The home openers for track and wrestling and an important basketball doubleheader in Baltimore make for a big weekend.
Indoor Track & Field hosts Muhlenberg Invitational (Friday, 3:00)
Muhlenberg welcomes DeSales, Goucher, Neumann and Wesley for its only home indoor meet of the season. Last year, Muhlenberg athletes won 12 of the 26 events. Field events begin at 3:00, running events at 6:00.
Wrestling vs. McDaniel and Stevens (Saturday, 12:00)
Muhlenberg opens its Centennial Conference dual meet season with the first of its two scheduled home tri-matches. The Mules take on McDaniel in the first match and Stevens in the third. Both McDaniel (at 133) and Stevens (at 149) bring in nationally ranked wrestlers. Coming off his impressive win at Ursinus’ Will Abele Invitational last weekend, Mule freshman Jaryd Flank will make his home debut – although since McDaniel does not have anyone at 125, his first appearance probably will be a brief one to get his hand raised.
Men’s Basketball at Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 1:00)
Two teams that were defeated in the Centennial Conference semifinals last year meet for the second time this season, with Muhlenberg looking to complete its fourth season sweep of Johns Hopkins in the last six years.
In the first meeting this season, the Mules saw their 16-point halftime lead pared to three but shot 60 percent in the second half to hold on for a 91-75 win.
Muhlenberg (11-5, 6-3) and Johns Hopkins (9-7, 6-3) are currently tied for fourth place in the CC, a game behind second-place McDaniel and Franklin & Marshall and two in front of sixth-place Gettysburg. The Mules have won three of their last four following a three-game losing streak, while the Blue Jays have rebounded from a four-game skid by winning five of their last six.
A win would push Muhlenberg to 7-3 in the CC for just the second time in the last 12 years.
Women’s Basketball vs. Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 3:00)
The two most successful programs in CC history meet for the second time this season, with the Mules (9-7, 6-4) looking to continue their hot streak against the first-place Blue Jays (12-3, 10-0).
Muhlenberg has won four of its last five, including Wednesday’s decisive 67-43 win at Ursinus. Hopkins had a much tougher time at Ursinus last Saturday, needing a late rally to win 71-67. Dating back to last season, the Blue Jays have won 21 of their last 23 CC regular-season games.
Hopkins scored 14 of the game’s first 17 points and nine of the last 12 to edge the Mules, 65-58, in a back-and-forth battle in the first meeting this season.
The Blue Jays hold a 24-18 all-time lead in a series that includes 11 postseason meetings. Muhlenberg has won a game in Baltimore in each of the last three seasons, last year in the regular season and in the 2011 and 2012 CC championship games.