MSOE host the 5th All Engineers Classic Nov. 17-18
| Published: 11/17/2012 |
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MSOE host the 5th All Engineers Classic Nov. 17-18
The brightest young engineering minds our universities has to offer, takes the construction to the hardwood today as the MSOE men’s basketball team will host the fifth All-Engineers Classic Saturday, Nov. 17 and Sunday, Nov. 18 at the Kern Center, 1245 N. Broadway. The tournament will feature four of the nation’s most prominent engineering and technological institutions underneath one roof.
In addition to MSOE, other Division III opponents include Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology of Terre Haute, Ind.; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) of Troy, N.Y.; and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) of Pasadena, Calif.
The tournament will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 when Rose-Hulman takes on RPI. MSOE and Caltech will battle at 6 p.m. The consolation game will be played Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m., and the championship game will be at 3 p.m. While all four schools are well known for their academic reputation, they all have well established athletic programs at the Division III level.
About the Teams:
Rose Hulman returns to the tournament hoping that their third time is a charm. Rose-Hulman features the return of four starters and 11 letter winners from the 2011-12 squad this winter. Returning all-conference players include junior Julian Strickland (Indianapolis/Pike) and senior Austin Weatherford (Cicero/Hamilton Heights), who were the team's top two scorers last season.
Other multiple-year letter winners return includes senior Brenton Balsbaugh (Greenville, Ohio/Arcanum), senior Jon Gerken (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora), senior Nate Gissentanner (Conyers, Ga./Rockdale County), junior Jordy Martin (New Albany) and junior James Pillischafske (Louisville, Ky./Male). Junior Jake Dodd (St. Peters, Mo./Missouri-St. Louis) also saw significant time.
The Fightin' Engineers also feature six newcomers, including five players at 6' 4" tall or above. Rose-Hulman finished 20-9 overall for the fourth 20-win season in program history last winter.
RPI has been on the top and at the bottom of this tournament, as head Coach Mike Griffin referenced at the Friday night All Engineers Classic Banquet. In 2004, they won the tournament, while in 2010, they lost in the consolation finals. Looking to help the Engineers return to that 2006 form, they will rely on captains Seniors Brendan Farley, Daniel Martin and Jamie Zajac to lead the way.
Farley (Burlington, MA/Burlington), a forward, has played in 24 games for the Engineers, averaging 8.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game last season. He shot 30.5% (67 for 220) from the floor, including 28.9% (54 for 187) from three-point range. A 75.0% (18 for 24) free-throw shooter, Farley collected 30 assists, 29 steals and a blocked shot, while averaging 16.6 minutes per game, in his first varsity season.
Also a forward, Martin (Cohasset, MA/Cohasset) has played in 72 career games, including 23 as a starter. He has averaged 5.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest, in an average of 15.8 minutes. A 54.0% (150 for 278) shooter from the field, Martin has totaled 25 assists, 32 steals and 124 blocked shots.
Zajac (Merrimack, NH/Bishop Guertin), a guard, is the team's top returning scorer at 10.8 points per game a season ago. A starter in 46 of 64 life-time games played with the Engineers, he has averaged 5.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per contest in 14.4 minutes. Last season's assist leader (86), Zajac has amassed 149 career helpers, to go along with 59 steals and three blocks. He is a career 43.9% (47 for 107) shooter from beyond the arc.
The Engineers finished the 2011-12 campaign with a 10-13 overall record.
CALTECH
With a host of experienced players mixed in with a talented group of first-years, the 2012-13 season of Caltech men’s basketball has big and bold ambitions.
The squad returns over 90 percent of its scoring offense from last year. In addition to the scoring, the team’s experience is accentuated by the fact that the roster has combined to tally over 250 starting assignments.
Senior Michael Edwards (Canyon Country, Calif./Canyon) is less than 100 points from breaking the school’s career scoring record while playing in all 75 games he has suited up for. Edwards has missed just one start during his Beaver tenure. He has been the programs top scorer twice in his three previous seasons. Last season he was recognized by the league’s head coaches as an all-conference performer.
Collin Murphy (Wasilla, Alaska/Colony HS), a third year team captain, started all 25 games last year where he averaged 22.8 minute a game. Ethan Boroson (Tucson, Ariz./Catalina Foothills HS) will also serve as a team captain for a third straight year. Pan Wang (Germantown, Md./Montgomery Blair HS) started in 16 of the 25 games he played last year. Wang has the ability to put up double figures on a consistent basis as he scored 10 or more points in the Beavers last five games. Alex Runkel (Villin.-Schwen., Germany/Salem International) will play down-low for the Beavers in 2012-13. Runkel started all 23 games he played-in where he averaged 4.6 points and 5.8 rebounds while playing 21 minutes a game.
Caltech finished the 2011-12 season with a 5-20 overall record.
MSOE is the two-time defending champion of the All Engineers Classic and return two starters from last year’s team. Look for the Raiders to rely on point guard John Cording(Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) to run the offense. Last season, Cording was second on the team in points per game, averaging 9.2 in 25 games played. He led the Raiders in assists and steals with 79 and 34, respectively. John is a great leader both by example and verbally,” says head coach Brian Miller about Cording. “He plays extremely hard and sets the tone for our team.”
Senior Forward Victor Bande (Madrid, Spain/ Lourdes University) will also play a pivotal role for MSOE. He averaged 6.6 points per game last year. Derek Watton (Sidney, Ohio/Troy), returning from an injury-redshirt year will add athleticism and shooting to the Raiders squad.
Defensively, Miller is counting on Jeremiah Erdmann (Oakfield, Wis./ Oakfield) to anchor the Raider’s defense. “Jerry (Erdmann) is a great defender on the ball and will be counted on to take a role as a shut down defender.”
The Raiders finished the 2011-12 campaign with a 10-15 record.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. Tickets may be purchased one hour before each game at the MSOE Kern Center Ticket Office. For more information, contact the MSOE Athletic Office at 414-277-4552.
MSOE is an independent, non-profit university with 2,500 students. MSOE offers 20 bachelor’s degrees and nine master’s degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, building and infrastructure engineering, health-related engineering, computer, business and nursing fields. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real-world experience; extremely high placement rates; and the highest starting salaries of any Wisconsin university according to PayScale Inc. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.
