Buzzards Bay, Mass. — Salem State University has earned the top seed in the 2012 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championships, which begin on Tuesday, February 21st with quarterfinal round action and move to semi-final round play on Thursday, February 23rd before concluding with the league championship game on Saturday, February 25th.

Salem State and second-seeded Bridgewater State earned byes into Thursday’s semi-finals and will await the winners of Tuesday’s quarterfinal round contests, which will feature third-seeded Westfield State University hosting sixth-seeded Fitchburg State University at the Woodward Center in Westfield, Mass. beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST and fourth-seeded Worcester State University hosting fifth-seeded MCLA at Lancer Gymnasium in Worcester, Mass. beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST.

The winner of the Worcester State-MCLA quarterfinal advances to take on Salem State in semi-final round action on Thursday evening at Twohig Gymnasium in Salem, Mass., while the Westfield State-Fitchburg State winner will square off with Bridgewater State in Thursday’s other semi-final match-up at the Tinsley Center in Bridgewater, Mass., with both games tipping-off at 7:00 p.m. EST. The two semi-final winners will meet for the 2012 MASCAC Championship and the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championships on Saturday at the site of the highest remaining seed beginning at a starting time that will be determined following Thursday’s semi-final round match-ups.

Salem State captured its third MASCAC regular season crown in four seasons under Head Coach Chris Harvey this winter with an 18-7 regular season mark and a 10-2 league slate, and the Vikings are paced by senior forward Brian Clark (Deerfield, Mass.), as the reigning conference Player of the Year ranks second in the league in scoring at 18.8 ppg while adding 5.9 rpg. Bridgewater State posted an overall mark of 14-10 (9-3 in MASCAC play) under Head Coach Joe Farroba this season, and the Bears are led in scoring by senior forward Anthony Fortes (Providence, R.I.), who averages 14.6 points and five rebounds per game.

Westfield State recorded a 15-10 regular season slate (7-5 in conference action) under Head Coach Rich Sutter, and the Owls are led by junior guard Lee Vazquez (Attleboro, Mass.), who leads the MASCAC in scoring at 21.2 ppg while adding 4.6 rpg. Worcester State notched eight overall regular season triumphs and five in conference play under Head Coach David Lindberg, and the Lancers are paced by sophomore forward Robert Hunter (St. Louis, Mo.), who averages 16.1 ppg and 10.5 rpg.

MCLA posted seven victories overall and four in conference play under Head Coach Jamie Morrison, and the Trailblazers are led by senior forward Jamal Brown (Springfield, Mass.), who averages 12 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, while Fitchburg State rounds out this year’s championship field after notching a 13-11 overall mark and four triumphs in MASCAC action under Head Coach Derek Shell, as junior center Zach Valliere (Douglas, Mass.) paces the Falcons at 15 ppg and 9.8 rpg.

Bridgewater State captured its third straight MASCAC Men’s Basketball Championship with a 91-73 victory over Salem State in last year’s title contest played at Twohig Gymnasium in Salem, Mass. Salem State has won eight of the last 12 conference tournament titles and captured 15 of the 22 MASCAC crowns overall.

2012 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championships

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21^ST - QUARTERFINALS

Game #1: #5 MCLA (7-18, 4-8) at #4 Worcester State (8-17, 5-7) 7:00 pm

Game #2: #6 Fitchburg State (13-11, 4-8) at #3 Westfield State (15-10, 7-5) 7:30 pm

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23^RD – SEMI-FINALS

Game #3: Worcester State/MCLA winner at #1 Salem State (18-7, 10-2) 7:00 pm

Game #4: Westfield State/Fitchburg State winner at #2 Bridgewater State (14-10, 9-3) 7:00 pm

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25^TH – CHAMPIONSHIP (At Highest Remaining Seed)

Game #5: Semi-Final Winners TBD