First Win Still Elusive for Holy Cross

WORCESTER, Mass. – There’s no way to put a pretty face on it, no positive way to spin it. Holy Cross is in a bad state at the moment, with their 0-8 mark the worst start in program history. It was one thing to lose the first game or two, and perhaps even another couple of games, but things are at a different point now.

“It is frustrating. You can’t ignore zero wins,” senior point guard Andrew Beinert said. “We want to win, and that’s what our goal is.”

Holy Cross hasn’t been out-classed all season. The Crusaders have been in position to win games, although only a couple of them might qualify as heart-breaking losses. While last season’s team struggled to stop opposing teams, they were able to score. This season’s team has struggled offensively while also struggling on the defensive end often, although if there is a silver lining it appears that they are making strides there of late. Most of all, they have been their own worst enemy. … Continue Reading

American’s Dream Comes True In Title Game

Dream Comes True for Carr, American

by Phil Kasiecki

WASHINGTON – A year ago, this is what some thought could happen – at that time. Few, if any, thought it was a year away.

Last season ended in disappointment for American University, as the Eagles were thought to be a contender in the Patriot League with a senior-laden team. But they didn’t quite fulfill that, finishing fourth and not being able to get over the hump to a higher finish. With seven players gone from that team, including four starters, few thought this team would contend. As they have just one senior who plays significant minutes, the thought was that they were a year away from contending, especially since the one returning starter, point guard Derrick Mercer, is a junior.

But Garrison Carr had a dream. No, not at all like the dream that a great civil rights leader had in the same city many years ago – but a dream nonetheless. Carr’s dream has at least come true after American won the Patriot League with a 52-46 decision over Colgate on Friday.

“Every night before I was going to sleep, every night before this game after the Army game, I would have the same dream,” said the junior guard, who was the tournament MVP after scoring 17 points in the championship game. “I would still wake up in the middle of the night sweating, with time running down and it being a close game.”

The end result is that after three shots at the dream, American is now off to the NCAA Tournament. The program had never been to it thus far, losing three times in the Patriot League championship game after coming over from the Colonial Athletic Association in 2001. While Carr had a dream, Mercer saw this happening a year ago despite the disappointment of losing with a senior-laden team.

“When we lost to Holy Cross up there, it kind of hurt me because I wasn’t expecting that,” said the junior guard, referring to the team’s season-ending loss in the tournament last year. “Once that game was over at Holy Cross, we told ourselves that next year, we were going to work hard and it’s going to be our year.”

Carr is one who certainly went to work. He said he went right to work the next day and never changed how he approached things. In his first two seasons, he showed flashes of potential with his shooting ability, but didn’t log consistent minutes and thus had similarly inconsistent play. This season, it all came together as he moved right into the starting lineup alongside Mercer and had a stellar season. Carr set a Patriot League record with 129 three-pointers and counting, was a First Team All-Patriot League selection and was the MVP of the league tournament.

“I just basically worked really hard on my game like I always had, and this year I knew the opportunity to step up was there,” said Carr, who’s shooting over 45 percent from long range. “I just had to grasp it.”

While Carr’s improvement is the most obvious, he’s not alone. Senior Travis Lay, the consummate program guy, became a starter this year and improved while remaining a player whose effort can’t be questioned. Mercer became more of a scorer. Brian Gilmore, previously a bit player, became the team’s third-best scorer and in the title game made clutch plays that typified how they won the game. Several others increased their contributions as well.

Gilmore, who made the all-tournament team, made three late free throws to seal the game and had three of his four rebounds in the last 83 seconds. The play he will most be remembered for is the first of those rebounds, as Carr missed a three-pointer that was then headed out of bounds. Gilmore hustled over and saved the ball by throwing it back, and it went right into the hands of Mercer, who was fouled after driving to the basket with a wide-open lane after the confusion.

Mercer missed the two free throws, at the time keeping the lead at one. But he’s always had the heart of a lion, going back to his days at powerhouse St. Anthony’s in New Jersey, and he got another opportunity and sank both free throws later to help seal the game.

The Eagles looked like they might be better than advertised in non-league play, when they posted a winning record. While the schedule wasn’t full of heavyweights, it did feature a much-heralded win at Maryland, a game head coach Jeff Jones recalls as the end result of a challenge to his team a game earlier.

Against Dayton, the Eagles led at halftime and were close throughout the second half before losing. It wasn’t a bad loss, especially at that time as Dayton was on a roll and had not suffered the crippling injuries that later hurt their season. Jones asked his team if they were content with just being close, or if they wanted to do better.

“I asked them, what did they think about at some point, about playing 40 minutes, and not just wanting to compete, but putting it out there a little bit?” Jones recalled. “You make yourself vulnerable when you really put it out there. Their answer was the next game against Maryland, we were able to win.”

Last year might have been potentially the year, but that was not the case. With the new players and holdovers having to adjust to new roles, a lot was going to change, and while last year’s players were a fine group, it’s clear the change that occurred was positive. The Eagles followed up their positive non-league showing with a regular season title, and they rode the top seed and homecourt advantage to the title.

“We really had no idea what to expect,” said Jones. “These guys came in, they worked hard, they were just excited about having the chance to play basketball. They really gelled into a team.”

They gelled into a team that is now in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The dream has come true, even if it was a year later than some expected it.

Patriot League Tight All Around

Patriot League Race is Right Down to the Wire

by Phil Kasiecki

Looking for a wacky conference? Just take a look at the Patriot League standings.

With one game remaining for each team, the standings are no less clear now than they were before Wednesday night’s games. American and Navy are tied atop the league and assured of the top two spots, with the only question being who the top seed is. Navy has the tie-breaker by virtue of a sweep of the Eagles, so a Navy win or American loss on Saturday clinches it for the Midshipmen.

But the real fun begins after those two teams.

Entering Saturday, four teams are tied with 6-7 records and two teams are 5-8. Given the matchups for the final four games, it’s quite possible that the league ends with a six-way tie for third place, with all six teams being 6-8. All six teams still have a chance to finish in the third or fourth spot, which would earn them a home game in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament. The tournament is held entirely at campus sites.

How could this happen? An examination of the matchups shows how possible it is.

• Navy travels to Colgate on Saturday, and a Navy win leaves Colgate at 6-8.
• American hosts Lafayette on Saturday, with an Eagle win giving Lafayette a 6-8 finish.
• Holy Cross travels to Lehigh for a nationally-televised 9 p.m. game on Friday night. A Crusader win – they knocked off the Mountain Hawks earlier this season – puts both teams at 6-8 as Holy Cross enters the game at 5-8.
• Lastly, Bucknell travels to Army, a team that beat them earlier in the season, on Saturday. An Army win would make both teams 6-8, as Army enters with a 5-8 mark.

The Patriot League put out a release explaining all of the scenarios with the six teams that follow American and Navy. Suffice it to say that there is a lot to parse through in it with all of the possibilities. With six teams tied, the tie-breakers will eventually reach the Collegiate Basketball News RPI rankings on Sunday morning. Who would most likely benefit from this six-way tie? Entering the week, American had the highest RPI in the league, followed by Holy Cross, Lafayette, Colgate, Bucknell, Navy, Lehigh and Army.

Even the journey to get to this point has been interesting. The league looked to be more even this season since Bucknell and Holy Cross, who have led the way in recent years, both lost important personnel. In non-league play, neither team looked like a sure-fire contender although both had their moments. Instead, it was Holy Cross and Colgate who looked better than anyone in terms of non-league wins and losses, while American went 8-7 including a win at Maryland.

While American has been solid all along and Navy is riding a six-game winning streak into its place near the top, early on Bucknell looked like they would be the team to beat once again. The Bison were getting injured players back and improving, and a road win at Holy Cross added to it for a 3-0 start. But a four-game losing streak in the latter part of January dropped them down.

Lafayette started out looking like they could be the team to challenge Bucknell, starting off 4-0. Two of those wins came on the road in overtime. But a five-game losing streak to start February knocked them back in the standings.

Lehigh at one time looked like they might have a chance, as a four-game winning streak to close out January put them at 4-2. But prior to Wednesday night’s win against Bucknell, the Mountain Hawks had lost five of six.

Holy Cross looked to be in trouble with an 0-4 start and three of those losses coming at home. A three-game winning streak earlier in the month aided their comeback, and they could still finish as high as third place with some help. Army could finish there as well with a win and some help.

A curious thing to watch in the tournament will be how teams fare at home vs. on the road. American and Navy have reached their spots in the top two on the strength of excellent road records, with the Eagles going 5-2 and Navy entering Saturday’s finale with a 5-1 record away from home. No team will go better than 5-2 at home, and it’s possible that no team will even get to 5-2 since American and Lehigh could lose their final game. Holy Cross and Army will also finish the season with better records on the road than at home in league games.

While we should finally have some idea of how the regular season standings shake out around 5 p.m. on Saturday, it’s conceivable that we might have to wait a few more hours. One thing is for sure: given how streaky most teams in the league have been and the ability of everyone to win on the road, seeding and homecourt advantage is likely to mean very little in the next couple of weeks.

Bucknell Rebounds From Non-League Struggles

Bison Regroup to Start Patriot League Play Strong

by Phil Kasiecki

WORCESTER, Mass. – If you need further proof that non-conference results don’t mean much by themselves, look no further than this season’s Bucknell Bison.

After a 5-9 showing in non-conference play, finishing with four losses in the last five games, the Bison came into Patriot League play not looking like one of the favorites. They looked as vulnerable as any contender, especially since they also had to play a lot of young players.

But after Friday’s 73-65 win at Holy Cross, the Bison are 3-0 and look like the team to beat. Although the injury-riddled Crusaders gave them a game, the Bison looked like the clearly better team for most of the night. They look like a team that has regrouped and come to life in a big way.

“We put it behind us,” said junior guard Justin Castleberry, who led the Bison with 22 points against the Crusaders. “We know the league is 0-0. We were 2-0 coming into this game, and we couldn’t be happier to come up here and get a quality win.”

Part of the Bison’s struggles in non-conference can be attributed to their health, or lack thereof at the time. Until a week ago, they had difficulty practicing as they routinely had eight or nine players. The list of injuries goes on: senior big man Darren Mastropaolo missed the first two months after tearing his ACL in a pickup game in the summer; junior guard Jason Vegotsky, a key player Friday night, missed the first seven games of the season with a stress fracture in his foot; senior guard Rob Thomas missed 13 games with a left knee injury. Even now, it hasn’t stopped, as junior center Josh Linthicum is currently day-to-day with a knee injury.

In light of that, the Bison, who have eight freshmen and sophomores, had to rely much more on their underclassmen than they probably wanted to. Sophomore Patrick Behan started the first 11 games of the season after averaging just over eight minutes per game last season. Classmate Stephen Tyree, who played limited minutes last season except as a defensive specialist, has moved into the starting lineup and is one of the most improved players in the Patriot League. Freshman Todd O’Brien started two games and has averaged about 18 minutes per game, more than one might have figured well before the season. Talented classmate G.W. Boon has started three games and shown a little more of his potential than he might have otherwise.

The early experiences, while they included some struggles, right now look like the proverbial blessing in disguise from developing depth out of necessity. The Bison have a stable of guards that can contribute and look to be very deep up front with Mastropaolo back.

“I think that any time you’re thrown in the fire like that – we were playing three freshmen a lot of minutes – it gave them a chance to get experience and be in some different situations before the new year came in,” said assistant coach Nathan Davis. “Now we’re getting healthy, and hopefully we’ll pretty soon have all 14 guys in practice and we’ll be able to keep getting better as the year goes on.”

Mastropaolo’s return helps on a couple of fronts. He’s their most experienced post player, which is an obvious benefit. Having a player who has been through the wars helps immensely, especially on this team since the Bison are rather green on the front line. But he’s also a guy who has been a team player all along. Davis said he was as important as any player to their recent success, calling him “the glue” to those teams.

Another part of their struggles can be attributed to their non-league schedule, which featured eight games away from home and six at Sojka Pavilion. While it was not as daunting as those of recent seasons, the Bison had their fair share of challenges prior to Patriot League play. Their biggest margin of defeat was 14 points against Marist, so they were in every game they lost.

“I don’t think our guys ever lost confidence in themselves,” said Davis. “We knew we could be good, we knew that we were close to winning a lot of those games.”

The typical train of thought is that a challenging non-league schedule toughens a team up for their league play stretch. While that may be at work here, the biggest thing is to look beyond the wins and losses. The bottom line doesn’t show if a team grew along the way, and it seems that has been the case. Their 5-9 non-conference record is a thing of the past, as they are tied with Lafayette atop the Patriot League and look like they could be the team to beat once again.

Patriot League Preview

Patriot League 2007-08 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

Fresh off its recent excellence, including last season’s solid top-to-bottom showing, the Patriot League hopes to continue its forward surge heading into 2007-08. That’s going to be a tall order, although there should be one very good sign of progress.

It starts with the league’s top two teams last year, as each enters this season with significant personnel losses from last season’s team. The third place team, Lehigh, has a new coach and lost its top scorer and a key complementary player. The fourth place team, American, lost just about every significant contributor from last season’s team. And on and on it goes.

Meanwhile, teams that finished in the bottom half last season look like they could be better as a whole, but how much better is an open question. Colgate lost key starters but gets a key offensive player back from an injury. Army and Navy progressed nicely last season, but each team still went 4-10 in Patriot League play. The Midshipmen saw two key players leave after the season, so although the team as a whole is more experienced, how much they could jump in the standings is harder to predict than it was back in March. Lafayette should certainly be better now that they are more experienced.

Nonetheless, it appears that familiar faces will be at the top of the league. What this adds up to is that the league as a whole doesn’t look to be up this season, but the games might tell a different story. Even if the league is down from last year, it’s not all bad; last year was an excellent year for the league and this down year appears to be an anomaly since the teams that lost significant pieces will rebuild or reload in due time. Last season, league teams went 37-40 in non-league games not including the NCAA Tournament.

The league saw one coaching change in the off-season. Billy Taylor, who had been the head coach at Lehigh, left in August to take the head coaching job at Ball State. The school promoted top assistant Brett Reed to the position in his place, keeping continuity in the program with a man who has had no small part in their recent success.

Preseason Awards
Player of the Year: Tim Clifford, Holy Cross
Top Freshman: Andrew Beinert, Holy Cross
Defensive Player of the Year: Kaleo Kina, Navy
Coach on the Hot Seat: Emmett Davis, Colgate
Best NBA Prospect: Marquis Hall, Lehigh

Preseason All-Patriot Team
Tim Clifford, Sr. C, Holy Cross
John Griffin, Sr. G, Bucknell
Marquis Hall, So. G, Lehigh
Derrick Mercer, Jr. G, American
Greg Sprink, Sr. G, Navy

Holy Cross Crusaders (25-9, 13-1 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Pat Doherty (5.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.3 spg)
Sr. G Kyle Cruze (2.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Jr. F Alex Vander Baan (6.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 apg)
So. F Eric Meister (3.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Sr. C Tim Clifford (11.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.9 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-league slate has plenty of challenges and has six home games, including a BracketBusters game. They open with Hofstra at home and later host Ohio, Ivy League contender Yale and America East favorite Boston University. An additional game in Worcester that will be played at the DCU Center (and is thus considered a neutral site game) is against Dayton. Road dates include MEAC contender Hampton, Saint Joseph’s, MAAC contender Siena, Northeast favorite Sacred Heart, and Maryland. In Patriot League play, the Crusaders have three straight home games on two occasions along with one three-game road stretch at Army, Bucknell and Navy.
Outlook: Although the Crusaders lost just two players from last season’s team, the two they lost – guards Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas – meant more to them than any two players meant to another team in the league. To say they were the heart and soul of last year’s team would be an understatement. Life after them will start with frontcourt play, where the Crusaders dominated teams in Ralph Willard’s early days in Worcester. Clifford anchors the middle and has shown steady progress in his three years, and may be ready for a stellar senior year. Vander Baan is the energy guy and may be ready to blossom in an expanded role seeing time on the wing in a bigger lineup. Oft-injured junior Lawrence Dixon and up-and-down classmate Colin Cunningham will figure into the mix as well. Meister was a capable role player last year and will need to do more alongside Clifford this year. There is good depth here, with junior Greg McCarthy and freshman Josh Jones also in the mix. Redshirt freshman Andrew Keister was also likely to be in the rotation, but he got hurt again late in the summer. The backcourt has oft-injured but very capable Pat Doherty along with role player Kyle Cruze for an experienced starting duo. Look for freshman Andrew Beinert to get plenty of minutes right away and possibly start in the backcourt.
Although they lost a lot with Simmons and Thomas, the Crusaders still have Ralph Willard coaching the team, and that along with their veterans looks to be enough.

Bucknell Bison (22-9, 13-1 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Justin Castleberry (5.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Sr. G John Griffin (10.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.8 apg)
Jr. G Jason Vegotsky (7.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.0 apg)
So. F Patrick Behan (1.7 ppg)
Jr. C Josh Linthicum
Schedule Highlights: Six home games are on tap in a challenging non-league slate that features a trip to Berkeley for the Golden Bear Classic and a BracketBusters road game. Notable home games include Albany to start the season, La Salle to close a three-game home stretch, Ivy League contender Cornell and Ohio. The toughest road games look to be at Villanova, Wake Forest and Drexel. In Patriot League play, the Bison will tangle with a couple of top contenders right away as they open with Navy at home and play at Holy Cross in their third game.
Outlook: The Bison lost more key contributors and enter this season once again a less experienced but still battle-tested team, and one that still has a top-notch coach leading the way in Pat Flannery. Not helping is that big man Darren Mastropaolo tore his ACL over the summer and will miss a significant portion of the season or redshirt. That will make this team more perimeter-oriented, and there is some talent there that starts with Griffin, one of the most improved players in the league last year. Castleberry and Vegotsky are both scoring threats who should increase their numbers, and Rob Thomas is a capable reserve on the perimeter as well. Freshman G.W. Boon is a good talent who should contribute as well, though likely in limited action because of the depth at this position. While Griffin and Castleberry are capable ball handlers, freshman Darryl Shazier might be the best true point guard on the team. The frontcourt doesn’t have much proven depth beyond Behan and Linthicum, both of whom need to give them more as it is. The Bison are known for playing tough defense, and they will surely need that more than ever this season if they are to remain at the top and make it through the tough non-league slate. With their numbers in the frontcourt, don’t expect the Bison to lead the league in rebounding margin again.

