Bulldogs take on No. 20 Marist in NCAA First Four Wednesday night (7:00 p.m.)

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SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- The Bryant University men's lacrosse team makes its third-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance after clinching the program's fourth-straight Northeast Conference Tournament title in 2015, trumping top-seeded Saint Joseph's, 10-6, in the NEC Championship Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. Wednesday's matchup against MAAC Champion and No. 20/19 Marist is the second time in as many years that Bryant has competed in the NCAA First Four, with the winner advancing to an NCAA tournament first-round matchup against second-seeded Syracuse University Sunday at 7:30 p.m. in the Carrier Dome (ESPNU).

THE SERIES
This is the first time Bryant and Marist have met in men's lacrosse.

SCOUTING THE RED FOXES
After going undefeated in MAAC play this spring, Marist earned its second conference title and first since 2005, defeating second-seeded Quinnipiac, 16-14, at Tenney Stadium Saturday afternoon. Four Red Foxes posted hat tricks in the final, as Marist boasts one of the nation's top scoring threats in junior attack Joseph Radin. The two-time MAAC Offensive Player of the Year averages more than three goals per game, good for 10th nationally, and leads the Red Foxes with 49 goals and 65 points on the season. J.D. Recor ties his points mark, but off an impressive 39 assists, dishing out 2.44 helpers per game to rank seventh in Division I. Faceoff specialist Dominic Montermurro and netminder Dave Scarcello both rank in the top-20 for winning percentage (19th, .554) and all three goalie statistics (GAA, 7th; save percentage, 6th; saves per game, 19th), respectively, while the team's offense and defense are both ranked inside the nation's top-15.

BRYANT vs. THE METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (MAAC)
Wednesday's game marks the ninth meeting between the Bulldogs and a current member of the MAAC, and Marist becomes the fifth team out of the conference to face the Black and Gold. All-time, Bryant is 7-1 against the league, including a 4-1 mark against former NEC foe Quinnipiac, who joined the MAAC in 2014. The Bulldogs hosted MAAC opponent Siena in the 2014 NCAA tournament First Four, advancing into the NCAA First Round thanks to a 9-8 victory at Bulldog Stadium. Bryant also boasts wins in the program's only meetings against Detroit (15-6 win in 2009) and Monmouth (12-7 win in 2014). This is the team's first tilt against MAAC competition this season.

QUICK HITS
» A Matter of Record: Bryant enters 2015 NCAA tournament play with a 76-48 (.613) overall record at the Division I level (seven seasons).

» Postseason Success: Including both Northeast Conference Tournament and NCAA tournament play, the Bulldogs are 11-3 in the postseason in the program's Division I era. Bryant is an impressive 9-1 in NEC Tournament action, and following Saturday's 10-6 victory over top-seeded Saint Joseph's, the Black and Gold are also a perfect 4-0 in NEC Championships.

» Fieldwork: The Bulldogs faced off against five NCAA tournament qualifers in 2015, but went 0-5 on the matchups despite falling to three of them (Albany, Brown and North Carolina) by two goals or fewer.

» First to 10: Getting to 10 goals will be key for the Bulldogs in the 2015 NCAA tournament. Bryant is 5-0 this season when scoring 10 or more goals and fall to just 3-9 when limited to single-digit scoring. Bryant's record rises to 8-5 when limiting its competition to single-digit scores, but the team is winless in the four contests in which the opposing offense converts 10 or more tallies.

» Too Close for Comfort: The Bulldogs saw 11 of their 17 contests decided by two goals or fewer, going 5-2 in two-goal games but 0-4 in one-goal decisions.

» Happy 100th: Head coach Mike Pressler notched his 100th win at Bryant with an 11-8 victory over second-seeded Hobart in the NEC Semifinals Thursday night. The milestone comes in just his ninth season in Smithfield, and the Bulldog bench boss boasts a career mark of 330-158.

FOUR-PEAT: BULLDOGS DEFEND NEC TITLE
Despite entering the 2015 Northeast Conference Tournament as the #3 seed, the Bulldogs defended their 2012, 2013 and 2014 tournament crowns in Philadelphia last weekend, avenging regular-season losses to second-seeded Hobart, 11-8, in the NEC Semifinal and to top-seeded Saint Joseph's, 10-6, in Saturday's final to earn their fourth-straight championship title. Bryant has now won the tournament once as the top seed (2013), twice as the second seed (2012, 2014) and once as the three seed (2015).

PRESSLER IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Ninth-year head coach Mike Pressler makes his 18th NCAA tournament appearance in 2015 and third since taking over the helm at Bryant University. Before arriving in Smithfield, Pressler brought his Duke program to the dance 10 times, including an appearance in the 2005 national championship, and prior to that led Ohio Wesleyan to three-straight NCAA Division III title games (5 tournament appearances). All-time in NCAA tournament action, Pressler is 19-17 (.528) with a 11-12 mark (.478) at the Division I level (Duke, Bryant).

