooting at 48.6%.