NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., February 25, 2019 – Following a 15-13 (7-9 Region XV) regular season, Monroe Express men's basketball enters the 2018-19 Region XV Championship Tournament as the No. 6 seed. The Express will travel to third-seeded Hostos Community College on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. to take on the Caimans in the Region XV Championship Quarterfinals.
 
In their second season under Head Coach Rick Swillinger, the Express showed a four-win improvement upon their inaugural season in 2017-18, finishing with a 9-5 record at home, and 6-8 on the road.
 
The Express finished the season on a three-game winning streak, with wins over Dutchess Community College, Rocktop Academy and Kingsborough Community College. Gian Batista leads the Express in scoring, averaging 21.5 points per game, while Christopher Davis averages a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game.
 
As a team, the Express average 85.4 points per game, outscoring their opponents by an average of 4.9 points per game. The Express shoot 45.4 percent from the floor, while averaging 43.0 rebounds per game.
 
The Express will face a Hostos team in the Region XV Quarterfinals that they split their season series against. On Tuesday, Nov. 20, the Express traveled to Hostos and fell by the final score of 102-85, while on Thursday, Jan. 24, Monroe hosted the Caimans, picking up a 96-79 victory.
 
Five players scored in double-figures for the Express in the win, led by Batista who recorded a double-double with 29 points and 15 rebounds. Luis Aviles also scored a season-high 18 points against Hostos, while the Express out-rebounded the Caimans 49-35.
 
The third-seeded Caimans finished the regular season 16-13 with a 10-6 record in region. Nakeem Hamilton leads the Caimans in scoring, averaging 19.6 points per game, while Donovan Wilkerson leads Hostos on the glass, averaging 7.9 rebounds per game. Hamilton also averages 5.7 assists per game, and has started and played in all 29 games for the Caimans.
 
The Caimans average 88.4 points per game, good for 14th in NJCAA Div. III. Hostos is also one of the better rebounding teams in the NJCAA Div. III, averaging 51.0 total rebounds per game and 34.3 defensive rebounds per game.
 
Should the Express advance to the Region XV Semifinals, they'll take on either the No. 2-seed, Nassau Community College, or the No. 7-seed, Bronx Community College, on Saturday, March 2 at 5 p.m. at the Borough of Manhattan Community College Gymnasium in New York, N.Y.
 
The Express will take on No. 3-seeded Hostos on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Bronx, N.Y.  
 
Fans can keep up with all the postseason action on MonroeExpress.com, as well as on social media via the Express Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress) and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 29 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 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 Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress) and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).