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HAMILTON – The second-seeded Colgate men's basketball team opens up postseason play in the Patriot League Quarterfinals at home against seventh-seeded Lafayette Thursday night. Tipoff from Cotterell Court is set for 7 p.m.
 
Fans are encouraged to wear white to help "White Out" Cotterell Court. The first 200 fans in attendance will receive free white out t-shirts.
 
Patriot League Quarterfinal tickets are available for purchase online HERE, in-person and over the phone (315-228-4062). Tickets prices are $14 for adults, $7 for seniors (62 and over) and children (17 and under), and free for Colgate faculty and staff with a 'Gate Card.
 
2018 Patriot League Coach of the Year Matt Langel guided the Raiders to a 12-6 Patriot League record to secure the No. 2 seed, the team's best result since 2014-15. The winner of Thursday's Quarterfinal game advances to Sunday's Semifinal round. If Colgate wins, the Raiders will host Sunday's Semifinals at 12 p.m. at Cotterell Court and take on the winner of No. 3 Navy/No. 6 Holy Cross.
 
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Colgate secured the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament thanks to a 12-6 league record that is a part of a 17-12 overall mark. The Raiders finished one game ahead of third-place Navy and fourth-place Lehigh (11-7) to secure the No. 2 seed and home court advantage through the semifinal round of the Patriot League Tournament. The second-place result is Colgate's best since the 2014-15 squad also finished second, and tied for the highest finish since the 1995-96 team won the regular-season title. The Raiders tied all-time program records with 17 regular-season (17-12) wins and 12 Patriot League (12-6) victories, and Colgate has already clinched its first overall winning season in 10 years.
 
DEFENDING THE GATE
Colgate is 11-3 at Cotterell Court this season, a number of victories that ties the Cotterell Court record and marks the most home wins in 23 years. The last team to capture 11 home wins was the 1994-95 squad that went 11-1 at Cotterell Court. The program record for home wins is 13 (1926-27). Colgate's only three home losses came against Lafayette (71-68 - Jan. 5), first-place Bucknell (63-51 - Jan. 15) and Lehigh (88-78 - Feb. 14). Colgate is averaging 77.1 points per home contest compared to its mark of 70.3 points per away game. The Raiders are shooting 46.4 percent from the floor and 77.5 percent from the free throw line on their home baskets. If Colgate wins its Patriot League Quarterfinal game Thursday, the Raiders would set a Cotterell Court record with 12 home wins and be just one home victory away from tying the program record of 13.
 
PLAYOFF PUSH
Colgate will be looking to advance to the Patriot League Semifinals for the second time under head coach Matt Langel and the first time since the 2014-15 season. The Raiders are on the hunt for their third Patriot League Championship and first since 1996. Colgate is 4-5 all-time when playing Lafayette in the Patriot League Tournament, and 1-0 when playing the Leopards in Hamilton.
 
AGAINST THE LEOPARDS
Lafayette proved to be a tough test for the Raiders this season as the Leopards swept the two regular-season meetings, earning a 71-68 win in Hamilton on Jan. 5 and 93-83 win in Easton, Pa. on Jan. 31. Lafayette's Justin Jaworski hit a game-winning three-pointer with three seconds to play to help the Leopards hand the Raiders the 71-68 defeat in the season's first meeting. Colgate then fell victim to a hot-shooting Leopards squad on Jan. 31 as Lafayette shot 60.0 percent from the field and 58.3 percent from three-point range in the second half to pull away for the 93-83 victory. Senior Jordan Swopshire led Colgate against the Leopards this season, averaging 20 points and 5 rebounds in the two games combined. Sophomore Will Rayman chipped in 15 points and 6 boards.