After a successful debut in 2007, the NCAA, Division II Disney’s West Coast Tip-Off Classic will return in 2008 with an eight-team field, including four men’s and four women’s teams. The Classic will be held November 7-9 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.
“The CCAA is extremely excited and happy to help sponsor this expanded Disney Classic event,” CCAA Commissioner Robert J. Hiegert said. “This is a premier event and it has already proven to add to the prestige of Division II basketball. I am pleased to continue our relationship with Disney.”
The tournament format calls for four games – two men’s and two women’s – to be played each day over three days.
The men’s field will be comprised of Alaska-Anchorage, Fort Lewis, Humboldt State and Southwest Minnesota State. The women’s field will include Cal Poly-Pomona, Central Washington, Concordia (Minn.) and Indianapolis.
Three of the four teams on the men’s side advanced to NCAA post-season play during the 2007-08 campaign. Alaska-Anchorage captured the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) title and reached the NCAA, Division II semifinals. Senior forward Cameron Burney (5.5 ppg., 4.3 rpg., 1.3 apg.) is the lone returning starter from last year’s Seawolves team that concluded the season with a program-best 29-6 overall record.
Fort Lewis also enjoyed a program-high in wins after posting a 24-6 overall record, capturing the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) before suffering a first-round loss in the NCAA Championships.
Humboldt State grabbed a share of the 2008 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title after posting a 22-8 overall record, including a 15-5 mark in conference play. After being upset in the first round of the CCAA Tournament, the Lumberjacks suffered a first-round loss in the NCAA West Regional Championships.
Sophomore guard Ernie Spada is the top returning player for Humboldt State after averaging 6.1 points, 1.6 assists and 1.4 rebounds a contest.
Southwest Minnesota State registered a 17-12 overall mark a year ago and finished third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) with an 11-7 conference mark. Junior forward Ross DeMasi returns as the Mustangs’ leading scorer after averaging 9.6 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.
On the women’s side, Cal Poly-Pomona recorded a 12-16 overall record, including an 8-12 mark in CCAA play. After finishing third in the regular-season standings, the Broncos advanced to the second round of the CCAA Tournament.
Central Washington concluded the 2007-08 campaign with a 13-13 overall mark and placed eighth in the GNAC with a 5-13 record.
Concordia (Minn.) captured the NSIC Tournament title before suffering a first-round loss in the first round of the North Central Regional Tournament. The Golden Bears concluded last season with a 28-3 overall mark, including a 16-2 record in conference play.
Indianapolis tied for first place in the East Division of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) with a 13-6 conference mark before falling in the opening round of the Great Lakes Regional Tournament and concluding the season with a 22-8 overall record.
2008 Division II Disney’s West Coast Tip-Off Classic Schedule
Friday, November 7
MEN
Noon – Southwest Minnesota State vs. Alaska-Anchorage
2:30 p.m. – Fort Lewis vs. Humboldt State
WOMEN
5 p.m. – Concordia (Minn.) vs. Central Washington
7:30 p.m. – Game 2 – Indianapolis vs. Cal Poly-Pomona
Saturday, November 8
WOMEN
Noon – Concordia (Minn.) vs. Cal Poly-Pomona
2:30 p.m. – Central Washington vs. Indianapolis
MEN
5 p.m. – Humboldt State vs. Southwest Minnesota State
7:30 p.m. – Alaska-Anchorage vs. Fort Lewis
Sunday, November 9
MEN
11 a.m. – Fort Lewis vs. Southwest Minnesota State
1:30 p.m. – Humboldt State vs. Alaska-Anchorage
WOMEN
4 p.m. – Indianapolis vs. Concordia (Minn.)
6:30 p.m. – Cal Poly-Pomona vs, Central Washington
* Designated home team is listed second. The home team will wear light uniforms, and the visiting team will wear dark uniforms.
(Source CCAA)
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