It’s the first Saturday of the winter season in which all five Muhlenberg teams are scheduled to compete … and it’s supposed to snow. Here’s what to look for if everything goes on as scheduled:
Basketball doubleheader at Washington (Saturday, women at 2, men at 4)
Chestertown will be the site for two pivotal games in the Centennial Conference standings.
The 14th-ranked Muhlenberg women (13-2, 8-2) will try to keep pace with Johns Hopkins (a half-game ahead in the CC) against a Washington team that is having an outstanding season. The Shorewomen (11-5, 6-5) have won nine of their last 10, with their only loss coming at Johns Hopkins.
Washington gave the Mules a tough battle when the teams met in Allentown in early December. Muhlenberg had a 15-point second-half lead slashed to five before holding on for a 71-63 victory.
The Mules lead the all-time series 32-4, but their only series loss in the last 16 years came in the 2006-07 season in Chestertown when they were nationally ranked (23rd).
In the men’s standings, it is Muhlenberg (10-5, 4-5) that is looking up at Washington (10-6, 6-3). The Shoremen won their last two games on the road against teams that handed the Mules their two biggest losses of the season (Franklin & Marshall and Johns Hopkins).
Muhlenberg hasn’t had much success at the Cain Center, winning just four times in 19 trips since the start of CC play in 1994. Then again, Washington hadn’t won in Allentown since 1989 before pulling out a 96-93 victory in overtime in the first meeting this season.
Live stats (women): http://www.washingtoncollegesports.com/sports/wbkb/live_stats
Live stats (men): http://www.washingtoncollegesports.com/sports/mbkb/live_stats
Live video (both): http://www.justin.tv/wcathletics2
Indoor Track & Field at Lehigh Multi & Invite (Saturday, 11:00)
After getting their feet wet at Kutztown last week, the Mules will start to get more of a feel of where they stand in their second meet of the season. The teams are improving the level of competition (at a Division I meet) and the quality of the facility (they will be allowed to wear spikes), which should make for faster times.
Several athletes who did not compete at Kutztown will make their season debuts, and the women will line up 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams.
Wrestling at Gettysburg with Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 12:00)
Muhlenberg kicks off its Centennial Conference dual-meet season with a tri-match at Gettysburg. Although the Mules do not have enough wrestlers to be successful in dual meets, the individual bouts are important for seeding at the CC Championships.