Lehigh Mountain Hawks (12-19, 7-7)
Projected Starters:
So. G Marquis Hall (10.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.5 spg)
Jr. G Matt Szalachowski (2.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.0 apg)
So. F Zahir Carrington (5.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Sr. F Bryan White (5.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
Jr. F-C Phil Anderson (5.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Mountain Hawks’ non-league schedule is a rarity for a team at this level in that they have as many home games (seven) as road games. The home slate includes a three-game stretch in December, while the road slate includes the opener at Ivy League contender Cornell, a three-game stretch concluding at Maryland, and dates with Northeast contender Central Connecticut State, Penn State and Ivy League contender Columbia. In Patriot League play, they close January and start February with a crucial three-game road stretch that begins at Bucknell and Holy Cross. They close the season with consecutive games against the same two teams at home.
Outlook: New head coach Brett Reed isn’t exactly new to the program, so don’t expect a large change in how the Mountain Hawks play. What will be different is the talent, especially on offense as Jose Olivero and Kyle Neptune are the key players gone from last season’s team. Hall will be the nerve center of this team, one that is relatively young but talented. Szalachowski was starting by the end of last season and Carrington had a fine rookie campaign, so the perimeter appears to be in good hands. White is a solid complementary player inside, while Anderson needs to deliver with more minutes. Five freshmen enter the program to provide depth, as none are expected to repeat what Hall did last year. With the lack of proven scoring beyond Hall, the Mountain Hawks have more urgency to improve on their defense, as only Lafayette allowed more points and they tied for the fewest forced turnovers.

Navy Midshipmen (14-16, 4-10 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Kaleo Kina (9.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.7 spg)
Sr. G Greg Sprink (16.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.4 apg)
So. G Chris Harris (3.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Jr. F Adam Teague (7.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.2 apg)
So. F T.J. Topercer (3.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Midshipmen play six home games in non-league play, including an early one against Northeast contender Robert Morris. They will also play in the Philly Classic, which includes games at Drexel and at the Palestra against Seton Hall and either Penn or Virginia. A trip to San Diego State is the most notable remaining road game. In Patriot League play, they will get an early test against the league’s best, as they open at Bucknell and host Lehigh, then go to Holy Cross two games later.
Outlook: The Midshipmen showed signs last season that they could be contenders as early as this year, as they were a clearly improved team that simply needed to grow from more experience. Picking them this high may be a stretch, however, as starters Corey Johnson and Trey Stanton both left the team after the season. Still, there is something to work with, beginning with the perimeter duo of Kina and Sprink. Sprink is one of the league’s best players, while Kina can score but must become a better floor leader if they are to improve. Harris is one of several possibilities to join them on the perimeter, including freshmen Greg Brown and Romeo Garcia. Stanton’s departure robs the frontcourt of some size, meaning Teague must continue to develop and either Ben Biles or one of two freshmen with size, Jeremy Wilson or Mark Veazey, must contribute right away. Only Lafayette had a worse rebounding margin last season, and if they don’t get production on the glass inside, they might be right there again in that category this season.

Colgate Raiders (10-19, 5-9 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Daniel Waddy (5.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.0 spg)
Jr. G Kyle Roemer (redshirt)
Sr. G Kyle Chones (7.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Sr. F Kendall Chones (10.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Jr. F Alex Woodhouse (4.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-league schedule includes four home games and an appearance in the Kennesaw State Tournament. The best home game looks to be against MAAC contender Marist. The toughest road games look to be at Notre Dame, Ivy League contender Cornell, Syracuse and Penn State. In league play, the month of January closes and February begins with a tough five-game stretch that begins at Lehigh and Bucknell, then has Holy Cross and Bucknell at home sandwiched around a road game at Navy.
Outlook: The Raiders boast an experienced core with the return of Roemer from an injury that cost him last season, making them a bit of a wild card as they lose two starters. If Waddy can capably run the team and Roemer returns to form, the perimeter will be in good shape. Roemer’s return will give life to an offense that was last in the league in scoring last season. Freshman point guard Mike Venezia should challenge Waddy, which will only help since Waddy would improve if he wins the starting job. The point guard spot is the big question because both Waddy and the departed Jon Simon had more assists than turnovers and led the team to the worst assist/turnover ratio in the league last year. The frontcourt is where the questions are, although Kendall Chones isn’t one of them. Woodhouse started just two games last season and must get better quickly. The Raiders were out-rebounded last season, and their leading rebounder was Kyle Chones from the wing.

Army Black Knights (15-16, 4-10 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
So. G Marcus Nelson (3.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg)
Sr. G Jarell Brown (16.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Jr. F Kenny Brewer (2.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg)
Jr. F Doug Williams (3.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg)
So. F Chris Walker (5.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Midshipmen did well with the non-league schedule as they have seven home games, including five straight to close out 2007 and bring in 2008. Noteworthy as well is that they have a home-and-home with Division I newcomer Presbyterian College. Notable road games include Minnesota to start the season, Northeast favorite Sacred Heart and Ivy League contender Cornell. In league play, they have a three-game road stretch midway through, then close the regular season with three straight at home.
Outlook: The Black Knights were one of the biggest breakthrough stories in the country last season, finishing just shy of .500 overall and winning 11 games in non-league play. Nelson and Brown give them a solid backcourt, with Nelson likely needing to score more this season. The backcourt will carry them unless the frontcourt players improve, although there has been some youth there. Brewer and Williams now have two years in the program, so this is their time to break out, while Walker grabbed a starting spot last year and showed good promise. The Black Knights were out-rebounded last season and also had some struggles defensively, and with the lack of scorers besides Brown, the latter is a key area for improvement if they are to build on last season’s success.

Lafayette Leopards (9-21, 3-11 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Andrew Brown (10.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.0 spg)
Sr. G Matt Betley (10.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.1 spg)
Sr. G Bilal Abdullah (9.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.0 spg)
Sr. F Ted Detmer (5.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.1 spg)
Sr. F Everest Schmidt (4.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: After one home and one road game to open the season, the Leopards’ non-league schedule breaks up into a long home stretch followed by a long road stretch. They first play five straight at home, highlighted by Northeast contender Central Connecticut State and Ivy League contender Penn, then they go on the road for eight games. Included in the road stretch are games at Rutgers, Ivy League contender Columbia, Northeast contender Robert Morris, Pittsburgh and Mississippi State. In Patriot League play, they don’t have a stretch of games that really stands out in terms of difficulty or home/road games, aside from closing the regular season with three of four on the road.
Outlook: With four full-time starters and a part-timer returning on a team with five seniors, the Leopards would appear primed to make a jump in the standings. But this cast had some major struggles last season, especially at the defensive end as they were by far the worst team in both scoring and field goal percentage defense and had the worst rebounding margin in the conference. That exacerbated the fact that they led the league with 17 turnovers per contest. A good perimeter trio returns with Brown, Betley and Abdullah, two of whom had more assists than turnovers. They can score, but must take better care of the ball. Detmer and Schmidt are the incumbents in the frontcourt, but look for freshmen Darion Benbow and Jared Mintz to push them. In theory, the Leopards should move up with their overall experience, but they need to make some major strides defensively before that happens.

American Eagles (16-14, 7-7 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Derrick Mercer (9.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.2 spg)
Jr. G Garrison Carr (3.8 ppg)
Jr. F Travis Lay (2.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
Jr. F Jordan Nichols (1.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Jr. C Cornelio Guibunda (1.7 pg, 2.2 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: Five home games are on tap in a non-league slate that has its biggest challenges at the end. The most notable home games are against UMBC and Atlantic Sun contender Jacksonville. Road games of note include MAAC contender Loyola (Md.) early, then a brutal stretch of five games to close out the slate at Dayton, Maryland, Georgetown, Brown and Ivy League contender Columbia. As if that’s not enough, that five-game stretch adds two road games to open league play that offer no break: at Lehigh and Bucknell. The next toughest stretch will come in February, when they play at Holy Cross and follow that with home games against Lehigh and Bucknell.
Outlook: It’s safe to say that no team was hit as hard by graduation losses as American was. Mercer is the only starter remaining, and while he’s arguably the best point guard in the league, he can’t do it alone. A number of role players return, but they all must adapt to new roles, and it wouldn’t hurt if any of the six freshmen contributed right away. Carr is a dangerous shooter who will now be counted on for more offense, as will Lay, a skilled and tough wing who isn’t the most aggressive offensive player around. Nichols and Guibunda, the latter of whom started his career at Georgetown, will need to get better quickly inside. With all the proven scorers that they lost, don’t expect the Eagles to lead the league in scoring again. It wouldn’t hurt if they were to lead the league in field goal percentage defense again since defense is likely to be how they will win some games.

Conference Outlook

Although they suffered significant personnel losses, Holy Cross and Bucknell still enter this season as the team to beat. Lehigh should remain a solid third team, and then it gets interesting as almost any of the other five teams could finish fourth. The common theme throughout the league is a question mark, as each team has at least one significant one that will determine their season. The league should remain very competitive much like last year, but in the end the old hats should still be left standing at the top.

Holy Cross Tops American

Crusaders Keep Winning; Eagles Can’t Quite Get There

by Phil Kasiecki

WORCESTER, Mass. – Two teams that appear to be heading down opposite paths played for the second time in 11 days on Wednesday night. On one bench, there was Holy Cross, undefeated in Patriot League play with just two seniors. On the other say American, a team many thought would be a sleeper contender with six seniors and everyone back from last season’s team that had some growing pains.

For a time in the first half, it looked like the sleeper might start to emerge after a tough 3-4 start in Patriot League play. Holy Cross was careless on offense, turning the ball over 11 times, and that led to 17 Eagle points. The Eagles also did a good job on Keith Simmons, as he didn’t score with just three field goal attempts. But there was still the second half.

Not only did Holy Cross work their way back, but Simmons gave them the lead for good with his first five points of the game breaking a 29-29 tie to start a 10-1 run. They would later break the game open and lead by as many as 13 points, getting good help from Greg McCarthy off the bench when Tim Clifford picked up his fourth foul. From there, defense finished the game off in a 58-47 victory.

The Crusaders won despite having more turnovers than assists and shooting below 35 percent from the floor. That’s one thing that concerns head coach Ralph Willard going forward.

“We didn’t move the ball very well offensively,” said Willard. “We really don’t have any patience on offense. We’re trying to force too many things, not getting any ball movement. We’ve got to work on that to get better with it. If you play good defense, you’re going to have an opportunity to win. We had an opportunity tonight and we seized it.”

Defense has been a real key the entire way, and the Crusaders have been especially adept at shutting down the league’s top players. Army’s Jarell Brown, the second-leading scorer in the league, had just 10 points. Bucknell center Chris McNaughton had four points with just four field goal attempts. Navy’s Greg Sprink had eight points on as many field goal attempts in all 40 minutes. Last Friday, Lehigh’s Marquis Hall and Jose Olivero combined for 29 points, but were 9-28 from the field. On Wednesday, Andre Ingram was held in check for a second time, going 4-15 for 11 points and shooting a combined 9-31 in the two meetings.

“The scouting reports are always key to the best players, giving us their strengths and weaknesses,” said senior Torey Thomas, who led the Crusaders with 16 points. “We try to take away their strengths and make them play to their weaknesses.”

The Crusaders are now 8-0 in Patriot League play, and that’s created a buzz around campus. Students are paying more attention and not just on game night, as players note they are talking about it all around campus each day. The team and its coaches aren’t basking in the glow of being undefeated, as they know many of the games could have gone the other way, but they also appreciate where they are.

On the opposite bench, American’s staff is concerned about this team. The veteran Eagles are now 11-11 and 3-5 in Patriot League play, but more concerning is how they are losing. You get the sense in talking to the staff that this isn’t a senior-laden team, but it is.

“Holy Cross is just very, very sound. They take advantage of their opportunities,” said American head coach Jeff Jones. “Until we can learn that kind of discipline and that kind of consistency, whether things are going good or going bad, we can play people close, but we’re not going to get over the hump. We’ve got to learn those lessons. That’s something that has plagued us since last year.”

The Eagles are 5-5 in games decided by 10 points or less this season, but just 1-4 in Patriot League games that fit that description. Although they have six seniors, none appear to have what the Crusaders’ seniors, Thomas and Simmons, have as team leaders. Thomas and Simmons have carried Holy Cross to victories in some games.

“We’ve got experience, we’ve got a bunch of seniors. We’re not there. It’s clear that that’s the case,” said Jones.

Wednesday’s game marked the beginning of a tough stretch for the Eagles, as they host Lehigh and Bucknell for their next two games. The games are at home, but they won’t come easily. Still, it’s a chance to right the ship before it’s too late and gather some momentum for the home stretch.

Holy Cross Remains Undefeated

Crusaders Undefeated at Halfway Point

by Phil Kasiecki

WORCESTER, Mass. – The best place to be for a sports fan in Massachusetts on Friday night was about 50 miles west of Boston. It wasn’t for a Celtics or Bruins game, the Patriots are done for the season, and the Red Sox don’t report to training camp for a few more weeks. That probably didn’t stop the majority of fans who called sports talk shows from talking about the Red Sox or Patriots, but that also doesn’t change the scene on a big hill in Worcester.

Friday night during the college basketball season is the time for smaller schools to shine. There were just seven Division I games across the country on this night, with two coming in the Ivy League, which plays on that night. The Metro Atlantic also has games that night, and the Patriot League often has a game or two as well. The only Patriot League game on this night involved league leader Holy Cross, which remained undefeated with a 64-53 win over Lehigh.

The atmosphere was live even 30 minutes before tip-off. The crowd was already quite full and could be heard almost as soon as you walked into the arena. The Hart Center was packed, with plenty of people standing to watch the game unfold, and there were plenty of times where it was hard to hear even the person next to you. In other words, the atmosphere was one that sums up what a great college basketball game is all about.

The nearly 3,500 people who gathered (the Hart Center seats 3,600) got to see a desirable result not only in the victory, but a big night for senior guard Torey Thomas. In the first half, Thomas surpassed 1,000 career points, and the crowd went wild with the announcement. But he wasn’t finished by a long shot.

Thomas went on to lead the Crusaders with 18 points, but he added eight assists, six rebounds and a school record-tying seven steals. He also helped shut down Lehigh’s talented guard duo of Jose Olivero (18 points on 5-14 shooting) and Marquis Hall (4-14), the latter the clear top freshman in the league. The Crusaders held the Mountain Hawks to 35.4 percent shooting on the night.

Thomas and classmate Keith Simmons (16 points, six rebounds) once again made many key plays for the Crusaders, but the inside play held its own as well. The Crusaders had 16 second chance points and a 28-18 edge in points in the paint. Tim Clifford still has moments that can make one shake their head, but he had nine rebounds in the game and several were at key junctures in the final minutes, when the Crusaders made enough plays to pull this game out.

“Our team all year has shown the ability to make plays at crucial times,” said head coach Ralph Willard.

Holy Cross forced 15 turnovers in the first half, but had their struggles at the offensive end and was up by just six at the half. It was similar in the second half (the Crusaders shot just under 37 percent from the field on the night), when the Mountain Hawks made several mini-runs to come back but never tied or led in the latter frame.

Not only did Simmons make key plays, he did something else that the box score won’t show easily. With 18:43 left, he picked up his third foul, something that might normally land a player on the bench for a few minutes. Simmons stayed out there and never picked up his fourth foul until over 12 minutes later.

With the win, Holy Cross is now 16-6 and 7-0 in the Patriot League, maintaining their lead over Bucknell, which hosts Army on Saturday. Being undefeated right now is better than it might sound considering there isn’t much distance in talent and experience between many teams in the league, something Willard has stressed. Indeed, the Crusaders have simply won games.

“To get through the first half of the league undefeated is great,” said Willard. “You can’t do any better than the start we had, so I’m pleased with it.”

Before their next game, which is against American on Wednesday, the Crusaders will learn their opponent in the Bracketbusters event. They will be playing on the road, and thus far have made a good case to potentially get a televised game.

Bucknell Rivalry

Crusaders Pull Out Another Great Game in Rivalry

by Phil Kasiecki

WORCESTER, Mass. – A great rivalry has a little of everything. It has one great game after another. It has great players, as well as relative unknowns, coming out of nowhere to make big plays that fans don’t soon forget. It has games that make one team’s fans ecstatic while ripping the hearts out of the opposing fans.

The rivalry between Bucknell and Holy Cross has certainly had some of each. Over the last couple of seasons, there have been a couple that ripped the hearts out of the Holy Cross faithful as the Bison came into Friday night’s game having won four straight in the series. The first of those four was the 2005 Patriot League championship game, where the Crusaders nearly made a miraculous comeback from a big second-half deficit before falling. Last year’s game in Worcester was one where the Crusaders had a 15-point lead with 16 minutes to play, but the Bison came all the way back to pick up the win en route to running the table in Patriot League play.

And for a minute, Friday night’s win by Holy Cross looked like it could be a repeat of last season’s game at the Hart Center. There were certainly moments in the final three minutes where the near-sellout crowd wondered if history would repeat itself.

The Crusaders led throughout the game, holding a 60-50 lead with 2:53 left and Bucknell forward Donald Brown (13 points, eight rebounds, three steals) having fouled out. It looked like they were in good shape, but back came the Bison. Bucknell would score the next five points as part of a 10-1 run to get within 61-60 with 57 seconds left.

But on a Torey Thomas missed free throw, Alex Vander Baan came up with a huge offensive rebound. That gave them more life with another possession and more time off the clock, but it wasn’t sealed until Thomas (13 points, five assists) made two free throws with eight seconds left after big defensive rebound to bring the score to the final margin of 65-60.

“We have to learn how to finish a lot better,” said senior guard Keith Simmons, who had a game-high 22 points. “That’s been a problem for us throughout the year. When we learn to do that, we can be a really good team.”

The win moves the Crusaders to 3-0 in Patriot League play, which head coach Ralph Willard is happy about since he thinks there isn’t much separation between teams in the league this year. When the league is as close as the teams appear to be this season, every win counts.

“To be 3-0 right now, with wins over Bucknell, a good win over Army, a good win over Lafayette, that gives us a lot of confidence going into Navy,” said Simmons.

The Crusaders did a very good job of taking away Bison star center Chris McNaughton. The senior big man had no field goal attempts and precious few touches in the first half and finished with just four points while also battling foul trouble. That was a focus of the defense, and it opened up some opportunities for Bucknell to shoot it. The Bison went 8-21 from long range, with Justin Castleberry (3-6 from long range en route to a team-high 16 points off the bench) being one of the primary beneficiaries.

The game had the atmosphere of a big game, as tends to happen with these two programs. A number of students even came back early from the semester break to be at the game, which had an attendance of over 3,100 (the Hart Center seats about 3,600).

