Last Night's aCCtion

Kevin Freeman of the Lancaster Newspapers writes that there have been some pretty good women's basketball teams at Franklin & Marshall over the past decade, but none accomplished what the Diplomats did last night vs. Ursinus.

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes that it was the inability to do the little things that sank McDaniel in its 61-60 loss to Haverford in the first round of the CC men's basketball tourney.

photo by Ken Koons, Carroll County Times

Five-Star Matchups

Perhaps we should have called this "The Final Countdown." It's the final day of the basketball season, while the swimmers begin their second season this weekend at Gettysburg at the Conference championships. The track and field athletes prepare for next weekend's championship meet at Haverford, while the wrestlers gear up for next Saturday's Centennial tournament at Washington and Lee.

Let's talk hoops on this blog entry ... and the scenarios surrounding the final berths for the playoffs.

Women's Basketball
Four teams are in the field - Johns Hopkins (1), Muhlenberg (2), Gettysburg (3) and Ursinus. A Bear win over the Mules will give Ursinus the No. 4 seed and home court for Wednesday's first-round game against either Franklin & Marshall or Swarthmore. A loss combined with a Diplomat win vs. Dickinson would enable F&M to slip into the four-spot and host UC on Wednesday. A F&M loss combined with a Swarthmore win vs. Haverford would allow the Garnet to grab the No. 5 position and oust the Diplomats.

Swarthmore at Haverford, 1:00
Ursinus at Muhlenberg, 2:00
Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall, 2:00
Muhlenberg has clinched the No. 2 seed and will face Gettysburg in the CC semifinals next weekend at Johns Hopkins. Ursinus (11-8 CC, 15-9) can secure the No. 4 seed with a win or with a loss by F&M. The Bears have dropped five straight to the Mules since a 2008 win at Memorial Hall. The Diplomats (10-9, 12-12) have lost four consecutive contests and 10 of the last 11 to the Red Devils and need a victory to lock down a playoff berth. A loss opens the door for the Garnet (10-9, 14-10) who has won 23 of the last 26 games with Haverford. But the Fords defeated Swat by 21 in the year's first meeting at Tarble. F&M holds the tie-breaker with the Garnet due to its season sweep of Swarthmore.

Men's Basketball
We know that three teams are in the field - Franklin & Marshall (1), Dickinson (2) and McDaniel. The Green Terror and Gettysburg meet at Bream with the winner receiving the third first-round bye. A Bullet win would make McDaniel the No. 4 seed and the Terror would host the first-round game on Wednesday. A Gettysburg victory would also mean Ursinus can secure the final spot in the tournament with a win at Muhlenberg. A Bear loss in this scenario opens the door for Haverford to get in the field with a win over Swarthmore. Losses by the Fords and UC gets the Mules in as the No. 5 seed.

But if McDaniel wins ... Ursinus can get the #4 spot with a victory, while Haverford gets to host the first-round game with a win and a Bear loss. Gettysburg slides in at #4 with losses by the Fords and the Bears. An Ursinus win means that Haverford can qualify with a win, while a loss puts the Bullets in at No. 5. Follow all that?

McDaniel at Gettysburg, 2:00
Swarthmore at Haverford, 3:00
Ursinus at Muhlenberg, 4:00
The Green Terror (10-7, 13-11) looks for its first season sweep of the Bullets (10-7, 13-11) since 2007. The Bears (9-8, 12-12) and the Mules (8-9, 12-12) meet for the 100th time with UC looking for its sixth win in eight games vs. 'Berg. Watch the battle of the big guys - Ursinus' Jon Ward and Muhlenberg's Kevin Hargrove. The Fords (9-8, 12-11) have won seven in a row vs. the Garnet who has not won at Gooding Arena since 2006.

Last Night's aCCtion

Jeffrey Kauffman of The Sentinel writes that although Dickinson will not make the Conference playoffs, the Red Devil women have not quit as shown by their comeback win against Gettysburg.

Kevin Freeman of the Lancaster Newspapers notes that although the Franklin & Marshall women lost to first-place Johns Hopkins, the Diplomats showed they are a team that you don't want to face in the postseason.

Gordie Jones of the Lancaster Newspapers writes that despite an uneven performance, the Franklin & Marshall men were able to dispatch Johns Hopkins.

Five-Star Matchups

Although Saturday will certainly determine the final seeds for next weekend's basketball championship tournaments, tonight may be even more important for the teams involved in the chase.

Can't make it out to a game tonight? Enjoy all the action on your computer at the Conference's "C-Zone" - our one-stop channel. We'll have cameras at all five venues and you can also join in the conversation on our live blog or on Twitter. Be part of the action!

