CUMBERLAND, Md., March 8, 2019 – After capturing the 2019 NJCAA Div. I Region XV Championship this past Sunday, the No. 23-ranked Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team is set for the 2019 NJCAA Div. I District 3 Championship on Saturday, March 9. The Mustangs will take on Region XX Champion Allegany College of Maryland district's automatic bid into the 2019 NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.
 
DISTRICT 3 CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
Where:
Allegany College of Maryland – Bob Kirk Arena – Cumberland, Md.
 
When:
Saturday, March 9 – 12 p.m.
 
Live Stats (provided by Monroe College):
http://monroecollegemustangs.com/sidearmstats/mbball
 
2018-19 FOR THE MUSTANGS
The Mustangs enter Saturday's matchup with a 25-5 overall record, bringing with them a ton of momentum while riding a 14-game winning streak. While the Mustangs have played the majority of their season at home with a 15-2 record at the Monroe Athletic Complex, they are also 10-3 away from home this season.
 
The Mustangs have been a dominant force on defense this season. They rank sixth in the nation in points per game allowed, giving up an average of 65.2 points. Monroe is third in opponents' field goal percentage at 36.8 percent, while ranking first in opponents' three-point percentage at 28.6 percent. The Mustangs average 13.9 steals per game, good for fourth in the NJCAA, and opponents are turning the ball over against the Mustangs an average of 23.0 times per game, the highest rate in the country.
 
Zion Styles leads the Mustangs with 12.4 points per game this season. Thomas Binelli is close behind at 12.1 points per game, while Will Martinez and Juan Felix Rodriguez are averaging 12.0 and 11.1 points, respectively. Mouhamadou Gueye leads the team with 5.5 rebounds per game, while Binelli is right behind at 5.4. Rodriguez has averaged a team-high 4.4 assists per game, and has a team-best plus/minus rating of +388 this season. Martinez is the team leader with an average of 2.7 steals per game, and Gueye is blocking a team-best 2.0 shots per contest.
 
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
Allegany enters Saturday's District Championship game with a 19-11 overall record. The Trojans were victorious over both Harford Community College and Baltimore City Community College in the Region XX Championship tournament, claiming the region title to advance to the District Championship. The Trojans are 11-2 at home this year and come into Saturday on a four-game winning streak.
 
Demarcus Demonia leads the Trojans with 21.7 points per game this season, making 52.6 percent of his field goals, while also averaging 12.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. Antoine Lewis is next with 16.9 points per game, while Davon Floyd is averaging 14.5 points. Saivon Word leads the team with 3.8 assists per game, while Lewis leads the team with 2.4 steals per game.
 
EARLY SEASON MATCHUP
The Mustangs and Trojans faced off early in the season as part of the Jim Brown Classic, hosted by Hagerstown Community College. The Mustangs picked up a 75-60 victory in that game, a contest that was never tied and never saw the Mustangs trail.
GAME RECAP 
 
DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The Mustangs have been victorious in their last five appearances in the District Championship. Their last District Championship loss was a game at Allegany back on March 7, 2009. Monroe's last trip to the District Championship saw the Mustangs pick up a victory on the road at Harford Community College, 57-55, to send the Mustangs to the 2017 NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has nine varsity and junior varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).