MADISON, N.J. – The Drew University men's basketball team will compete for the Landmark Conference title when it hosts Catholic University in the final on Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
The top-seeded 25th-ranked Rangers (23-3) punched their ticket to the conference final with a 97-81 victory over fourth-seeded Susquehanna University this past Thursday. Senior forward Peso Crump posted 21 points and five rebounds while shooting 9-for-12 from the field, and senior guard Josh Kline added 16 points and a career-high 12 assists.
 
The second-seeded Cardinals (22-4) reached the Landmark final by virtue of its 96-76 win over third-seeded Wilkes on Thursday.
 
The winner of the game will receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championship tournament.
 
Tickets for the game may be purchased here.
 
Drew is making its fourth appearance in the Landmark Conference championship game and is seeking its second conference title after taking home the conference crown with an overtime victory over Scranton in the 2021 final in Baldwin Gym. The Rangers also reached the final in 2019 and 2022, when it lost to Moravian and Susquehanna, respectively. Overall, the Rangers are making their ninth appearance in the Landmark Conference Championship tournament, including seven over the last eight years.
 
The Rangers and Cardinals have met three times in the Landmark Conference Championships. Catholic captured semifinal victories in 2011 and 2015 before Drew used an epic rally to win their 2022 semifinal matchup. The Rangers trailed by 19 with less than five minutes remaining before ending the game on a 21-0 run.
 
Earlier this season, the Rangers swept the Cardinals as part of their perfect 18-0 conference record – the first in Landmark Conference men's basketball history. Drew won 76-71 in overtime over then-21st-ranked Catholic on Jan. 11, when it came back from 16 points down in the second half and wiped out an eight-point deficit in the final minute. The Rangers then defeated the Cardinals 77-70 in Madison on Feb. 15.

Under third-year Head Coach Michael McSloy, the Rangers have made their mark as a prolific offensive team and rank sixth in Division III in scoring (90.8 ppg) and fourth in 3-pointers made per game (12.6).
 
Individually, Kline leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg) and steals (2.2 spg), is second in assists (3.6 apg), and is third in rebounding (4.9 rpg).
 
Four additional Rangers are averaged double figures in scoring: senior guard Malcolm Newman (12.6 ppg), senior guard Pat Higgins (12.1 ppg), sophomore forward Matthew Zenker (11.5 ppg), and Crump (11.3 ppg). Higgins is also the team leader in assists (4.3 apg) while junior forward David Musial has led the Blue and Green in rebounding (6.4 rpg). Graduate guard James Anderson leads Drew in 3-pointers made with 55.
 
 Fans unable to attend may also watch on FloCollege at https://flosports.link/402qOW4.