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Home Hoops Season Begins with 30th Scotty Wood Tournament

Sunday, November 13, 2011 - page 2
 

Scotty Wood Tournament logo Two preseason All-Americans, two defending conference champions and a recent “Final Four” team will be among the headliners in the 30th annual Scotty Wood Tournament, which tips off the home basketball season on Friday and Saturday.

The preseason All-Americans, Alexandra Chili and Spencer Liddic, are from the Muhlenberg teams, and both took home MVP honors at last year’s Scotty Wood Tournament. The Mules swept the Scotty Wood titles for the fifth time in 2010 but have yet to accomplish that feat in back-to-back years.

The Muhlenberg women, who have never lost a first-round Scotty Wood Tournament game, went 23-6, won the Centennial Conference championship and advanced to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament last year. They are ranked 19th and 20th in the two national preseason polls, and their opening game is against Shenandoah, 12-14 last year.

The other first-round women’s matchup is between Neumann and The College of New Jersey. Neumann was 20-8 last winter, winning its second consecutive Colonial States Athletic Conference championship before falling to Lebanon Valley in the first round of

Scotty Wood Tournament schedule

Friday, November 18
 1:00 Neumann vs. New Jersey (women)
 3:00 Moravian vs. Immaculata (men)
 6:00 Muhlenberg vs. Shenandoah (women)
 8:00 Muhlenberg vs. SUNY Cobleskill (men)

Saturday, November 19
 1:00 women’s consolation
 3:00 men’s consolation
 6:00 women’s championship
 8:00 men’s championship

the NCAA Tournament. TCNJ finished only 14-11 last season, but was a 2009 national semifinalist and was labeled a “dark horse” in the New Jersey Athletic Conference preseason poll.

One of Neumann’s assistant coaches is Nikki Duggan, sister of Muhlenberg volleyball player and women’s basketball manager Morgan Duggan.

Of the four teams in the men’s field, Muhlenberg had the best record last year, going 13-12 and narrowly missing the CC playoffs. The Mules were picked second in the CC preseason poll and will open the Scotty Wood Tournament against SUNY Cobleskill (10-16), a team that has made three straight North Eastern Athletic Conference playoff appearances but has 13 newcomers on its 16-man roster.

Immaculata (10-16) and Moravian (9-16) square off in the other first-round game. Moravian is making its 12th Scotty Wood Tournament appearance and has won the title three times.

Former Muhlenberg men’s coach Dave Madeira will receive the Scotty Wood Tournament Community Service Award at halftime of the 8:00 game on Friday. The winningest coach in Muhlenberg athletic history, Madeira compiled a record of 311-247 in 22 seasons before retiring following the 2008-09 campaign.