February 28, 2009

ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne University men’s basketball team, which won its eighth South Atlantic Conference championship, is the top seed for the 2009 Food Lion SAC Men’s Basketball Tournament, which begins Wednesday.

The Bears (12-4 SAC, 17-9) is the top seed for the second year in a row. The Bears won the conference title for the third time in four years. Lenoir-Rhyne will host eighth-seed Carson-Newman (4-12 SAC, 7-20) on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

Newberry College, Tusculum College and Catawba College all tied for second place with 10-6 conference records.

Newberry went 3-1 head-to-head against Tusculum and Catawba to clinch the second seed. Newberry (20-7 overall) will face seventh-seed Mars Hill (7-9 SAC, 17-10) at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Tusculum earned the third seed in a tiebreaker with Catawba. The two teams split during the regular season and each split with top-seed Lenoir-Rhyne. Tusculum had the edge by virtue of its regular-season victory over second-seed Newberry.

Tusculum (10-6 SAC, 18-9) will host sixth-seed Wingate University at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Catawba (10-6 SAC, 18-9) will host fifth-seed Lincoln Memorial University at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Wingate and Lincoln Memorial finished tied with 8-8 conference records. The two teams split during the regular season. Lincoln Memorial got the higher seed by virtue of its regular-season win over No. 1 Lenoir-Rhyne.

Quarterfinal winners advance to the tournament semifinals, which will be held at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C. on Saturday.

Tickets for quarterfinal games are $6 for adults, $3 for children, students and college students with ID. Tickets for semifinal and championship rounds are $10 for adults and

The men’s and women’s winners of the tournament will earn automatic bids to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

MEN

Wednesday, March 4
Food Lion SAC Tournament, Quarterfinals, Home of Higher Seed
No. 8 Carson-Newman at No. 1 Lenoir-Rhyne, 8 pm
No. 7  Mars Hill at No. 2 Newberry, 8 pm
No. 6 Wingate at No. 3 Tusculum, 8 pm
No. 5 Lincoln Memorial at No. 4 Catawba, 7 pm

Saturday, March 7
Food Lion SAC Tournament, Semifinals, CVCC Arena, Hickory, NC
Lenoir-Rhyne/Carson-Newman winner vs. Catawba/Lincoln Memorial winner, 6 pm
Newberry/Mars Hill winner vs. Tusculum/Wingate winner, 8 pm

Sunday, March 8
Food Lion SAC Tournament, Finals, CVCC Arena, Hickory, NC
Championship, 4 pm

Printable bracket

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