Washington College at Ursinus (Women's Basketball)
Two of the four teams competing for the two remaining berths in the playoff field square off in Collegeville tonight. The Shorewomen (9-9 CC, 11-12) won the first meeting in Chestertown by a 49-41 count and have won four of the last five from the Bears (10-8, 14-9). The last time Ursinus won as many as 14 games in a season was 2007 (19-10), also the last time UC won the Centennial title. Washington has not qualified for the Conference tournament since 1999.

Johns Hopkins at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Basketball)
The Blue Jays (16-3, 19-4) bring down the curtain on their regular-season schedule with a trip to Lancaster to face the Diplomats (10-8, 12-11). Hopkins won the year's first tilt (57-49) and look to improve their 13-5 record at Mayser since 1994. In fact, F&M has won just once in the last seven games vs. Hop at home (2008, 73-71). The Diplomats are tied with Ursinus for fourth place in the CC and hold a one-game lead over Swarthmore and Washington in the playoff chase.

Haverford at Muhlenberg (Men's Basketball)
Two of the three teams tied for fifth place in the Centennial meet tonight in what could be a playoff game for both. The Fords (8-8, 11-11) and the Mules (8-8, 12-11), along with Ursinus, are a game behind Gettysburg and McDaniel as the race for the final three tourney berths nears its conclusion. Muhlenberg won on the Main Line, 77-69, back in January and has won six of the last seven with Haverford. The Fords have lost six straight at Memorial Hall since a 71-62 triumph in 2005.

Five-Star Matchups

It's the weekend prior to Valentine's Day and (pardon the upcoming pun) we have some Sweetheart matchups as the basketball regular season enters its penultimate Saturday, the wrestling dual-meet title is on the line and the indoor track and field season enters the home stretch.

Women's Basketball
Franklin & Marshall at Swarthmore
Johns Hopkins at Ursinus
Two huge games dot the Conference landscape on Saturday as the Diplomats (9-8 CC, 11-11) travel to take on the Garnet (9-8, 13-9) and the Blue Jays (15-3, 18-4) visit Collegeville and the Bears (10-7, 14-8). F&M and Swarthmore are tied in the loss column with Washington College for the fifth and final CC playoff berth. The Diplomats won the first meeting of the season by 20 and look for their ninth win in the last 11 games vs. the Garnet. Hopkins can clinch the top seed and home court for the Centennial tournament by avenging its overtime home loss to Ursinus on Jan. 8. The Bears can take a huge step toward the playoffs and hosting a first-round contest with a victory.

STANDINGS
Hopkins ..... 15-3
Muhlenberg .. 13-4
Gettysburg .. 12-5
Ursinus ..... 10-7
Swarthmore ..  9-8
F&M .........  9-8
Washington ..  8-8

Men's Basketball
Muhlenberg at McDaniel
Haverford at Dickinson
Four of the six teams fighting for the four remaining playoff spots meet in games in Westminster and Carlisle. The Mules (8-7, 12-10) and the Green Terror (8-7, 11-11) square off in a contest that will go a long way in determining one of those slots. Muhlenberg has won seven of the last nine at the Gill Center and captured an 80-66 decision in Allentown in the year's first meeting. The Red Devils (10-5, 12-10) can clinch a playoff berth with a victory over the Fords (8-7, 11-10). Haverford, who has qualified for the CC tournament in each of the last three odd-numbered years, can solidly improve its chances to continue that streak with a win.

STANDINGS
F&M ......... 13-2
Dickinson ... 10-5
Muhlenberg ..  8-7
Haverford ...  8-7
Gettysburg ..  8-7
McDaniel ....  8-7
Ursinus .....  7-8

Wrestling
Johns Hopkins, Merchant Marine at Stevens
The Blue Jays (4-1, 8-9) and the Mariners (5-0, 11-2) visit Hoboken to meet the Ducks (4-1, 11-10-1) and Gettysburg in the regular-season Conference quad finale. A Hopkins sweep would give JHU its first-ever Centennial dual title, while one win would give USMMA its fourth consecutive dual-meet crown. Stevens can also grab a share of its first crown, while Ursinus can still sneak in as dual champs with two losses by the Mariners and a split by Hop and the Ducks. The 174-pound weight class could be crucial as Kings Point's Justin Diesel (19-2), Stevens' Ryan Dormann (28-3) and JHU's Pat Stanley (18-4) do battle.

