LATHAM, N.Y. - The 2025 United East Men’s Basketball Championship tipped off Wednesday evening with four opening round contests. Penn College opened the evening with an upset victory over St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 94-85. Wilson then took down Saint Elizabeth University, 76-70 and Cairn University followed with an 81-62 win over the University of Valley Forge. Notre Dame of Maryland finished out the evening taking down Penn State Berks, 88-73.
Those four teams will move on to the quarterfinal round where they will square off against the top-four seeds, who all received byes. Those games will take place on Saturday with times still yet to be determined.
Find the list of quarterfinal matchups here: MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PAGE
#12 Penn College def. #5 St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 94-85 (BOX SCORE)
Impressive shooting from the Wildcats helped the squad pull off the upset on the road. Penn College shot 59.6% from the field including four of the five starters shooting over 50%. The Wildcats also controlled the glass, out rebounding the Seahawks 40-26. Livingston Cross contributed to both of those aspects, ending the day with a double-double as he scored 24 points and hauled in 15 boards. Gavin Barrett led the scoring brigade though as he finished with 27 points, 14 of which came from the charity stripe.
Kyree Smith was the bright spot on the Seahawks side, finishing the night with 27 points and five assists. The Seahawks end their 24-25 campaign with a record of 14-11.
#7 Cairn University def. #10 University of Valley Forge, 81-62 (BOX SCORE)
The Highlanders came out blistering hot, going on a 17-2 across the first six minutes of action. That lead opened to 46-20 by the intermission and despite the Patriots outscoring Cairn in the second half, the lead was too much for Valley Forge to overcome. A trio of Cairn players hit double-digit scoring led by Jaden Cepeda who cashed in a 21 on the night. Josiah Hardy and Jalen Simpson were the other two as they finished with 18 and 15 points, respectively. Defensively, Corey Baldwin was a menace as he ended with 11 boards and five steals.
Nasir Bernard posted a solid outing for Valley Forge as he ended the night with a double-double on 13 points and 12 boards. The Patriots finish out their season with a record of 11-16.
#8 Wilson College def. #9 Saint Elizabeth University, 76-70 (BOX SCORE)
This contest was close-knit the entire way but the Phoenix used some clutch free throws (6-6 in the final minute to help seal up a victory. Armani Jones had a tremendous night, earning a double-double on 17 boards and 16 points. Nairobi Peeler was Wilson’s top shooter though as he recorded 19 on the evening. Gary Robertston also played a big role in the win as he added 15 points and six assists.
Cam’Ron Martel left it all out on the court for the Eagles, ending with a double-double on 10 boards and 18 points. Teammate Tye-Rell Monroe also pitched in with 18 points. Saint Elizabeth ends its season with a record of 10-15.
#6 Notre Dame of Maryland University def. #11 Penn State Berks, 88-73 (BOX SCORE)
Notre Dame of Maryland used a strong second half to secure the first conference Championship victory in program history. Five different Gators registered double-digit points with Ahmad Harrison cashing in a team-high 20. Jahbreco DeCosta had himself a night as 13 boards and 10 points earned him a double-double. Distributing the ball was a trio of players including Jackson Pugh, K’Won Johnson and Anthony Wright as they all combined for 16 dimes.
Marquis Ferreira posted a great statline for the Nittany Lions as he ended with 28 points and a pair of steals. Berks ends its season with a record of 7-16.
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The United East boasts 17 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Brandywine, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, Saint Elizabeth University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.