DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College men’s basketball team will host Ohio State University-Lima, Adrian and DePauw for the 35th-Annual Purple and Gold Financial Classic on December 29 and 30 inside the Karl H. Weaner Community Center.

Defiance has done well throughout the history of the tournament, winning the championship 18 times and posting a 52-16 overall. The Yellow Jackets have won at least one game in all 34 of the previous tournaments, while going 31-3 in their opening game, 3-0 in the consolation contest and 18-13 in the championship game.

The Jackets are poised to make a run at their 19th P&G Tournament crown, after rattling off seven victories in their first nine games of the 2009-2010 campaign. DC has been especially tough at home, where it is averaging over 85 points a night in four tilts at the Karl H. Weaner Community Center. Heath Armstrong and Logan Wolfrum have been locked in from long distance, dialing it up for a combined 37.5-percent clip from beyond the arc in home action, while Nick Sales and Kyle Tietje have done the heavy lifting in the paint, by teaming for 29.1 points and 15.8 boards per night during four home contests.

OSU-Lima has struggled so far in the 2009-2010 season and will be DC’s opening-round foe in Tuesday’s 7:00 pm clash. The undersized Barons have allowed over 100 points in six games already this season and do not have a single player on the roster standing taller than 6-4.

In Tuesday’s 5:00 pm game, Adrian (4-4) will square off with DePauw (7-2), in what could become a three-point shooting contest. AC is led by Wesley Reed’s 47.1 percentage from three-point territory, while DePauw will turn to Steve Lemasters and Sean Haseley, who have combined for 29.6 points per game this season on a collective 53-of-120 from beyond the arc.

All four teams will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 30, with the consolation game tipping at 5:00 pm and the championship game following at 7:00 pm.

Single-day and all-tournament passes can be purchased at the gate. Single-day admission will be six dollars for adults and four for senior citizens and students, while all-tournament passes will be on sale for eight dollars for adults and six dollars for senior citizens and students.

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