“That’s the great thing about Holy Cross, you’ve got the students willing to come back about four days early off their winter vacation to support their team,” said Thomas.

But it also speaks to the rivalry between these two teams. Every game is hotly contested, and last night’s was no different. The two winningest programs in Patriot League history have met in 10 of the 16 Patriot League tournaments, including the last two title games. The Crusaders may have led throughout Friday’s game, but they were challenged several times and never really broke it open. The Bison aren’t as deep as they have been the past couple of years, and they don’t have as many players who can score the ball as well with the key losses of Kevin Bettencourt and Charles Lee, but they still play the same tough defense and clearly still have the parts to contend in the Patriot League. And the teams know each other, which adds one more element to the rivalry and can be an equalizer of sorts.

“This is the kind of game for both teams, where kids know each other so well – all your sets, all your looks,” said Bucknell head coach Pat Flannery. “Holy Cross does a lot of good things, Bucknell does a lot of good things. We know each other very well. The difference is who’s going to make a basketball play.”

There is also the respect factor, which both coaches talked about. These two may be arch-rivals with the noted recent history, but there’s no hatred between the teams by a long shot. They’re just trying to beat each other when they play, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they played for a third time this year in March.

“Bucknell has built a tremendous program the last couple of years. They’ve represented the Patriot League in an outstanding way, so I have the utmost respect for them,” said Simmons. “This is a lot of fun, you have to enjoy it. I won’t be able to play against Bucknell again ever in my life, so I’m trying to enjoy it.”

The players enjoy it, the fans clearly enjoyed it, and well they should. Friday night’s game was a typical Bucknell-Holy Cross game, and more are probably ahead in the times to come.

Notes

• Bucknell started out the season 0-4, but that record is a bit deceptive as none were against a bad team. The teams they had the last two seasons were pretty special. They were deep at every position and had great class balance, and last season’s team had the added benefit of being very experienced. The Bison are still one of the best teams in the league, but they’re far from unbeatable.
• Holy Cross big man Tim Clifford continues to progress, posting 13 points and eight rebounds. The players all know how important he is, as Simmons noted how good his second half play has been. If he can keep out of foul trouble, the Crusaders will remain in good shape inside.
• Holy Cross could have Lawrence Dixon back before long. The sophomore wing has been dogged by knee problems all season, but was dressed for last night’s game. He has practiced with the team in recent days and is getting better.

Patriot League Preview

Patriot League 2006-07 Preview

by Phil Kasiecki

The Patriot League has been on a nice rise the last few seasons, one that has certainly been aided by postseason success. The Bucknell Bison have won an NCAA Tournament game each of the past two seasons, while Holy Cross has had success in the NIT after the two teams had some epic battles prior to the postseason. The Bison earned the best seed ever by a Patriot League team last season when they were a No. 9 seed.

While most around the league feel that the rise has been aided by all teams improving, especially once the move was made by schools to give athletic scholarships (Lafayette became the last to do so starting with this year’s freshman class), the top teams have certainly carried the Patriot League in this time. The last six seasons, the NCAA Tournament representative has been either Holy Cross (2001-03), Lehigh (2003-04) or Bucknell (past two seasons). Meanwhile, the teams at the bottom of the league win very few games in Patriot League play.

The 2006-07 season looks to be more of the same, especially at the top. But the picture is far from clear as to who will emerge victorious, and there’s a sleeper that will have a say in American, as the Eagles return their top 12 scorers from last season’s team and clearly improved as the season went along. All three teams picked at the top have question marks: Bucknell has winning experience but their two departed starters won’t be easily replaced, Holy Cross could have health questions, and Lehigh will be looking to a freshman point guard to run the team. Meanwhile, American’s big question is if they can continue their improvement and take the next step.

The league’s rise should continue this season, even if slightly, and it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if two teams made postseason play once again. Who will be there, and what postseason success they may have, are the big questions.

Preseason Awards

Player of the Year: Keith Simmons, Holy Cross
Rookie of the Year: Marquis Hall, Lehigh
Defensive Player of the Year: Abe Badmus, Bucknell
Primed to Break Out: John Griffin, Bucknell

All-Patriot League Team
Andre Ingram, Sr. G, American
Chris McNaughton, Sr. C, Bucknell
Jose Olivero, Jr. G, Lehigh
Keith Simmons, Sr. G, Holy Cross
Torey Thomas, Sr. G, Holy Cross

Bucknell (27-5, 14-0 Patriot League)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Abe Badmus (6.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.0 spg)
Jr. G John Griffin (3.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Jr. F Darren Mastropaolo (3.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Sr. F Donald Brown (6.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr. C Chris McNaughton (12.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference slate won’t be easy, especially with just Wake Forest and Northern Iowa plus the BracketBusters game at home. The Bison open at Albany and later play at Saint Joseph’s, Penn State, Xavier and Texas Tech. They also take on George Mason in Washington, D.C. (BB&T Classic) and could get Marist in the finals of the Marist Classic. Five of the first seven Patriot League games are at home, giving them a chance to get off to a quick start. They’ll get an early gauge as to whether they’ll be in good shape to defend their title, hosting American in the second game and traveling to Holy Cross for the third.
Outlook: The Bison may be favored, but it’s by a slim margin and intangibles go a long way in this. They return a veteran team that has done a lot of winning the past two seasons, a battle-tested group that won’t go down easily. That said, they lost two key scorers in Charles Lee (whose all-around game won’t be replaced) and Kevin Bettencourt, meaning that several players have to pick up the scoring. Badmus is a solid floor leader at both ends but isn’t a scorer, while Griffin might be the player they need the most improvement from. McNaughton has never dominated in the post like a seven-footer could in this league, but he’ll score with his moves and touch away from the basket. Brown is athletic and steps into the starting lineup, but he’ll need to improve offensively, as will Mastropaolo. The Bison have developed good depth in recent years in getting contributions from freshmen, even in relatively limited minutes.
The Bison will surely play the same stifling defense that has been their staple, and they’re a good bet to take care of the ball like they did last season. Those will go a long way towards another league title, which is certainly within their grasp.

Holy Cross (20-12, 11-3 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Torey Thomas (11.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.8 apg, 2.4 spg)
Sr. G Keith Simmons (14.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 apg)
So. F Colin Cunningham (3.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
So. F Alex Vander Baan (6.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Jr. C Tim Clifford (7.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Crusaders pulled off a rare feat in getting three of their four non-conference home games to start the season. They open with Fairfield, Hampton and Siena. Later, road games include Syracuse, Dayton, Duke, and Providence, and they also get George Mason across town from campus in what is considered a neutral site game. Six of the first nine Patriot League games are at home, with an early gauge of where they stand coming on January 13 when they host Bucknell.
Outlook: The Crusaders have enough pieces returning to contend for the title, starting with the best backcourt in the conference in the ultra-quick Thomas and Simmons, who had a breakout year despite battling health concerns along the way. If Pat Doherty makes a smooth return from an injury that cost him last season, they will be in good shape in the backcourt. After the frontcourt looked like a question mark last year, it appears to be in good shape now thanks largely to the continued good strides made by Clifford, who should be one of the conference’s top big men if he becomes a better rebounder. Vander Baan and Cunningham are capable players who now have a season under their belt. The freshmen all will get a chance to contribute as well.
A tough non-conference schedule will have the Crusaders battle-tested for Patriot League play. There hasn’t been much separating them and Bucknell the past two seasons, and the gap may have closed. If they stay healthy, the Crusaders have a good shot at the title.

Lehigh (19-12, 11-3 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Fr. G Marquis Hall
Jr. G Jose Olivero (17.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
Sr. G-F Kyle Neptune (11.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Jr. F Bryan White (6.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Sr. C Jason Mgebroff (3.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Mountain Hawks have six non-conference home games, two against non-Division I schools. They open up at the Basketball Travelers Classic at Oregon, then later go to Notre Dame, Princeton, Miami, Rutgers and Northeast contender Monmouth. In Patriot League play, a road stretch of Bucknell, Holy Cross and American in late January could provide the most telling sign of where this team will end up.
Outlook: The success of the Mountain Hawks may hinge on a freshman, as they need Hall or someone else to take over at the point. If Olivero has to handle the ball, that will hurt the offense since it takes him away from focusing on scoring, and this is not a team with a lot of it as only two Patriot League teams scored less last season. Hall is a capable floor leader, so how he adjusts to playing at the college level will tell the story. Neptune is one of the best energy players in the conference and another key part of a good perimeter unit. White gets the job done down low, while Mgebroff needs to improve if they are to compete with the top two teams. Freshman Zahir Carrington, another part of a good recruiting class, looks to be the best newcomer in the frontcourt and should help at both forward spots.
The Mountain Hawks’ solid defense will give them a chance, but some improvement is needed at the offensive end. That will all start with Hall or someone else other than Olivero emerging as a consistent floor leader.

American (12-17, 7-7 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
So. G Derrick Mercer (7.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.8 apg)
Sr. G Andre Ingram (12.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Sr. G Linas Lekavicius (6.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.4 spg)
Sr. F-C Brayden Billbe (8.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
Sr. C Paulius Joneliunas (6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Eagles play five non-conference home games, four in the first month. A challenging road slate includes Richmond, Xavier, Yale, Maryland and Virginia (alma mater of head coach Jeff Jones and all three assistants). Patriot League play opens with two tough road games at Lehigh and Bucknell, but they finish with four of six at home.
Outlook: This is the sleeper team, a very experienced group that returns almost everyone from last season’s team and has good balance. Mercer should only get better after a good freshman season that featured occasional growing pains, while Ingram probably won’t repeat his struggles shooting the ball. Lekavisius and sophomore shooter Garrison Carr will also be key players on the perimeter, with Carr capable of lighting it up from long range. Billbe and Joneliunas lead a solid, unspectacular frontcourt that adds Georgetown transfer Cornelio Guibunda.
If they are to contend, the Eagles need to improve their defense, especially against teams with shooters since they allowed opponents to shoot 39 percent from long range. They also need to take better care of the ball, which should happen since this team has a full year of playing together.

Colgate (10-19, 4-10 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Jon Simon (9.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Jr. G Kyle Roemer (11.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Jr. G Kyle Chones (5.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Jr. F Kendall Chones (8.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Sr. C Marc Daniels (3.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg)
Schedule Highlights: The non-conference slate has seven home games, including five in a row starting in late November. The road slate includes Syracuse, Arizona State, a BracketBusters game, and an appearance in the Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara starting with the host school. In Patriot League play, the Raiders get a tough four-game stretch early: on the road at American, Lehigh and Bucknell, then home against Holy Cross.
Outlook: The Raiders should certainly improve, but contending looks to be a long shot unless they improve markedly on offense. The perimeter trio of Simon, Roemer and Kyle Chones is a good place to start. Roemer can score and Simon can run the show, but the latter needs to take better care of the ball after having more turnovers than assists last season if he is to replace the departed Alvin Reed. Both are also capable of shooting better, although senior reserve Dan Gentile is the designated sniper in the group. The frontcourt is capable on the boards, though they still need to improve there as neither starter led the team in rebounds. If they don’t improve offensively, the Raiders’ best hope to win will be better defense, an area in which they were okay last season but could be better.

Lafayette (11-17, 5-9 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Marcus Harley (5.0 ppg in four games)
Sr. G Jamaal Hilliard (7.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Jr. G Bilal Abdullah (9.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Jr. F Ted Detmer (5.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.8 spg)
Jr. C Everest Schmidt (5.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Leopards are in the NIT Season Tip-Off early on, playing at Indiana and possibly getting Notre Dame or Butler. Then they come home to play Saint Joseph’s in the first of six non-conference home games (two against non-Division I schools). They also get Princeton at home, while notable road games include Miami, Temple and San Diego State. Patriot League play doesn’t look to have any overly brutal stretches, although they get Bucknell and Lehigh back-to-back on two occasions.
Outlook: Injuries and poor defense were the thorns in the Leopards’ side last season, and both are keys with many of those players returning on this experienced team. Harley played in just four games while Hilliard battled a nagging leg injury, and if healthy, they team with Abdullah to form a perimeter unit that will score some points. There is some depth there as well on the offensive end. Detmer and Schmidt are serviceable in the frontcourt, and should get a boost from two members of the school’s first-ever scholarship class, Marek Koltun and Andre Hines.
Besides defense and rebounding, the Leopards need to improve in taking care of the ball as only one team in the league turned the ball over more last season. That would certainly help in the event that they don’t improve defensively.

Navy (10-18, 3-11 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Jr. G Corey Johnson (9.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.7 spg)
So. G Kaleo Kina (10.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.3 spg)
Jr. G Greg Sprink (14.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.0 apg)
So. F Adam Teague (4.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Jr. C Ben Biles (1.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Midshipmen, who open with Loyola (Md.) and then play either North Florida or St. John’s in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, play seven home games in non-conference, including four straight in December. Two home games are against non-Division I schools, with Penn being the most noteworthy opponent. Road games include Villanova and Georgetown. In Patriot League play, a three-game road stretch in January and a three-game homestand in February highlight the slate.
Outlook: The Midshipmen are a young bunch this year, as the roster has just one senior, little-used Calvin White, and plenty of freshmen and sophomores. That means this season is a key developmental one, especially at the point since Johnson and Kina need to cut down on turnovers as they helped the team lead the league in that category. Both can score along with the sharp-shooting Sprink, ensuring that the Middies will remain near the top in the league in scoring after leading in that category last season. The X-factor may be the development of freshman Derek Young, as he could take over the point and let Johnson and Kina become scorers first. The frontcourt needs to keep developing, and may get a boost from two freshmen, Trey Stanton and Bobby Fenske.

Army (5-22, 1-13 Patriot)
Projected Starters:
Sr. G Marshall Jackson (2.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Sr. G Matt Bell (13.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.7 apg)
Jr. G Jarell Brown (14.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Jr. F Corban Bates (5.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Sr. C Jimmy Sewell (1.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
Schedule Highlights: The Black Knights open the season with the John Thompson Foundation Classic in Missouri, where they play Stetson, North Carolina A&T and the host Tigers. Seven of the next 11 games are at home, with back-to-back road games at Notre Dame and Michigan included. The Patriot League schedule has them playing each team in the same order both times through, with a three-game homestand in January and a three-game road stretch highlighting it.
Outlook: The Black Knights have four starters back, but don’t expect a huge jump in the standings as their most glaring weaknesses are at the key positions: the point and the middle. They struggled to take care of the ball at the point, posting the worst turnover margin in the Patriot League, while the post players aren’t the best rebounders save for Bates. Bell and Brown can certainly score, but someone needs to run the show and that looks to be Jackson, who started all 27 games last season. Their defense isn’t bad, but it’s not good enough to cover up the offensive issues or the fact that they force far fewer turnovers than anyone else.
Two of the Black Knights’ five wins last season were against non-Division I teams, so they’ll need to win more games at this level before they have the look of a contender.

League Outlook

A couple of old faces are favorites in Bucknell and Holy Cross, but they aren’t alone. Lehigh will have something to say about the league race, and American is the X-factor with their experience. All in all, the top four are a pretty solid pick, with the top two being an even call to go either way and it wouldn’t be a complete shock if Lehigh or American was right there contending at the end of the season.

The schedule could play a role in how things play out with the top teams. Bucknell and Holy Cross each open up with a number of early home games, while American has a couple of tough road games in the early going. The Bison and Crusaders went a combined 13-1 at home in Patriot League play last season, so the early home games give them a chance to get some momentum and possibly put some distance between themselves and other teams. One thing that is for sure is that the games between the top four should all be close, well-played games as they have been over the last few seasons.

Patriot League Notebook

Patriot League Notebook

by Steve Sheridan

Bucknell and Lehigh Begin League Play Strong

With most teams five games into the league schedule, Bucknell and Lehigh have started out very strong. The Bison have built an undefeated league mark by, for the most part, rolling over the opposition, having outscored their opponents by an average of 18.5 points. The usual suspects are leading the way for Bucknell, as Kevin Bettencourt and Chris McNaughton are both averaging double-figures in points in the team’s first five league match-ups. The Mountain Hawks, conversely, have outlasted their opponents by an average of less than 10.0 ppg. For Lehigh, the team will live or die by the duo of Jose Olivero and Joe Knight, who are averaging 17.2 and 15.3 ppg, respectively, in league play so far this season. The last two undefeated teams in the league will square off at Stabler Arena on Wednesday, in a game that will surely show whether or not the Mountain Hawks can keep up with the front-running Bison.

Flannery Breaks League Wins Mark

With his team’s victory over Holy Cross last Saturday, Bucknell head coach Pat Flannery broke the Patriot League record for league victories by picking up his 94th Patriot League win. The previous mark was held by Navy’s Don DeVoe, who retired from coaching in 2004 with 93 league wins. In his 12 seasons in Lewisburg, Flannery has compiled a record of 184-139, and his career record over 17 seasons is an impressive 279-192. And after signing a four-year contract extension in June, expect Flannery to keep increasing his record for many years to come.

Johnson Not Out After All

Despite evidence to the contrary, Navy’s Corey Johnson has returned to the Navy starting lineup after missing only nine games due to problems with his left knee – and he has come back strong. The sophomore has accumulated 31 points and 18 rebounds in the team’s three Patriot League games so far this season, and should be a welcome boost to a struggling Navy squad.

Navy Dedicates Basketball Court to Smalley

Before the team’s game against Bucknell on January 7, Navy dedicated its basketball court at Alumni Hall to Senior Associate Athletic Director Dave Smalley, who has served the Naval Academy for over 50 years in varying capacities. Smalley, a 1957 graduate of the Naval Academy, served as team captain for two seasons and also returned to coach the squad for 10 seasons, leading the team to a 94-130 record.

Player of the Week: Corban Bates, Army
Rookie of the Week: Kaleo Kina, Navy

Patriot League Power Listings (PLPL)

Every week, I will be rating the eight teams of the Patriot League based upon their play as of late. I won’t be going solely by record, but more on how the team has played (and against what type of competition, too).

1. Bucknell Bison (14-3, 5-0, T-1st in PL)

So far, so good for Pat Flannery and the Bison, as Bucknell as began this Patriot League campaign much like it ended last year. The team’s statement game came when the Bison hosted the Holy Cross Crusaders, and sent the visitors home with a 56-42 loss. Combined with blowout wins over Navy and Lafayette, Bucknell has shown absolutely no let up in its desire to win back-to-back league titles.
The Bison finish off the first half of the league slate with a tough game against fellow undefeated Lehigh on Wednesday before taking on Navy on Saturday evening. Right now, it looks as if no league team can beat the Bison if they play well, although anything can happen on any given night. Bucknell, however, looks even more determined than last year’s squad.

