2/27/08 - Murphy Pilfers his Way into the GNAC Record Book

Elbie Murphy '09

STANDISH, ME – Monks junior forward Elbie Murphy (Loudonville, NY/Albany Academy) posted two GNAC record-breaking figures during the 2007-08 Men’s Basketball season. Murphy now holds the single season record for steals per game with 3.17 per contest in 18 conference games. The forward’s total of 57 steals in GNAC contests this season is also a conference record.

The previous single season record for steals was held by John McMahon of Rivier College, who tallied 55 steals during the 2004-05 campaign. The prior steals per game mark was set in 1999-00 by Daniel Webster’s Alex Morrison, who averaged 3.13 steals per contest that season.

Overall this season Murphy is averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.2 blocks per game for the 14-12 Monks. He has been named as the GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week twice (1/15, 2/11) and became the 29th SJC Men’s Basketball player to reach the 1,000-point milestone on January 26th, 2008 in a win over conference opponent Albertus Magnus College.

Last year as a sophomore for the Monks, Murphy’s 4.2 steals per game ranked him first not only in NCAA Division III basketball, but in all NCAA Divisions (I and II included). His 126 steals on the year broke the all-time individual season record of 111, formerly held by Allen Fields (Saint Joseph’s ’91).

Murphy, through 26 games this season, has 278 career steals, good for third best in Saint Joseph's College Men’s Basketball history. Only Jeff Creech ’86 (281 career steals) and Jamie Header ’93 (289) are ahead of the junior forward on the all-time career steals list.