Virginia Wesleyan Secures Top Slot in Tourney Field

FOREST, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College finished its ODAC regular season with a pair of victories on the final weekend to lock up the top seed in the 2012 ODAC Men's Basketball Tournament.  Randolph-Macon College will play as the second seed as the Yellow Jackets look to repeat as conference champions.

Guilford College and Hampden-Sydney College were involved in one of two ties within the league standings.  Locked at 11-5, the Quakers are awarded the third seed based on its regular season win over the Tigers.  H-SC will be the fourth seed as it searches for a league-record 11th ODAC title.  Lynchburg College rounds out the top five seeds, which earn an automatic trip to Salem for the quarterfinals.

Randolph College, Eastern Mennonite University and Emory & Henry College will each host contests in the first round on Tuesday, February 21.  The WildCats earned the sixth seed outright, but it came down to the ODAC's second step of tie-breakers to separate EMU and E&H.  The Royals occupy the seventh position while the Wasps enter the field as the eighth seed.  Washington and Lee University will travel to E&H as the ninth seed.  Tenth-seeded Bridgewater College will make the quick jog over to EMU for its first round match up.  Roanoke College will head an hour east to Randolph as the 11th seed.

Tournament play begins on Tuesday, February 21 with three first round contests.  The three winners will join the top five seeds at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va., for the quarterfinals on Friday, February 24.  The semifinals follow on Saturday, February 25, with the two winners playing for the ODAC crown on Sunday, February 26.

All of the tournament games in Salem (including the women’s tourney contests) will be video webcast live through New Media TV.  Each of the 14 matchups will be FREE to all viewers.  To view those contests, go to http://odac.nmtvsports.com, or go to the ODAC Tournament website at www.odaconline.com/tournament/winter/basketball.

Listed below is the full schedule for the 2012 ODAC Men’s Basketball Tournament, complete with known pairings.  For more information, visit any of the participating schools’ websites or go to the ODAC’s tournament website at www.odaconline.com/tournament/winter/basketball.  For information on all ODAC sports, go to the ODAC’s home at the Internet at www.odaconline.com. 

2012 ODAC MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRINGS AND SCHEDULE
First Round - Tuesday, February 21 - on campuses of higher seeds
Game 1: #9 Washington and Lee at #8 Emory & Henry - 7:00 p.m.
Game 2: #10 Bridgewater at #7 Eastern Mennonite - 7:00 p.m.
Game 3: #11 Roanoke at #6 Randolph - 7:00 p.m.

Quarterfinals - Friday, February 24 – Salem Civic Center
Game 4: #1 Virginia Wesleyan vs. Winner Game 1 - 1:00 p.m.
Game 5: #4 Hampden-Sydney vs. #5 Lynchburg - 3:00 p.m.
Game 6: #2 Randolph-Macon vs. Winner Game 2 - 6:00 p.m.
Game 7: #3 Guilford vs. Winner Game 3 - 8:00 p.m.

Semifinals - Saturday, February 25 – Salem Civic Center
Game 8: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 - 6:00 p.m.
Game 9: Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 - 8:00 p.m.

Finals - Sunday, February 26 – Salem Civic Center
Game 10: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9 - 3:30 p.m.