Both Muhlenberg teams advanced, the women with a hard-fought 79-69 victory over

Jimmie Riggins shoots over James Watkins of Hartwick for two of his four points. Riggins was one of 12 Mules to dent the scoring column.

Misericordia and the men with a convincing 79-53 romp against Hartwick.

The women will play Montclair State, which defeated Lebanon Valley, 64-46, in a matchup of two 21-win teams from a year ago. In the other men’s semifinal, Marymount overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to hold off Western New England, 58-54.

WOMEN
Every one of the 18 players who helped Muhlenberg lead the country in scoring last year was back in the gym for the first round of the Scotty Wood Tournament, but with six of them in street clothes as graduated seniors, the Mules had to find new sources of offense.

Sophomores Emily Wright and Meghan Courtney and junior Valerie Robuck all hit for career highs in points in the 79-69 win against a Misericordia team that would not go away.

Wright scored seven of her career-high 10 points in the first half as the Mules built a 40-30 lead. But the Cougars scored the final seven points of the half and kept the margin in single digits most of the second half.

Misericordia had cut the gap to five, 70-65, with three minutes left to play, when Robuck drilled her second three-pointer of the game, effectively icing it. She finished with nine points and five rebounds.

Courtney, in her first career start, had nine points and 10 rebounds, while junior Lacie Smith also came close to a double-double with eight and 10. Junior Kristen Piscadlo led Muhlenberg with 13 points.

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MEN
Sophomore Jeff Stewart scored 14 straight points in an 18-0 run wrapped around halftime as Muhlenberg reached the Scotty Wood final for the 21st time in 22 years with a 79-53 win against Hartwick.

The Hawks, who led early on, trailed 31-22 late in the first half before the Mules put the game away behind their big center. Three Stewart baskets sent the teams into the locker rooms with the score 37-22, and Stewart made the first four buckets of the second half.

Jump shots by seniors Chase Licata and Ryan Bonda capped the surge that left Muhlenberg with a commanding 49-22 advantage four minutes into the second half. The lead grew as large as 34.

Stewart finished with 20 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in only 17 minutes. Bonda contributed to an otherwise balanced scoring attack with 10 points, while senior Donté Borden had three assists and four steals.

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