2. Holy Cross Crusaders (9-9, 3-1, 3rd in PL)

The Crusaders have played well in the new year up to this point, having feasted on the lesser teams of the Patriot League and giving Bucknell a good battle in Lewisburg. The HC also put a pretty big scare into the 21st-ranked Boston College Eagles before finally succumbing to the ACC school, 63-53. Despite the loss of much of last year’s front court, the team has been succeeding due to the combination of first-year Alex Vander Baan and sophomore Tim Clifford. The duo has combined to score 12.6 ppg and grab 9.0 rpg for the Crusaders, and have provided the team a solid base up front to complement the tremendous trio of Kevin Hamilton (16.8 ppg), Keith Simmons (13.2 ppg) and Torey Thomas (11.5 ppg).
No doubt already looking forward to the team’s return engagement with Bucknell, the Crusaders finish the first half of league play with a home game against a struggling Colgate squad and a trip to first-place Lehigh. The Saturday match-up against the Mountain Hawks will serve to show whether Lehigh is for real and will determine which team is truly Bucknell’s stiffest challenge for league supremacy this season.

3. Lehigh Mountain Hawks (12-8, 5-0, T-1st in PL)

The good news for the Mountain Hawks is that the team has won its first five Patriot League games and seven games in a row overall for the first time since Billy Taylor’s first season in Bethlehem. The bad news, however, is that the Hawks have yet to beat a good team. Lehigh jumped out to a good league start by feasting on the lesser teams in the Patriot League – and three of those five games were won by less than nine points (Navy, 65-58; Army, 63-60; Colgate, 53-45). Lehigh has obviously been helped by the return of Joe Knight, who has averaged 15.3 ppg in his first three games of the season after sitting out the first semester, along with the continuing solid play of Jose Olivero (17.4 ppg), but the team will need to show a little more before it moves up in the rankings.
We will know much more about the Mountain Hawks after the team’s next two-game stretch, in which the team faces off with league powers Bucknell and Holy Cross. If the Hawks can come away with at least one win, then the rest of the Patriot League will have to accept Billy Taylor’s squad as serious contenders for the league title this season.

4. Lafayette Leopards (8-10, 2-3, T-4th in PL)

Five games into the league season, it already seems pretty clear what is in store for Lafayette this season. Never seriously considered to challenge for the league title, Lafayette has proven that it can beat the teams at the bottom half of the league but cannot give much of a challenge to the league’s top schools. The Leopards lost to Holy Cross, Bucknell and Lehigh by an average of 22.3 points, while soundly defeating both Navy and Colgate. Lafayette has a deep – if not overly talented – team, led by Bilal Abdullah and Andrei Capusan, who both average double figures in points. First-year Andrew Brown has also been a pleasant surprise for Fran O’Hanlon’s team, averaging 9.6 ppg in playing the second most minutes on the team.
This week, the Leopards travel to cellar-dweller Army and American. Right now, the Eagles look to be the Leopards’ major competition in the race for the fourth seed in the Patriot League Tournament, and so it will be a good test for Lafayette to play another team stuck in the middle of the pack. A win in Washington will also help to boost the confidence of this young team.

5. American Eagles (6-12, 2-3, T-4th in PL)

Much like the Leopards, American is a team destined for the middle of the pack. The Eagles did manage to play the best of the Patriot League close – including an eight-point loss to Bucknell at Bender Arena – but still has yet to prove that they can beat any of the league’s top teams. And while the team’s 65-63 double overtime victory over Army was a notch in the win column, it also isn’t a very good sign when comparing the Eagles to the rest of the Patriot League. One of the Eagles’ problems is a rotating lineup that has seen only three players start a majority of the team’s games. If American can stay with a set lineup for the majority of the league slate, then the team’s level of play should rise and the wins will continue to come for Jeff Jones and his team.
The Eagles travel to Navy on Wednesday and then welcome Lafayette to Bender Arena on Saturday afternoon. Two victories this week would cement the Eagles’ position in the middle of the Patriot League pack and would give the team an advantage over the Leopards for the league’s fourth spot.

6. Colgate Raiders (7-12, 1-4, 6th in PL)

We are only five games into the league season, and one thing is already painfully clear to me: I was wrong about this year’s Raider squad. After beginning league play with an encouraging win over Army, the Raiders have lost four consecutive league games to fall into sixth place in the standings. Colgate cannot seem to win any type of game – if the team scores points, the defense will falter; if the defense is strong, the offense will disappear. Only one Raider player (Kyle Roemer) averages double figures in points, while the return of Kendall and Kyle Chones has yet to reenergize the team as hoped. With nine league games remaining, the Raiders still have a chance to prove me right in my prediction, but that’s looking less likely by the game.
This week the Raiders get opponents at opposite ends of the success spectrum, as they travel to Worcester to take on the Crusaders and return home to take on Army at Cotterell Court on Saturday. A loss to the Black Knights would drop the Raiders perilously close to the bottom of the league, and so Emmett Davis and the Raiders must avoid that outcome at all costs.

7. Army Black Knights (5-12, 1-4, 7th in PL)

The Black Knights escape the bottom position thanks to the team’s 80-73 win over Navy on Sunday afternoon. Heading into that contest, the Knights had lost seven consecutive games – although Army’s losses to Lehigh and American were by a combined five points. It almost seems like the team’s 84-46 shellacking at the hands of Holy Cross might have awoken the Army spirit, as the team has played much better in the three games since. The team has also been helped immensely by the excellent play of sophomore Jarell Brown (14.2 ppg), who has finally provided a much-needed offensive complement to fellow guard Matt Bell.
With a win finally under its belt, Army will look to keep going whatever momentum it has gathered against Lafayette and Colgate this week. With a win against the Raiders, Army could see itself rise all the way to sixth place in the league – a spot that the team hasn’t seen in a couple of years.

8. Navy Midshipmen (7-10, 0-4, 8th in PL)

It now falls to the Midshipmen to carry the weight of being in the Patriot League cellar. The Middies have lost six of their last seven games, with the one win coming against Longwood, a team currently transitioning to Division I. Navy is a team in disarray. This despite having Matt Fannin return from a four-game layoff due to injury to lead the team in scoring against Army. The problem for the Middies is not scoring (Navy leads the league in scoring with an average of 71.1 ppg), but stopping the opposition – Navy allows an average of 70.8 ppg and could not stop Army when necessary on Sunday. Greg Sprink leads four Navy players averaging in double digits in points, but until the team learns to play some defense it will stay winless in the Patriot League.
The Middies’ next best chance to get that elusive first league win comes on Wednesday at home against American, before the team travels to Lewisburg to take on Bucknell on Saturday.

Patriot League Notebook

Patriot League Notebook

by Steve Sheridan

The 2005-2006 season is well into its second month of play, and I have yet to write one Patriot League notebook so far. Not to diminish the teams of the Patriot League, but part of the reason is due to the simple fact that the non-league records of these teams do not particularly matter. As evidenced by Holy Cross last season, it would take an amazing season for the Patriot League to receive two spots in the NCAA Tournament – despite a reputable non-league record; the Crusaders were not invited to the Big Dance because of the perceived lack of strength of the Patriot League in comparison to other conferences. The only team with any chance to get an at-large berth in the tournament, the Bucknell Bison, is also the clear favorites to win the Patriot League Tournament and take the league’s automatic bid. So unless another PL team pulls off a big upset, the Patriot League will probably only be sending one team to the Big Dance once again this season.

Here are some of the major stories from the non-league slate.

Bucknell Challenged By Some Of The Best

It has become very evident that the Bucknell Bison are not awed by a team with a high ranking. In the team’s second game of the season, the Bison traveled to the Carrier Dome and upset the 17th-ranked Syracuse Orange, 74-69. The win, Bucknell’s first over Syracuse in nine tries, saw the Bison intentionally slow down the pace considerably in the second half to limit Syracuse’s possessions; meanwhile, the visitors took advantage of each and every one of their chances, hitting 14 of 17 shots (82.4 percent) in the final 20 minutes of play.

The team also played two upper echelon teams in the last month, falling to fourth-ranked Villanova, 79-60, and top-ranked Duke, 84-50. Despite the losses, Bucknell has shown that it has received some serious recognition from top-tier teams as a potential bracket buster come March. And even though the Bison could not pull off another huge upset, the team will surely use its experience playing some of the nation’s top teams both in Patriot League play and if (or when?) the Bison return to the NCAA Tournament again in March.

Knight Ruled Ineligible For Fall Semester

The NCAA ruled that Lehigh senior Joe Knight was ineligible to play for the Mountain Hawks in the fall of 2005 after a mistake over calculating the number of credit hours that Knight had accumulated towards his degree. Knight, who transferred to Lehigh from High Point University two years ago, was held out of action throughout the appeal process, and the school felt that this decision helped to lessen the effect of any further penalty. The senior guard, who led the team both in scoring (13.6 ppg) and assists (4.1 apg) last season, is eligible to return to action on January 11 – just in time for the Patriot League season.

Navy Staying Above Water

The Middies haven’t had the most challenging non-league schedule so far, but the team can’t complain with its record, which is the second best in the league. After losing the first four games of the season, Navy rebounded by winning five of its next six games before its game against UMBC on Tuesday.

The team received some very bad news, however, when starting point guard Corey Johnson underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee. It is currently unknown if Johnson, who had averaged nearly 15 ppg in the team’s first three games, will be able to return to the team this season. Freshman Clif Colbert has been called upon to fill the shoes of Johnson, but it will be difficult for the Middies to replace the offensive and defensive strength of last year’s all-Patriot League Rookie Team member.

Eagles Lost When Away From The Home Nest

It took nearly a month and a half, but the American Eagles have finally won a game away from the friendly confines of Bender Arena. Heading into American’s game against Saint Francis (PA) on Monday, the Eagles had lost their eight away games by an average of 21.3 points – characterized by a brutal 75-35 loss to George Mason. The streak was finally halted on Monday with a 62-52 win over the Red Flash. On the good side, American has emerged victorious in all three games played at Bender Arena this season. The team, however, has played some tough opponents during this stretch, including Washington, Maryland and Vermont, and so a rough (and busy) non-league slate might help the Eagles when the league season comes along.

Heading Into League Play

With this weekend marking the beginning of the league schedule, Bucknell is still my overwhelming pick to win the Patriot League title. With every starter returning from last year’s team, the Bison have too much experience to not be the favorite in 2006. The Holy Cross Crusaders will always be near the top of the league with the duo of Kevin Hamilton and Keith Simmons at the helm, and both Colgate and Lehigh also have outside shots at finishing in the top two. The bottom half of the league, however, might not produce much – especially with Corey Johnson out of action for Navy. Taking into account Johnson’s injury and other non-league activities, here is a revised prediction for the 2005-2006 Patriot League schedule:

1. Bucknell (9-3)
2. Holy Cross (7-7)
3. Colgate (6-8)
4. Lehigh (6-8)
5. Lafayette (5-6)
6. American (4-8)
7. Navy (6-5)
8. Army (4-7)

Now, all that needs to happen is to play the games. We’ll check in on my predictions in a few months, to see just how wrong I was. Let the games (that really count) begin.

Patriot Preview

Patriot League 2005-06 Preview

by Steve Sheridan

This year promises to be another exciting and intense season of Patriot League basketball. Last season, the Bucknell Bison finally got the Patriot League off the snide by winning the league’s first-ever NCAA Tournament game. The expectations continue to increase for individual schools and the league as a whole.

The 2005-06 season has the potential to see a lot of offense. Amazingly, the top nine scorers from last season, led by Holy Cross’ Kevin Hamilton, all return to their respective teams this season. The league has no shortage of explosive and exciting players, especially from the guard position. Four of the five members of the Preseason All-Patriot League squad reside in the backcourt. But the fifth player, Bucknell’s Chris McNaughton, will seriously vie for the title of league MVP this year after enjoying a breakout campaign in 2004-05.

One major change in the Patriot League this year is yet another change in the schedule. This season, the league will move to a Wednesday/Saturday schedule, as opposed to the Friday/Sunday slate that has been in place for the past two seasons. The move has multiple benefits, including limiting the amount of time in which students miss classes and – theoretically, at least – improving the quality of play over the weekends by playing only one game. The Wednesday trips might be a bit of a hassle for some teams, especially Holy Cross. But the move should bring good results for the Patriot League.

No matter what the schedule is, however, all teams will be gunning to take down the consensus preseason favorite, Bucknell. It will be exciting to see how Bucknell handles its status as the chic pick to win it all this season. The team handled the pressure pretty well last year. But with so much basketball yet to be played, all teams can still hope to take home the league trophy come March.

Preseason Awards

1st Team All-Patriot League:
Kevin Hamilton, Holy Cross
Andre Ingram, American
Charles Lee, Bucknell
Chris McNaughton, Bucknell
Keith Simmons, Holy Cross

League MVP: Chris McNaughton, Bucknell
Defensive Player of the Year: Abe Badmus, Bucknell
Coach of the Year: Emmett Davis, Colgate

Team-by-Team Previews

1. Bucknell Bison (2005-06: 4-0, 2004-05: 23-10, 10-4, 2nd)
Starters:
Senior guard Kevin Bettencourt
Senior guard Charles Lee
Junior guard Abe Badmus
Sophomore forward Darren Mastropaolo
Junior center Chris McNaughton

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 22: at Syracuse (74-69 win)
Dec. 6: vs. Villanova
Dec. 21: vs. St. Joseph’s
Dec. 28: vs. Boston University in the Cable Car Classic
Jan. 2: at Duke

Last year, the Bucknell Bison stormed finished second in the Patriot League regular season, won the Patriot League Tournament title on Holy Cross’ home court and then topped off the season by defeating Kansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the first Patriot League team ever to win an NCAA Tournament game. And guess what? The Bison lost only one player – a bench player at that – from the 2004-05 team to graduation. Bucknell sure seems like an easy preseason pick to me.

The returning members of the Bucknell team achieved almost every honor last season. McNaughton, a first-team all-Patriot League selection in 2005, averaged 12.6 points per game last year and hit the memorable game-winning shot against the Jayhawks. Lee, the reigning Patriot League Tournament MVP, led the team in rebounds with 6.5 per game. Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Badmus, who helped lead the Bison’s suffocating defense, which gave up an average of 45 points in three conference tournament games last season, also led the team in assists last year (3.5 assists per game). And oh, the Bison also have second team all-Patriot League member Bettencourt and all-rookie team guard John Griffin coming back, too.

The only question for Bucknell this season is what the team can do for an encore. The Bison will also have to deal with having the target aimed directly on their backs, as they look to repeat as Patriot League champs. And with such an experienced and talented group coming back, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.

2. Holy Cross Crusaders (2005-06: 2-4, 2004-05: 25-7, 13-1, 1st)
Starters:
Junior guard Keith Simmons
Senior guard Kevin Hamilton
Junior guard Torey Thomas
Senior forward Kevin Hyland
Sophomore center Tim Clifford

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 18: vs. High Point in the William & Mary Tip-Off Classic (85-73 win)
Nov. 25: at Cincinnati (77-55 loss)
Nov. 28: at Vermont (68-64 loss)
Dec. 19: vs. Tennessee-Chattanooga in the San Juan Shootout
Jan. 17: vs. Boston College

Last year, the Crusaders surprised some Patriot League experts by cruising through the regular season before falling just short in the championship game. This year, however, Holy Cross will not be able to sneak up on any members of the Patriot League.

The Crusaders’ strength is obviously in the backcourt, where they return their top four players from last year. The leader of that pack is Hamilton, last year’s Patriot League Player of the Year and one of the most explosive players in the league. Hamilton ranked in the top 10 in the league in six different categories, including leading the Patriot League in scoring (15.7 points per game), steals (2.9 per game), defensive rebounds (4.9 per game) and three-pointers made (2.6 per game). Joining Hamilton is fellow all-Patriot League first teamer Simmons, who last year was the best bench player in the Patriot League, averaging more than 12.0 points per game as a reserve. The battle for the third starting guard spot will be between junior Thomas, who led the team in assists last season, and sophomore Pat Doherty, last season’s Patriot League Rookie of the Year. Either way, Holy Cross will be in good hands.

The one question mark for Holy Cross will be the frontcourt, as the team graduated both Nate Lufkin and John Hurley, the team’s two biggest defensive players. Hyland and Clifford are the only two big men with any collegiate experience, so the Crusaders will count on them to provide some offense in the paint. Because of the frontcourt’s inexperience, expect the Crusaders to be a guard-orientated team this season. With so many good outside shooters and clutch performers, however, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

3. Colgate Raiders (2005-06: 3-3, 2004-05: 12-16, 7-7, tied 4th)
Starters:
Senior guard Alvin Reed
Junior guard Jon Simon
Sophomore guard Kyle Roemer
Sophomore forward Kendall Chones
Senior center Marc Daniels

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 14: vs. Utah Valley State in the Guardians Classic (55-42 win)
Nov. 15: vs. Iowa in the Guardians Classic (73-51 loss)
Dec. 10: at Syracuse
Dec. 27 vs. Georgetown in the Sun Bowl Tournament

In 2004-2005, Colgate surprised many people, including myself, by finishing in a tie for fourth place in the Patriot League, despite a rash of injuries and missing players. This year, however, the Raiders return all but one player from last season and bring back some other familiar faces, too.

Arguably, the team’s biggest loss last season was the injury to senior center Daniels, who was lost in the beginning of the season and never returned. The team also felt the sting of losing Kendall and Kyle Chones, both of whom were academically ineligible last season. Daniels will be the team’s starting center this season with the graduation of Andrew Zidar, while Kendall Chones, who averaged 7.4 points per game as a freshman two seasons ago, will likely start at one forward position.

The silver lining to all the injuries was that the team got to see some of its underclassmen in action. Roemer, who led the league in three-point field goal percentage at 45.3 percent, and Alex Woodhouse, who provided a spark after receiving playing time in Daniels’ absence, both look to play increased roles this season.

The Raiders are still a relatively young team this season, but with one more year of experience under their belts and a lot of returning faces, head coach Emmett Davis could guide his team back to the upper half of the Patriot League.

4. Lehigh Mountain Hawks (2005-06: 3-4, 2004-05: 14-15, 7-7, tied 4th)
Starters:
Junior guard Jose Olivero
Senior guard Joe Knight
Junior guard Kyle Neptune
Senior forward Mike Fischman
Junior center Jason Mgebroff

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 13: vs. Northwestern in the BCA Invitational (61-59 loss)
Nov. 27: at Villanova (84-47 loss)
Dec. 23: at Washington

Coming off a Patriot League championship two years ago, there was a little bit of a letdown in Bethlehem last season, as the Mountain Hawks finished the season with a sub-.500 record for the first time in head coach Billy Taylor’s tenure. This year, the team will try to keep itself in the top half of the league standings.

