Monday, January 7, 2008

Tues. 8 Women's Basketball at Ohio Dominican University 5:30 pm *

Men's Basketball at Ohio Dominican University 7:30 pm *

Fri. 11 Wall of Fame Dinner at Barrette Business and Community Center 7:15 pm

Sat. 12 Women's Basketball (H) Shawnee State University 2 pm

Men's Basketball (H) Shawnee State University 4 pm *

* Games to be broadcast on AM 900 WCER

MEN'S BASKETBALL: (11-2) Third Ranked Cavs Open AMC Play

NAIA No. 3 Walsh (11-2) opens American Mideast Conference South Division play at Ohio Dominican University (7:30 pm) on Tuesday.  The Cavs shared the AMC South title last year, after winning the crown out-right the previous two years.  Walsh has finished 15-3 in AMC South play in each of the last three years.  The Cavs host Shawnee State University, in their AMC South home opener on Saturday (4 pm).  At halftime on Saturday, Walsh will introduce their 2008 Wall of Fame Class, which includes hardwood standouts Bob Bolden and Doug Meyer.  Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us. 

Walsh rolled to a 95-72 win at Houghton College on Wednesday night.  The win was the second straight for the Cavs.  Walsh led 10-5 when they went on an 18-0 run to take a 28-5 lead.  The Cavs shot .553 (21-38) in the first half and led 51-34 at the half.  The Cavs shot even better in the second half, 16-23 (.696) and outscored the Highlanders 44-38.  Brandon Weems (5-10, Jr., Akron, OH/Saint Vincent-Saint Mary) just missed a double-double with 22 points and nine assists.  Weems was 8-12 from the field.  The Cavs bench was again solid scoring 45 points.   Brandon Speck (6-0, So., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) and Lamar Skeeter (5-10, Fr., Dayton, OH/Kettering Alter) came off the bench to score 17 points each.  Speck was 6-10 from floor and 5-9 from three-point range, while Skeeter was 7-9 from the field and 3-4 from behind the arc.  Josh Johnson (6-4, Jr., Warren, OH/Harding) also reached double figures with 15 points, on 6-7 from the floor. 

Walsh's balanced scoring attack has six players scoring in twin figures, led by Eder Araujo's (7-0, Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil/Odete Maria de Freitas) 14.0 ppg.  Araujo is also the Cavs' top rebounder at 7.5 per game.  Corey Jones (6-3, Sr., Avon Lake, OH/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary) is averaging 11.2 points and is shooting .586 from three-point range.  Weems, who has scored in double figures in each of the last four games, is averaging 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and and AMC leading 6.2 assists.  He is shooting .486 from three-point.  Skeeter is averaging 11.0 points coming off the bench and is shooting .562 from three-point.  Joe Shardo (6-5, Jr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) is averaging 10.6 points and is shooting .620 from the field and .480 from three-point.  Johnson is averaging 10.4 points and 5.4 rebounds and is shooting .500 from the field.  Walsh is averaging 89.3 points, while shooting .509 from the floor and .466 from three-point.

Walsh and much improved Ohio Dominican University (9-5) meet in Columbus at Alumni Hall on Tuesday night.  The Panthers have won their last two games and are 9-5.   They defeated Houghton 86-68 last Friday and Roberts Wesleyan 83-62 on Saturday.  Both wins were on the road.  Donald Suel leads the Panthers in scoring at 17.0 points.  Brian Busch is averaging 15.1 points and an AMC leading 9.9 rebounds.  Walsh has won the last seven meetings between two schools and leads the all-time series 59-20.  Walsh downed the Panthers three times last season, including an 80-65 playoff win.  The Cavs host Shawnee State (6-8) on Saturday.  The Bears have dropped their last five games, and lost 76-69 at Florida Memorial on Saturday.  They play at home against the University of Rio Grande on Wednesday night.  Josh Reed is one of three Bears scoring in double figures, and is averaging 18.5 points.  Walsh leads the all-time series 24-13, with four consecutive series wins.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs (7-6) Meet Pair of AMC Ranked Teams

Walsh (7-6), winners of their last two games, open American Mideast Conference South play against two NAIA ranked teams this week.  The Cavs travel to Columbus on Tuesday to meet NAIA No. 8 Ohio Dominican University, then host 16th ranked Shawnee State University on Saturday at  Alumni Arena.  The Ohio Dominican game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.  At halftime of Saturday's Shawnee State game, Walsh will introduce their 2008 Wall of Fame class, which includes all-time scoring scoring leader Melanie Scheetz. 

Katie Berry (5-11, Fr., Cleveland Heights, OH/St. Joseph Academy), Brittani Maddox (5-11, So., Cleveland Heights, OH/HS) and Cara Bedard (6-0, Fr., Randolph, OH/Waterloo) combined for 54 points in Walsh's 89-70 win over the University of Northwestern Ohio last Wednesday night.  Walsh shot .645 (20-31) from the floor in the first half, and built a 44-26 halftime lead.  Berry connected on 11-12 from the floor to lead all scorers with a career-high 26 points.  She also added seven rebounds.  Maddox, starting in place of the injured Damoniq'e Askew (5-8, Sr., Barberton, OH/HS), scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds.  She was 7-10 from the field.  Bedard also tallied 14 points, connecting on 7-9 from the floor.  The Cavs continued their hot shooting in the second half, hitting on 18-27 (.667) to finish the night 38-58 for .655.

Katie Berry leads the Cavs in scoring, averaging 13.8 points.  She is shooting .526 from the field and is averaging 4.2 rebounds.  Cara Bedard is averaging 12.5 points and a team leading 6.2 rebounds.  Bedard is shooting .533 from the floor.  Leah Seaman (5-8, So., Louisville, OH/HS) is also in double figures at 11.9 points and is shooting .806 from the free throw line.   Walsh, which has already eclipsed last year's win total of five, is allowing only 64.5 points per game.  The Cavs allowed 71.8 last season.  Walsh is holding opponents to .390 from the field and .272 from three-point. 

Walsh and eighth ranked Ohio Dominican University (10-4) meet at Alumni Hall on Tuesday night.  The Panthers were upset 83-75 at Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday.  Krissy Haines is one of four players in double figures and is averaging 17.5 points and 7.9 rebounds.  Walsh lost both games last year, but lead the all-time series 36-12.  Walsh will host 16th ranked Shawnee State (12-2) on Saturday.  The Bears have returned to the national limelight, after finishing 19-13 last season.  Becky Babione is one of four players in double figures and is averaging 12.2 points and 8.7 rebounds.  Shawnee is home on Wednesday to the University of Rio Grande.  Walsh dropped both games last season and trail the all-time series 31-4.