HAMILTON – Colgate's remarkable run lived to see another day after surviving American 62-61 Saturday afternoon at Cotterell Court. The Raiders scored the final four points of regulation and kept the Eagles scoreless over the final 3:02 to complete the comeback.
Colgate extended its winning streak to eight, improved to 8-0 in the Patriot League, and tied the Patriot League record for the most consecutive wins over conference opponents (23).
Tucker Richardson's two free throws gave Colgate a 62-61 lead with exactly 2:00 remaining. Neither team scored down the stretch with empty possessions on both ends of the floor. American brought the ball into the frontcourt in the final seconds, but Keegan Records blocked Elijah Stephens' potential game-winning layup at the buzzer and the Raiders survived.
Records paced the Raiders with 18 points on 9-of-13 from the field. Oliver Lynch-Daniels (10), Ryan Moffatt (9) and Chandler Baker (7) rounded Colgate's leading scorers. Richardson (six points) made an impact with four steals, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.
American led for most of the second half after back-to-back 3-pointers from Colin Smalls gave the Eagles a 42-41 lead. The visitors had a stretch of four consecutive makes from behind the arc and built their lead to 58-51 after another 3-pointer from Johnny O'Neil with 5:56 left.
A 3-pointer from Moffatt brought the crowd to their feet and sparked an 11-3 surge over the final stretch. Records' driving layup made it 61-60 before a defensive stop turned into two free throws for Richardson, who made both from the line to tilt the game in Colgate's favor.
Colgate forced two missed three-point attempts and a blocked layup at the buzzer to keep the Eagles off the scoreboard over the final 3:02 and hold on for the 62-61 victory.
The Raiders shot 48 percent from the field, 42 percent from behind the arc, and 69 percent from the free throw line. American finished with a 50 percent clip from the floor, 45 percent from the perimeter, and 67 percent from the charity stripe.
There were eight lead changes and five ties in the first half. American jumped out to a 21-16 advantage on the heels of a 7-2 surge. The lead changed hands before Woodward's two free throws in the final seconds of the half gave Colgate a one-point lead 32-31 at the break.
Braeden Smith's three-point play extended Colgate's lead to its largest of the game (39-36) five minutes into the second stanza. American regained the lead on back-to-back treys from Smalls and kept the lead until the Raiders made the final surge down the stretch.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Matt Langel
"The guys were locked in for that last defensive stand. We were really focused on not letting American get a good look. I'm proud of the defense at the end. The versatility of our team impacts every game. We're probably at our best when we're playing up and down, but American is a deliberate team and they shot the ball well. Some of it is our defense, but we keep getting every team's best offensive game and that's not a surprise."
"We have not played our best in a while. We have to focus on our rhythm, but while we do that, our team keeps battling and finding ways to win. That speaks to our character. Our crowd was terrific tonight. Having the students back made a huge difference and hopefully that will carry us through the rest of the season."
NOTES
- Colgate tied the Patriot League record with its 23rd consecutive win over a conference opponent dating back to last season. Bucknell won 23 in a row over three seasons 2004-07.
- The Raiders have a chance to break the record Monday night at Boston University, which is the last conference team to beat the Raiders on Jan. 28, 2022, at Case Gym.
- Tucker Richardson recorded four steals in the first half to pass Pat Campolieta for the most steals in program history (194).
- Colgate improved to 10-0 this season and 30-1 over the last two seasons when its opponent scores less than 70 points.
- The Raiders are now 2-3 in games decided by five points or less. Their first win in such games came at Army (77-75).
UP NEXT
Colgate (14-7, 8-0 Patriot) hits the road for a quick turnaround Monday night at Boston University. Opening tip-off from Case Gym is 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
