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YORK, Pa. -- For the top two teams in the Capital Athletic Conference, the season culminates in a highly-anticipated rubber match this Saturday, March 1, as the top two seeds will compete for the league title at 2:00 pm. With the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament on the line, top-seeded York College (Pa.) (24-2) will host the second-seeded Christopher Newport Captains (22-4), as CNU makes its first ever appearance in the CAC Finals. 

As the 2013-14 season progressed, two teams set themselves apart in the CAC standings and asserted themselves as the top teams in the league. Both programs feature a bevy of veteran skilled and experienced players, including a senior class with four NCAA Tournament appearances combined. Needless to say, there will be a wealth of postseason experience on display at Charles Wolf Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. 

Excluding their head-to-head matchups, the two teams have combined to go 44-4 this season, leading to high regional rankings by the NCAA. In the final poll before NCAA Tournament selection, the Spartans were ranked second in the Atlantic Region, followed by CNU at third. The Captains were the preseason favorites in the CAC Coaches' Poll, while York was picked fourth. In the national polls, Christopher Newport is ranked as high as 20th, while the Spartans are currently No. 12, setting up a top 25 battle in the title game. 

CNU advanced to its first CAC Championship Game by pulling out a thrilling 73-72 victory over #3-seed Salisbury in the semifinal round. Junior Camry Green scored a career-high 25 points, including a key three-point play in the final minutes, to lead CNU to victory. 

The Spartans held off a furious comeback by fourth-seeded Marymount, earning their championship bid with a 73-65 victory in the semifinals. York got 19 points from Kristen Haley and 12 rebounds by Brittany Hicks as the dynamic duo each eclipsed the 1,500-point plateau for their career in the victory. The Spartans will be making their fifth appearance in the CAC Finals, with one championship. 

Over the last several games, senior Nicole Mitchell and junior Camry Green have played stellar basketball for head coach Bill Broderick, leading the Captains into postseason form. Mitchell has been strong all season, and is now averaging over 16 points per game while knocking down 51% of her shots and 40% of her three-point attempts. Green, who missed the first half of the season with an injury, has posted six double-doubles in 16 games played, including two in the last three games in which she has averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds per game. 

Senior Andrea Hobbs has run the offense all season long, and ranks in the nation's top 25 in assist-turnover ratio. Her York counterpart is the only player in the league with a better mark, as the game should feature superb guard play from the point position. Aja Wallpher is the Spartans' all-time leader in assists while Hobbs is one of just two players to lead the Captains in helpers for three straight years. 

Wallpher, a senior, is joined by one of the most accomplished classes in program history. Hicks and Haley headline the group with their PG, scoring over 3,000 points combined. The two front court stars are the only Spartans averaging double figures as Hicks pours in 16.4 per game, while Haley adds 13.9. As a team, the Spartans are one of the toughest defensive teams in the nation, ranking fourth nationally in field-goal percentage defense. 

In the two regular season matchups, the teams split, with each taking the game in their home gym. At York, Hicks' posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Spartans to a 75-63 victory. Then, in the Freeman Center, the Captains bumped York from the ranks of the unbeaten, handing the Spartans their first loss of the season, 67-64, in overtime. Mitchell and Green each posted double-doubles in that win. 

Live stats and a live video webcast will be available of the championship game, presented by the York College (Pa.) Department of Athletics. Links can be found at CNUsports.com.