SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team will kick off the home portion of its 2010-11 regular season schedule by hosting the annual Wolf's Bus Lines Classic from Heiges Field House this Friday and Saturday, November 19 and 20.
This year's field consists of Nyack College and Philadelphia University from the CACC along with Mercyhurst from the PSAC Western Division and the host Red Raiders. Games will be held at 3 and 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evening.
Shippensburg returns 10 letterwinners from last season, including three starters. The team has lost just three letterwinners from last year and has brought in four new players.
Power forward
Will Royal returns after an explosive second half in which he led the team with 11.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Royal shot over 53 percent from the floor and contributed nine blocked shots in 19 games.
Senior point guard
Jaren Gembe will be the team's captain. He was one of just three players to appear in all 27 of the team's games last season, averaging 3.0 points per game while converting 14 three-pointers and finishing third on the team with 51 assists.
Junior
Craig Van Scyoc has been a consistent shooter for Shippensburg over the last two seasons, delivering 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last year. He was an 88.5 percent free-throw shooter last season and led the Red Raiders with 42 three-pointers.
Sophomore point guard
Lamar Jackson emerged as a regular last season, starting in 26 of the team's 27 games. He was fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 9.0 points per game, and dished out 87 assists compared to committing just 70 turnovers. Jackson shot 40 percent from three-point range, making 33 trifectas last season.
Junior
Jordan Stasyszyn emerged as a dangerous shooter, contributing almost seven points per game.
In the tournament's first game of the weekend, Mercyhurst will battle it out with Philadelphia. The Lakers were picked sixth in the PSAC Western Division Coaches Poll, while the Rams were picked atop the CACC South Division Coaches Poll.
Mercyhurst is under the guidance of eighth-year head coach Gary Manchel and has guided the Lakers to six winning seasons and five postseason berths during his tenure.
Philadelphia is coached by 44-year veteran Herb Magee, who last season became the all-time winningest NCAA men's basketball coach (in NCAA wins). He has a career record of 908-355 - having totaled 80 more career victories than any other coach at the Division II level.
The Rams also entered the season ranked No. 23 in the NABC/Division II Preseason Coaches Poll. It is the second PSAC opponent that Philadelphia will have faced this year - the Rams dropped a 67-60 decision to Kutztown in their season opener.
In Friday night's game, Shippensburg will be facing Nyack for the first time. The Warriors were picked fifth in the CACC North Division Coaches Poll after a 13-17 season and an 8-10 mark in divisional play.
The Red Raiders lost their opener on Monday night at Goldey-Beacom, a squad picked right behind Philadelphia in the CACC North Division Coaches Poll.
SU has been battling some injuries and will be looking to make a strong impression in its first home game of the season. The Red Raiders won six games at home last season, including a victory over nationally-ranked Kutztown.
Under head coach Dave Springer, Shippensburg has won its last seven home openers dating back to the 2002-03 season.
Live stats of all tournament games will be available at the links above.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
FRIDAY
1 PM
WOMEN: West Liberty vs. St. Paul's
3 PM
MEN: Philadelphia at Mercyhurst
6 PM
WOMEN: Wheeling Jesuit vs. Shippensburg
8 PM
MEN: Nyack vs. Shippensburg
SATURDAY
1 PM
WOMEN: Wheeling Jesuit vs. Saint Augustine's
3 PM
MEN: Nyack vs. Mercyhurst
6 PM
WOMEN: West Liberty vs. Shippensburg
8 PM
MEN: Philadelphia vs. Shippensburg
