UW-Platteville will play host to the fifth annual Pioneer Ford/Tricor Insurance Tip-Off Classic Friday and Saturday on Bo Ryan Court.

The Pioneers will face Dubuque schools Clarke Friday at 7 p.m. and Loras Saturday at 7 p.m. St. Norbert, from DePere (near Green Bay) will play Loras Friday and Clarke Saturday, with both contests starting at 5 p.m.

This will be the first appearances for the three visiting schools in the tournament, although Clarke and Loras joined UWP and the University of Dubuque in the Mississippi River Challenge, which ran 2003-2006.

Here is a look at all four teams:

UW-Platteville Pioneers

UW-Platteville showed no signs of a letdown after beating NCAA Division I Bradley 84-79 in an exhibition Nov. 9. The Pioneers opened the season for real by blasting Viterbo 87-56 Saturday on Bo Ryan Court.

The Pioneers jumped to a 38-22 halftime lead then held the V-Hawks to five points in the first nine minutes of the second half, stretching the lead to 65-27. Mike Shaw came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points, while Curt Hanson added 16, Jeff Skemp 10, and Charlie Lohoff and Kyle Tetschlag eight apiece. Lohoff recorded a career-best eight assists.

The Pioneers return 14 lettermen, including five starters, from last year’s 19-7 team. UW-Platteville is ranked seventh in the D3hoops.com poll. The Pioneers have won their last six Tip-Off Classic contests. Hanson was last year's tournament MVP, while Lohoff earned similar honors in the 2006 tournament. Shaw and Josh Langenfeld were on last year's all-tournament team, and Skemp was on the 2005 squad.

Clarke Crusaders

Clarke College features new looks in 2008-09, including on the bench, where Jerry Drymon takes over for retired coach Jon Davison. Drymon, who comes from Southwestern Community College, directs a squad with four veterans and seven newcomers.

The Crusaders are off to a running start, averaging 77.8 ppg and scoring 100 in an opening 105-100 loss to Hastings.

Clarke earned its first win after three losses Tuesday, beating host Marian 79-69. Junior guard DeShawn Pendleton, who came into the game averaging 20 ppg, scored 22, while Cory Billingsley added 16 and Thomas Ammon 12. Pendleton added six assists.

Pendelton, Billingsley and Ammon are three key junior college transfers for the Crusaders, who were 21-12 last year.

Loras Duhawks

Loras College makes its 2008-09 debut this weekend, hoping to build upon its memorable 2007-08 campaign.

The Duhawks were 22-7, winning the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament and then stunning UW-Whitewater 71-70 on the Warhawks’ home floor in the NCAA III playoffs. Wheaton edged Loras 76-73 in the second round.

Starters Brian Centella (12.0 ppg), Ricky Kolze (13.2), and Jake Oeth (8.4) return to the backcourt. Both Centella and Kolze were second team all-conference picks.

Other returners who played supporting roles in past seasons include junior big man Alex Brant and reserve forwards Matt Seaquist and Jason Abbuhl.

St. Norbert Green Knights

St. Norbert opened its season Saturday by beating host UW-Oshkosh 66-62. Mike Dowden and Bryan Fleischmann each scored 15, with Dowden knocking down a huge three-point shot with 3:03 left for a 62-56 lead. Fleischmann then made four straight free throws to secure the win. Paul Mallers added 12 for SNC, who beat the Titans for the first time since 1991.

St. Norbert finished 14-10 last season, including 10-6 in the Midwest Conference, good for a league playoff berth.

Senior forward Tom Katzfey is the leading returning scorer, averaging 10.2 ppg last year while pulling down a team-high 4.9 rebounds per game. Senior guard Dowden averaged 9.4 ppg last season.

St. Norbert will return the favor of playing host to UW-Platteville when the Pioneers visit DePere for the Nicolet National Bank Holiday Tournament. The Pioneers will face Carthage in the first round Dec. 29, while St. Norbert plays St. Scholastica. The consolation and championship games are the next day.