NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 2011 Captains Shootout is set for Thursday, December 29 and Friday, December 30 as the team returns from Winter Break with a pair of games this week. Kicking off the tournament will be McDaniel College vs. Worcester State University at 5:30 pm on Thursday, followed at 7:30 pm by CNU vs. Piedmont College. On Friday, the 5:30 tilt will be the consolation match, followed by the championship game at 7:30.

Christopher Newport is 6-3 overall this season, with four wins in the last five games. The Captains will face future USA South foe Piedmont College for the second time this season. CNU earned a 94-70 win on December 16 in Georgia. Senior Conley Taylor ranks in the nation's top twenty in scoring, pouring in 22 points per game with nearly six boards per contest. Sophomore Tra Benefield has also chipped in 16.3 points per game, fourth in the USA South, and 6.1 rebounds per game.

The Piedmont Lions are 2-6 to start the year, including an 0-3 record away from home. Rookie Jessie Jenkins leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game so far this season.

McDaniel enters this week's tournament with a 3-6 overall record, falling in four straight. The Green Terror fell by just two in their last game, 52-50, on the road at Elizabethtown. Cullen Murray-Kemp has made just five starts, but leads the team in both scoring and rebounding with 13.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

Rounding out the Captains Shootout this year will be Worcester State University, 2-6 to start the season. Robert Hunter has led the team in rebounding in seven of eight games this season, including five double-figure rebounding games, while also scoring a team-high three times. He is averaging a double-double, with 14.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game so far this season.

Games will be available via live stats by clicking here.