MIGHTY MASSA
Despite the 2015 rule changes, senior faceoff specialist Kevin Massa remains at the top of the national landscape from the X this spring. Already the NCAA record holder in career ground balls (746), single-season ground balls (231 in 2013), single-season ground balls per game (12.16 in 2013) and single-game faceoff winning percentage (1.000 vs. Richmond March 29, 2014) entering the 2015 campaign, Massa has set another pair of NCAA career marks as a senior, eclipsing the previous records for career faceoffs won (1,105) and career faceoffs attempted (1,619). The senior captain is on pace to finish his career with yet another all-time NCAA mark, entering Wednesday's First Four contest averaging 9.95 ground balls per game across his four-year career. The current career mark, set by Delaware's Steve Shaw from 1983-86, is 9.49 ground balls per game. In 2015, Massa currently ranks fourth nationally with a .670 faceoff winning percentage and third in Division I with 8.88 ground balls per game.

GOING STREAKING
Sophomore attack and Bryant leading scorer Tucker James enters Wednesday's contest boasting one of the longest points scored streaks in the nation. The All-NEC First Team selection has notched at least one point in each of the last 26 contests dating back to April 12, 2014, having scored 50 goals and dished out 22 assists for 77 total points during the stretch.

BULLDOGS GARNER NEC PLAYER, DEFENSIVE PLAYER AND ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, ADD 10 ALL-LEAGUE ACCOLADES
Headlined by a pair of repeat major award winners – three-time NEC Player of the Year Kevin Massa and repeat NEC Defensive Player of the Year Gunnar Waldt – the Bryant University men's lacrosse team saw 11 different players collect all-conference honors in 2015, as announced by the league April 29. Six players took home All-NEC First Team honors, as Massa and Waldt were joined by sophomore attack Tucker James, junior midfielder Collins Gantz, sophomore defenseman Kyle Mummau and senior defenseman Connor Dent. Junior attack Shane Morrell and sophomore longstick midfielder Cody O'Donnell were named All-NEC Second Team picks, while a trio of freshmen starters in attack Cam Ziegler, midfielder Tom Kennedy and defenseman Chas South all took home NEC All-Rookie Team selections.

MASSA SELECTED IN 2015 MLL DRAFT
Senior faceoff specialist Kevin Massa became the sixth Bulldog to be drafted into the Major League Lacrosse ranks this past January, when the 2015 captain was selected in the fourth round by the Charlotte Hounds.

POLE POWER
Sophomore longstick midfielder and local product Cody O'Donnell has been key to the Bulldogs' late success in 2015. Following a season-ending injury to starting defenseman and All-NEC First Teamer Kyle Mummau, O'Donnell stepped into the opening on close defense, where he has thrived on both sides of the ball. A threat on offense as well as on defense, O'Donnell enters the NCAA tournament with seven goals and two assists this season, including three scores in last weekend's NEC Tournament. Two of those tallies have served as game winners for the Black and Gold, complementing his 17 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers this season.

SEEING ORANGE
Should the Bulldogs advance out of Wednesday's contest, they will be heading back to face a familiar foe. Wednesday's winner draws an NCAA First Round matchup with second-seeded Syracuse Sunday night (7:30 p.m., ESPNU), the same pairing that was made last season out of the First Four. The Bulldogs topped Siena, 9-8, at home in the 2014 First Four contest and went on to shock the Orange inside the Carrier Dome, 10-9, to earn the program's first trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals. It was the second-straight season Bryant took on Syracuse in NCAA tournament action following a 2013 First Round matchup that saw the Bulldogs fall, 12-7.

60 MINUTES FEATURES PRESSLER, BRYANT IN PAIR OF SEGMENTS
A sequel to April 12's 60 Minutes story profiling Bryant University head men's lacrosse coach Mike Pressler is set to air on 60 Minutes Sports Wednesday, May 6 at 10:00 p.m. on CBS's Showtime network. This second look at Pressler and Bulldog lacrosse by Armen Keteyian highlights Bryant's growth athletically and institutionally since the arrival of the head coach, now in his ninth season in Smithfield.

The original 60 Minutes story, Rush to Judgment, was broadcast on the CBS program's Masters Sunday edition on April 12 and was watched by 12.6 million viewers. The feature story focused on the loyalty that Pressler has shown Bryant University following the "Duke Lacrosse Scandal" and how it affected the life of Pressler and his family during and afterwards.

Wednesday's story, The Pressler Effect, centers around Pressler and the rise of Bryant Lacrosse, and will air throughout the month on Showtime.