Complete Bracket

TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's basketball team will play Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in the first round of the 2009 Division III Men's Basketball Tournament, the NCAA has announced.

The Red Hawks, who are 15-12, are one of three teams traveling to Richard Stockton (25-2), who will host games on Friday and Saturday. Amherst College (21-6) and Gwynedd-Mercy College (22-5) are the other two schools. Rensselaer and Stockton tip off at 6pm on Friday, followed by Amherst vs. Gwynedd-Mercy.  Saturday's game is set to begin at 7pm.

RPI earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1996 by capturing the Liberty League Tournament – and the league's automatic bid – last weekend. Rensselaer, the third seed in the four-team event, defeated second-seeded Hamilton College, 64-55, in the semifinals and top-seeded St. Lawrence, 72-65, in the championship game the next day.

Rensselaer, which is coached by Mike Griffin, is averaging 69.8 points while allowing 65.4 per game. The Red Hawks have made 44.1 percent of their field goals, including 34 percent from three-point range, while their opponents make 39 and 33.3 percent, respectively. RPI also holds a rebounding advantage over the opposition, averaging 40.4 boards per game, which is 6.5 more than their foes.

The Red Hawks are led by senior forward Sam Simmons, the Liberty League Player of the Year who also earned the Most Valuable Player Award in the league tournament. A native of Newburgh, N.Y., he averages 18.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game to lead the Liberty League in both categories. The team leader in blocks (32) and steals (46), he also has 47 assists in a team-best 30.9 minutes per game for the Red Hawks.

Junior guard Tim Rupp also averages in double figures for Rensselaer, scoring 10.7 points per game. He pulls down 5.4 rebounds per contest while leading the team with 56 assists. The Staten Island, N.Y., native also has 23 steals and nine blocked shots in 27 games.

This is the seventh time in school history that the men's basketball team has qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The Red Hawks reached the Sweet 16 in 1996 and lost in the opening round of the 1991 tournament.  RPI also played in the NCAA Tournament in 1958, 1973, 1975 and 1976.

Richard Stockton, the 10th-ranked team in the nation, earned an automatic berth by winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament. The Ospreys, who played in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, have won each of their last 13 games.