The Mountain Hawks look fine in the backcourt, as the team returns Olivero and Knight. Knight, a senior tri-captain and a member of the All-Tournament team after his 45-point outburst against Colgate in the quarterfinals, averaged 13.6 points per game in his first season in the Patriot League. Olivero struggled at times with his shooting last year, a common problem for the entire Lehigh team, which shot less than 39 percent from the field last season. The backcourt duo must take better shots and give the Mountain Hawks some offensive leadership this season.

The frontcourt is somewhat of a question mark for the Mountain Hawks. Last season, the team primarily used Nick Monserez and Earl Nurse in the forward positions, and they have both graduated. Therefore, it will be up to some players that don’t have a ton of experience to step up. Neptune and Fischman, who combined to average 4.8 points per game last season, will likely begin the year as the two starting forwards. They must improve on last year’s statistics. Mgebroff, the team’s fourth-leading scorer from last season, returns as the team’s starting center.

Lehigh will be competitive this season, but it needs to find a fix to the shooting woes that plagued the squad last season. If the Mountain Hawks cannot find an answer, Knight and Olivero may finish the season with more individual accomplishments than team wins.

5. American Eagles (2005-06: 0-4, 2004-05: 16-12, 8-6, 3rd)
Starters:
Junior guard Andre Ingram
Junior guard Linas Lekavicius
Junior forward Sekou Lewis
Sophomore forward Travis Lay
Junior center Brayden Billbe

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 19: at Washington (99-82 loss)
Dec. 23: at Maryland

American fell short of the Patriot League title game for the first time in four seasons last year, and that streak should reach two this year. The Eagles lose three starters and 60 percent of last year’s offense with the graduation of Jason Thomas, Raimondas Petrauskas and Patrick Okpwae, in addition to swingman Matej Cresnik. The team will need to replenish its arsenal, and fast, if it hopes to stay in the upper echelon of the Patriot League this season.

This year, the offense will revolve entirely around the league’s second leading scorer from last season, Ingram. However, he will not be able to do everything alone. Lekavicius will hold down the other guard spot, giving American some semblance of normalcy in the backcourt.

The Eagles’ frontline is small with 6-10 center Billbe being the tallest member of the squad. The team, however, will receive some help in the second semester when Paulius Joneliunas is eligible to play. A Georgetown transfer, Joneliunas should give American some experience and height in the middle, something the team desperately needs.

American’s statistics from last season can be thrown out the window. This season will not see American lead the Patriot League in shooting or place second in scoring with so many key departures. This season will likely be the toughest for head coach Jeff Jones at American, but don’t underestimate the team’s desire to continue its success in the league.

6. Navy Midshipmen (2005-06: 0-4, 2004-05: 9-19, 5-9, 6th)
Starters:
Sophomore guard Corey Johnson
Sophomore guard Greg Sprink
Senior guard David Hooper
Junior forward Carlton Baldwin
Senior forward Matt Fannin

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 18: vs. Georgetown (72-49 loss)
Nov. 27: at Air Force (64-55 loss)
Feb. 5: vs. Army in the Star Game

It took Navy head coach Billy Lange all of one season to show marked improvement in the team that he took over before the beginning of last season. With a fast-paced and aggressive style of play, the Midshipmen managed to lead the Patriot League in scoring at 69.7 points per game and rebounding at 41.1 rebounds per game, proving to be a team that few league squads wanted to play down the stretch. This season, Lange and the Middies hope to continue riding that momentum.

The team has a solid core returning from last season, including all-Rookie team Corey Johnson and Sprink in the backcourt. The duo combined to score 16.3 points and dish out 4.7 assists per contest, and should reach, if not exceed, that level again this season. The team has some experience in the frontcourt, led by seniors Hooper and Fannin. Fannin is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 10.9 points per game. He combines with Hooper, who averaged 9.8 points per game, to make up for the loss of Laramie Mergerson, the team’s second-leading scorer last season. Baldwin, who missed several games last season for various reasons, will also return and hopefully make a positive impact for the Midshipmen.

Lange did an excellent job with this Navy program in his first season, and it looks as if he has the team heading in the right direction once again this year. If the team can carry its momentum from last season into 2005-06, Navy could quickly become a dangerous team.

7. Lafayette Leopards (2005-06: 3-3, 2004-05: 9-19, 5-9, 7th)
Starters:
Junior guard Marcus Harley
Junior guard Jamaal Hilliard
Sophomore guard Bilal Abdullah
Senior forward Andrei Capusan
Sophomore forward Ted Detmer

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 18: at St. Joseph’s (70-47 loss)
Nov. 20: at Notre Dame (84-66 loss)

Last year was tough for coach Fran O’Hanlon and the Lafayette Leopards, and things might not be much better this season. The team brings back all but three players from last year’s squad, but two of those players were critical.

The Leopards knew that super-sub Sean Knitter, who came off the bench to lead the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game, would be graduating in May. But the team received a huge blow when junior Jamaal Douglas, the Patriot League’s leading rebounder last season at seven rebounds per game, transferred to Eastern Kentucky. Without Knitter, Douglas and Jamie Hughes in the middle, the Leopards’ frontcourt is inexperienced and not particularly good. Capusan, who averaged seven points per game last season, is the only returning forward with significant experience, and he will need help from a score of freshmen and sophomores.

The Leopards do have some strength in the backcourt. Harley started every game last season for Lafayette, while classmate Hilliard started 20 of 28 contests and will challenge Pat Betley, who missed some of last season to injury, for a starting guard position this season. Abdullah also played well during his freshman campaign and will look to improve on his 8.7 points per game average, which ranked second among returning players.

Ultimately, the success of Lafayette this season will hinge on whether the team can get any production out of its frontcourt. With a talented group of guards who can score, the men up front will decide whether the Leopards get themselves out of the bowels of the Patriot League standings. And while the Leopards might not win a ton of league games this season, you can at least expect them to be competitive.

8. Army Black Knights (2005-06: 3-3, 2004-05: 3-24, 1-13, 8th)
Starters:
Junior guard Matt Bell
Sophomore guard Grant Carter
Junior guard Cory Sinning
Junior forward Colin Harris
Junior center Jimmy Sewell

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 15: vs. Temple in the NIT Season Tip-Off (69-37 loss)
Nov. 29: at Connecticut (68-54 loss)
Feb. 5: vs. Navy in the Star Game

It was another year of rebuilding for coach Jim Crews and Army last season, and unfortunately, there was not much for the team to be too excited about. The Black Knights return every important player from last season’s team, and for that reason alone, they should be somewhat better than last season. How much better, however, will depend on the success of the team’s younger players.

The one bright spot on last year’s team was Bell, who finished third in the league in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game. He proved to be a premier player in the Patriot League. Harris and Sinning, the team’s second- and third-leading scorers from last season, must also carry some of the offensive load for the Black Knights.

Last season, that offensive load was light because the team ranked last in the Patriot League in scoring with 55.9 points per game. As a result, the team was outscored by an average of 11.9 points per game last season. If Army wants to see any success this year, the Black Knights will have to find a way to consistently put the ball in the net. They must also find a way to stop opponents from doing likewise.

Patriot League Recap

Patriot League 2004-05 Season Recap

by Steve Sheridan

Another incredible Patriot League season is in the books, and it certainly gave fans all they could possibly hope for. There were surprises (Holy Cross, Colgate), disappointments (Army), and a lot of shuffling in the standings as the league season progressed. But in the end, it was the Bucknell Bison who emerged atop the Patriot League pile.

The Bison, the team picked at the beginning of the season to win the league title, took home the tournament championship and went on to make Patriot League history in the NCAA Tournament. With the weight of expectations bearing down on them, as well as further health issues for head coach Pat Flannery, the Bison managed to improve on last season and finally take home the school’s first-ever Patriot League championship. In the regular season, the school also defeated Pittsburgh, then ranked in the top 10, and Saint Joseph’s, putting the team on the map well before its monumental upset of Kansas in the Big Dance. It was truly a magical season for the players and fans in Lewisburg.

The biggest surprise of the season, however, must be the amazing run of the Holy Cross Crusaders, who were picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League by coaches and SIDs before cruising through the league slate with a 13-1 mark. The combination of Kevin Hamilton and Keith Simmons, combined with excellent inside play from John Hurley and Nate Lufkin and the stewardship of Torey Thomas, gave the Crusaders an almost unstoppable offense and a stingy defense that consistently baffled opponents. And with Ralph Willard at the helm, the Crusaders returned to their rightful place atop the Patriot League regular season standings.

The other big surprise of the season was the Colgate Raiders, a young team that I picked to finish seventh in the league. The team did well to prove me wrong, however, showing strong play from its many underclassmen and overcoming injury and disciplinary problems to finish in a tie for fourth place at season’s end. With a young and energetic team, the Raiders lost to eventual league champion Bucknell by a combined three points in two games, showing that the young guns could stay with the Bison. For head coach Emmett Davis, this team is ahead of schedule.

Another young team that made noise (for the wrong reasons) was the Army Black Knights. The Knights had only two upperclassmen on the roster this season, and yet that cannot excuse the fact that Army won only one Division-I basketball game this season (along with two D-III wins). The team is in the midst of a prolonged rebuilding stretch, but Matt Bell provided some hope that, with a little help, the Knights might finally find a way out of the league cellar in the future.

Patriot League Tournament Recap

The Patriot League Tournament went exactly to form, with a minor surprise in the title game.

In the first round of play, all top-four seeds advanced, with only one of the four teams (American) having to sweat out the final minutes. In that game, the Eagles needed overtime to defeat the Navy Midshipmen, 85-83. The biggest story of the first round came out of Worcester, however, as Lehigh’s Joe Knight poured in 45 points to single-handedly lead his team over Colgate, 77-60. His total was a Patriot League Tournament and Hart Center record, and his 10 three-pointers were also a Lehigh school record.

In the semifinals, it was the Crusaders who were scared, this time by the Mountain Hawks. Due to terrible shooting by both teams (under 28 percent for the game), the game became a battle of attrition, and the two squads needed overtime to decide the winner. Amazingly, the Crusaders, the worst free throw shooting team in the league, hit eight of nine free throws in the extra session to escape with a 57-53 win. In the other semifinal, the Bison continued to roll on, holding their second consecutive opponent under 36 points in a 53-35 clinic against American. The team followed up its quarterfinal game, in which it held Navy to a Patriot League Tournament-low 34 points, with a semifinal performance that saw the Eagles manage a Patriot League semifinal-low 35 points.

That set up a tremendous battle for the league title at the Hart Center, and Bucknell showed right away what a great team it was. The Bison jumped out to a 20-point lead on two occasions in the first half, putting the Crusaders in too big of a hole to dig out of. Holy Cross got to within two points with under a minute remaining, but the Bison held on for the school’s first-ever Patriot League Tournament championship.

Postseason Recap

It was certainly a historic postseason for the Patriot League.

The 14th-seeded Bucknell Bison made league history by defeating third-seeded Kansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 64-63, giving the Patriot League its first-ever NCAA Tournament win. Sophomore Chris McNaughton made the game-winning jump hook from the lane late in the game, and Kansas’ Wayne Simien could not answer at the other end, giving Bucknell the historic win. The team fell in the second round to sixth-seeded Wisconsin, but that could not put a damper on the greatest season in Bucknell school history.

Not to be outdone, the Crusaders took part in the NIT and pulled off an upset of their own, taking down Notre Dame in the first round for the school’s first postseason victory since 1981. The team jumped out to a big lead thanks to superb shooting and excellent defense before holding on to outlast the Fightin’ Irish, 78-73. Like Bucknell, Holy Cross fell in the second round to Saint Joseph’s, but the team’s season can still be considered a resounding success.

Hoopville 2004-2005 Patriot League Awards

Patriot League Player of the Year: Kevin Hamilton, Holy Cross
The junior from Queens Village, NY ranked second in the Patriot League in scoring (15.2 ppg) and upped that averaged to an even 16 ppg once league play began, as he led Holy Cross in scoring in 17 of 27 games. Hamilton also ranked first in the league in steals (3.0 spg), sixth in assists (3.0 apg) and seventh in rebounding (5.9 rpg).

Hoopville All-League Team:
Kevin Hamilton, Holy Cross
Joe Knight, Lehigh
Charles Lee, Bucknell
Chris McNaughton, Bucknell
Keith Simmons, Holy Cross

Freshmen of the Year: Kyle Roemer, Colgate; Corey Johnson, Navy (tie)
Newcomer of the Year: Joe Knight, Lehigh
Defensive Player of the Year: Abe Badmus, Bucknell
Coach of the Year: Ralph Willard, Holy Cross

Team-by-team Recaps

Bucknell Bison (10-4 PL, 23-10 overall)

The Bison began the season as the team to beat in the Patriot League and ended the season at the very top. The team finished second in the regular season standings, and then went into Worcester and took home the Patriot League Tournament Championship for the first time with a masterful first-half performance against top-seeded Holy Cross. And to top off the magical season, the 14th-seeded Bison upset perennial contender Kansas in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, marking the Patriot League’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.

Team MVP: Chris McNaughton (12.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 59.6 percent field goal percentage)
Top Scorers: McNaughton, Kevin Bettencourt (12.6 ppg)
Top Rebounder: Charles Lee (6.4 rpg)
Top Assists: Abe Badmus (3.5 apg)

Starters Leaving:
None

Key players returning:
McNaughton (sophomore center, 12.6 ppg)
Bettencourt (junior guard, 12.6 ppg)
Lee (junior forward, 12.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg)
Badmus (5.8 ppg, 3.5 apg, 1.9 spg)

Coming off the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, the Bison will return all but one player (reserve Chris Niesz) next season. As good as the team was this season, next year may bring even better things for this Bucknell squad. Patriot League, you have been warned.

Holy Cross Crusaders (13-1 PL, 23-10 overall)

Nobody expected the Crusaders to make much noise in the Patriot League this season, which is why the team’s 13-1 regular season turned so many heads. But with the combination of the league’s best defense (56.8 ppg allowed) and the potent duo of Kevin Hamilton and Keith Simmons, the Crusaders made a memorable run to the Patriot League championship game. The HC proved that, once again, you should never overlook the Crusaders when looking at the Patriot League title picture.

Team MVP: Kevin Hamilton (15.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.9 spg, 2.8 apg)
Top Scorer: Hamilton (15.7 ppg)
Top Rebounder: John Hurley (6.0 rpg)
Top Assists: Torey Thomas (3.7 apg)

Starters Leaving:
Hurley (graduating)
Greg Kinsey (graduating)
Nate Lufkin (graduating)

Key players returning:
Hamilton (junior guard, 15.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.9 spg, 2.8 apg)
Keith Simmons (sophomore guard, 12.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

The Crusaders return Hamilton and Simmons, but lose some big defensive pieces in John Hurley and Nate Lufkin. Next season, the team may have to rely more on its offense than its defense for victories, but that should not be a problem for this team. Expect the Crusaders to be right back near the top of the league from beginning to end.

American Eagles (8-6 PL, 16-12 overall)

As usual, the Eagles flew under the radar for most of the regular season, quietly putting together another solid season and ending up in third place. For the first time in four seasons, however, the Eagles did not make it to the league title game, falling in the semifinals to Bucknell. Thanks to great play from Jason Thomas and Andre Ingram, American was the best shooting team in the league and ranked second in scoring, but in the end all that offense came up a little bit short.

Team MVP: Andre Ingram (15.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Top Scorer: Ingram (15.3 ppg)
Top Rebounder: Jason Thomas (5.3 rpg)
Top Assists: Linas Lekavicius (3.9 apg)

Starters Leaving:
Thomas (graduating)
Matej Cresnik (graduating)
Patrick Okpwae (graduating)
Raimondas Petrauskas (graduating)

Key players returning:
Ingram (sophomore guard, 15.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Lekavicius (sophomore guard, 6.7 ppg, 3.9 apg)

The Eagles will be really hurt by graduation, losing Thomas and three other starters. The team will still have Ingram, who will be the only offensive weapon in American’s arsenal until the team can find someone else to complement him. Don’t expect the same offensive numbers from this team next season, and its league standing may fall as well.

Lehigh Mountain Hawks (7-7 PL, 14-15 overall)

The Mountain Hawks had somewhat of a disappointing season, finishing in fourth place in the Patriot League. The problem for the Hawks was that, after the dynamic duo of Joe Knight and Jose Olivero, the team simply could not score. The team finished seventh in the league in scoring, seemingly putting the team in a hole before it even stepped on the court. The team could have defeated Holy Cross in the Patriot League semifinals, but in the end the team just could not put the ball in the basket enough to take down the top seed.

Team MVP: Joe Knight (13.6 ppg, 4.1 apg, 4.0 rpg)
Top Scorer: Knight (13.6 ppg)
Top Rebounder: Earl Nurse (5.6 rpg)
Top Assists: Knight (4.1 apg)

Starters Leaving:
Nurse (graduating)
Nick Monserez (graduating)

Key players returning:
Knight (junior guard, 13.6 ppg, 4.1 apg, 4.0 rpg)
Jose Olivero (sophomore guard, 13.0 ppg)
Jason Mgebroff (sophomore center, 8.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg)

Lehigh loses its top rebounder in Earl Nurse and a high-energy guy in Nick Monserez, but the team should be in good shape with Knight and Olivero back. The team will need more production out of Jason Mgebroff, who had a tough sophomore season after an excellent freshman campaign, to help spur the team’s stagnant offense.

Colgate Raiders (7-7 PL, 12-16 overall)

The Raiders surprised many around the Patriot League by finishing in fifth place. Despite losing both Kendall and Kyle Chones – two potential starters – at the beginning of the season due to academic ineligibility, the team’s core of young players stepped up the fill the void and perform well. If the Raiders could have had one or two more scorers (Chones and Chones, perhaps), the team might have made some more noise in the league. For now, they must settle for fifth place and a bright view of next season.

Team MVP: Andrew Zidar (12.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
Top Scorer: Alvin Reed (12.8 ppg)
Top Rebounder: Zidar (6.5 rpg)
Top Assists: Reed (3.3 apg)

Starters Leaving:
Zidar (graduating)

Key players returning:
Reed (junior guard, 12.8 ppg, 3.3 apg)
Jon Simon (sophomore guard, 12.3 ppg)
Kyle Roemer (freshman guard, 10.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Kendall Chones (sophomore forward, 7.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg in 2003-2004)

With the anticipated return of both Chones brothers, look for good things from the Colgate Raiders next season. With a plethora of offensive options, the team will look to replace Andrew Zidar in the paint and move into the top half of the Patriot League.

