Always in the Cards: Salisbury to face rival Catholic in CAC first round
SALISBURY, Md. - The Capital Athletic Conference released the 2007 men's basketball tournament field and Salisbury University squares off against second-seed Catholic University in a first round game in Washington, D.C., at 7 pm, Tuesday, February 20.

Salisbury (12-13, 7-9 CAC) dropped to the seventh-seed after losing its last three conference games.

The winner between Salisbury and Catholic will face the winner between third-seed York (Pa.) College and sixth-seed University of Mary Washington on Thursday, February 22.

Catholic (19-5, 11-5) enters the CAC tournament on a three-game winning streak as the Cardinals beat Mary Washington to secure the second-seed.

The Cardinals have taken both regular-season meetings with a combined margin of victory of six points. Catholic beat Salisbury, 62-58, in the first meeting and CUA topped SU, 74-72, on February, 10, in Washington, D.C.

This game is a rematch of the CAC championship game from a year ago. Salisbury, the fifth-seed, defeated Gallaudet in the first round and then upset top-seed York to advance to the final to face CUA. The Cardinals won that championship game, 79-70, as the second-seed.

This is the third straight year the Sea Gulls will face the Cardinals in the CAC tournament. SU has played CUA four times (1998, 2004, '05, '06)total in the conference tournament since joining the CAC in 1994-95 as a full member. Catholic has won every meeting with Salisbury in the CAC tournament.

The game on Tuesday will mark the 50th meeting between the two schools. The Cardinals hold the upper hand 34-15 in the series record.

Salisbury has only won the CAC tournament once in 1996 during the 1995-96 season where the Sea Gulls were tied for first with Catholic at the end of the regular-season. The Cardinals have won the CAC tournament a record six times since the 1990-91 season.

• 2007 CAC Men's Basketball Tournament bracket (PDF)