PatriotMBB Notebook (.PDF)
HOW TO WATCH TO PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL THIS WEEK
Patriot League action continues Wednesday night with four League games on ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. American hosts Bucknell, Navy travels to Lafayette, Lehigh welcomes Army West Point and Holy Cross and Boston University meet for the Turnpike Trophy. For more information, visit www.PatriotLeague.org/sports/mbball.
RICHARDSON AND RIVERA CLAIM PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL GEICO PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Colgate senior guard Tucker Richardson collected Patriot League GEICO Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the second time this season. Lafayette freshman forward Josh Rivera received his first rookie of the week award. Records averaged 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds to help the Raiders improve to 10-0 in League play. Rivera averaged 17.5 points and 9.0 boards to help the Leopards go 1-1 last week with a win over Loyola Maryland.
PATRIOT LEAGUE AMONG NCAA DI LEADERS IN 3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
The Patriot League is second among NCAA DI conferences in 3-point shooting. The League’s 10 men’s basketball teams have combined to shoot 35.79 percent (1,760-for-4,918) from 3-point range through Monday, Jan. 30, behind only the WCC (36.64). Colgate (40.0) and Navy (39.3) rank third and eighth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage, respectively. The ASUN (35.74) is third in NCAA DI.
RAIDERS BREAK CONSECUTIVE WINS RECORD
Colgate has posted a program-best 11-0 start to League play, extending its record 26-game winning streak against Patriot League opponents that dates back to a victory at Lafayette on Jan. 31, 2022. The streak includes three games in the 2022 League championship. The Raiders’ streak surpassed Bucknell’s previous 23-game record. The Bison did not lose a game against a League opponent from Feb. 26, 2005 until Jan. 12 2007, against Holy Cross. The Raiders 11-game win streak is third in NCAA DI this season.
2022-23 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Standings (as of 1.31.23)
| School |
Patriot League |
Pct. |
Overall |
Pct. |
| Colgate |
11-0 |
1.000 |
17-7 |
.708 |
| Lehigh |
8-2 |
.800 |
13-8 |
.619 |
| American |
6-4 |
.600 |
14-7 |
.667 |
| Army West Point |
6-4 |
.600 |
12-11 |
.522 |
| Lafayette |
5-5 |
.500 |
7-16 |
.304 |
| Navy |
4-6 |
.400 |
11-11 |
.500 |
| Holy Cross |
4-6 |
.400 |
7-16 |
.304 |
| Boston University |
3-7 |
.300 |
10-13 |
.435 |
| Loyola Maryland |
3-8 |
.273 |
8-16 |
.333 |
| Bucknell |
1-9 |
.100 |
8-15 |
.348 |
ONLINE SCHEDULE |
ONLINE STATS
TWO TEAMS AMONG NCAA 3-PT LEADERS
Colgate and Navy rank atop the Patriot League and are in the top 10 in NCAA DI from 3-point range this season. The Raiders are first in the League and third in the nation from beyond the arc, shooting 40.0 percent. They have two of the League’s top-five outside shooters, led by Oliver Lynch-Daniels (46.7), who is third in the League. Navy is eighth in NCAA DI, connecting on 39.3 percent of its perimeter attempts. Mac MacDonald is connecting on a League-best 52.6 percent of his 3-point attempts. Christian Jones (47.5) and Sean Yoder (43.0) and Tyler Nelson (40.4) are second and 7th, respectively.
League Rank, Team (NCAA Rank) 3PT%
1. Colgate (3), 40.0
2. Navy (8), 9.3
RICHARDSON JOINS THE 1600-700-500 CLUB
Colgate Sr. G Tucker Richardson is the first men’s basketball player in Patriot League history to have reached 1,600 points, 700 rebounds and 500 assists. Through 24 games, Richardson is sixth in the League in scoring, averaging 14.4 points, giving him 1,604 points. He became one of 19 players in League history to top 700 rebounds after his 11-rebound performance against BU on Jan. 23. Richardson has also reached 500 assists, becoming the 12th player in League history to reach the mark in the Raiders’ victory against Lehigh on Jan. 3. The Patriot League Preseason Player and Defensive Player of the Year leads the League with 5.1 assists per game.
HOLY CROSS’S GATES LEADING CRUSADERS
Holy Cross Sr. F Gerrale Gates leads the Patriot League in scoring (17.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg) through 22 games. He also leads the League and is 10th in NCAA DI with 11 double-doubles. Gates, a two-time All-League selection, has totaled 1,058 points and 556 rebounds in his third season in Worcester.
WHYTE JOINS EXCLUSIVE CLUB
Boston U. Gr. F Walter Whyte scored 16 points vs. Army on Jan. 14 to reach 1,500 career points, becoming the ninth men’s basketball student-athlete in Patriot League history to reach 1,500 points and 700 rebounds. Whyte is part of a club that includes former teammate Max Mahoney, Army’s Matt Wilson, Bucknell’s Nana Foulland, Mike Muscala and Zach Thomas, Colgate’s Adonal Foyle, Will Rayman and Richardson and Lehigh’s Tim Kempton in the club.
