Patriot League WBB Notebook (2.27.26)
 
THIS WEEK IN PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (AND HOW TO WATCH)
Patriot League women’s basketball continues Saturday with a five-game slate beginning at 11:30 a.m. as American travels to Boston University. Lafayette visits Army West Point at 1 p.m., followed by three 2 p.m. matchups featuring Lehigh at Bucknell, Navy at Colgate and Holy Cross at Loyola Maryland. For more information on Patriot League women’s basketball schedules, visit the composite schedule on the League’s official website at www.PatriotLeague.org

PATRIOT LEAGUE STATISTICAL LEADERS THROUGH FEB. 27
Navy junior guard Zanai Barnett-Gay and Lehigh senior forward Lily Fandre are tied for the Patriot League lead in scoring at 16.4 points per game (PPG), while Lafayette junior guard Teresa Kiewiet ranks third at 16.2 ppg. American freshman forward Charlotte Tuhy leads the League in rebounding at 10.7 rebounds per game (RPG), followed by Army West Point junior forward Kya Smith at 9.4 rpg and Barnett-Gay at 8.6 rpg. Barnett-Gay also paces the League in assists at 4.2 assists per game (APG), with Lehigh junior guard Gracyn Lovette close behind at 4.1 apg and Holy Cross senior guard Kaitlyn Flanagan ranking third at 3.9 apg.

2025-26 Patriot League Women’s Basketball Standings (as of 2.27) 

	PL	Pct.	Overall	Pct.
Navy *^!	14-2	.875	19-7	.731
Holy Cross *^	12-4	.750	18-9	.667
Army West Point *^	12-4	.750	21-6	.778
Lehigh *^	11-5	.688	15-11	.577
Loyola Maryland *	8-8	.500	12-15	.444
Lafayette	6-10	.375	10-17	.370
Bucknell	6-10	.375	10-17	.370
Boston University	5-11	.312	9-18	.333
American	4-12	.250	6-21	.222
Colgate	2-14	.125	6-21	.222

STATS | SCHEDULE
*= First-Round Bye
^=Top-Four Seed and Quarterfinal Home Game
!= Clinched the No. 1 seed

THE MIDS DEFEAT THE BLACK KNIGHTS TO CLINCH NO. 1 SEED
Navy used a dominant defensive effort down the stretch to defeat Army West Point, 54-51, at Christl Arena and clinch its first regular-season title since 2013-14. The Black Knights jumped out to a 16-9 lead after the first quarter and carried a 26-23 advantage into halftime before the teams traded baskets in a tightly contested third quarter that ended with Army holding a 42-41 edge. Navy took control in the fourth quarter as freshman guard Zoe Mesuch and sophomore guard Julianna Almeida combined for 11 of the Midshipmen’s 13 fourth-quarter points to build a late six-point cushion. Army senior guard Reese Ericson knocked down a contested three-pointer with 14 seconds remaining to trim the deficit to three points, and the Black Knights forced a final possession, but the potential game-tying shot fell short at the buzzer. Mesuch led Navy with 14 points, Almeida added 12 points and junior guard Zanai Barnett-Gay contributed eight points, eight rebounds and six steals. Ericson paced Army West Point with 13 points, while sophomore guard Camryn Tade finished with 11 points and six assists.

LEOPARDS, MOUNTAIN HAWKS, CRUSADERS AND GREYHOUNDS EARN WEEKEND VICTORIES
Lafayette 56, American 41 – Lafayette raced out to a 23-9 first-quarter lead and never looked back in a 56-41 road victory at Bender Arena. The Leopards built a 10-point halftime cushion and limited the Eagles to just five points in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Junior guard Teresa Kiewiet scored 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting and went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, while Molly Driscoll and Madisyn Moore-Nicholson led American with nine points apiece.
 
