basketball teams lose to hosts in finals

After beginning the 2008-09 season by defending their home court at the Scotty Wood Tournament, both Muhlenberg basketball teams got the same treatment when they hit the road for tournaments to open the new year. The women dropped the final of the Marymount Holiday Classic, 56-52, to host Marymount, and the men fell at Moravian, 72-65, in the championship game of the Greyhound Starters Classic.

The women’s game was a fabulous matchup of two teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year. No team led by more than seven points, and tight defense led to low shooting percentages on both sides.

The Mules (7-2) held the Saints (9-2) to five first-half field goals in opening up a 27-20 lead at the break. Marymount, which has been to the NCAA Sweet 16 four times in the last eight years, made several runs at the lead in the second half, but Muhlenberg maintained its slim margin through most of the half. Finally, the Saints pulled ahead with a 9-0 run that gave them a 49-44 lead with 4:53 to play.

Muhlenberg maintained its composure despite the shift in momentum and had three possessions with a chance to tie in the waning moments. Marymount held on, however, for the 56-52 win.

Sophomore Kelly McKeon (right) led the Mules with 17 points and nine rebounds and was named to the all-tournament team. Freshman Alexandra Chili also earned all-tournament honors after notching nine points and seven rebounds in the final.
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In the men’s game, Moravian jumped out to a 16-2 lead and stayed on top the rest of the way, avenging a 69-54 loss to the Mules in December.

Muhlenberg got to within two points, 38-36, early in the second half, but the Greyhounds responded with an 8-0 run. The Mules (5-3) once more cut the gap to two, at 60-58, with 3:30 left, but again Moravian had the answer, scoring the next seven points.

The Greyhounds missed eight of their 15 free throws in the last 3:02 of the game, but were able to get the rebounds and draw more Muhlenberg fouls, lengthening their lead back to 10 and eventually finishing up by seven.

Senior Darrell Roth (18 points) and sophomore Evan Tozer (13 points) earned all-tournament honors. Roth scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half.
Click here for box score.
Click here for complete stats.