After defeating Trinity, 85-78, en route to a second consecutive NESCAC Championship, Amherst was rewarded with one of 16 first round byes in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Last season, the Lord Jeffs defeated St. John's Fisher College in the first round before falling to Clark in the next game. This year, Amherst is poised to enter the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 1993-94 campaign. To get there, Coach Hixon and company will have to best the winner of

Thursday's matchup between Western Connecticut State University and Salem State University. The Jeffs are led by tri-captain Steve Zieja '03, who has played exceptionably well recently. Zieja was named player of the week this past week for averaging an impressive 25.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in the NESCAC Tournament.