The weekend schedule was abbreviated when the track and field teams’ trip to the Armory in New York was cancelled due to the snow. It was to have been the Mules’ last big meet before the Centennial Conference Championships. The three remaining events involve Muhlenberg teams looking ahead to the postseason.
Women’s Basketball at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 1:00)
With a week to go in the regular season, Muhlenberg (13-9, 9-6) is tied for fourth place in the CC with Gettysburg. Swarthmore and Ursinus are both two games back and need big finishes and lots of help to break into the top five and earn a playoff berth.
If the Mules play like they did the first time against their remaining opponents, the two playoff hopefuls won’t get any help from them. Muhlenberg beat Franklin & Marshall by 17, Dickinson by 13 and Ursinus by 24.
A win at Franklin & Marshall combined with losses by Swarthmore (at McDaniel) and Ursinus (home vs. Washington) clinches the Mules’ 20th postseason berth in the 21 years of the CC.
The Diplomats (3-19, 1-14) are a dangerous opponent: Losers of 14 straight, two of their last three losses were one-point setbacks at Johns Hopkins and Ursinus, and it will be their Senior Day.
Men’s Basketball at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 3:00)
The standings say it all about the importance of this game:
- Dickinson 13-2
- McDaniel 11-4
- Muhlenberg 10-5
- Franklin & Marshall 10-5
- Johns Hopkins 10-5
- Gettysburg 8-7
The winner could move into sole possession of third place, as Johns Hopkins has to face Dickinson. A Gettysburg loss at home to Haverford clinches a playoff berth for the Mules, win or lose.
Muhlenberg has won four of its last five, including defeats of playoff contenders McDaniel, Dickinson and Gettysburg (the latter two on the road). The Diplomats have lost three of their last five, including a stunning collapse on Wednesday at last-place Ursinus. F&M led 24-1 at one point in that game and was up 35-16 at halftime.
The Mules have lost five straight to F&M, including a 76-64 setback earlier this season and playoff losses each of the last two years, and have not defeated the Diplomats at the Mayser Center since the 2001 CC playoffs.
Wrestling vs. Washington and Lee/Ursinus (Saturday, 12:00)
These are the final matches for the Mules before next Saturday’s CC Championships. The bout to watch is at 125 against Ursinus, where Muhlenberg freshman Jaryd Flank could face Christopher Donaldson, who is ranked No. 1 in Division III.