NCAA INTERACTIVE BRACKET |
AMERICAN RELEASE
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – American (22-12, 13-5 PL), the 2025 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Champion, received a No. 16 seed in the East Region of the NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship when the bracket was unveiled on Sunday. The Eagles will face No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s (22-12, 12-8 MAAC) during the First Four in Dayton, Ohio on Wednesday.
The Eagles and local rival Mountaineers meet for the 71st time in series history when the two programs take the court on Wednesday, March 19, at University of Dayton’s UD Arena. Tip-off on TruTV is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. with Spero Dedes handing play-by-play, Jim Spanarkel providing analysis and Jon Rothstein reporting from the sideline. American holds a 38-32 series advantage over Mount St. Mary’s.
The winner of Wednesday’s American vs. Mount St. Mary’s First Four matchup will travel to Raleigh, N.C. to take on No. 1 Duke on Friday at the Lenovo Center. Coverage of the First-Round matchup with the Blue Devils is scheduled for 2:50 p.m. on CBS with Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson on the call.
Second-year head coach Duane Simpkins guided American to the program’s fourth trip to the NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship after the Eagles captured its fourth Patriot League crown with a 74-52 victory over Navy in the 2025 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship Game on March 12. Graduate student forward Matt Rogers finished with 25 points and eight rebounds to claim Patriot League Championship MVP honors. Gr. G Colin Smalls and So. F Greg Jones joined Rogers on the All-Tournament Team.
The Patriot League men’s basketball champion will appear in Dayton for just the third time. Holy Cross defeated Southern 59-55 in the 2016 First Four after advancing through the Patriot League Championship as the No. 9 seed. In 2004, Lehigh fell to Florida A&M, 72-57, in the Opening Round.
ABOUT MOUNT ST. MARY’S
No. 6 Mount St. Mary’s defeated No. 4 Iona, 63-49, to claim the MAAC Men’s Basketball title on Saturday. The Mountaineers recorded a pair of upset wins, downing No. 3 Marist, 62-58, in the quarterfinals before defeating No. 2 Merrimack, 57-55, in the semifinals. Dola Adebayo earned MAAC Championship MVP honors and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Dallas Hobbs and Arlandus Keyes. Adebayo averaged 13.7 points and 6.9 rebounds during the season to lead The Mount, while Hobbs posted 12.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
The Mountaineers went 1-1 against Patriot League opponents during the 2024-25 season. They defeated Bucknell, 93-89, on Nov. 13 and fell to Loyola Maryland, 77-69, on Dec. 14.
PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT TEAMS BY SEED
The 2024-25 American Eagles are the 10th Patriot League squad since 1991 to make the Tournament as a No. 16 seed. The Crusaders were the last League team to be a 16-seed when they defeated Southern in the First Four before falling to No. 1 Oregon in the First Round. In 2015, Lafayette fell to No. 1 Villanova as a No. 16 seed.
Year – Round - Game
1993-94 - First Round- No. 1 Missouri 76, No. 16 Navy 53
1994-95 - First Round- No. 1 Kansas 82, No. 16 Colgate 68
1995-96 - First Round - No. 1 Connecticut 68, No. 16 Colgate 59
1997-98 - First Round- No. 1 North Carolina 88, No. 16 Navy 52
2001-02 - First Round - No. 1 Kansas 70, No. 16 Holy Cross 59
2003-04 - Opening Round- No. 16b Florida A&M 72, No. 16a Lehigh 57
2009-10 - First Round- No. 1 Kansas 90, No. 16 Lehigh 74
2014-15 - First Round - No. 1 Villanova 93, No. 16 Lafayette 52
2015-16 - First Four - No. 16 Holy Cross 59, No. 16 Southern 55
2015-16 - First Round - No. 1 Oregon 91, No. 16 Holy Cross 52
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.