Courtesy Salem State Sports Information

The Vikings will look to take one step closer to the 2009 national championship game when they face the Diplomats of Franklin & Marshall College tonight at 8:00 pm in an NCAA Division 3 men's basketball sectional semifinal game in Lancaster, PA. UMass Dartmouth (27-3) and DeSales (PA) University will play at 6:00 pm. This evening's winners will meet at 7:00 pm tomorrow in Lancaster for the right to advance to the Final Four.

SSC (23-6) advanced to the sectional semifinals after defeating Rochester (NY) Tech, 83-71, in the opening round and Widener University, 69-67, in the second round. F& M (24-5) defeated Wesley College, 93-69 and Brandeis, 65-63, to advance.

The Vikings, under the guidance of second year head coach Chris Harvey, are led by senior tri-captains Dylan Holmes (Groton, Mass.), Stevie Celestin (Somerville, Mass.) and Ricky Ogboin (Boston, Mass.). Holmes, who is the reigning Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Player of the Year, is the team's top scorer (18.5), rebounder (8.7) and shot blocker (1.6). Celestin, who transferred to SSC after two years at Lasell College, is the Vikings' floor general and first team All MASCAC backcourt performer. Ogboin, who is one of the team's most athletic players, contributes heavily at both ends of the floor.

SSC, which is making the program's 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance, has not advanced to the sectional semifinals since 2000 when the Vikings went on to place third in the nation. The only other time SSC and F & M faced each other in men's basketball was in 2000 when the Vikings defeated the Diplomats for third place at the NCAA Final Four.

This weekend's NCAA Tournament games will be web cast free of charge by visiting d3hoops.com.