HAMILTON, N.Y. – No. 1 Colgate defeated No. 6 Lehigh, 74-55, on Wednesday night at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, N.Y., to claim their record seventh Patriot League men's basketball title and punch their ticket to the NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship. 
 
The Raiders earned their fifth Patriot League title in the last six seasons, while Head Coach Matt Langel tied Lafayette’s Fran O’Hanlon for the League’s career tournament wins record with 21. Colgate’s seven League titles move them in front of Bucknell and Holy Cross, who have won six apiece.
 
Colgate sophomore guard Braeden Smith earned PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship MVP honors. Smith, the Patriot League Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. He also added five assists in the title game. Sophomore guard Brady Cummins scored a career-high 19 points against the Mountain Hawks to earn All-Tournament honors. Senior forward Jeff Woodward and fifth-year forward Keegan Records joined Smith and Cummins on the squad.
 
Lehigh junior guard Tyler-Whitney Sidney and first-year guard Cam Gillus received All-Tournament honors for the Mountain Hawks. Bucknell sophomore center Noah Williamson also claimed a spot on the team for his performance in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.
 
The Raiders will learn their postseason seed and destination on Sunday, March 17, at 6 p.m. when the field of 68 is revealed during the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Selection Show on CBS.
 
2024 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball Most Valuable Player
Braeden Smith, Colgate, So., G
 
2024 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
Braeden Smith, Colgate, So., G
Jeff Woodward, Colgate, Sr., F
Keegan Records, Colgate, 5th-year, F
Brady Cummins, Colgate, So., G
Tyler Whitney-Sidney, Lehigh, Jr., G
Cam Gillus, Lehigh, Fy., G
Noah Williamson, Bucknell, So., C
 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 - HOSTED BY NO. 1 COLGATE
NO. 6 LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (14-17, 9-9 PL) AT NO. 1 COLGATE RAIDERS (24-9, 16-2 PL)
Cotterell Court/Hamilton, N.Y.                                         7 p.m. (CBSSN)
BOX SCORE
HAMILTON, N.Y. – Sophomore guard Braeden Smith posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead top-seeded Colgate to their record seventh Patriot League Men’s Basketball title in a 74-55 victory over No. 6 Lehigh.
*Sophomore guard Brady Cummins scored a career-high 19 points, including 12 in the first half, while senior forward Jeff Woodward finished with 11 points and five boards to help the Raiders earn their fifth League crown in six years.
*Head Coach Matt Langel won his 21st career game in the Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship, tying Lafayette’s Fran O’Hanlon for the League record.
*Lehigh first-year guard Nasir Whitlock scored a career-high 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor.
*Junior guard Tyler Whitney-Sidney and first-year guard Cam Gillus scored eight and seven points for the Mountain Hawks.
 
BY THE NUMBERS:
*The Raiders shot 59.4 percent (19-of-32) from the floor in the first half to open a 19-point lead over the Mountain Hawks. Colgate scored 28 of their 45 first-half points in the paint.
*Colgate also controlled the boards during the first half, holding a 21-12 rebounding margin.
*Colgate’s Cummins scored a game-high 12 points in the first half, shooting 5-of-6 in the first half.
*Lehigh was limited to 26 points in the first half on 35.5 percent (11-for-31) shooting.
*Cummins and Smith scored five and four points, respectively, to help the Raiders open the second half on an 11-3 run through the first four minutes.
*Lehigh used an 11-point run late in the second half to cut the Raiders’ lead to 19 points. Lehigh matched Colgate in the second half with 29 points.
RECAPS: LEHIGH | COLGATE
 
CLICK HERE for more information on the 2024 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship. To view the 2024 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Championship Digital Program, CLICK HERE.
 

DATE	MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP | ROUND | COVERAGE	RESULT/TIME  (all times ET)
Tuesday, March 5	No. 10 Loyola Maryland at No. 7 Navy | First Round | ESPN+	Navy, 64-48
Tuesday, March 5	No. 9 Holy Cross at No. 8 Army West Point | First Round | ESPN+	Holy Cross, 84-68
Thursday, March 7	No. 9 Holy Cross at No. 1 Colgate | Quarterfinals | ESPN+	Colgate, 81-64
Thursday, March 7	No. 7 Navy at No. 2 Boston University | Quarterfinals | ESPN+	Boston U., 70-61
Thursday, March 7	No. 6 Lehigh at No. 3 Lafayette | Quarterfinals | ESPN+	Lehigh, 76-61
Thursday, March 7	No. 5 Bucknell at No. 4 American | Quarterfinals | ESPN+	Bucknell, 80-57
Sunday, March 10	No. 5 Bucknell at No. 1 Colgate | Semifinals | CBSSN	Colgate, 68-65
Sunday, March 10	No. 6 Lehigh at No. 2 Boston University | Semifinals | CBSSN	Lehigh, 84-79 OT
Wednesday, March 13	No. 6 Lehigh at No. 1 Colgate | Championship Game | CBSSN	Colgate, 74-55

 
 
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.