HAMILTON, N.Y. – Colgate took the lead for good midway through the second half and carried the momentum to the finish line for a hard fought 74-69 win over second-place Navy in the regular season finale Saturday afternoon at Cotterell Court.
The two teams already locked in the top two seeds for the Patriot League tournament but there was still plenty to play for. Both teams came in with 19 wins, and Colgate came out on top for the program's third 20-win season – all in the last four years. The Raiders tied the Patriot League record for most conference wins in a season with 16; Bucknell was the only other team to do it in 2017-18.
Colgate also set a nice springboard for its six seniors who were honored before tipoff.
A made free throw by
Keegan Records put Colgate in front 56-55 with 9:20 left and it was the fifth and final lead change of the second half. Records' free throw sparked an 11-0 run and
Ryan Moffatt cashed a 3-pointer on the backend to give Colgate its largest lead, 66-55, with 6:47 showing.
Navy chipped away and John Carter Jr. capped a 6-0 run with two free throws to make it 70-69 with 25 seconds left.
Nelly Cummings drove inside and drew a shooting foul on Colgate's next possession, and he made both free throws when they mattered most.
With one last chance and a 72-69 margin, Navy went for the tie but Sean Yoder's 3-point attempt with seven seconds left was off the mark.
Tucker Richardson corralled his ninth rebound of the day and sank both free throws to put the game away with the Raiders securing their 12th consecutive victory.
Richardson had another standout performance with 23 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals. The senior guard was 8-of-14 from the field and 3-of-7 from behind the arc. Cummings scored 15 points, nine of which came from the free throw line (9-for-10). Moffatt was also in double figures and posted 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Colgate jumped out to an early 15-5 lead eight minutes into the game after Moffatt connected on a pair of catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, including one at the end of the shot clock. Richardson finished an and-one and
Oliver Lynch-Daniels swished a corner 3-pointer to keep the Raiders in front 25-18.
Sam Thomson also sank two free throws during the quick Raider spurt.
From there Navy raced back on an 8-0 run sparked by a Carter step-back jumper. A slam dunk by Richard Njoku gave the Midshipmen their first lead, 26-25, with 5:52 on the first-half clock.
There were nine ties and six lead changes in total. Down the stretch it was tied at 28s, 31s, and again at the buzzer after Austin Inge took a turnover all the way to the hoop to tie the game at 36-36 at intermission. The back-and-forth action continued in the second half until Colgate took the lead for good midway through the frame.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Matt Langel
"This was a hard fought game. That's what we expect when we face Navy. There's a reason why they finished second in our league. The milestones – getting to 20 wins in the regular season and tying the record for Patriot League wins in a season – are all important things, and things that this group has talked about to be honest with you. For it to happen on Senior Day, for a group that has been together for a while now, in front of a great crowd is really nice.
"Nelly played within himself and made some big baskets. His ability to draw some fouls – he drew eight fouls and got us in the bonus – gave us a chance to step up and make foul shots. Obviously Tucker had another monster game, assisting, rebounding, and scoring points, which he has done over the course of his career. Great win for us to finish the regular season.
"Our team has handled everything we've thrown at them. It has been remarkable. I can't imagine there has been another team to go undefeated in February with as many games as we played in the shortest month of the year. We need some time to recover and rest our bodies. We'll be able to have a few good practices next week to get ready for the Patriot League tournament."
UP NEXT
Colgate (20-11, 16-2 Patriot) now awaits its opponent for the Patriot League tournament quarterfinals. The Raiders take on the winner of eighth seeded Lafayette and ninth seeded Bucknell next Thursday at Cotterell Court. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., with ESPN+ carrying the livestream.
POSTSEASON TICKETS
Colgate men's basketball postseason tickets are now on sale for the quarterfinal round matchup next Thursday, March 3, at Cotterell Court. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last, by visiting
colgate.universitytickets.com. Fans can also call
315-228-4062 or visit the Reid Athletic Center Ticket Office between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. There is a limit of four tickets per person for all contests.
