Men's Basketball to Host Blazers Tip-Off Tournament
Friday Matchups:
Elms College Blazers (0-0) vs. Washington & Lee University Generals (1-0) at 6:00 p.m.
Plymouth State University Panthers (1-0) vs. No. 4 Amherst College Lord Jeffs (0-0) at 8:00 p.m.
Site: Picknelly Arena (Chicopee, Mass.)
Click here for directions to Elms College
Click here for live stats for both games
Saturday Matchups:
Consolation Game at 1:00 p.m.
Championship Game at 3:00 p.m.
Site: LeFrak Gymnasium
Click here for directions to Amherst College
Click here for live stats for both games
Setting The Scene: The Elms College men's basketball team will host the 2011 Blazer Tip-Off Tournament on Friday, Nov. 18 in conjunction with the Ken Wright Memorial Invitational which will pickup on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Amherst College. The losers of Friday's games at Elms will play in the consolation game at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, followed by the winners in the championship game at 3:00 p.m. Both of Saturday's game will be played at LeFrak Gymnasium at Amherst.
Scouting the Blazers: Friday's game against Washington & Lee marks the 2011-12 season opener for the Blazers. Elms is looking to claim its eighth consecutive conference tournament title, post its eighth straight 20-plus win season and make its seventh NCAA Division III Championship appearance in the last eight years. Head coach Ed Silva, now in his 11th season directing the program, has collected 188 career wins - just 12 shy of the 200-win milestone.
Scouting the Generals: Washington & Lee enters tournament action on the heels of a 69-67 win over Dickinson College in its 2011-12 season opener. The Generals nearly blew a 22-point lead as JD Ey (Chalotte, N.C.) led Washington & Lee with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while also grabbing a game-high 10 boards to go with four steals and three blocks. Kevin Gill (Richmond, Va.) added 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 3-of-4 from long range, and Larry Whitaker (Bartlett, Ill.) chipped in eight points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Scouting the Lord Jeffs: Amherst enters Friday's season opener ranked fourth in the nation in the D3Hoops.com Preseason Poll. The Lord Jeffs, who have appeared in 13 NCAA postseason tournaments since 1994, finished last season with a 25-4 overall record and made it to the quarterfinals of last season's NCAA championship.
Scouting the Panthers: Plymouth State takes the court against Amherst fresh off a 10-point, 76-66 victory over Rivier College in its season opener. Matt Cloutier (Milton, N.H.) scored a game-high 20 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the field, including 5 of 6 from three-point range. He was one of three Panthers to score in double figures. Jesse Sabolis (Stoughton, Mass.) added 15 points for the Panthers, while Petey Skevas (Wethersfield, Conn.) had a strong game with 12 points, four rebounds and eight assists.
Keeping Track Of Blazers' Athletics: For the latest news, notes and statistics visit athletics.elms.edu or call the office of sports information at (413) 265-2440. Fans can now follow the Blazers on Facebook and on live stats!
