WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – After a 20-day break for exams and the holidays, the Lycoming College women’s basketball team gets back on the court on Wednesday evening, Dec. 29, when it hosts its sixth annual Hoops for Hounds Classic at Lamade Gymnasium, hosting Ramapo in the first game of the classic at 6 p.m. The field is one of the toughest in the six-year history of the event, with No. 19 Lebanon Valley and two tough New Jersey Athletic Conference teams, Ramapo and Richard Stockton, heading to Lamade Gym for the event.
The classic is being held in memory of longtime Lycoming public address announcer Dick Zimmerman ’58, who was also a longtime pet owner. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Lycoming County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Lycoming (4-5 overall) enters Wednesday’s game after suffering two losses in a row, but the young team saw career-highs from sophomore Leeann Randall (Audobon, Pa./Methacton) (16 points) and freshman Julia Antonelli (Hanover, Pa./New Oxford) (15 points) in its last game, a 77-67 loss at King’s on Dec. 9.
The Warriors have had success at the classic in the past, posting titles in 2008 and 2009, with senior Kaitlyn Ober (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) earning the Classic’s MVP honors in 2009 after averaging 16.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in wins over FDU-Florham and Albany Pharmacy.
The Warriors will face Ramapo at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 29 and Richard Stockton at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 30 during the classic.
Ramapo (7-2 overall) is a perfect 7-0 this season in non-conference games and has outscored opponents by 10.6 points per game. Alexa Ryan has led the Roadrunners, averaging 15.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and Lindsey Gripenburg adds 12.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
Ramapo will face Lycoming at 6 p.m. on Dec. 29 and face No. 19 Lebanon Valley on Thursday at 1 p.m. in the classic.
Richard Stockton (7-3 overall) heads into the classic after a 63-50 win over Ramapo on Dec. 14 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest and a 67-60 loss at Gwynedd-Mercy on Dec. 18. The Ospreys were led by defending NJAC Player of the Week LaTonya Oliver, who averaged 16.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 7.0 blocks per game in the games. Oliver leads the NJAC in field goal percentage (.615) and blocked shots (2.9 bpg).
Richard Stockton faces No. 19 Lebanon Valley at 8 p.m. on Wednesday and Lycoming at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
Lebanon Valley (8-1 overall) remains ranked in both the USA Today/ESPN Division III and d3Hoops.com polls, reaching 19th in the USA Today poll and 20th in the d3Hoops.com poll. The team is very balanced, with eight players averaging 5.0 or more points per game, led by 10.1 points per contest by Suzie Noyes. The Dutchmen average 71.0 points per game and allow just 52.1.
The Dutchmen will face Richard Stockton on Wednesday at 8 p.m. and face Ramapo on Thursday at 1 p.m.
