Tigers Prepare For Kiwanis-Wittenberg Tip-Off Classic
The Wittenberg men's basketball team welcomes an outstanding field of four teams for the annual Kiwanis-Wittenberg Tip-Off Classic. This year's competition is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22, at Wittenberg's HPER Center. Men's games are scheduled for 6 and 8 p.m. on Friday and 3 and 8 p.m. on Saturday.
The Wittenberg men's basketball team welcomes an outstanding field of four teams for the annual Kiwanis-Wittenberg Tip-Off Classic. This year's competition is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22, at Wittenberg's HPER Center. Men's games are scheduled for 6 and 8 p.m. on Friday and 3 and 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Men's tournament participants for 2003 include Washington University from St. Louis, Mo., Eastern University from Philadelphia, Pa., the University of Wisconsin-Platteville from Platteville, Wis., and Wittenberg. Action gets underway Friday at 6 p.m. as Washington University and Wisconsin-Platteville square off, followed by a clash between the host Tigers and Eastern at 8 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first game. On Saturday, the consolation game is slated for 3 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the women's consolation game, and the championship contest is slated for 8 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the women's championship game.
Wittenberg has won 17 of the 20 title games in the tournament's history, with the lone exceptions being in 1986 against Centre College, 1997 against the University of Chicago and last year against Ohio Dominican University.
The men's field includes just one team that made the 2003 NCAA Division III Tournament, but three of the four participating programs are regulars in the postseason. Washington University finished 24-2 in 2002-03 and was ranked No. 1 in the nation for much of the season as the Bears claimed the University Athletic Association's regular season championship. Eastern University is coming off its best season in school history at 12-15, and Wisconsin-Platteville, winner of five NCAA Division III national championships in the 1990s, finished 11-15 a year ago in the rugged Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
The host Tigers posted an overall record of 20-6 in 2002-03 and return three starters this year in hopes of improving upon that mark and returning to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the third time in the last four years. Leading the charge will be the senior tandem of guard Rod Emmons (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) and forward Peter Walker (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier). Both were full-time starters a year ago and will be counted on to pick up some of the scoring slack from departed all-conference performers B.J. Harris and Kevin Longley.