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BUENA VISTA, Va. -- With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Christopher Newport men's and women's basketball teams will hit the road for the final pair, starting with a road trip to Southern Virginia University on Wednesday evening. First, the 12th-ranked CNU women's basketball team will battle the Knights at 5:30 pm, followed by the 3rd-ranked CNU men, looking to extend a 15-game winning streak, facing off against SVU at 7:30 pm. 

Live stats and a live video webcast will be provided for both games. Links can be found on the schedules at CNUsports.com. 

Wednesday's doubleheader, along with the regular season finale at York on Saturday, holds major playoff implications, in particular on the women's side. While the men have already locked up a first-round bye in the CAC Tournament, the CNU women are currently tied for first with the University of Mary Washington, and hold just a one-game advantage on third place Marymount University. All three teams, now ranked in the top 25, could finish anywhere from the #1 to #3 seed with the coveted bye being awarded to just the top two teams in the final league standings. Making things even more interesting, Marymount will host Mary Washington on Wednesday night at 6:00 pm. 

This week, the CNU women slipped to No. 12 in the D3hoops.com Top 25, but remained in the top 10 according to the WBCA at No. 9 after bouncing back with a dominating defensive performance against Wesley for a 66-32 victory. With the win, CNU carries a 21-2 overall record, and 14-2 mark against conference foes, into the matchup against Southern Virginia. The Knights are 3-20 overall with an 0-16 record in conference play. 

Christopher Newport boasts the league's leading offense, scoring 72.8 points per game, while also ranking third in the league in scoring defense at 53.0 points per game. Balance has been key to the Captains' success, with eight different players averaging double figures in minutes played, while only one player is averaging over 8.5 points per game. The offense seemingly relies on a different player each game, with eight Captains finishing a game as the scoring leader in 23 games this season. Defensively, Sam Porter paces a frenetic press that has forced 15.6 steals per game this season. Porter has grabbed a career-high 86 steals, ranking 14th nationally.

Southern Virginia has been led by the league's third-leading scorer, Shelby Winsor, who is pouring in nearly 15 points per game. She has scored 20 or more in three straight contests while knocking down nearly 60% of her shots in that stretch. Sophomore Merideth Ouellette is also averaging 11.1 points for the Knights this season and is the primary three-point threat for Southern Virginia.

On the men's side, the Captains held their position at No. 3 nationally this week, as they carry a 15-game winning streak into the final week of the regular season. CNU (22-2, 15-1) would clinch at least a share of the regular season conference title with a win at Southern Virginia, leading Salisbury by one game. The Knights come into Wednesday's contest with a 4-19 overall record after going 2-14 in conference play, but have played some of the best teams in the conference in tight games all season long, especially at home. In "The Barn" on Southern Virginia's campus, the Knights are 3-6 with a scoring margin of just -2.7; SVU defeated Mary Washington (55-50) and Penn State Harrisburg (88-76) at home, while falling by just three to York and one to Frostburg State.

Defense has been the difference for CNU this season, as the Captains lead the nation in both scoring defense (56.7 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (.346). Powered by the stalwart defense, Christopher Newport has held their opponent to 60 points or less in 16 games this season. On the other end of the floor, the Captains offense has kicked into gear of late, and is averaging over 78 points per game in the last eight games. In that stretch, balance has not been lost, as five different Captains have led the team in scoring, including four 20-point efforts. CNU ranks second nationally in scoring margin, pairing the excellent offense and tormenting defense to outscore opponents by an average of 18.3 points per game. 

For Southern Virginia, rookie Rashay Dougles leads the team with 13.5 points per game and has taken a place in the starting lineup over the last seven games. Junior Aarun Rumbaugh leads the team in rebounding while also pouring in 9.6 points per game for the Knights. 

After Wednesday's game at Southern Virginia, the Captains will close out the regular season this Saturday, February 18 at York College of Pennsylvania.