STANDINGS
USMMA ....... 5-0
Hopkins ..... 4-1
Stevens ..... 4-1
Ursinus ..... 4-2

Five-Star Matchups

There's a new way to watch Centennial Conference sports - the "C Zone" Channel. We have created a web page that has all the video screens from our member schools. It's not quite NFL "Red Zone" style, but does provide you with a window into all the day's action on one screen. Hope you enjoy!

Haverford at McDaniel
Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Basketball)
The Diplomats (11-2 CC, 15-5) hold a three-game lead in the chase for the top seed and home court for the Conference tournament, while the other three are trying to land one of the remaining four spots. The Mules (8-5, 12-8) ended a seven-game losing streak against F&M with a 71-67 victory in Allentown. But 'Berg has not won at Mayser since the 2001 Centennial semifinals. The Green Terror (8-5, 11-9) downed the Fords (7-6, 10-9) in the year's first meeting and look for the second season sweep in four seasons. Haverford has dropped three straight games at the Gill Center.

STANDINGS

F&M .......... 11-2
Muhlenberg ...  8-5
Gettysburg ...  8-5
McDaniel .....  8-5
Dickinson ....  8-5
Haverford ....  7-6

Ursinus at Gettysburg
Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Basketball)
Four of the team chasing front-running Johns Hopkins in the women's basketball standings square off on Saturday. The Bullets (10-5 CC, 15-5), fresh from an overtime win at Hopkins, entertain the Bears (9-6, 13-7), while the Diplomats (9-6, 11-9) welcome the Mules (10-4, 14-5) to Mayser Center. Ursinus looks for its first two-game season sweep of Gettysburg since 1995. A Bear win would give UC 14 for the season - just the second time since 1997 that Ursinus has won 14 or more games. Gettysburg has won five straight from the Bears at Bream Gym. Muhlenberg has won five in a row from F&M and eight of the last nine.

STANDINGS

Hopkins ...... 13-3
Muhlenberg ... 10-4
Gettysburg ... 10-5
Ursinus ......  9-6
F&M ..........  9-6
Swarthmore ...  8-7
Washington ...  7-7

Dickinson at Swarthmore (Men's Swimming)
The Red Devils (4-1, 8-2) and the Garnet (3-1, 4-1) square off in a meet that could determine first place in the Conference. Dickinson would share the dual-meet title with Gettysburg, should the Bullets drop their season finale at Franklin & Marshall. Swarthmore would also need a win vs. Washington next Wednesday to share the crown.

Gettysburg at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Swimming)
The best swimming rivalry in the Conference is renewed Saturday at the Kunkel Aquatic Center as the Bullets (6-0, 7-2) and Diplomats (6-0, 7-4) meet for the dual-meet title. Gettysburg's Maggie Mulderrig will need a big meet in the freestyle sprints to offset F&M's Olivia Hill in the freestyle distances.

Five-Star Matchups

Swarthmore at Ursinus (Women's Basketball)
The Garnet (6-5 CC, 10-6) looks for a season sweep against the Bears (7-4, 10-5) in a showdown between teams headed the wrong way in the Conference standings. Both Swarthmore and Ursinus have dropped two in a row and look for a win to right the ship. The Garnet defeated the Bears, 70-62, back on Dec. 4 as Ceylan Bodur tossed in 17 points. Swarthmore has not swept Ursinus in a season set since 2005, but leads the all-time series 64-22.

Johns Hopkins at Ursinus (Wrestling)
The Blue Jays (1-0, 4-8) and the Bears (0-0, 4-0) meet in Collegeville in an early-season test. Ursinus is undefeated against Hopkins since the inception of the Conference in 1994. Nate Murren leads the Bears with a 17-6 record at 184. Pat Stanley has a 14-3 record at 174 for the Jays.

McDaniel at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Basketball)
The Green Terror (6-3, 9-7) and the Diplomats (7-2, 12-4) meet in a first-place showdown in Lancaster. The home team has won each of the last six meetings between the teams and McDaniel, fresh from a 61-53 win vs. F&M on Jan. 11, looks for its first season sweep since 2008. Keep an eye on the guards - F&M's Georgio Milligan (17.1) and McDaniel's Devon Lesniak (15.3).

Haverford at Gettysburg (Men's Basketball)
The Fords (6-3, 9-6) look for their first-ever season sweep of the Bullets (6-3, 9-7) when they visit the Battlefield. Haverford defeated Gettysburg 65-55 back on Dec. 4 but has never beaten the Orange and Blue at Bream Gym. Two of the CC's most dynamic scorers take the floor in Haverford's Cam Baker (18.1) and Gettysburg's Andrew Powers (20.4).

Five-Star Matchups

It's "Rivalry Night" in the Conference, as the schedule-maker set up showdowns between some of the fiercest rivals in the Centennial. We'll keep an eye on the fiercest - Haverford at Swarthmore - but here are the three biggest games of the night.

