DePauw Men Advance to Third SCAC Championship Game

DePauw University avenged its regular season loss to Trinity University as the Indiana Tigers (19-8, 12-4 SCAC) advanced to their second consecutive SCAC championship with a 58-56 win over the Texas Tigers in the first semifinal of the 2011 SCAC Men's Basketball tournament.

DePauw jumped out to a 33-24 halftime lead thanks to 50 percent shooting in the first half. The Indiana Tigers shot 13-of-26 while holding Trinity to 37 percent shooting in the first half (10-of-27).

Trinity scored 36 of their 56 points from three starters as Ryan Beall paced the group with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Beall was 5-of-9 from the floor. Freshman Robert Kitzinger scored 12 points while senior forward Luke Caldarera scored 10 points and added five rebounds.

In the second half DePauw cooled off as Trinity limited the Indiana Tigers to 9-of-23 shooting (39.1 percent). Trinity shot better as they connected on 14-of-29 from the floor in the second stanza (48.3 percent). Trinity tied the game with less than 30 seconds remaining on the heels of 13 offensive rebounds during the game.

Trailing 58-56 with 30 seconds left in the game, Trinity had a chance to tie or win the game on their final possession. However, Trinity's Caldarera was not able to get the tying basket as time expired.

With the win DePauw advances to its third all-time appearance in the SCAC championship game and second straight trip. DePauw won the 2006 SCAC championship before falling to Centre in last year's final, 60-56. DePauw will play the winner of the Centre vs. Oglethorpe semifinal on Sunday, February 27 at 2:30 p.m. CT at Millsaps College.

After the game SCAC Sports Information Director Jeff DeBaldo caught up with both head coaches and DePauw senior Steve Lemasters.

To listen to Trinity head coach Pat Cunningham, click here.

To listen to senior Steve Lemasters of DePauw, click here.

To listen to DePauw head coach Bill Fenlon, click here.

Trinity Knocks off Rhodes 62-42 Advancing to Men's Semis

The West's top seed, Trinity University, used a stifling defensive effort in limiting Rhodes College to just 11 first half points and a 62-42 win in the opening game of the 2011 SCAC Men's Basketball tournament.

With the game tied at 9-9, Trinity went on a 26-2 run to take a commanding 35-11 halftime lead. Rhodes, the No. 4 seed out of the East, went over 13 minutes without a basket as the Lynx shot just 16.7 percent (4-of-24) in the first half.

The Tigers used both a 3-2 zone and 2-3 zone defensively against Rhodes (7-18, 3-13 SCAC) in limiting the Lynx. Rhodes sophomore guard Andrew Galow shot just 2-for-10 and scored six points. Rhodes shot just over 43 percent in the second half to finish 17-of-54 (31.5 percent) for the game.

In the second half Trinity (16-10, 11-5 SCAC) led 53-21 with 9:41 before earning the 20 point win. The Tigers used a balance scoring effort as Kitzinger was the only Tiger to score in double-figures. Senior forward Luke Caldarera (eight points) was one of six Tigers to score four or more points. Zach Lambert also score eight points for Trinity.

With the win, Trinity advances to the SCAC semifinals on Saturday, February 26. The Tigers take on the winner of the DePauw (No. 2 East) and Austin College (No. 3 West) quarterfinal matchup. Trinity will make its fifth straight appearance in the SCAC semifinals and the program's eighth semifinal appearance since 2003.

After the game SCAC Sports Information Director caught up with both head coaches along with senior Luke Caldarera of Trinity.

To listen to Rhodes head coach Mike DeGeorge, click here.

To listen to senior Luke Caldarera of Trinity, click here.

To listen to Trinity head coach Pat Cunningham, click here.

2010 - SCAC Basketball Media Days - Trinity

The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference office will conduct its first annual basketball "media days" event beginning Monday, November 15.

Day four features a sit down with both head coaches Amie Bradley and Pat Cunningham along with senior forward Luke Caldarera and senior guard Danielle Hubenak of Trinity.

Danielle Hubenak returns for her senior year to run the point guard position for the Tigers after pacing them a season ago with 12.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per games as a junior. The four year starter broke an 11 year old record for most assists in a career last year and stands with 334 just 37 assists away from cracking into the top 10 all-time in SCAC history. Amie Bradley returns to guide this team after finishing last year with a record of 17-9, 11-5 in SCAC play.

To listen to Trinity head coach Amie Bradley, click here.

To listen to senior guard Danielle Hubenak, click here.

