NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport University basketball teams will return to the home hardwood on Saturday, February 1st, playing host to Capital Athletic Conference foes from York College of Pennsylvania. The women's matchup will be a Top 25 showdown between the top two teams in the CAC standings, as the 15th-ranked Captains (15-2, 8-1) take on the 8th-ranked and undefeated Spartans (18-0, 10-0). Tip is set for 2:00 pm between the womens' teams, followed by the men's game at 4:00 pm.
The CNU men (12-5, 5-4) will face the Spartans (3-15, 2-8), coming off a thrilling one-point advantage on the road at Penn State Harrisburg. Links to live stats and live video will be available at CNUsports.com.
Fans are encouraged to wear their CNU blue as part of the Blue Out! initiative in support of the teams. A student pep rally, including meet & greet with the spring athletic teams, will be held between games and free t-shirts will be presented to CNU students with a valid ID. Games, food and giveaways will all be a part of the day at the Freeman Center.
The action on the court will heat up at 2:00 pm, as the women's team tips against one of the best teams in the nation. Since playing against the Spartans earlier this season, the Captains have run off ten straight victories and have climbed back into the top 15 nationally. CNU ranks 15th in both the D3hoops.com and WBCA Coaches' Top 25 polls, and have paired a red hot offense averaging 79.8 points per game with a stifling defense, holding opponents to just 61.0 per game.
Led by seniors
Nicole Mitchell (17.4 ppg) and
Tia Perry (17.0 ppg), the Captains offense has scored 70 or more points in eight of the ten straight wins. On the other side of the ball, CNU ranks ninth nationally in turnover margin and 10th in steals per game.
CNU will face one of the toughest defenses in the nation, however, when they welcome in the conference rivals from York (Pa.). The Spartans rank fourth nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding foes to just .307 shooting so far this season. In the earlier matchup, CNU put up 63 points against York, which was the second most points allowed all year. Still, the veteran group held on for a 75-63 win at home, with four players scoring in double figures.
The starting lineup features four seniors and a junior, including all-time assists leader Aja Wallpher. Wallpher had 12 dimes against CNU earlier this season and ranks fifth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. Seniors Brittany Hicks (15.3 ppg) and Kristen Haley (13.5 ppg) lead an experienced group that has won 18 straight games and 27 of their last 31 dating back to last season.
On the men's side, the Captains are vying for conference tournament positioning and will be looking for the season sweep against York after edging the Spartans, 63-60, in their first matchup. Senior preseason All-American
Tra Benefield (18.7 ppg) will look to guide CNU back into the win column, coming into Saturday's game ranked second in the CAC in scoring.
York (Pa.) is led by Mike Mathews (12.4 ppg) and Matt McNeely (11.4 ppg) as double-figure scorers and the team's leading rebounders. Ryan Beaver, the team's leading three-point shooter, led the Spartans with 15 points against CNU.
The game will be the first of four games in eight days for CNU after snow postponed one of this week's contests to Monday, February 3. The Captains will take on York (Pa.) on Saturday, Southern Virginia on Monday, followed by road trips to Salisbury University and Wesley College.