Muhlenberg at Ursinus (Women's Basketball)
It's the 63rd time that the Mules (6-3, 10-4) and the Bears (7-3, 10-4) have met on the hardwood with Muhlenberg holding a 35-27 overall lead, including four straight wins. Ursinus has not won at Helfferich since a 67-65 overtime win in 2007. Both teams are a game behind front-running Johns Hopkins in the loss column and would keep their hold on second place with a victory. Alexandra Chili of the Mules leads the CC in scoring (21.3), while the Bears' Lindsay Teuber averages a double-double with 12.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Basketball)
The Red Devils (5-3, 7-8) play host to the Diplomats (6-2, 11-4) in the 167th edition of their rivalry. F&M swept the season set a year ago to stop a Dickinson run of four wins in five games and take a 102-64 all-time advantage. The Diplomats are tied for first place with Gettysburg, while Dickinson is in a three-way tie for third with Haverford and McDaniel. F&M senior James McNally needs two points tonight to become the program's all-time leading scorer. Matt Dolan leads the Devils in scoring (14.1) and rebounding (8.1).

Gettysburg at McDaniel (Men's Basketball)
It's the Route 97 rivalry tonight in Westminster as the first-place Bullets (6-2, 9-6) travel to take non the third-place Green Terror (5-3, 8-7). Just over 20 miles separate these two rivals who meet for the 102nd time since 1917. Gettysburg has won four consecutive meetings and holds a 73-28 advantage. McDaniel's last win was a 56-53 triumph at home in 2009. The Bullets' Andrew Powers is having his best season as a collegian, ranking fourth in the CC in scoring (19.8), seventh in rebounding (6.7) and sixth in assists (2.9). Devon Lesniak leads the Terror in scoring (14.3).

Get links to live video, audio and stats at www.centennial.org

Last Night's aCCtion

Jeff Cook of the Gettysburg Times writes the weather outside Gettysburg's Bream Gym was plenty nasty, while inside, there was an avalanche in the Bullets' win over Bryn Mawr.

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes that the McDaniel women's early-season bad habits reared their head again last night in a loss to Swarthmore.

Land also wrote that the Green Terror men continued their winning streak at home against Franklin & Marshall, defeating the 18th ranked Diplomats, 61-53.

Staff Reports: Philadelphia Inquirer and Baltimore Sun

Last Night's aCCtion

Tom Housenick of the Morning Call writes that DeSales was not supposed to beat nationally-ranked Muhlenberg in their showdown on Monday night ... but they did.

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes that the timing for tonight's McDaniel-Franklin & Marshall men's basketball game is quite intriguing.

Last Night's aCCtion

Tom Housenick of the Morning Call writes that although the large leads dwindled in size, the Muhlenberg men and women held on for wins versus McDaniel.

Mike Gross of the Lancaster Sunday News writes that the more important number in Franklin & Marshall's 85-46 win over Swarthmore was the smaller one.

Last Night's aCCtion

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes that McDaniel's defense was not a concern in the Terror's 62-40 win over Johns Hopkins.

Dave Byrne of the Lancaster Sunday News writes that although the calendar says November, Franklin & Marshall sure played like it was March in a 96-52 dismantling of Elmira.

ROUNDUP
Harrisburg Patriot-News, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pottstown Mercury, Annapolis Capital

Last Night's aCCtion

MEN
Barry L. Silverman of the Carroll County Times writes that the McDaniel men looked for a good showing against Washington College and Devon Lesniak played a major role in making that happen in the Terror's 70-68 victory.

Jeffrey Kauffman of The Sentinel says that strong foul shooting was the difference in Dickinson's 56-50 victory over Messiah.

Jeff Cook of the Gettysburg Times writes that there is a new high wire act in town as Gettysburg threw down six dunks in a 79-39 blowout of Penn State-Altoona.

Doug Kraft of the Lancaster Newspapers writes that Franklin & Marshall wasted little time in establishing itself in a 91-50 dismantling of Penn State-Abington.

Staff Reports
Staten Island Advance, Pottstown Mercury, Delaware County Times

WOMEN
Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes that the opening game for the McDaniel women got off to a rough start and didn't get better as the Terror fell to seventh-ranked Kean.

Staff Reports
Lancaster Newspapers, Pottstown Mercury, Delaware County Times

Last Night's aCCtion

Welcome back for another season of basketball in the Conference. "Last Night's aCCtion" takes a look back at games of the previous evening from local and regional newspapers.

