MARIETTA, Ohio – The No. 6-ranked Marietta College men's basketball team opens its home schedule this weekend in the 41st annual Marietta Shrine Tournament sponsored by BSN Sports and the Marietta Holiday Inn. Methodist University and Kenyon College join the Pioneers in Ban Johnson Arena for three days of exciting action.

The tournament opens on Friday when the Pioneers take on Methodist at 7:30 p.m. Methodist and Kenyon square off at 4 p.m. on Saturday and the tournament wraps up Sunday with Marietta and Kenyon tipping off at 4 p.m.

The gates open each day 90 minutes before game time. Ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. All proceeds from the tournament benefit the Marietta Shrine Club.

Marietta, fresh off a season-opening 64-58 win at Denison, is looking to defend their 2010 Shrine title. Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Jon VanderWal, the Pioneers are led by senior #Kevin Knab (Lakewood/Lakewood)#, junior #Jacob Owens (Mansfield/Mansfield)# and sophomore #Tyler Hammond (Cleveland/St. Ignatius)#.

Knab, the reigning Shrine MVP, led Marietta with 15 points against Denison. Knab averaged 14.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season. Owens was 3-of-6 from three-point range and scored 12 points in the season-opener. A year ago, he averaged 6.9 points and shot nearly 39 percent from long range. Last season Hammond averaged 11.1 points and had a team-best 95 assists.

The Monarchs of Methodist University enter with a 0-1 record after dropping their opener to Guilford by the score of 65-53. Methodist returns four players with significant starting experience from last year's 10-16 team. Head coach David Smith, in his 13th season, will look to seniors Mark Jernigan and Terrell Stallings to lead the Monarchs.

A 6-foot-3 guard, Jernigan led Methodist last season in scoring with 15.1 points per game. Stallings, also a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 6.0 points and 2.6 rebounds a year ago.

In the Monarchs opener against Guilford, sophomore guard James Whitehead led all scorers with 18 points. Sophomore forward Bryan Hockaday added 11 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Last year Hockaday averaged 11.4 points per game.

The Lords of Kenyon College let a 17-point second half lead slip away in their season-opener against Muskingum, but fought back to post a 71-69 overtime win. Kenyon went 9-16 last season for new head coach Dan Priest.

Now in his second season at the helm, Priest returns three starters this winter. 6-foot-6 sophomore forward/center Brian Lebowitz posted a double-double against the Muskies with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Last year, Lebowitz averaged 7.4 points and 5.5 rebounds. Junior Marcus Healey, a 6-foot-1 guard, added 15 points in the opener after averaging 8.3 points per game last season.