Luke Caldarera enters his senior year as the conference's active leading scorer with 1,015 points through his junior year. Last year Caldarera averaged 15 points and 7.9 rebounds as the Tigers posted a 14-13 record 9-7 in league play. Pat Cunningham enters his 12th season at the helm of the Tigers basketball program. Through his first 11 seasons coach Cunningham has amassed a record of 217-86 (.716) both the most wins and highest winning percentage in Trinity history.

To listen to Trinity head coach Pat Cunningham, click here.

To listen to senior forward Luke Caldarera, click here.

Centre Advances to Fifth Straight SCAC Title Game; 62-44 Win Over Trinity

The Centre College Colonels, the top seed out of the East Division, advanced to their fifth straight Southern Collegiate Athleti Conference championship with a 62-44 semifinal win over the Trinity University Tigers Saturday afternoon.

Centre and Trinty last met in the postseason in the semifinals of the 2008 SCAC Tournament where the Colonels got the better of the Tigers, 70-57. The two teams have met a total of five times since the SCAC readopted a postseason conference tournamnent in 2002-03.

Four Colonels, led by Jeff Mullaney's 12 points, scored in double-figures. Teammates Bryon Ellis, Josh Crawford and Danny Noll all scored 10 points in the win. Alex Lloyd led Centre with a game-high 12 rebounds.

Centre used a dominating performace from its post players. The Colonels held a 20-8 advantage in points from the paint. They also were helped by 14 second chance points while out-rebounding Trinity by a 41-28 mark.

Trinity was led junior forward Luke Caldarera's double-double. He tallied team-leading totals in points (14) and rebounds (10). Ryan Beall chippped in with 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting.

Centre jumped to a 23-16 halftime lead as both teams shot a combined 15-for-52 (28.9 percent. The Colonels used a 12-2 run over the first five minutes of the second half to open up a 35-18 lead. Centre led by as much as 20 on three separate occassions in the second half.

With the win, the Colonels improve to 17-8 and will play the winner of the second semifinal between Austin College and DePauw University on Feb. 28 at Noon CT. Trinity finishes the season at 14-13.

After the game SCAC Director of Communications Russell Kramer caught up with both head coaches plus Centre sophomore guard Jeff Mullaney.

To listen to Trinity head coach Pat Cunningham, click here.

To listen to Centre head coach Greg Mason, click here.

To listen to Centre sophomore guard Jeff Mullaney, click here.

Trinity Overcomes Late Seven Point Deficit to Earn Quarterfinal win over Oglethorpe

Trinity University, the #2W seeded team, used a huge performance from junior forward Luke Caldarera to beat #3E Oglethorpe University, 61-52 in an SCAC quarterfinal.

Caldarera scored 26 points on 8-of-17 shooting and fell one rebound shy of a double-double in the winning effort. The junior made a number of closely defended and clutch shots to help the Tigers erase a seven point Stormy Petrel lead with 6:48 remaining in the game.

The lead changed four 10 times and was tied on four separate occasions as both teams struggled shooting all afternoon. Trinity actually shot better from beyond the arc (36.4 percent) than they did from the field overall (24.1 percent) in the first half.
After Oglethorpe forced a 10-second violation, the Stormy Petrels got 3-pointers from Alex Richey and David Allison to increase its lead led to seven, 49-42 with just under seven minutes to play.

Trinity then responded with an 8-0 run over the next four and a half minutes to take a 53-52 lead and did not relinquish it the remainder of the game.

The Tigers' Michael Tobolowsky scored 14 points on 4-for-10 shooting (2-for-5 from beyond the arc).

Oglethorpe was led by Wade Weldon's nine points and Richey's seven. Four Petrels (Todd Ward, Allison, Erik Strong and E.C. Williams) scored six points. Oglethorpe held an 18-7 edge in bench points and out-rebounded Trinity 38-36.

After the contest SCAC Director of Sports Information Jeff DeBaldo caught up with both head coaches.

To listen to Oglethorpe head coach Phil Ponder, click here.

To listen to Trinity head coach Pat Cunningham, click here.

SCAC Men's Basketball Podcast - Week Ten

Heading into the final regular season weekend of SCAC action and there is just one final spot open for the SCAC Tournament. In the east, DePauw, Centre, Oglethorpe and Rhodes have all clinched spots while the seedings still remain to be handed out. In the West, Austin College, Southwestern and Trinity have all made reservations for Jackson, Mississippi for the SCAC Tournament while Colorado College and Millsaps battle for the final spot.

Earlier in the week the conference office had a chance to catch up with two coaches that have already punched their ticket to the SCAC Tournament, Pat Cunningham of Trinity and Herb Hilgemen of Rhodes.

To hear the entire interview with coach Cunningham, click here.

To hear the entire interview with coach Hilgeman, click here.