HAMILTON – For the fifth consecutive year top seeded Colgate will host the PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men's Basketball Championship facing a new opponent in the title game as the sixth-seeded Lafayette Leopards have advanced to the championship tilt. The Raiders have won the past two championships, and three of the last four, earning them the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Basketball Championship.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Watch | CBS Sports Network (Jason Knapp, Mo Cassara, Jamie Erdahl) |
Channel Finder
Listen | Westwood One (John Sadak, Jon Crispin) – Sirius 133, XM 201, Online 964, streamed online for free at
westwoodonesports.com
Live Stats | ColgateAthletics.com
Game Notes: Colgate |
Lafayette |
Patriot League
HOW WE GOT HERE
The Raiders (25-8, 17-1 Patriot League) advanced to the title game defeating eighth seeded Loyola (Md.) and Army-West Point which was the fourth seed. The Raiders broke out to early leads in both games and never looked back, downing the Greyhounds 92-73 and defeating Army-West Point 91-74.
Colgate is led by the Patriot League Player of the Year senior
Tucker Richardson who has recorded a double-double of points and assists in both tournament games. The Raiders had three 20-point scorers in the win over Army-West Point led by senior
Oliver Lynch-Daniels with 21. Senior front court men
Ryan Moffatt and
Keegan Records tallied 20 points each.
SCOUTING LAFAYETTE
Lafayette's trip to the championship game was not as smooth, as the Leopards (11-22, 7-11 Patriot League) survived an 84-76 double overtime contest against seventh seeded American University in the semi-finals after defeating rival Lehigh 71-64 in the quarterfinal match.
The Leopards trailed American by three points in the first overtime until senior forward Leo O'Boyle drilled a trifecta from the corner with four seconds remaining. O'Boyle's 23 points, including six in the second overtime session, led Lafayette while center Justin Vander Baan notched 19 points, 13 rebounds and blocked an American shot attempt at the end of regulation that would have given the Eagles the victory in regulation.
SEASON MEETINGS
Colgate took both regular season games from the Leopards with a 69-57 home win on January 28. The Raiders broke away from a 55-55 tie outscoring Lafayette 14-2 over the final 5:49 of the contest. Richardson led the way with a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double. Moffatt poured in 13 points and first year guard
Braeden Smith and Lynch-Daniels tallied 11 apiece.
Colgate also prevailed in the rematch on February 22 in Easton, Pa. Richardson again led the Raiders with 17 points. Lynch-Daniels dropped in 14 and junior center
Jeff Woodward added a dozen.
The winner of the championship game will receive the Patriot League's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.
