The Wittenberg Univeristy men's basketball team is expected to challenge for the North Coast Athletic Conference championship as usual in the 2000-2001 season, at least according to both the media representatives and coaches in attendance at Wednesday's media day festivities in Dublin, Ohio.

In each preseason poll, the Tigers were selected to finish second behind nationally ranked College of Wooster. In each case, Earlham was chosen third and Allegheny was fourth.

The Tigers opened the season on their best note in years by winning the Albion Tip-Off Tourney. Wittenberg won a surprisingly easy game on Friday, downing Rose-Hulman 81-55 victory. Wittenberg shot 54 percent from the field, led by seniorRyan Taylor (Waynesfield, Ohio/Goshen) and his 15 points and sophomore Kevin Longley (Vandalia, Ohio/Butler), who scored 14 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Then on Saturday, Taylor again led the Tigers with 17 points, while Longley contributed nine points and 10 rebounds as the host Britons fell 64-62 in the championship game.

It was the first season-opening tournament that the Tigers have won since Head Coach Bill Brown took over the reins in 1994-95. Taylor was named tournament MVP for his performance.

Wittenberg's game against Case Western Reserve in Cleveland on Tuesday was postponed due to heavy snowfall in the area. No make-up date was immediately announced.