Five-Star Matchups

It's the third weekend in February and now the games start to get even more interesting. Championships are a week away for swimming and wrestling, while the regular season comes to a close in eight days for basketball and track and field. You can feel it in the air ... it's championship season.

Ursinus at Dickinson (Women's Basketball)
The Red Devils (13-2 CC, 15-6) welcome the defending CC champion Bears (9-6, 11-11) to the Kline Center in a game that may go a long way in deciding the playoff future for both teams. Dickinson is a game in front of Muhlenberg for first place in the Conference, while Ursinus is a game behind McDaniel for the fifth and final playoff berth. The Red Devils have won nine straight regular-season meetings with Ursinus, but the Bears defeated Dickinson, 61-55, in overtime to win the 2007 CC championship. Don't expect a lot of points in this one, as Dickinson is first (51.5) and Ursinus third (57.5) in the Conference in scoring defense.

Johns Hopkins at Muhlenberg (Women's Basketball)
Memorial Hall in Allentown is always hopping when Johns Hopkins (8-7, 10-11) comes to town and Saturday should be no different. The Mules (12-3, 17-5) trail first-place Dickinson by a single game in the chase for the top seed for the Centennial tournament. The Blue Jays are a game-and-a-half behind McDaniel for the fifth and final playoff spot and could be eliminated with a loss. Muhlenberg has won five straight in the series, including a 67-52 victory in Baltimore earlier this season. The game could be decided on the boards, as Hopkins (+7.4) and 'Berg (+5.0) are 1-3 in the CC in rebounding margin.

Johns Hopkins at Muhlenberg (Men's Basketball)
The men's game between the Blue Jays (9-6, 13-9) and the Mules (8-7, 10-12) also has playoff implications. Hopkins is tied for third place with McDaniel in the CC standings, a game in front of fifth-place 'Berg. The Mules are a game in front of both Franklin & Marshall and Dickinson for the final playoff spot. The Blue Jays defeated Muhlenberg, 100-91, in overtime in the year's first meeting to make it 11 straight over the Mules. Muhlenberg's last win was a 79-76 triumph in 2001 in Baltimore, while the last win vs. JHU at Memorial Hall was in 1987 (74-71) - a streak of 13 games. The first 20 minutes could decide the outcome, as both teams are 10-2 when leading at the intermission.

#19 Ursinus at Dickinson (Men's Basketball)
The Bears (15-0, 20-2), winners of 14 in a row, can clinch the top seed for the Centennial tournament with a victory in Carlisle against the Red Devils (7-8, 11-10). Dickinson needs a victory to keep its postseason hopes alive, as the Red and White is tied with F&M a game behind Muhlenberg for the fifth and final CC tourney spot. Ursinus defeated Dickinson, 68-65, in the year's first meeting for its 11th straight victory against the Devils. The Red's last win vs. the Bears came in 2001 at the Kline Center by a 74-66 count.