FOR STARTERS: No. 6 seeded New Jersey City University (13-13) head to Wayne, N.J. for a New Jersey Athletic Conference semifinal matchup against No. 2 seeded William Paterson University (19-6). WPU swept the season series.
 
LIVE COVERAGE: Live stats will be available at http://sidearmstats.com/wpunj/mbball. The NJCU Athletic Communications office will provide audio play-by-play at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/njcu-athletics. NJCU Sports Information Director Ira Thor will be on the call.
 
Live updates will also be available on Twitter at NJCU's handle @NJCU_Athletics. Game hashtags are NJCUMBB and NJCUvsWP.
 
WHAT'S AT STAKE: The winner of the game takes on the winner of No. 1 seeded and D3hoops.com 21st ranked Stockton University (20-5) and fourth-seeded Rutgers University-Newark (18-8) on Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m. at the site of the highest remaining seed. The winner of that game will claim the NJAC's automatic qualifying bid to the 2015 NCAA Division III Tournament. Stockton is the defending NJAC champion.
 
HOW THEY GOT HERE: NJCU upset third-seeded The College of New Jersey, 74-60, on February 21. The Gothic Knights never trailed and used a 16-0 run over a nearly eight-minute span in the first half to seize control of the game. WPUNJ received a first-round bye after placing second in the regular-season standings.  WP did not have a good final week of the regular season, losing its final three games.
 
SERIES: Overall, it will be the 145th known meeting. NJCU leads the all-time series, 76-68.
 
NJAC PLAYOFF SERIES: NJCU and William Paterson resume a long rivalry and history of NJAC Tournament showdowns. It will be the 10th meeting between the schools in the conference tournament. The Pioneers lead the NJAC Tournament series, 7-2 and are 3-0 against the Gothic Knights in Wayne. It will be the first meeting between the schools in the NJACs since NJCU defeated WP, 85-72 in Jersey City on February 26, 2004, en route to an NJAC crown that season.
 

NJCU vs. William Paterson in the NJAC Tournament
DATE	RK	SITE	LOCATION	W/L	NJCU	OPP.	RECORD (W-L)		MARGIN
2//1980		H	Jersey City, NJ	L	79	88	0	1	-9
2/25/1983		H	Jersey City, NJ	L	69	72	0	2	-3
2/22/1984		A	Wayne, NJ	L	86	94	0	3	-8
2/20/1985		A	Wayne, NJ	L	77	79	0	4	-2
2/19/1986		H	Jersey City, NJ	W	70	62	1	4	8
2/25/1987		H	Jersey City, NJ	L	77	90	1	5	-13
2/23/2001		A	Wayne, NJ	L	72	88	1	6	-16
2/26/2004		H	Jersey City, NJ	W	85	72	2	6	13

 
** The teams also played a play-in tie-breaker game on February 19, 2002 in Jersey City. WP won, 60-44.
 
SEASON SERIES: WP swept the season series, winning in Wayne on December 3, 65-52. On February 9, the then No. 22 Pioneers held on late to prevail, 62-59.
 
RANKINGS: Both schools are unranked. The Pioneers have been ranked three times this season: 22nd on February 9 (week 10) and 25th in weeks nine and 10 of the season on January 26 and February 2.
 
The Pioneers are currently ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division III Atlantic Region behind Stockton. The current regional rankings:
 

1. Stockton
2. William Paterson
3. Baruch
4. Brooklyn
5. Rutgers-Newark
6. Sage
7. Staten Island

 
STRENGTH of SCHEDULE: Of the data released in the regional rankings on February 16, William Paterson has an in-division strength of schedule of .555. Meanwhile, NJCU's .590 SOS is by far the best in the region. The top five ranked Atlantic Region teams by Strength of Schedule:

1. New Jersey City            .590
2. Stockton                       .579
3. Kean                             .575
4. William Paterson           .555
5. Rutgers-Camden           .554

 
HISTORY OF WINNING: Since the league began crowning men's basketball champions in the 1957-58 season, NJCU currently owns an unprecedented 12 NJAC titles (1960-61, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1978-79, 1985-86, 1989-90, 1991-92, 1994-95, 2003-04, 2010-11).
 
Meanwhile, William Paterson is breathing down NJCU's neck, now with 11 titles (1971-72, 1979-80, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2011-12). The Pioneers have won six titles under long-time head coach Jose Rebimbas.
 
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS:
 
CHAMPIONSHIPS BY SCHOOL (57 Seasons)
Note: Year listed is second of two-year split (ex. 2014 listed for 2013-2014 season)
SCHOOL                                   TITLES              YEARS
New Jersey City University         12         2011, 2004, 1995, 1992, 1990, 1986, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1965, 1964, 1961
William Paterson University        11         2012, 2010, 2006, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1985, 1984, 1983, 1980, 1972
Rowan University                       10         1999, 1994, 1993, 1977, 1976, 1975, 1971 (tie), 1963, 1959, 1958
Montclair State University          9          2003, 1982, 1981, 1971 (tie), 1970, 1969, 1968, 1962, 1960
Richard Stockton College          7          2014, 2009, 2008, 1997, 1996, 1988, 1987
Kean University                                     3          1991, 1978, 1966
The College of New Jersey        3          1998, 1989, 1967
Ramapo College                                   3          2013, 2007, 2005
Rutgers-Camden                       0          ---
Rutgers-Newark                         0          ---

NJCU IN THE NJACs: NJCU is 20-20 all-time in the NJAC Tournament and 4-11 in NJAC road games. NJCU is appearing in the NJAC Tournament for the third straight season and 28th time since 1977-78.