Salem State to Host New England Big Four Challenge This Weekend
Posted: Dec 02, 2019

Salem State to Host New England Big Four Challenge This Weekend

11th Annual New England Big 4 Challenge
Saturday-Sunday, December 7-8
Twohig Gymnasium | Salem, Mass.

Salem State men's basketball is set to host the 11th installment of the "New England Big Four Challenge" this weekend at Twohig Gymnasium. The men's basketball tournament, which started in 2009, features four of the top Division III collegiate teams in the Boston area.  

Tufts University, Babson College, Brandeis University and Salem State University, who each have a long and outstanding basketball history, will square off annually to promote the tradition of local college basketball in the New England region.

Salem State head coach Chris Harvey, who was a strong supporter of starting the tournament, had another reason to bring the teams together other than to just create new rivalries. "The tournament features four very good teams from four different leagues, to celebrate the game of basketball and a dear friend to each of us in Michael Crotty Sr., Founder and Director of the Middlesex Magic AAU Club, who left us far too soon."

Brandeis will square off against Tufts at 12:00 PM on Saturday, December 7th while Salem State hosts Babson at 2:00 PM in the opening round matchups. The winner of each game will advance to the finals on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM, while the losers of the first round-games will face each other in the consolation game at 12:00 PM.

Tournament History:

  • Brandeis, which has claimed four Crotty Cups, including three of the first four, defeated Babson 74-49 to claim last year's tourmament title.
  • Babson has reached the championship game in each of the past six seasons while winning the Crotty Cup in 2013, 2014 and 2016.
  • Tufts won the tournament in 2011 and 2015, and has advanced to the Big 4 Challenge title game on five occasions.
  • Salem State won their only Crotty Cup in 2017, reaching the final five times.       

Info:

Twohig Gymnasium-- Saturday, December 7th - Sunday, December 8th -- 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM (Admission is free)

Directions to Twohig Gymnasium and Campus Information can be found here.