SELINSGROVE, PA – The Susquehanna University men's and women's basketball teams will open their 2006-07 seasons this weekend in the 18 th annual Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament at O.W. Houts Gymnasium.

The men's tournament will be held first, with games on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, while the women's tournament will follow with games on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Admission to the tournament is $3 for adults and $1 for students per session.

In the men's tournament, King's will face the College of New Jersey in Friday's opener at 6 p.m. while the Crusaders will square off with Penn College in the nightcap at 8 p.m. Saturday's consolation game will be at 1 p.m. with the championship game at 3 p.m.

Susquehanna, which has played in each of the last six tournament championship games, returns two starters and 11 letterwinners from last year's squad which finished 10-15 overall and 6-8 in the Commonwealth Conference.

Penn College (10-16) features seven freshmen and three sophomores on its 12-player roster, with sophomore Craig Flint the only returning starter from last year's squad that lost to the Crusaders 76-71 in Selinsgrove on Dec. 7.

King's (17-9) shared the Freedom Conference regular-season title with Scranton last season, and defeated the Crusaders at home in both meetings during 2005-06. The Monarchs return four starters including junior guard Jamie Cousart (14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists) and junior forward Vince Scalzo (13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds).

College of New Jersey (17-9) was picked fourth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference preseason poll after losing four starters from last year's team. Senior guard Brian Halligan is the team's top returning scorer after averaging 5.4 points per game in 16 starts during 2005-06.

The women's tournament tips off on Saturday evening with Marywood facing Mary Baldwin at 6 p.m. followed by the Crusaders hosting Randolph-Macon Woman's College at 8 p.m. Sunday's action starts with the consolation game at 1 p.m. and the championship at 3 p.m.

Susquehanna returns 11 letterwinners and all five starters from last year's team that went 14-12 overall and finished fourth in the Commonwealth Conference. The Crusaders have won 16 consecutive season openers and 10 tournament titles, including a 50-42 victory over SUNY Cortland in last year's championship game.

Randolph-Macon Woman's College (7-16) has six freshmen on its 10-player roster, but returns senior starting guards Sara Rechnitzer (14.4 points per game, 52 three-pointers) and Lianna Carrera (7.1 points).

Marywood (6-19) returns just five players from last year's squad but welcome back their top two scorers in senior forward Alicia Woodruff (13.3 points, 10.9 rebounds per game) and sophomore guard Caity Hadzimichalis (11.8 points, 5.4 rebounds).

Mary Baldwin (12-15) advanced to the Atlantic Women's Collegiate Conference championship game last season and has three starters back, including junior guard Jessica Carter (17.8 points, 61 three-pointers) and sophomore forward Jennifer Dobson (6.7 points, 6.0 rebounds).