HAMILTON – Top-seeded Colgate's R & R boys of Keegan Records and Tucker Richardson led a balanced offense as Colgate won its third consecutive Patriot League Basketball Championship with a 79-61 victory over sixth-seeded Lafayette Wednesday night at Cotterell Court.

Colgate placed all five starters in double figures led by Records' 21 points on 9-10 shooting from the field. Richardson recorded the program's first triple-double, and the first triple-double in the championship game since Adonal Foyle in February 1997, with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists and tied the Colgate career record for three-point shots made after dropping a pair of trifectas to notch the 266th and 267th of his career. 

The game started slowly with each team making a pair of baskets before the Raiders' Braeden Smith nailed a three-point shot to give Colgate a 7-4 lead that Colgate would not relinquish. A Jeff Woodward dunk gave the Raiders an 11-5 edge. After an exchange of baskets Chandler Baker drilled a trifecta from the left corner to extend Colgate's lead to 16-8.

Records had a monster first half scoring 17 points on perfect 8-8 shooting from the field and making his only free throw to complete a three-point play that gave Colgate a 21-10 lead. Richardson, the Patriot League Player of the Year, had seven points, five rebounds, and eight assists in the first half.

Colgate closed the first half on a 28-16 run to open a 41-24 halftime advantage. The second half proved more of the same as the Raiders twice extended the lead to 24 points. Lafayette closed the gap to 71-54 with 3:45 remaining in the contest but that was as close as the Leopards would come.

In addition to Records and Richardson, Oliver Lynch-Daniels notched 14 points, Smith netted 11 and Ryan Moffatt added 10. Smith also tallied six assists and Moffatt pulled down eight rebounds.

Records, Moffatt and Richardson were named to the All-Tournament team and Richardson was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Over the three games in the tournament he compiled 36 points, 26 rebounds and 34 assists.

The championship is the sixth overall for the Raiders tying the Patriot League record for most men's basketball championships. It is Colgate's fourth league championship in the past five years.

FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Matt Langel

"This is why you sign up for coaching. Not to be a champion, but to coach a group that I've gotten to coach this season so far. These three individuals (Tucker Richardson, Keegan Records, and Oliver Lynch-Daniels) are representatives of who we are and where our values are. They've worked incredibly hard. They've been incredibly together. They've all got the spotlight at some point and they don't care for one second about the spotlight. They're committed to one another. 

"It's a joy to be a part of, to be honest with you. Today was icing on the cake in terms of our season. I've kind of kept my hands off of this group. We go through the rhythm and try and stay connected so we could have the best chance of playing the best we can. When you have these three guys — the group that we have, not just the three of them — it's a joy to be the coach."

NOTES

• Colgate is now tied with Bucknell and Holy Cross for the most championships in Patriot League history (6). 
• Head Coach Matt Langel ties Holy Cross' Ralph Willard for the most championships by any coach in Patriot League history (4). 
• The Raiders have set a program record for the most single-season wins in program history (26), besting the 2019-20 team's 25. 
• Colgate is the first team since Holy Cross (2000-03) and the only other team to win three consecutive Patriot League championships. 
• The Raiders extended their home winning streak against conference opponents to 31 games in front of a sellout crowd of 1,891 Wednesday night, the largest crowd for a men's basketball game at Cotterell Court since 1997.
• Colgate enters the NCAA tournament on a nine-game winning streak, tied for the 10th longest winning streak in the country.

UP NEXT
Colgate's opponent and destination for the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship will be determined Sunday, March 12, during the selection show starting at 6 p.m. on CBS.

NCAA TOURNAMENT TICKET INFORMATION
Fans interested in attending Colgate's NCAA tournament games are encouraged to submit their information in advance by filling out this online ticket interest form. This will help expedite the process for purchasing tickets once Colgate's destination is determined during Sunday's Selection Show starting at 6 p.m. on CBS. 
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