Lehigh 76, Boston University 61 – Lehigh caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down 13 three-pointers, including six in a 26-point third quarter, to pull away for a 76-61 win at Case Gymnasium. The Mountain Hawks shot 51.8 percent from the field and placed four players in double figures to split the season series. Senior forward Lily Fandre led the way with 22 points, while senior forward Anete Adler paced the Terriers with 24 points on 12-for-16 shooting.
 
Holy Cross 63, Bucknell 41 – Holy Cross used a 21-6 third-quarter run and forced 16 turnovers to secure a 63-41 victory at the Hart Center Arena. The Crusaders held the Bison to 38 percent shooting from the field and 24 percent from three-point range while maintaining control throughout the second half. Senior guard Mary-Elizabeth Donnelly scored 14 points, and senior forward Meg Cahalan added 13 points, while Reese Zemitis led Bucknell with nine points.
 
Loyola Maryland 58, Colgate 49 – Loyola Maryland created separation with strong second and third quarters in a 58-49 win at Reitz Arena. The Greyhounds shot 47.1 percent from the field and held the Raiders to 32.7 percent shooting to maintain control down the stretch. Graduate forward Lex Therien led Loyola Maryland with 14 points and six rebounds, while junior guard Ella Meabon paced Colgate with 16 points and six rebounds.
 
ARMY WEST POINT’S ERICSON CLIMBING 3PM LIST
Army West Point senior guard Reese Ericson is climbing the League’s career three-pointers-made leaderboard. Ericson is currently fifth place with 266 and has already made 84 three-pointers this season while shooting 42% from beyond the arc. The senior has been nearly automatic in the past five games knocking down 25 threes as the Black Knights have won five of their last six.
 
THERIEN REWRITES HISTORY
With her first rebound against Boston University on Feb. 7, Loyola Maryland graduate forward Lex Therien became the Patriot League’s career rebounding leader with 1,198 rebounds, surpassing Lafayette’s Natalie Kucowski. Therien also moved into the League’s top 10 in career scoring with 1,765 points, becoming the fifth player in Patriot League women’s basketball history to rank in the top 10 in both career points and rebounds.

PATRIOT LEAGUE PLAY STATS LEADERS
Lehigh senior forward Lily Fandre leads the League in scoring at 18.3 points per game (ppg), followed by Navy junior guard Zanai Barnett-Gay at 15.7 ppg. Army West Point junior guard Camryn Tade and Lafayette junior guard Teresa Kiewiet are tied for third at 15.4 ppg. American freshman forward Charlotte Tuhy tops the League in rebounding at 10.9 rebounds per game (rpg), with Barnett-Gay ranking second at 9.2 rpg and Lafayette freshman forward Maddison Krug third at 9.1 rpg. Lehigh junior guard Gracyn Lovette leads the League in assists at 4.6 assists per game (apg), while Barnett-Gay ranks second at 4.5 apg and Lafayette sophomore guard Talia Zurinskas sits third at 4.2 apg. Boston University senior forward Anete Adler and Krug share the League lead in blocks at 1.5 blocks per game (bpg), and Barnett-Gay paces the League in steals at 3.0 steals per game (spg).
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE PLAYERS AMONG NCAA LEADERS
Several Patriot League players rank among the NCAA Division I top 50 through February 27. American freshman forward Charlotte Tuhy ranks 19^th with 12 double-doubles, while Navy junior guard Zanai Barnett-Gay ranks 36^th with 10 and Loyola Maryland graduate forward Lex Therien ranks 48^th with nine. Tuhy also ranks 14th nationally in rebounds per game at 10.7, while Army West Point junior forward Kya Smith sits 42nd at 9.4 rebounds per game. Barnett-Gay ranks 29th in steals per game at 2.77, while Army West Point senior guard Reese Ericson ranks 21st nationally in three-point percentage at 42.6 percent. Ericson also ranks eighth nationally with 84 three-pointers made.
 