Navy Midshipmen (5-9 PL, 9-19 overall)

The Midshipmen were another team that had a lot of trouble with missing personnel, as the team saw both Carlton Baldwin and Laramie Mergerson miss significant time. Despite those losses, the Middies had a decent season, finishing in sixth place in the league. The team got lots of help from its underclassmen (Corey Johnson and Greg Sprink) to go along with some good upperclassmen (Matt Fannin, in particular), providing a solid base for future success at Annapolis.

Team MVP: Matt Fannin (10.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
Top Scorer: Fannin (10.9 ppg)
Top Rebounder: Fannin (6.7 rpg)
Top Assists: Corey Johnson (3.1 apg)

Starters Leaving:
Taj Mathews (graduating)
George O’Garro (graduating)

Key players returning:
Fannin (junior forward, 10.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
Johnson (freshman guard, 9.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.1 apg)
David Hooper (junior guard, 9.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Greg Sprink (freshman guard, 8.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

News: Assistant coach Blake Flickner, who has been a member of the Midshipmen staff for two seasons, was hired as the head men’s basketball coach at Dallas Baptist University (Division-II), which will field a men’s basketball program for the first time next season.

The Middies return three of their top four scorers from this season next year, and look to be in good shape. The team will need Mergerson and/or Baldwin to come back and contribute both big minutes and points on the offensive end but also, more importantly, help to anchor a defense that couldn’t stop many teams.

Lafayette Leopards (5-9 PL, 9-19 overall)

The Leopards put a young team on the court this season, but I think a little more was expected of the squad than a seventh place finish. The team showed flashes of brilliance, but could not field a lineup that could produce with any semblance of consistency. With its leading scorer, Sean Knitter, coming off the bench, Lafayette seemed like a team in disarray all season long. The Leopards can only hope that things will get better with more experience next season.

Team MVP: Jamaal Douglas (9.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg)
Top Scorer: Sean Knitter (10.9 ppg)
Top Rebounder: Douglas (7.0 rpg)
Top Assists: Bilal Abdullah (2.6 apg)

Starters Leaving:
None

Key players returning:
Douglas (sophomore forward, 9.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg)
Abdullah (freshman guard, 8.7 ppg, 2.6 apg)
Marcus Harley (sophomore guard, 9.1 ppg)

With no starters leaving, the Leopards will hopefully find some consistency with their lineup. Of course, the team will have to replace Knitter, the team’s best offensive player, and so things might take a little while before they get better for the Leopards next season.

Army Black Knights (1-13 PL, 3-24 overall)

Another year, another terrible season for the Black Knights. Once again, the team’s major culprit was its absolute inability to score points, as the team ranked last in the league in points scored (averaging 55.9 ppg). Matt Bell was the lone bright spot for the Black Knights, finishing third in the league in scoring, but the rest of the year was a nightmare for Army, a team that managed only one Division-I victory all season long (over Navy). The bright spot? Things can’t get much worse for the men from West Point.

Team MVP: Matt Bell (14.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Top Scorer: Bell (14.3 ppg)
Top Rebounder: Colin Harris (3.6 rpg)
Top Assists: Cory Sinning (2.3 apg)

Starters Leaving:
None

Key players returning:
Bell (sophomore guard, 14.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Harris (sophomore forward, 9.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Sinning (sophomore guard/forward, 7.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 apg)

News: Jim Platt will join the Black Knight coaching staff next season after a five-year stint as head coach at Charleston Southern University.

With every important player returning from last season’s team, the Black Knights should get better in 2005-2006. How much better, however, is up for debate. If the team still has problems shooting the ball, no new influx of talent or experience will be able to help Army escape the league cellar.

2005-2006 Patriot League Outlook

Looking well into the future, it looks right now that it once again is Bucknell’s league title to lose. With every starter returning from last year’s Patriot League title-winning team, the Bison have a firm grasp on repeating as league champs. However, never count out the Holy Cross Crusaders, who surprised everyone last season and nearly took home the league title. There will also be some younger teams, such as Colgate and Navy, that may make a more serious run towards the top of the league standings thanks to young players gaining valuable experience on the court. The only way to find out who will win, however, is to sit back and watch ‘em play. November can’t come soon enough.

Patriot League Championship Recap

Patriot League Championship Recap

by Steve Sheridan

No. 2 Bucknell 61, No. 1 Holy Cross 57

This game was supposed to be the coronation of Holy Cross as the Patriot League’s next great hope to finally win an NCAA Tournament game. Instead, the Bucknell Bison – the team picked almost unanimously to win the title at the beginning of the year – prolonged one of the best seasons in school history by capturing its first Patriot League Championship and earning the school’s third appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Bucknell became just the third team to win a Patriot League title on its opponent’s home court thanks to an incredible first half. In the opening 20 minutes, the Bison shot 61 percent (14-of-23) from the field and held the Crusaders, one of the better shooting teams in the league, to only 21 percent shooting (6-of-28). The Bison defense, which held Lafayette and American to 34 and 35 points, respectively, in the league quarterfinals and semifinals, held Holy Cross to only 20 first-half points.

Bucknell, meanwhile, could not miss. After a 10-2 run to begin the game, the team then ran off 14 of 16 points to build up a huge 24-7 lead that grew to as many as 20 points on two occasions in the opening half. A Kevin Hamilton three-pointer shrunk the halftime lead to 17 points, but it still looked as if the Bison would roll to an amazing victory.

The Bison offense did not let up for most of the second half, as they held off any runs that the Crusaders attempted to make. At the 5:55 mark, Darren Mastropaulo scored to give Bucknell a 58-43 lead, but the Holy Cross defense finally began to show its strength after that point, as Bucknell was held without a field goal for the remainder of the contest. But unfortunately for the homestanding Crusaders, they had dug themselves into too deep a hole.

Kevin Hamilton did his best to bring his team back down the stretch, as the league leader in steals stepped up his excellent defense by swiping the ball on three consecutive Bucknell possessions. Due to the long-awaited sense of desperation, Holy Cross went on a 14-1 run to get back within two points with 58 seconds left. But after Chris McNaughton missed for Bucknell, Hamilton couldn’t sink an off-balance jumper from the baseline, and the Crusaders fouled Bucknell’s Kevin Bettencourt. The junior co-captain sunk both free throws, giving Bucknell its first league championship.

As usual, it was the trio of McNaughton, Bettencourt and Charles Lee who led the way for Bucknell. McNaughton scored 17 points (including 12 in the first half) on 7-of-8 shooting and added seven rebounds, while Bettencourt added 13 points and Lee scored 10 and grabbed five boards. For Holy Cross, Hamilton had 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting and five steals, and John Hurley had 11 points and six boards in likely his final game in a Crusader uniform.

Lee was named the Tournament MVP for his solid three-game stretch, while McNaughton, Hamilton, Hurley and Lehigh’s Joe Knight earned spots on the all-Tournament team. Lee and McNaughton, however, will live to play another day, as the streaking Bison looks for both the school’s and the Patriot League’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.

Patriot League Tournament Notes

Bison Finally Win Their First Title

by Phil Kasiecki

WORCESTER, Mass. – It wasn’t quite how Pat Flannery drew it up, but the end result was what he wanted. His team went on the road and took care of business.

“We thought we had a great year, and we were getting accolades we deserved, but we had bigger things we wanted to do,” the 11th-year head coach of Bucknell said after his team won the Patriot League with a 61-57 win at Holy Cross on Friday. “We left here two weeks ago and said this is probably where we’re going to have to come back.”

Flannery alluded to the Bison’s recent trip to Worcester prior to Friday, when the Crusaders clinched the Patriot League regular season title with a 69-54 win on Feb. 26. In that game, five Holy Cross players scored in double figures and the Crusaders went 20-22 from the free throw line.

Friday’s game was a little different. The Bison scored nine unanswered points as part of a 14-2 run to break open a close game early, and they never trailed despite being seriously challenged in the final minutes, when Holy Cross eventually got within two points before two free throws by Kevin Bettencourt sealed their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1989.

“I thought it was a war,” Flannery said. “I didn’t think it was going to go the way it did, with us getting up on them early and figuring out a way to hang on, but that’s a tribute to Holy Cross and coach and everybody. We knew they were going to come – we kept telling the kids, hang in there, keep your poise.”

The Bison looked much like they did when these two teams first met on Jan. 8, when they handed the Crusaders their last loss prior to Friday night. At that time, it looked like they might run roughshod through the Patriot League, as the win was fresh off their upset of Pittsburgh and their seventh straight win en route to an 11-game winning streak, which equaled the team’s longest since 1919.

Shortly thereafter, Flannery, an animated coach on the bench, had to take a brief leave of absence due to stress. He missed three games, including two road losses that broke the streak, but returned and guided them to second place in the regular season. It was not the first time he had to miss time recently, as he did not travel with the team to Holy Cross and Army last year for similar reasons. He continues to be animated on the bench, but it’s all part of how he coaches a game, and one can’t argue with what has worked.

Flannery has a history of winning in his state. Prior to his 11 seasons at his alma mater, where he is now second all-time in coaching wins with 171, he won a Division 3 national championship at Lebanon Valley College. The Bison have been consistent contenders since the Patriot League was formed in 1990, as this was their fifth trip to the championship game and their first victory. This season is the first 20-win season under Flannery, who has been there for all but the first four seasons of their Patriot League existence. His success there extends off the court, as five of the last eight Patriot League Scholar Athletes have been Bucknell basketball players.

It’s a good time for the school, and Flannery knows it. The school opened its new arena, Sojka Pavilion, last season, and has done very well there, going 22-3 in two seasons. He feels good about the Patriot League as well, saying it “has evolved tremendously in the last eleven years since I’ve been here.” Additionally, this year’s success may not be fleeting, as the roster contains only one senior, reserve forward Chris Niesz.

The Bison have certainly proven that they can beat good teams, and though they may draw a No. 13 or 14 seed, it would not be a shock if they pulled off a first round upset.

Holy Cross waits it out

Holy Cross is now likely bound for the NIT. They have an excellent RPI, but no signature wins, so the NCAA Tournament is not likely to come calling. The Patriot League has never received an at-large bid, and this does not look to be the year that breaks that. The Crusaders nearly swept the league’s awards, winning all but Defensive Player of the Year (Bucknell’s Abe Badmus took that honor), but they would surely trade them in for an NCAA Tournament bid.

While head coach Ralph Willard wasn’t about to campaign for an at-large bid, Flannery didn’t mince words upon being asked.

“Absolutely. I certainly think Holy Cross deserves to go to the tournament,” Flannery said.

Willard chose to reflect on what this team did most of the season.

“We just had a spectacular year,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t finish it the way we would have wanted, but I just can’t say enough about them. They were picked to finish fourth this year, 16-game winning streak, regular season championship. It’s tough being a mid-major and trying to protect great seasons.”

Success for the league

This year’s tournament format was a new one for the league, with the top two seeds hosting the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. The top remaining seed hosts the championship game, which they have done previously. The only upset in the entire tournament came in the championship game.

Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich said the league is happy with the format and how it worked out this year, and they look forward to continuing with it in future years. She also said that having it at campus sites worked out better than one neutral site not only from the vantage point of rewarding those who had better regular seasons, but also from the standpoint of fan travel, noting that fans tend to travel more to campuses than other neutral sites.

Patriot League Tournament Recaps

Patriot League Quarterfinal and Semifinal Recaps

by Steve Sheridan

Quarterfinals (at Holy Cross)

No. 1 Holy Cross 76, No. 8 Army 42

My Holy Cross correspondent Tom Severo saw his Crusaders run their winning streak to 15 games in front of a home crowd on Friday, but not after a first-half scare from an eighth-seeded Army squad.

The Black Knights hung right with the first-place Crusaders in the first half – actually tallying a better shooting percentage than the home team – and headed into the break down by only a basket, 29-27.In the second half, however, the home team finally poured it on. The HC jumped out to a 14-3 run to begin the final 20 minutes, putting a large cushion between the two squads. Holy Cross shot the lights out in the second half, hitting 17-of-26 shots (65 percent), while the team’s excellent defense finally kicked in as well, holding Army to 4-of-22 shooting (18 percent).

Four Crusaders reached double figures in the game, lead by another solid overall game for Patriot League Player of the Year Kevin Hamilton. Hamilton tallied 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals and was helped along by Greg Kinsey (13 points), Torey Thomas (12 points) and Keith Simmons (11 points, all in the second half). Matt Bell was the lone Black Knight in double figures (as usual) with 13, as Army’s pitiful season mercifully came to a close.

No. 4 Lehigh 77, No. 5 Colgate 60

On Friday night, Lehigh’s Joe Knight had a pretty solid evening. The junior guard scored a Patriot League Tournament and Hart Center record 45 points – including a school-record 10 three-pointers – in almost single-handedly leading his team to victory.

The Raiders jumped out to a 13-3 lead and led by 10 points with 4:32 remaining in the first half, as Lehigh couldn’t manage a field goal for the first 7:41 of the opening half. Knight began to heat up near the end of the first half, hitting three consecutive three pointers, and the Hawks must have felt lucky going into halftime down by only one point.

Knight then took over the game in the second half. He scored 24 of Lehigh’s first 26 points of the second stanza and in one 9:50 span scored 30 points, helping his team to finally break away from the Raiders and cruise to victory.

For the Raiders, Kyle Roemer led the way with 18 points while senior Andrew Zidar scored 11 points and grabbed six caroms in his final game in a Colgate uniform. No other Lehigh player scored more than eight points on the evening, but Knight made sure that that would not be necessary for a Mountain Hawk victory.

Quarterfinals (at Bucknell)

No. 2 Bucknell 70, No. 7 Lafayette 34

Just as Joe Knight was setting offensive records in Worcester, the Bucknell Bison were setting defensive records in Lewisburg, holding Lafayette to a Patriot League Tournament low in points. The 36-point margin was also the largest in Patriot League quarterfinal and Bucknell school history.

Against the Leopards, Bucknell jumped out quickly and never looked back. In the opening 20 minutes, the Bison drained more field goals (12) than Lafayette would hit for the entire game (11). The Leopards, meanwhile, didn’t score a point until 6:39 had elapsed off the clock.The second half saw more of the same, as Bucknell kept hitting shots and Lafayette kept missing them. The game was never in doubt in the final 20 minutes, as a quick 5-0 run to begin the half gave the Leopards the closest view of the lead (13 points) they would get in the second half. The lead grew to 38 points before a late Lafayette bucket provided the final margin.

Charles Lee, who almost outscored Lafayette by himself in the first half (16 to 12), finished with a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds. Abe Badmus was the only other Bison player in double figures with 13 points, but that was balanced by the 12 Bucknell players who scored at least one point. Lafayette, meanwhile, received points from only six players, with Jamaal Douglas leading the team with 12.

No. 3 American 85, No. 6 Navy 83 (OT)

Against the Midshipmen, the American Eagles were lucky to come out alive. Despite blowing a chance to win the game in regulation, the Eagles escaped from the opening round thanks to a career-high 30 points from Matej Cresnik.

Cresnik scored 20 of his 30 points in the opening half, but was nearly matched by 16 points from Navy’s Greg Sprink. The Eagles shot an excellent 56 percent in the first half, but the team could not keep up the momentum in the final 20 minutes.

In the frantic second half, Navy clawed its way back thanks to 56 percent shooting, but in the waning moments of regulation it seemed all for naught. But with nine seconds left and his team up by three, American’s Andre Ingram missed two free throws, allowing Navy’s Corey Johnson to hit a desperation 30-footer as time expired to send the game into OT.

In the extra frame, it was slow going for both teams. The game was decided by Linas Lekavicius, who drove the lane and bucketed the game-winning lay-up with 10 seconds remaining. Navy’s David Hooper had a chance to win it for the Middies, but he misfired from 25 feet and didn’t get a foul call, despite the Navy protests.

Cresnik, Ingram (13 points), Lekavicius (12) and Raimondas Petrauskas (13) all reached double figures for American, while Navy was led by Sprink (20), Matt Fannin (20) and David Hooper (17).

Semifinals

No. 1 Holy Cross 57, No. 4 Lehigh 53 (OT) (at Holy Cross)

Tom Severo left the Hart Center happy again on Sunday afternoon, albeit after a much closer game than in the opening round. The game was not a very pretty one from an offensive perspective, as neither team shot better than 28 percent for the entire contest.

The opening 20 minutes featured six ties and eight lead changes, as neither team could pull away thanks to plenty of missed opportunities. The second half saw Lehigh go ahead by as many as seven points with 7:10 to go, but the Crusaders – not exactly used to playing from behind this season – mounted a charge to get back into the game, led by two thunderous dunks from Keith Simmons that got the Hart Center faithful back into the game. But neither team could hit a game-winning shot at the end of regulation – an ongoing theme throughout the contest – and so the crowd was treated to an extra five minutes of basketball.

The extra five minutes were not pretty, as neither team was able to connect on a single field goal. Instead, the game came down to free throws and, surprisingly, the Crusaders came out on top. The worst free throw shooting team in the league made eight of its nine free throw attempts in the extra session, including 6-of-6 shooting from Kevin Hamilton, to hold off a Lehigh squad that made all four of its attempts.

Hamilton once again led the Crusaders with 16 points, helped out by 11 points apiece from Simmons and John Hurley. Hurley and Nate Lufkin helped to patrol the interior for the HC, as Hurley grabbed nine rebounds and Lufkin contributed seven caroms and four blocks to go along with seven points.

As hard as he tried (taking 14 shots), Joe Knight could not repeat his magic from Friday, still managing to led the team – but this time with only 11 points. Mike Fischman also played well for Lehigh in the place of injured Jason Mgebroff, hauling in a game-high 10 boards.

No. 2 Bucknell 53, No. 3 American 35 (at Bucknell)

In the other semifinal, the Bucknell defense continued to roll along. Fresh off allowing a Tournament-low 34 points against Lafayette, Bucknell set a Tournament semifinal record by keeping the Eagles to only 35 points, marking the first time that Bucknell kept consecutive opponents below 40 points since the 1945-46 season.