PATRIOT LEAGUE IN THE NET RANKINGS
Defending champion Colgate leads the Patriot League at No. 106 in the NCAA Men’s Basketball NET Rankings released on Jan. 30. American moved back to second at No. 191. Navy slipped to third at No. 216. Army West Point is fourth at No. 236, while Lehigh is fifth (245). The 2022-23 season marks the fifth year of the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, which replaced the RPI as the primary tool for evaluating teams.
TEAM, NET
1. Colgate, 106
2. American, 191
3. Navy, 216
4. Army West Point, 236
5. Lehigh, 245
6. Lafayette, 254
7. Boston University, 256
8. Bucknell, 307
9. Holy Cross, 330
10. Loyola Maryland, 332
RUCKER LEADING ARMY IN LEAGUE PLAY
Jr. G Jalen Rucker is averaging a Patriot League-leading 18.1 points and 3.7 assists per game through 10 League contests to help the Black Knights to a 6-4 start. The two-time Patriot League GEICO Men’s Basketball Player of the Week has connected on 52.3 percent (69-of-132) from the floor, and 42.2 percent (19-of-45) from 3-point range in League play, helping the Army to League-best marks in field goal percentage (51.6) and 3-point field-goal percentage (41.1) during that stretch.
HOLY CROSS’S GATES, LEHIGH’ S TAYLOR AND ARMY’S RUCKER JOIN PATRIOT LEAGUE 1,000-POINT CLUB
Holy Cross’s Gerrale Gates reached 1,000 points in a Crusaders’ uniform on Jan. 18 vs. Colgate. Lehigh’s Evan Taylor eclipsed 1,000 points in the Mountain Hawks’ victory over American on Saturday, Jan. 14 and Army’s Rucker surpassed 1,000 points against Colgate on Jan. 9. The two preseason All-League selections are the fourth and fifth active Patriot League men’s basketball student-athletes and among the 155 to have reached the milestone in League history. Colgate senior guard Tucker Richardson and Boston University graduate student forward Walter Whyte are among the 43 individuals to reach 1,500 points. Loyola Maryland Sr. G Jaylin Andrews joined the 1,000-point club late last season.
COLGATE’S HOT SHOOTING BEST IN NCAA DI
Colgate leads NCAA DI in effective field goal percentage (FGM+0.5*3PM/FGA) at 58.1 percent. The formula adjusts for the value of 3-pointers being worth more than a 2-point field goal. Colgate has been among the nation’s best at both. Through 24 games, they are connecting on 50.8 percent from the field, leading the League and second in NCAA DI. The Raiders, among the nation’s most efficient perimeter shooting teams over the past three seasons, are third in 3-point field goal percentage (40.0).
TEAMS AMONG NCAA FIELD GOAL LEADERS
Three Patriot League men’s basketball teams are among the NCAA DI field-goal percentage leaders. Colgate is second in NCAA DI at 50.8 percent from the floor, with Sr. F Keegan Records connecting on 65.0 percent of his attempts from the field, best in the Patriot League this season. American is shooting 49.4 percent from the floor to rank eighth. Jr. F Matt Rogers leads the Eagles, shooting 64.2 percent from the field. Army West Point rounds out the trio of the nation’s most efficient from the field, shooting 49.0 percent to rank 13th in NCAA DI. The Black Knights have been the most efficient team in League play, connecting on 51.6 percent in 10 League games. Jr. F Charlie Peterson has shot 63.8 percent from the field.
National Rank, Name, School, FG%
2. Colgate, 50.8
8. American, 49.4
13. Army West Point, 49.0
TWO MOVE INTO CAREER 3PT FG LEADERS
Colgate Sr. G Oliver Lynch-Daniels moved into the top spot in the Patriot League’s career 3-point field-goal percentage leaders during the Raiders victory over American on Jan. 21. He is now 106-for-212 from beyond the arc during his three seasons at Colgate for a League career-best mark of 50.0 percent. He moved in front of Lance Tejada, who connected on 44.4 percent of his 3-point attempts at Lehigh between 2017-2019. The Raiders’ Sr. F Ryan Moffatt is now third in League history, connecting on 44.0 (111-252) percent of his 3-point field-goal attempts during his four-year career.
ROOKIES MAKING AN INSTANT IMPACT
The Patriot League’s freshmen class has played a crucial role for teams throughout the League. Seven League freshmen are averaging more than eight points per game, with Army West Point’s duo of Ethan Roberts (12.13 ppg) and Coleton Benson (11.17 ppg) ranking second and fourth. Colgate’s Braeden Smith, a two-time League rookie of the week, is averaging 12.25 points, while ranking third in the League with 4.3 assists. Seven different players have received League rookie of the week honors this season with Benson, Smith, American’s Geoff Sprouse and Holy Cross’s Will Batchelder collecting accolades twice.
Rank. Name, School, PPG
1. Braeden Smith, Colgate, 12.25
2. Ethan Roberts, Army, 12.13
3. Will Batchelder, Holy Cross, 11.39
4. Coleton Benson, Army, 11.17
5. Josh Rivera, Lafayette, 8.76
6. Deon Perry, Loyola, 8.88
7. Geoff Sprouse, American, 8.52
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athlete can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.