BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Loyola Maryland senior forward Milos Ilic was named Patriot League Men’s Basketball PenFed Credit Union Player of the Week when the League office announced weekly honors on Monday. Lafayette freshman guard Alex Chaikin claimed rookie of the week.
Ilic captured Patriot League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors after he recorded his third double-double of the season with a 28-point, 11-rebound performance in the Greyhounds’ 70-67 victory over VMI.
Chaikin collected Patriot League Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week after averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game to help the Leopards go 2-1 during the 2024 Lafayette Classic.
American graduate student forward Matt Rogers, Boston University sophomore guard Kyrone Alexander, Colgate sophomore forward Sam Wright and Lafayette senior center Justin Vander Baan earned honorable mentions for their performances last week.
The Patriot League men’s basketball players of the week are selected in a vote by League media members and each school’s men’s basketball athletics communications contacts, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
2024 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Standings (as of December 2)
| School |
PL |
PL Pct. |
Overall |
Overall Pct. |
| Army West Point |
0-0 |
-- |
4-3 |
.571 |
| American |
0-0 |
-- |
5-4 |
.556 |
| Holy Cross |
0-0 |
-- |
4-4 |
.500 |
| Loyola Maryland |
0-0 |
-- |
3-3 |
.500 |
| Bucknell |
0-0 |
-- |
4-5 |
.444 |
| Lafayette |
0-0 |
-- |
4-5 |
.444 |
| Boston University |
0-0 |
-- |
3-5 |
.375 |
| Navy |
0-0 |
-- |
3-6 |
.333 |
| Lehigh |
0-0 |
-- |
2-5 |
.286 |
| Colgate |
0-0 |
-- |
2-6 |
.250 |
ONLINE SCHEDULE |
ONLINE STATS
PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Milos Ilic, Loyola Maryland, Sr., F, Gornj Milanovic, Serbia/Hoosac School
*Ilic recorded his third double-double of the season with a career-high 28 points and 11 rebounds in Loyola Maryland’s 70-67 victory over VMI.
*The senior forward shot 12-of-16 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe.
*The Serbia native scored 16 of his 28 points in the second half to help the Greyhounds erase a 14-point deficit, including five straight points to put Loyola in front.
PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Alex Chaikin, Lafayette, Fr., G, Williamsburg, Va./Trinity Episcopal
*Chaikin averaged 11.3 points on 45 percent (10-of-22) shooting from the floor, including 45 percent (7-of-16) shooting from long distance to help the Leopards to a 2-1 record at the Lafayette Classic.
*The freshman guard scored nine points and grabbed two boards in 16 minutes in a 75-46 win over LIU. He added nine points and seven rebounds in a 59-47 win over Niagara.
*He scored a team-high 16 points, connecting on 4-of-8 from the floor and grabbed four rebounds in an overtime loss against Binghamton.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Matt Rogers, American, Gr., F, Knoxville, Md./St. Maria Goretti
*Rogers scored 20 points, connecting on 9-of-9 attempts from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line in American’s 97-52 win over Notre Dame of Maryland. He added nine rebounds and three assists.
Kyrone Alexander, Boston University, So., G, Bridgetown, Barbados/South Shore (N.Y.)
*Alexander finished with a season-high 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor, including 2-of-5 from deep and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line in a loss against Sacred Heart. The sophomore guard added a season-high four assists and a career-high four steals.
Sam Wright, Colgate. So., F, Hoover, Ala./Spain Park
*Wright averaged 13.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the Raiders’ 1-2 trip to the Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic in Wilmington, N.C. He shot .556 (15-of-27) from the field. He scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds in an 82-78 loss to Sam Houston State. The sophomore forward scored 14 points and grabbed six boards in a 72-59 win over UNC Wilmington.
Justin Vander Baan, Lafayette, Sr., C, Northbridge, Mass./Whitinsville Christian
*Vander Baan averaged 11.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shots per game to help the Leopards go 2-1 during the 2024 Lafayette Classic. The senior center scored a team-high 19 points to go with four rebounds and four blocks in a 75-65 victory over LIU. He finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a 59-47 win over Niagara.
Player of the Week
11.11 – Austin Benigni, Navy, Jr., G
11.18 - Max Green, Holy Cross, Fr., G
11.25 – Elijah Stephens, American, Sr., G
12.2 – Milos Ilic, Loyola Maryland, Sr., F
Rookie of the Week
11.11 – Braeden Speed, Loyola Maryland, Fr., G
11.18 – Max Green, Holy Cross, Fr., G
11.25 – Azmar Abdullah, Boston University, Fr., G
12.2 – Alex Chaikin, Lafayette, Fr., G
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes 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 who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.