The Bison needed the tenacious defense in the first half, as the team’s offense was atrocious. Bucknell hit only 6-of-23 shots in the opening 20 minutes, and yet somehow managed to take a two-point edge into the break, thanks in large part to American’s equally inept (7-of-20) shooting. In one stretch, Bucknell hit only one field goal in nearly 10 minutes, but American couldn’t take advantage – the Eagles didn’t hit a field goal in the final 7:26 of the half.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, the second half saw American’s offense stay stagnant while Bucknell’s finally came to life. The Bison hit 10-of-19 shots in the second half, led by nine points from Chris McNaughton and seven from a resurgent Chris Niesz. After a lay-up by Matej Cresnik brought American back within a bucket at the beginning of the half, the Eagles went almost six minutes without a field goal as Bucknell extended the lead from two to nine.

From there, Bucknell used its huge interior advantage to subdue the Eagles. The Bison held a huge 44-22 edge in rebounding over the visitors, outscoring American 16-4 in the paint and 13-1 in second chance points.

Niesz and McNaughton led the way for Bucknell with 11 points apiece, while Charles Lee chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds from the guard position. For American, Cresnik was the only player in double figures with 12 points – in fact, he was the only Eagle to score more than five points in the contest.

Patriot League Championship Preview and Prediction

The Hart Center will surely be raucous on Friday afternoon, when the Crusaders welcome Bucknell to Worcester for a nationally-televised showdown with an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line. The game features the top two defenses in the Patriot League and, as evidenced by both teams’ quarterfinal and semifinal efforts, one can expect another defensive struggle on Friday. The Bison, who have never won a Patriot League postseason title, and the Crusaders, who have won three of the last four Patriot League Championships, will face off at the Hart Center at 4:30 p.m.

The Bison come into the game the hottest that they have been since the beginning of league play, having held their last nine opponents to 60 points or below. Charles Lee – who was named to the all-Tournament team last season – has been one of the best players once again in this postseason, averaging 14.5 points and 10 rebounds in the team’s wins over Lafayette and American. Lee, along with center Chris McNaughton, will certainly will be looked upon to provide instant offense against Holy Cross.

The Crusaders, meanwhile, come in as one of the hottest teams in the entire nation, having won 16 consecutive games and 18 of their last 19. The HC can win games both with its offense and defense, as evidenced by the 76 points put up against Army in the quarterfinals and the 53 points the Crusaders held Lehigh to in their semifinal victory. The constant on both ends of the court for Holy Cross is Kevin Hamilton, who has averaged 16 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals in the team’s two postseason wins.

The key for Bucknell will be getting out to a good start and quieting the Hart Center crowd, which will surely be fired up after not getting a chance to root on their team last season. For Holy Cross, it all begins on the defensive end. If the Crusaders can stifle Bucknell early, then they can set the tempo of play and allow the team’s plethora of guards to slowly pick away at the Bison defense.

After such a fun season, it is good to see the top two teams in the Patriot League fighting it out for the postseason title. If Bucknell were to win, then the league may have an outside shot of sending two teams to the Big Dance, as Holy Cross might warrant one of the final at-large bids. But worry not, Holy Cross fans; you won’t be needing a committee to send you dancing this season.

Prediction: Holy Cross 58, Bucknell 51

Lehigh’s Joe Knight

Guard Has Himself a Knight

by Phil Kasiecki

WORCESTER, Mass. – You had to know the chant would come sometime. The Lehigh students who traveled up from Pennsylvania let Colgate know what the Raiders seemingly had already figured out.

“You can’t stop him.”

The chant was for Joe Knight, Lehigh’s junior guard who made an assault on the Patriot League record book on Friday night. All Knight did was score a tournament record 45 points, going 15-19 from the field including 10-12 on three-pointers. Not only were the 45 points a record, but so were his 15 made fields goals and 10 made three-pointers. He single-handedly brought his team into the semifinals, as they knocked off Colgate by a score of 77-60.

“In person, no, I really haven’t seen too many games like that,” said head coach Billy Taylor, who got his 50th career win. “He was unbelievable, a leader out there; he sensed when it was time to take over, to make shots and make plays. He was intelligent.”

Knight did it every which way: a transition layup or two, drives into the defense with no one waiting, some deep three-pointers, shots with a defender in his face, even a couple where he faded away. He simply couldn’t be stopped. In the second half, he scored his team’s first 19 points and 32 in all; he finished the game making his final ten field goal attempts. Colgate tried every defense they could, but none of them worked.

Raiders head coach Emmett Davis has seen a few big-time performances in his career, including a few by David Robinson during his early days as an assistant coach at Navy, but this one stands out.

“I’ve been coaching 23 years, that’s one of the best performances I’ve ever seen by an individual shooting the basketball,” said Davis.

Even with Knight’s heroics, Lehigh didn’t shake Colgate for a while. Knight scored eight points in a row to give the Mountain Hawks the lead for good at 42-37. They went up by double digits with just under ten minutes left, and it was never in single digits again after the eight-minute mark.

Knight, who attended Tarrant Community College in Arlington, Texas last year after two seasons at High Point, is no stranger to high-scoring games. As a sophomore at High Point, he scored 40 points at Vanderbilt, which tied the record for points by an opposing player at Memorial Gym. He said the feeling in that game was very similar to the one he had Friday night. Knight averaged 14.5 points per game in two seasons at High Point, where the Tennessee native was originally recruited by current Lehigh assistant coach Brett Reed.

The Mountain Hawks tend to go as Knight goes, which is true of many teams with their point guards. Because Knight scores the ball so well, it’s easy to forget that he led the Patriot League in assists and was second in assist/turnover ratio. Knight says he has adjusted to the offense Lehigh runs, and feels like he’s back to where he was two years ago, when he was one of the top guards in the Big South Conference.

“Joe did a great job of understanding the moment,” said Taylor. “We go as Joe Knight goes, whether it’s scoring or distributing the basketball.”

The fans later chanted, “Bring on Army!” They didn’t get their wish, as Holy Cross used a strong second half to break open what was a tight game throughout the first half in a 76-42 romp over the Black Knights. If the regular season matchups between the two teams is any indicator, Sunday’s game won’t be a repeat of Friday night; Knight scored 12 points on 2-19 shooting in those two games, though he did have eight assists against three turnovers. He will certainly be looking to change that.

Patriot Notebook

Patriot League Notebook

by Steve Sheridan

It was an exciting and interesting final weekend for the eight teams of the Patriot League. Very appropriately, the final game of the Patriot League season came down to a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Bucknell’s Chris Niesz – the lone Bison senior on Senior Night – to beat Colgate. The game was the end of yet another wild regular season, one that surely portends a very exciting and unpredictable Patriot League Tournament. The conference tournament begins on Friday at Holy Cross and Bucknell.

This season didn’t see any major surprises or disappointments that have dotted the Patriot League landscape in past years, but things never seem to go exactly to plan. See how my preseason predictions match up with the year-end standings:

Preseason Predictions:                    Year-End Results:
1. Bucknell                               1. Holy Cross
2. Lehigh                                 2. Bucknell
3. Holy Cross                             3. American
4. American                               4. Lehigh
5. Lafayette                              5. Colgate
6. Navy                                   6. Navy
7. Colgate                                7. Lafayette
8. Army                                   8. Army

Sure enough, I got the service academies right on, and the rest of the teams fell closely in place to what I envisioned at the beginning of the season. Of course, there are still some things that people (myself included) didn’t see coming:

Biggest Surprise I: Holy Cross
I don’t think anyone foresaw the incredible season that the Holy Cross Crusaders would have, although I picked them one spot higher than the official league preseason poll. The team simply played amazingly throughout the regular season, losing its season opener before cruising the rest of the league schedule. Ralph Willard and his Crusaders are looking very poised for a fourth league title in five seasons.

Biggest Surprise II: Colgate
The team that exceeded expectations the most (besides the Crusaders), in my opinion, is Colgate. The Raiders fielded a very young team that was missing two of its potential sophomore starters (Kendall and Kyle Chones) and yet finished in a tie for fourth place in the league. Emmett Davis did very well to keep his job secure with a very solid season, which gives much hope for the future of Raider basketball.

Biggest Disappointment: Bucknell
Okay, so this is a minor stretch, but since the Bison were the consensus top pick for the league this season, anything less than first place would seem a disappointment. Still, Bucknell managed to finish in second place in the league and took the only league game this season from Holy Cross, and so I think Pat Flannery and his team aren’t too disappointed with their season.

Easiest Call: Army
The Black Knights are simply not a good basketball team. With the fourth-lowest RPI in Division I, the Knights won only one D-I basketball game all season (over Navy, on their home floor), along with two D-III wins. Granted, the team only had two upperclassmen on the team this season, but that’s still not a good enough excuse for the wretched season put together at West Point.

Regular Season Awards

Player of the Year: Kevin Hamilton, Holy Cross
The junior from Queens Village, N.Y., ranked second in the Patriot League in scoring (15.2 points per game) and upped that averaged to an even 16 ppg once league play began, as he led Holy Cross in scoring in 17 of 27 games. Hamilton also ranked first in the league in steals (3.0 steals per game), sixth in assists (3.0 assists per game) and seventh in rebounding (5.9 rebounds per game). Overall, the guard provided a steady and dominating presence in the Crusader backcourt, leading the team in minutes played and taking over games whenever needed. Without Hamilton, the Crusaders simply would not be sitting atop the Patriot League standings right now.

Co-Rookies of the Year: Corey Johnson, Navy; Kyle Roemer, Colgate
As hard as I tried, I couldn’t come to a clear decision between Johnson and Roemer, symbolized in the fact that the two players tied for 18th in the league in scoring (9.7 ppg). Roemer was the better shooter, shooting 44 percent from the floor (12th in the league) and 45 percent from three-point range (first overall); Johnson, meanwhile, might have been the better overall player, ranking third in steals (2.0 spg), sixth in assists (3.0 apg) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio. Both players stepped in as rookies to make significant contributions to their starting fives, something that is not easy when adapting to collegiate play.

Newcomer of the Year: Joe Knight, Lehigh
The junior transfer from Columbia, Tenn., made an immediate impact in his first season in Bethlehem, ranking second on the team (and tied for ninth in the league) in scoring at 12.5 ppg. Also on the offensive end, Knight led the Patriot League in assists, dishing out 4.4 helpers per contest.

Coach of the Year: Ralph Willard, Holy Cross
For the first time in three seasons, this award does not go to Lehigh’s Billy Taylor; instead, Willard earns it for the superb job he has done in leading the Crusaders to yet another Patriot League regular season title. In his sixth season behind the Holy Cross bench, Willard continues to work his magic in Worcester, keeping his squad a perennial contender for the league crown, upping his record at The HC to 111-66 in six seasons.

Looking To The Postseason
But now that the regular season has concluded, the records go out the window and it suddenly becomes anyone’s game once again. Here is how each team looks headed into the Patriot League Tournament, listed by seeding.

Holy Cross Crusaders (13-1 Patriot League, 22-5 overall)

The Crusaders finish the regular season first in the following statistical categories: scoring defense, scoring margin, blocked shots, assists, steals, turnover margin and assist-to-turnover ratio. This team is good. Behind the stellar guard play of Kevin Hamilton, Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas, the Crusaders have by far the largest scoring margin in the league and hold so many weapons on the offensive end that can frustrate the opposition.

The best thing about the Crusaders is that they get it done on both ends of the court. On the defensive end, Holy Cross led the league by giving up only 56 points per game and allowing its opponents to shoot under 39 percent all season long. The team also averaged almost two blocks and 1.5 steals more per game than the second ranked team in the Patriot League. Whether it’s by scoring lights out or by absolutely shutting down the opposition’s offense, Holy Cross always finds a way to win.

Holy Cross is looking as good as it has in a few years, and the team doesn’t seem to be slowing down any in the near future. The Crusaders have won 14 consecutive games, the longest streak in Worcester since 1950 and the fourth longest in school history, heading into the tournament. With the HC on a tremendous roll, it will take a huge effort for any Patriot League team to take down the top dogs. Frankly, I don’t see that happening.

Bucknell Bison (10-4 PL, 19-9 overall)

The Bison carry some momentum into the postseason, thanks to the team’s lone senior, Chris Niesz, who hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to propel Bucknell to a storybook 60-59 win over Colgate on Senior Night. Niesz, of course, is not a big piece of the offensive puzzle for Bucknell: that job is in the hands of Kevin Bettencourt, Charles Lee and Chris McNaughton, who combine to average over 38 points per game. Like Holy Cross, Bucknell is another team that relies on its defense, as the Bison rank second in the league in defense behind the Crusaders.

The Bison head into the Patriot League Tournament in pretty good shape, as the team will host the first two rounds of the tournament. The Bison have not lost a home league game in over two years, which does not bode well for Lafayette, American or Navy, who will have to ender Sojka Pavilion this weekend. The team, however, will likely have to go on the road for the championship game, so we will have to see if Bucknell can get it done on the road.

American Eagles (8-6 PL, 15-11 overall)

The Eagles have relied very heavily on the efforts of Andre Ingram and Jason Thomas, the league’s top-ranked and seventh-ranked scorers, respectively. The duo provide almost 29 combined points per contest, giving the Eagles one of the most potent guard combinations in the league. For the most part, American uses a six-man rotation that doesn’t leave head coach Jeff Jones too many options off the bench. Come tournament time, however, the benches tend to get shorter, and so the lack of true depth may not hurt American very much late in the season.

After losing four consecutive games, the Eagles rebounded to win their last two and take over third place in the league. With third place, American has a much better chance of making it to the league championship game for the fourth time in its four years in the Patriot League; of course, the team has yet to get over that final hump and actually win the league title. After settling down at the end of the season, the team will likely have to go through Bucknell on the Bison’s home court – the Eagles lost by 13 at Sojka Pavilion in early February.

Lehigh Mountain Hawks (7-7 PL, 13-14 overall)

Much like the Eagles, Lehigh relies almost exclusively on its starting five – no bench player averages more than 13 minutes per game. Jose Olivero and Joe Knight, who rebounded from a midseason slump to finish strongly, provide much of the Lehigh offense and need to step up their play come tourney time. The Hawks rank near the bottom in most offensive categories, including last in field goal percentage, and so will have to rely on their defense, which ranked third in the Patriot League (60.7 ppg). Without a solid defensive effort, the Hawks may have trouble keeping up with some of the league’s high-scoring teams.

The Mountain Hawks head into the Patriot League tournament on a four-game losing skid. The squad had a chance to clinch the third position with three games left, but lost to Navy and then to American and Lafayette to barely hold onto fourth place. Right now, I think Lehigh may be too inconsistent to win even one game in the postseason, never mind repeat last season’s Patriot League Tournament championship. I see them falling in the opening round.

Colgate Raiders (7-7 PL, 12-15 overall)

This Raider team could have just as easily been 10-4 in the Patriot League with a little more consistency, but alas that has not happened. The Raiders are very average, ranking near the middle of the pack in most categories, although they are the only team to place three scorers in the top 12 of the league (Alvin Reed, Andrew Zidar and Jon Simon). If Reed or first-year player Kyle Roemer can get hot, the team could beat anybody, but there is also a lot of inexperience on the bench that may hurt the team in the short term.

Colgate has done very well to even get itself to this point in the season, and for the team to succeed it must not simply be happy for where it has gotten so far. The team played Bucknell very well in two games this season and should have given Holy Cross a better game last weekend, and so have proven that Colgate can play well against the top teams. But the postseason – on the road – is an entirely different matter, and the Raiders have yet to show they can perform well under pressure circumstances.

Navy Midshipmen (5-9 PL, 9-18 overall)

The Middies come at you without flair, but with steadiness and determination. The squad places no players in the top 14 in the league in scoring, but then holds four of the next six spots – it is a team that lacks a true superstar, with all the advantages and disadvantages that come with that. The team has the highest scoring offense in the league (69.2 ppg), but counters that with the second worst defense in the league (74.0 ppg). The team is going to need to shoot the ball better and stop the opponents from doing likewise if they are going to upset anyone this season.

Last season, the team was seeded eighth and almost knocked off top seeded Lehigh in the opening round, so this team has no confidence problems. After a very slow start to the year, the Middies have played well at times down the stretch and badly at times, and so it is a matter of which Navy team will show up in Lewisburg this weekend. Do not be shocked to see Navy take down American, if the Middies can only play some defense and shoot relatively well on offense.

Lafayette Leopards (5-9 PL, 9-18 overall)

The Leopards didn’t set their expectations too highly coming into the season, and they proved those expectations to be correct. Much like Navy, Lafayette scores a lot of points (68. 3 ppg, second in the league) but gives up even more (75.1 ppg, last in the league), giving the team little opportunity to win consistently. Sean Knitter is the team’s only double-digit scorer – coming off the bench – which shows that no one Lafayette player is able to take over a game when needed. Some players – Knitter, Bilal Abdullah, Jamaal Douglas – have shown flashes of brilliance, but nobody has been able to contribute on a dependable basis.

The Leopards enter the tournament after a big win against archrival Lehigh on Saturday afternoon, which should give them some sort of energy boost. The team simply does not have enough experience this season to do much in the tournament. Until one Leopard player decides to carry the team on his back, the Leopards will not win a game in the league tournament, especially playing on Bucknell’s home court.

Army Black Knights (1-13 PL, 3-23 overall)

It’s getting to the point where you begin to feel bad for the Black Knights. Army has lost nine in a row and 19 of its last 20 against Division I opponents. Matt Bell has been the lone bright spot for the Knights this season, ranking third in the league in scoring (14.3 ppg) and fourth in free throw percentage (82 percent). Army has by far the worst offense in the league (56.5 ppg) for the second consecutive season, and therefore has been outscored by an average of 11.1 points this season – ranking near or at the bottom in most offensive categories.

Until the Black Knights can learn to put the ball in the basket with any sort of consistency, there is no chance of them winning a tournament game this season – especially when up against Holy Cross, which held the Knights to 29 points earlier in the season. At this point, the team can only hope to leave a good impression on the Crusaders and begin looking towards next year, when the team will finally have a solid group of juniors.

Holy Cross Wins

Champions Again

by Phil Kasiecki

WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross has done it again.

Holy Cross wrapped up the Patriot League regular season championship on Wednesday night with a 69-54 win over visiting Bucknell. The win is their 13th straight, with the last team to beat them being, ironically enough, Bucknell. It was also Bucknell who eliminated the Crusaders from last year’s Patriot League Tournament. As if that’s not enough, the two appear on a collision course for another meeting at the Hart Center, as they will each host part of the league tournament’s quarterfinals and semifinals next weekend. But that’s not the only irony of all of this that head coach Ralph Willard noticed.

“One of the ironic things is that we were 20-22 from the free throw line tonight,” Willard reflected. “After all of the things last year, it just shows you how hard these guys have worked, and they’re playing with a great deal of confidence.”