Mandy Housenick of the Morning Call writes that Spencer Liddic heard the message that he was given at halftime in Muhlenberg's victory over Moravian.

Housenick also writes that Alex Berlin made sure that the Mule women didn't miss two starters in 'Berg's triumph over the Greyhounds.

Tom Hinkel of the Express-Times writes that Alex Berlin showed off her versatility in Muhlenberg's 68-55 win against Moravian.

Ryan Dixon of the York Daily Record writes that the Johns Hopkins' women were done in by an unlikely York starting lineup.

Staff Reports
Delaware County Times

Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason Chat

Welcome to the Centennial Conference preseason Men's Basketball Coaches Chat! This will be a moderated chat, so please keep your comments and questions appropriate for the occasion. Feel free to send along a question that we might use in our comment box prior to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Last Night's aCCtion

Matt Blymier of the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal writes that it was a tale of two halves for F&M's Anthony Brooks as the Diplomats advanced to the Elite Eight with a 92-87 win at St. Mary's.

Roundups
Boston Globe
Annapolis Capital

The Sweet 16

The Centennial Conference has a representative in both the men's and women's Sweet 16 tonight, as the Franklin & Marshall men and Gettysburg women continue play in the NCAA Division III tournaments. It is the fourth time in the Conference's 17-year history that a men's and women's team has reached the Sweet 16 in the same season (1995, 2004, 2009).

The Diplomats (25-4) travel to St. Mary's City, Md., to take on St. Mary's (26-3). F&M defeated the Seahawks, 72-61, back on Nov. 30, as James McNally had a double-double with 30 points and 13 rebounds. This is the Diplomats' 12th trip to the Sweet 16 and second consecutive appearance in the third round. Watch the game LIVE on your computer and get live stats here.

The Bullets (24-4) are making their debut in the Sweet 16 and travel to Amherst, Mass. to take on Babson (27-3) in the third round. The Beavers have won 19 straight games and have set a program record for wins in a season. Watch the game LIVE on your computer and get live stats here.

Last Night's aCCtion

Ed Gruver of the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal writes that F&M's 66-62 win over defending champion Gettysburg was 12 months in the making. photo by Marty Heisey

Andre D. Williams of the Allentown Morning Call writes that it was a bad time for Muhlenberg to have an off day as McDaniel won the women's title with a 72-56 victory. photo by Michael Kubel

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times notes that the Green Terror's win at Muhlenberg was the culmination of four years of hard work for the McDaniel seniors.

Last Night's aCCtion

Joel Schreiner of the Lancaster Sunday News notes that late February basketball at the Mayser Center brings out the best in Franklin & Marshall.

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes that coming back from large deficits during the regular season paid playoff dividends for the McDaniel women in their 72-67 win over Gettysburg.

Cory Mull of the Hanover Evening Sun writes about a true inspiration for the Gettysburg men's team - Cory Weissman - who continues to battle back from a brain hemorrhage.

Roundups
Allentown Morning Call
Annapolis Capital
Carlisle Sentinel

photo by Blaine T. Shahan, Lancaster Sunday News

2010 Men's Basketball Championship

For the fourth time since the inception of the final four format in 2004, Franklin & Marshall College's Mayser Center will host the Centennial Conference Men's Basketball championship tournament. The 20th ranked Diplomats (21-4) will play host to fifth-seeded Muhlenberg (13-13) in the nightcap, while #2 Gettysburg (14-10) and #3 Washington (13-9) start the day at 1 p.m.

Franklin & Marshall is making its 13th appearance in the tournament and has four titles to its credit (1994-96-00-04). F&M is 9-3 in semifinal games and 4-5 in championship tilts, including home losses in 2005 and 2009. The Diplomats, led by 2010 CC Player of the Year James McNally and first-team All-CC guard Georgio Milligan, have a 13-5 record at Mayser in the Centennial tournament.

Gettysburg is making its 11th appearance in the Centennial dance and has won all three of its championships on the road (2001-02-09), including two against F&M in Lancaster. The defending champs are 5-4 in semifinal games and 3-2 in title tilts. The Bullets are led by first-team All-CC selection Andrew Powers, the 2009 CC Player of the Year.

Washington is in the Conference tournament for the eighth time and first since 2006. The Shoremen are just 1-6 in semifinal games and look to return to the Centennial final for the first time since 1999. Washington is led by first-team All-CC guard Andrew Chambers.

Muhlenberg makes its 13th appearance in the tournament and has a 7-10 overall mark. The Mules are 3-6 in semifinal games and won the title in 1995 and 1998. 'Berg is led by first-team All-CC forward Spencer Liddic.

Championship Website with links to LIVE video!