Leopards ready for big event

The University of La Verne men’s basketball will be one of 10 squads competing at the Hoopsville National Invitational Classic hosted by Stevenson University on Nov. 22-24.

This year’s event will feature 10 teams from seven states, five of which were either ranked or receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25 during the 2012-13 season and five who participated in the 2013 Division III NCAA Tournament.

Along with La Verne, the 2013 field includes Birmingham-Southern College (Ala.), Cabrini (Pa.), Keystone (Pa.),  Middlebury (Vt.), Ohio Wesleyan, St. Mary’s (Md.), Salisbury (Md.), Stevenson (Md.), and Trinity (Texas). The 10 teams averaged over 20 wins last season while four had its head coach named conference coach of the year.

Stevenson serves as the host of the event, which will take place at Owings Mills Gymnasium.  Former La Verne head coach and Leopard Hall of Famer Gary Stewart is the current head coach at Stevenson.

The Hoopsville Classic is the second-largest event of its kind, behind only the D3hoops.com Classic held in Las Vegas.  

The Leopards will face Ohio Wesleyan in the first game of the event. The Leos conclude action against Keystone.

Coach Richard Reed’s Leopards finished with a 11-14 record a year ago, winning 10 of its last 14 games.  The Leopards concluded Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play in fourth place with a 9-7 overall mark.

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