Confidence is certainly one thing they have clearly been playing with throughout the 13-game win streak, the longest of Willard’s tenure. In many games, they have shot the ball well, and they have even put on a clinic on the offensive end a couple of times. Through the offensive prowess that they have shown this season – they are second in the league in field goal percentage, turn the ball over less than any other team and are the only league team with more assists than turnovers – this team is still a defensive team first, as Willard has said several times. The Crusaders lead the Patriot League in scoring and field goal percentage defense as well as steals, and only Navy forces more turnovers.

The Crusaders have proven that they can win away from home, which is one more reason to think they can pull off an upset in the NCAA Tournament. They have 11 wins on the road, plus a win last month over Iona at the DCU Center across town from campus. During the current winning streak, six of the games have been on the road, including four straight at the end of January and the start of February. That period may have defined this team’s success as much as any part of the season.

“Those four road games in a row at the end of January really said something about our guys,” Willard said. “We had Nate Lufkin hurt, we had Greg Kinsey hurt, and still found ways to win – which was amazing and just shows the faith these guys have in one another.”

Indeed, the Crusaders didn’t miss a beat when any player was limited by or went out with an injury. Besides seniors Lufkin and Kinsey, sophomore point guard Torey Thomas separated his shoulder in January. He missed just one game over the next month, but was limited in most of them, and the only true point guard on the bench was freshman Pat Doherty. All Doherty did was calmly start eight games in a row and nine of ten, post a nearly 2:1 assist/turnover ratio, and the team just kept winning. Now that Thomas is back and running the show again, Willard has two very capable floor leaders at his disposal. He knew it would pay dividends down the road, and the Crusaders are already seeing that.

The veterans on the Crusaders, much like the newcomers who saw that the program was accustomed to winning under Willard, took last season’s struggles hard. It was a tough season for everyone as they lost a number of close games, finishing with a 13-15 mark and being eliminated in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament. The feeling from that, along with being picked fourth in the preseason by the league coaches, just fueled the Crusaders along with the natural desire to win.

“Last year left a real bad taste in my mouth,” said junior guard Kevin Hamilton, a strong candidate for the league’s Player of the Year award. “I really wanted to get to this point again, I’m happy that we’re here and I’m proud of everybody.”

Winning begets winning to some degree, and Willard is certainly building the program in that vein from the looks of things. This year’s team includes several veterans who were part of the winning two and three years ago, and not just players: new assistant coach Mark Jerz was part of the 2002-03 team that set a school record with 26 wins. Senior forward John Hurley noted that he took a lot from the players who were upperclassmen when he first came to the program.

“Those guys would come in every single day, a little older like I am now, they’d be banged up, but it didn’t matter – they’d come in every day and work as hard as they could,” he reflected. “That kind of trickled down to the younger guys, so now I try to come in and work hard every day and have that trickle-down effect working with our young guys now.”

If the way Hurley plays is any indication, chances are he is having that effect. One of just three Massachusetts natives on the team, he doesn’t put up big numbers regularly, but he is usually a factor in the game. He shows great basketball acumen, takes a pounding inside but keeps playing effectively, and is one of those players who isn’t a star but is a player you can’t win games without. One thing he understands is the importance of chemistry, and he doesn’t have to look far from home for good examples of it.

“Team chemistry is real underrated,” Hurley said. “I’m a Boston guy, so I look at the Red Sox and the Patriots, their team chemistry is just so great. We don’t model our team after that, but we try to have a great team chemistry on and off the court.”

That chemistry is apparent from talking to Willard and his staff, which features three new assistants, as well as some of the players. The players all speak very highly of one another and root each other on. When Doherty was starting at the point and leading the team to more wins, his biggest cheerleader was injured starter Torey Thomas. Willard has noted on several occasions the camaraderie that exists among his players.

The defense, the chemistry, and the camaraderie have all added up to the third Patriot League regular season championship in Willard’s tenure. The veterans have the feeling of winning again, and the underclassmen now have that feeling as one more motivator in the times to come.

Patriot Notebook

Patriot League Notebook

by Steve Sheridan

Where has the season gone? Just seven short weeks ago, the Patriot League season was just beginning and every team had their eyes on the Patriot League title. But after Wednesday’s games, there remains only one day of regular season play before the Patriot League Tournament begins on March 4. Next week, I’ll take a look back (somewhat reluctantly) at my preseason predictions; this week, I’ll recap the week that saw some tournament positions become finalized, while others just became even messier.

Crusaders Clinch League Title

After a year of mediocrity, the Holy Cross Crusaders are back atop the Patriot League. With one game remaining in the regular season, Holy Cross clinched the top seed with wins over Colgate on Saturday and second-place Bucknell on Wednesday. The win against the Bison avenged the team’s only loss of the Patriot League season up to this point, a drubbing at the hands of the Bison in the two teams’ league opener. Winners of 13 consecutive games, the team looks as strong as ever, as the team prepares for the Patriot League Championships. And with the new tournament set-up this season, the road to the NCAA Tournament surely looks to go through Worcester.

Bucknell Locks Up Second Seed

The Bison, despite losing to Holy Cross on Wednesday evening, locked up the second seed and the home court advantage through the semifinals that goes with it with a win over Army and a Lehigh loss to Navy. The Bison, who headed into the 2004-2005 schedule as the preseason favorite to win the league title, will have to settle for second place instead. As mentioned, the team will still host the first two rounds of its pod of the tournament bracket.

Three-Way For Third

With one game to go in the season, there are three teams – Lehigh, American and Colgate – sporting identical 7-6 league records. This, folks, may cause a problem. Assuming that all three teams win on Saturday (which, granted, is a very large assumption on my part), then the tiebreaker would go all the way down the list to highest RPI according to the latest edition of the Collegiate Basketball News. At last check, American had the best RPI (154), followed by Colgate (227) and Lehigh (238). However, Colgate does play – by far – the strongest of the three teams on Saturday, Bucknell. If all three teams win on Saturday, there will surely be some number-crunching going on in all three locker rooms.

Players of the Week

Andre Ingram and Jason Thomas, American
On Saturday against Lafayette, Ingram scorched the Leopards for 37 points on 14-of-23 shooting. On Wednesday, it was Thomas’ turn, as the senior guard scored a career-high 27 points in a big win over Lehigh. The two American guards are the sole reasons why American is currently in a third-place tie with Lehigh and Colgate.

Rookie of the Week

Corey Johnson, Navy
The Anderson, Ind., native averaged nine points, three rebounds and 2.5 steals in two big Midshipmen wins over Lehigh and Lafayette.

Team Recaps

Holy Cross Crusaders (12-1 PL, 21-5 overall)

Yawn. Another Patriot League title for the Crusaders. There’s not much else left to say, other than “Congratulations on a well-deserved title.”

In a tough match-up on Saturday against Colgate, two unheralded seniors played vital roles in yet another Crusader victory. Greg Kinsey scored a season-high 14 points, while John Hurley made his mark on the defensive end, grabbing seven rebounds and swatting away four Raider shots in the team’s 59-46 win. The Crusaders won despite the team’s second-poorest shooting night of the season (only 32 percent from the floor), thanks in large part to the team’s defense: Holy Cross held Colgate to under 30 percent shooting, the second-lowest percentage for a Crusader opponent this season (but then again, does Army really count?). What does matter, however, was the impressive offensive performance of Kinsey and the understated defensive effort put forth by Hurley.

The title was officially clinched on Wednesday in front of a hometown Hart Center crowd. The winning streak was also extended to 13 games in the team’s 69-54 win over Bucknell. The Bison kept it close for most of the game, but a decisive 12-2 run late in the second half gave the Crusaders the cushion they needed. Hamilton led the team with 16 points, as five Crusaders notched double figures in scoring – Kinsey, Hurley, Keith Simmons and Torey Thomas were the others. In an odd twist, the Crusaders, who came into the game with the lowest free throw shooting percentage in the league (64 percent), converted 20-of-22 attempts from the charity stripe against the Bison.

With the two victories, the Crusaders came relax on Saturday as the team honors its five seniors on Senior Day against Army. The team, of course, will want to keep its winning streak alive headed into the league tournament, and so I expect them to play well against the Black Knights – then again, the Crusaders may win without their starters, anyways.

Bucknell Bison (9-4 PL, 18-9 overall)

With one win and a Lehigh loss, the Bison secured the second position headed into the postseason tournament.

On Tuesday, Bucknell played a rare late-season non-league game against Villanova… and probably wished that it hadn’t. The Bison felt the Wildcat barrage early and could never recover, losing by a score of 89-51. Chris McNaughton tried to carry the team in the first half, scoring 14 of his team’s 28 points, but the Bison were no match for the Big East squad. Looking for some of the magic that knocked off Pittsburgh earlier in the season, Bucknell instead found Wildcat shots raining down on them throughout, with the final 38-point deficit being the game-high for the home Villanova squad.

Returning to some much easier competition, the Bison secured no worse than second place in the league on Saturday by defeating Army, 69-55. The team won despite having two starters – McNaughton and Abe Badmus – play very limited minutes due to illness. Charles Lee (team-high 22 points) and Kevin Bettencourt (14 points) led the way in the duo’s absence, while the team relied on some terrible Army shooting in the opening half and a big second-half run to defeat the Black Knights. With the win, Bucknell assured itself of hosting one of the two pods of the Patriot League Tournament – and ensured that it would avoid Holy Cross until the league title game, if it got to that point.

Against the Crusaders, the Bison were plagued by poor shooting for most of the contest. The team shot just 37 percent from the field for the game, but still would not go away until very late in the contest. In a game that wasn’t very important to the Bison (assuming Holy Cross will beat Army on Saturday, that is), John Griffin led Bucknell with 15 points. Lee, who showed that he was over his illness, and Bettencourt each tallied 11 points on the evening for Bucknell, which could not manage a season sweep of Holy Cross (then again, join the club).

With not much to play for except pride, the Bison will welcome Colgate to Sojka Pavilion for Senior Day on Saturday, as the team honors its sole senior, forward Chris Niesz. That’s a scary thought – the entire team will be back again next season. But that is a topic for the end-of-the-season recap.

American Eagles (7-6 PL, 13-12 overall)

Left for dead last week, American rebounded with a huge win over Lehigh on Wednesday night to propel itself into a three-way tie for third place.

The struggles continued for American on Saturday, as the team forced overtime but eventually fell to Lafayette, 93-89. Andre Ingram scored a game-high 37 points for the visiting Eagles on 14-of-23 shooting, while Jason Thomas added 18 on 8-of-19 shooting, but the rest of the team was unable to make any meaningful contributions down the stretch – save for a key bucket by Linas Lekavicius with two seconds left that sent the game into overtime. As usual, the team used mainly a seven-man rotation against the Leopards and, as a team that has shown signs of wearing down as of late, an overtime game – especially a loss – was not what Jeff Jones and his crew needed.

But a game with the importance of American-Lehigh seemed to provide all the energy the Eagles needed on Wednesday, as the team took home a 65-61 win. Much like Ingram did against Lafayette, Thomas carried the heavy load for American against the Mountain Hawks, scoring a career-high 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting. In the last two games, Ingram and Thomas have proven themselves to clearly be the only two reliable scoring options for the Eagles, which may be a hindrance come tournament time as defenses clamp down on the two high-flyers. But on this night, it was Thomas – along with the team’s 50 percent three-point shooting – that helped American shooting down the Hawks in the battle of the birds.

Suddenly re-energized, American will entertain Navy on Saturday in a must-win game for the Eagles. A win would secure the Eagles no lower than fourth place, and likely would keep them in the third position, depending on RPI changes. The team also would like to win on Senior Day for Thomas and the team’s four other seniors.

Colgate Raiders (7-6 PL, 12-14 overall)

The Raiders split their two games over the last five days, falling short against Holy Cross but overcoming the Black Knights in West Point for a big league victory.

The Raiders had their chances on Saturday but couldn’t knock off Holy Cross at Cotterell Court. The Crusaders jumped out to an early lead thanks to very sloppy Colgate play, as the Raiders missed easy lay-ups, threw away passes and looked very out of sync. The missed lay-ups led to a dismal 28 percent shooting afternoon – including only five field goals in the second half – which would have made the game a blowout, expect for the fact that Holy Cross kept Colgate in the game for most of the contest. When the HC began to play well down the stretch, however, Colgate was finally put down. Andrew Zidar scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in his final home game for the Raiders.

Colgate improved its record in its last five games to 4-1 with a 66-59 win over Army on Wednesday evening. The visitors came out strong in the first half, shooting 54 percent and entering the break with an 11-point edge. From there, the team held on to win thanks to four Raiders in double figures, led by Alvin Reed with 15 points. With the win and the season-sweep of Army, the Raiders stayed equal in all the tie-breakers with Lehigh and American, headed into the regular season finale on Saturday.

Of the three third-place teams, the Raiders have by far the toughest test on Saturday against second-place Bucknell. Colgate lost to the Bison by only two points at Cotterell Court in mid-January, but now the Raiders must venture onto the road – a place unkind to Colgate this season – and snatch away a victory. A loss, meanwhile, would likely drop the team down to fifth place in the standings.

Lehigh Mountain Hawks (7-6 PL, 13-13 overall)

With a chance to clinch the third position in the Patriot League, the Mountain Hawks stumbled twice. Thanks to the two losses, the team is tied up in a three-team race for third place and suddenly needs a win and some help to finish in the top three.

Lehigh suffered a very disappointing 76-75 loss to Navy on Saturday afternoon, making its hold on the third position much more tenuous headed into its final two games. The Mountain Hawks were plagued by poor shooting in the first half (29 percent), and the struggles continued for most of the second stanza. But despite being down by 10 points with 2:45 left, the team came back and had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but Nick Monserez missed a game-winning three pointer and the Hawks fell. A win would have kept the team in contention for second place in the league, but instead the team crept in the other direction with two games to play.

Going head up against the Eagles, four Mountain Hawks scored in double figures but it was not enough to take a victory from the visiting Eagles. Jose Olivero led the way with 19 points, but senior Monserez may have frozen up on Senior Night, shooting 0-for-6 from the field for zero points. As with the game against Navy, Lehigh fell behind and then attempted to come back, but once again the team was unable to make the complete comeback. Fellow senior Earl Nurse scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in his final game in front of the Stabler Arena faithful.

With a win a necessity for the Mountain Hawks, the team travels to Easton on Saturday for its annual rivalry game with Lafayette. The Hawks will also need an American loss to take the third seed, so winning against their archrival still might not be enough to salvage a terrible end to the season for Billy Taylor and crew.

Navy Midshipmen (5-8 PL, 9-17 overall)

The Middies are suddenly on a little bit of a hot streak, winning two games over Lehigh and Lafayette to secure themselves the sixth slot in the upcoming league tournament.

Five Middies in double figures helped the team along in its Saturday afternoon upset over Lehigh. Navy had superior shooting numbers and lead for most of the game, but the team nearly gave the game away down the stretch by missing its free throws. Corey Johnson, who had a solid game with 10 points, missed two free throws with 14 seconds left that gave Lehigh the chance to win the game, but a Nick Monserez miss bailed out the Middies at Stabler Arena. Matt Fannin led the team with 16 points, while Greg Sprink also had a solid game with seven points and 13 rebounds.

To say Navy rebounded well on Wednesday would be an understatement. The Middies tied school and Patriot League records for rebounds in a game with 71 in the team’s 76-57 win over Lafayette. The one negative for the game for Navy was the fact that the 71 rebounds were needed because the team launched up 84 shots in 40 minutes, and making only 28 of them. Despite that fact, Navy dominated most areas of the game and must be feeling good headed into the final weekend of the regular season. In his final home game, Taj Mathews scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Middies to a well-deserved victory.

With its sixth spot all locked up, Navy will look to play spoiler on Saturday when it travels to Washington, D.C., to take on American in the regular season finale.

Lafayette Leopards (4-9 PL, 8-18 overall)

Despite a spirited victory over American on Saturday, with a loss to Navy, the Leopards settled into the seventh slot for the upcoming league tournament, meaning the team will be traveling to Bucknell for its first round matchup.

Jamaal Hilliard and Marcus Harley both reached career highs in points on Saturday afternoon as the Leopards held off American in overtime, 93-89. Hilliard scored 23 points – including 11-of-11 shooting from the free throw line – and Harley added 22 of his own, leading five Leopards in double figures. Hilliard, who entered the game in the top 10 in the nation in free throw shooting, will certainly see that number rise after a stellar performance, which included two big free throws near the end of regulation and two more at the end of overtime to ice the game. The five Leopards in double figures also matched a season-high.

With a chance to take over the sixth position, the Leopards came out shooting well in the first half but collapsed offensively in the final 20 minutes, hitting only six field goals in that span – compared to 16 for Navy. Bilal Abdullah led the team in scoring for the first time in a long time with 14 points, but the team was so thoroughly dominated on the glass that it had absolutely no chance to win this game. The effort was disappointing, since the team had the chance to avoid Bucknell in the first round of the tournament, and now the team has to figure out whether a complete Lafayette team will ever show up to a game.

The team will certainly get up for its season-ending game against archrival Lehigh, during which the team will honor senior co-captains Jamie Hughes and Sean Knitter. With nothing to play for but pride, expect a solid showing for the Leopards on Saturday as they tune up for tourney time.

Army Black Knights (1-12 PL, 3-22 overall)

Finally, some good news for Army: the regular season is just about over. With two more losses, the team’s losing streak increased to seven in a row and 15 of its last 16, as the team continues to hope for some sort of miracle that would give the Knights a win.

The Black Knights continued their run at futility on Saturday, falling to Lafayette by 14 points. As usual, Matt Bell led the way for the Knights, scoring a game-high 23 points, but the big surprise was that Army out-rebounded only its second league opponent this season. The team was led by seven caroms for Erik Engstrom, who came into the game with all of seven rebounds in 11 games. Of course, the team didn’t actually win the game, but then again, this team needs some reason (however small) to celebrate.

Against the Raiders, Army received support from Bell, Jarell Brown and Cory Sinning – and nobody else. The trio scored all but 12 of the team’s 59 points in the loss to Colgate, as the team simply could not overcome a very slow start; Army fell behind early and couldn’t fully recover, never taking a lead in the contest. The team kept fighting in the second half, dwindling the lead down to three with 17 seconds left, but solid Raider free-throw shooting sealed the win. Ray Fredrick was the lone senior for Army, but did not see action in the team’s final home game of the season.

As has been known for a long, long time, Army will be the lowest seed in the league tournament. But before traveling to Holy Cross for the tournament, the team must go to Worcester for the regular season finale on Saturday in what promises to be a preview of coming attractions.