holiday tourney

Tournament Schedule

All-Tournament Team
Mike Leimeister, Bluffton, Tournament MVP
Marcus Bixler, Bluffton
Justin Clifford, Muskingum
Cliff Sprang, Muskingum
Noel Emenhiser, Madonna
John Campbell, Kenyon

Team Information

Kenyon College Gambier, Ohio - www.kenyon.edu - Kenyon Athletics - Kenyon men's basketball NCAA Division III Member of the North Coast Athletic Conference Current record: 0-6 overall, 0-1 NCAC From the tournament program...The 104th season of men’s basketball at Kenyon College will be the continuation of a rebuilding process for the Lords and second-year head coach Dave Kunka. Last season Kenyon finished 6-18 under Kunka but produced the North Coast Athletic Conference’s leading scorer in Chad Plotke, who averaged 21.9 points per game and also led the team in rebounds and steals. Plotke graduated last May, however, and three other major contributors also departed, taking with them over 60% of Kenyon’s offensive production from last year’s team. The returning players for 2002-03 are in search of the right formula that will take them into the win column, as the Lords have started out this season 0-7 overall and 0-1 in the NCAC. KC will have to shake off a bit of rust in the tournament’s opening game against Muskingum, as the Lords have a had a 20-day break since their last game.

Madonna University Livonia, Michigan - www.madonna.edu - Madonna Athletics - Madonna men's basketball NAIA Member of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Current record: 7-5 overall, 0-0 WHAC From the tournament program...This is the 10th season of men’s basketball at Madonna University and so far it’s shaping up to be its best. Prior to the 2002-03 campaign the Crusaders owned an overall nine-year record of 49-195 (.201 winning percentage), but MU is 7-5 to begin this season and is riding a three-game winning streak heading into Bluffton. Madonna, an NAIA member, opened the season 4-0 but then lost five straight games before getting back on the winning track for their last three games. The Crusaders return seven players who all were in the starting lineup at some point last year for head coach Bernie Holowicki.

Muskingum College New Concord, Ohio - www.muskingum.edu - Muskingum Athletics - Muskingum men's basketball NCAA Division III Member of the Ohio Athletic Conference Current record: 5-3 overall, 2-1 OAC From the tournament program...Led by Dr. Jim Burson, the dean of Ohio collegiate basketball coaches, the 2002-03 Muskingum College basketball squad is off to a 5-3 start and is out to erase the memories of last season’s 10-16 overall record and 5-13 mark in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Last season the Muskies had a pair of high-scoring seniors in Mike Moler (19.5 ppg, 3rd in OAC) and Andy Connell (16.0 ppg, 11th in OAC), but MC was out-rebounded by 9.8 boards per game and lost 10 of their last 12 contests to end the season. Things are looking much better for Muskingum so far this season, however, as MC’s four seniors aims to return the Muskies to contention in the OAC. The trip to Bluffton on Monday might seem like deja vu for the Muskies, as will be in Northwest Ohio Saturday taking on nearby Ohio Northern University.