Amherst couldn't make the trip last season because of weather problems. But this year they'll come to Las Vegas as defending national champions.

The second season of the D3hoops.com Classic is going to be a great one, as 20 Division III basketball teams will descend on Las Vegas for four action-packed days in late December. The defending women's basketball national champion, Amherst, will be at the South Point Hotel and Casino, along with eight other women's teams and 11 men's teams for games from Dec. 27-30.

The men's teams are Gustavus Adolphus, Hanover, Hardin-Simmons, La Verne, Merchant Marine, Ramapo, Skidmore, Spalding, Transylvania, Ursinus and Wesley.

The participating women's teams are Amherst, Carthage, Concordia (Wis.), DeSales, Eureka, Simpson, Thomas More, UW-River Falls and WPI.

The full schedule (all times Pacific):

Tue., Dec. 27
1 p.m., Eureka v. Concordia (Wis.)
3 p.m., DeSales v. Carthage

Wed., Dec. 28
9 a.m., Thomas More v. UW-River Falls
11 a.m., Concordia (Wis.) v. Amherst
1 p.m., WPI v. DeSales
3 p.m., Ramapo v. Ursinus
5 p.m., Spalding v. Hanover
7 p.m., Hardin-Simmons v. Gustavus Adolphus
9 p.m., Transylvania v. La Verne 

Thurs., Dec. 29
9 a.m., UW-River Falls v. Carthage
11 a.m., Simpson v. Eureka
1 p.m., Amherst v. WPI
3 p.m., Skidmore v. Merchant Marine
5 p.m., La Verne v. Spalding
7 p.m., Wesley v. Ramapo
9 p.m., Gustavus Adolphus v. Transylvania 

Fri., Dec. 30
11 a.m., Simpson v. Thomas More
1 p.m., Hanover v. Hardin-Simmons
3 p.m., Ursinus v. Skidmore
5 p.m., Merchant Marine v. Wesley