COLCHESTER, Vt. - The top-seeded and 22nd-ranked Saint Michael's College men's basketball team hosts third-seeded Southern New Hampshire University for the NCAA Division II East Regional Championship title on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Ross Sports Center during a Sweet 16 contest. The Purple Knights' first berth in the Elite Eight since 1964-65, and a trip to Evansville, Ind., is on the line.
 
Ticket prices for Tuesday's title game are $10 for adults, $5 for children (5-17), seniors (65+) and non-Saint Michael's students with a valid ID, and free for Saint Michael's students with a valid ID and children younger than 5. Beverage containers will not be permitted, and backpacks are subject to search. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are free for Saint Michael's students thanks to the generosity of the SMC Edmundite Community and SMC Athletic Hall of Famers Rich Tarrant '65 (basketball) and Jay Bellissimo '87 (ice hockey).

Saint Michael's, which is amid hosting its first regional since 1960, prior to the completion of the Ross Sports Center in 1973, won regional titles in 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1965, advancing as far as the national championship game in 1958. Prior to this season, Saint Michael's had not qualified for an NCAA Tournament since 2001, when it advanced to the Sweet 16 and finished as the Northeast Region runner-up.
 
The Purple Knights knocked off Northeast-10 Conference foe No. 8 Southern Connecticut State University, 68-62, in Saturday's quarterfinals thanks to a late 10-1 surge before burying a program-NCAA Tournament-record 17 three-pointers in an 86-62 triumph over No. 4 Daemen University in a Sunday semifinal. Of the six contests thus far in the regional tournament, that is the lone game not determined by single digits.
 
For the second time in this year's regional, the Purple Knights are set to oppose an NE10 counterpart when they square off with Southern New Hampshire in the final. The Penmen, who are 4-0 in the Ross Sports Center this year, downed No. 6 Bloomfield College, 75-70, in a quarterfinal before eliminating No. 7 Post University, 69-64, in the semifinals. Southern New Hampshire's run to the NE10 Championship crown included bouncing homestanding Saint Michael's in a semifinal contest, 97-65. The teams split the regular-season series, with the Purple and Gold winning in Manchester, N.H., 63-62, on Nov. 29 before the Penmen took an 82-75 decision in Colchester on Jan. 30.
 
Southern New Hampshire (23-10) leads the postseason series, 3-1, while the teams have split a pair of NCAA Tournament match-ups. The Penmen downed the Purple Knights in a 1997 Northeast Region semifinal, 101-90, before Saint Michael's returned the favor in a 1999 Northeast Region quarterfinal, 87-76.
 
Saint Michael's, which won its first NE10 regular-season title since 2000-01, stands 24-8 after becoming the fourth team in the NE10's 44-year history to qualify for an NCAA Tournament one year after finishing with the league's worst record. Only one had previously advanced past the opening round, with the Purple Knights now the first to reach a regional final. The Purple Knights are 15-4 all-time in the Ross Sports Center during postseason play.
 
Under fifth-year head coach Eric Eaton, who was named NE10 Coach of the Year, the Purple Knights have more wins this season than the last two years combined (19). Saint Michael's set a school record for three-pointers (343) and sits top 10 in the NCAA East Region in eight statistical categories, including fewest turnovers per game (11.5), three-pointers made per game (10.7) and field goal percentage defense (42.8%). Seven different players average at least 7.2 points, as five have reached double figures at least once during the NCAA Tournament.
 
Senior Romar Reid (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Woodstock Academy/Manhattan) leads the way in scoring (16.4) while turning in 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals, and sophomore Darrel Yepdo (Dracut, Mass./Brooks School) averages 15.3 points behind 40.1% three-point shooting with 3.7 helpers and 1.8 steals. Both earned a spot on the NE10 All-Conference second team, while Yepdo was also chosen for the NE10 All-Defensive Team.
 
Junior CJ Crews (Tampa, Fla./Bayshore Christian School) turns in 12.4 points as the NE10's highest-scoring reserve, burying 2.3 threes per game while adding 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals. Sophomore Nolan Marold (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Brewster Academy/Loyola Chicago) turns in 10.1 points on 56.8% shooting with 7.3 boards, 2.9 offensive rebounds and just shy of 1.0 block.
 
Sophomore Alan Brzezinski (Örebro, Sweden/Western Reserve Academy) notches 8.3 points on 38.2% three-point shooting with 4.9 rebounds, junior reserve Jhamyl Fricas (Lawrence, Mass./Worcester Academy/Connors State) adds 8.1 points on 42.6% shooting, and classmate Jake Duniver (Fredericksburg, Va./Woodstock Academy) collects 7.2 points on 39.5% accuracy from distance and 6.1 rebounds.
 
NCAA Digital has partnered with Hudl to utilize the Hudl platform to stream all regionals games and the Elite Eight. Contests will be webcast on NCAA.com, the Hudl platform and an OTT app - "NCAA Championships Pass". Fans have three viewing options: $9.95 per contest, $29.95 for all Division II Men's Basketball Championship games excluding the semifinals and championship game, and $49.95 for all Division II Men's and Women's Basketball Championship games, excluding the semifinals and championship games. The semifinals and finals of the DII Men's Basketball Championship will be carried on CBS Sports Network and CBS, respectively.