The stage is set for the Oswego State men’s basketball team as they prepare to face off against the No.1 nationally ranked Randolph-Macon in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Championship.

For the Lakers, who are in their second Sweet 16 in as many years, it is their first ever matchup against the reigning Div.III national champions. To put into perspective the dominance of the Yellow Jackets, over the previous five seasons they have amassed a overall record of 120-12. Randolph-Macon also currently holds the NCAA Div.III record for consecutive wins at home, sitting at 64 after their victory over the University of Scranton in the Round of 32 on March 4.

The strength and ability of the Yellow Jackets is well known by Lakers head coach Jason Leone and is something he is not afraid to admit. However, he stresses that his team must not bend the knee to their opponents.

“[Randolph-Macon are] going to catch your attention based on what they’ve accomplished in their program, especially in the last three years,” Leone said. “But I think you have to be careful because you respect every opponent, but you can’t go in with a mindset that you’re just going to genuflect in their presence. It’s important for our guys to respect Randolph-Macon and everything they do, but also, they have to believe in the success that we have had the last two years.”

Between this season and last, Oswego has recorded an overall record of 54-5 themselves. Leone pointed to his team’s game last season in the Sweet 16 against Marietta College where they pushed the then No.2 team in the country to the very end despite being away from home and a lower nationally ranked team. The Lakers don’t sit far off the Yellow Jackets in the national rankings this season, sitting only five spots behind them at No.6.

Leone also said that while the team’s mindset is important going into the game, once it tips off, it becomes all about executing the things they’ve been doing all season.

“I think there’s a part of it that’s mental, but you still have to go out and play, you have to execute,” Leone said. “We have to rebound the ball, we have to defend, we have to make sure that we’re fundamentally sound so we get great shots but that’s not what we’re saying just going into the Randolph-Macon game, that’s what we say going into every game.”

With the tip-off between No.6 Oswego State and No.1 Randolph-Macon slated for March 10 at 7 p.m. in the Yellow Jacket’s Crenshaw Gym, Leone shared one final thought ahead of the powerhouse matchup.

“I believe in our team.”