NAVY’S ZANAI BARNETT-GAY SELECTED TO HOOP HER STATS MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCHLIST
Zanai Barnett-Gay was named to the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award, advancing from the preseason pool to one of 15 finalists nationally. The Navy junior is averaging 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.7 steals per game while leading the Midshipmen to the top of the Patriot League standings. Barnett-Gay ranks inside the national top 100 in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and minutes played, is the only Patriot League player to sit top-six in all five categories, and has posted double figures in 25 of 26 games with 11 double-doubles this season.
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE PICKS UP POWER 4 WINS IN NON-LEAGUE PLAY
Patriot League women’s basketball secured four Power Four victories in nonleague action, earning wins against two ACC opponents, one Big 12 opponent and one SEC foe.
Holy Cross edged Boston College, 72–71, on a last-second inbound basket from Kaitlyn Flanagan to Simone Foreman. Lehigh opened its season with an 88–85 road win at Cincinnati behind 25 points apiece from Whitney Lind and Jessie Ozzauto. Navy topped Florida, 69–54, as Zanai Barnett-Gay posted 22 points and eight rebounds while the Midshipmen held the Gators to 29 percent shooting. Lafayette closed the stretch with a 76–59 road win at Pittsburgh, led by Teresa Kiewiet’s 19 points as the Leopards limited the Panthers to five points in the fourth quarter.
 
FLANAGAN ENTERS PL CAREER TOP 10 ASSISTS
With five assists against Army West Point on Jan. 20, Holy Cross senior guard Kaitlyn Flanagan entered the Patriot League top-10 in career assists with 471 career assists. Flanagan is the fifth Crusader to crack the top 10, as she is averaging 4.0 assists per game this season and 4.1 assists per game in her career. Flanagan now sits in seventh place with 514 career assists.
 
PL ROOKIES CONTINUE TO SHINE
The Patriot League freshman class has made an immediate impact, with multiple first-year players ranking among the League leaders early in the season. Charlotte Tuhy is averaging a double-double to lead American at 10.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Haylie Adamski continues her fantastic freshman season, ranking 20th in scoring in Patriot League play (10.2 ppg) while ranking tied for second in three-pointers made (38) in League play. Zoe Mesuch has found her stride at Navy ranking ninth in scoring during League play (14.3 ppg), and ranking tied for second in three-pointers made (38).
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE IN THE NET
The Patriot League features four teams in the top 200 of the latest NCAA NET rankings. Army West Point leads the League at No. 118 following wins over UMass and Howard in their non-conference play. Navy ranks second in the League at No. 119 followed by Holy Cross at 168 and Lehigh at 184. The 2025-26 season marks the seventh year of the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, which replaced the RPI as the primary tool for evaluating teams.

ARMY WEST POINT CONTINUES SUCCESS UNDER KUESTER
The Army West Point Black Knights are off to a 21–6 start under first-year head coach Katie Kuester, posting a League best +9.9-scoring margin. Army West Point earned key non-League wins, including a comeback victory over St. Thomas, followed by a 64–61 win against previously unbeaten UMass at Christl Arena, and closed nonleague play with a 64–58 win over Howard who is ranked inside the top 125 of the NET. The Black Knights have recorded 13 double-digit victories through 27 games and are powered by a balanced lineup with three double-figure scorers. Junior forward Kya Smith leads the team with 13.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, while junior guard Camryn Tade averages 13.3 points per game. Senior guard Reese Ericson nets 11.4 ppg and leads the League, ranking fourth nationally at 3.11 three-pointers made per game.
 
SMITH POST 20-20 GAME IN BLACK KNIGHTS WIN OVER HOWARD
Army West Point junior forward Kya Smith recorded a dominant 27-point, 22 rebound double-double in the Black Knights’ 64-56 win over Howard. The junior went a perfect 15-of-15 from the free throw line while shooting 6-of-10 from the field to help the Black Knights pull away in the second half from the Bison who are ranked in the top 125 of the NET Rankings. Smith tied for most rebounds in a game since Loyola Maryland graduate forward grabbed 23 boards in 2024.
 
TUHY POSTS MONSTER DOUBLE-DOUBLE IN OT WIN
Charlotte Tuhy powered American with 17 points and a career-high 22 rebounds in the Eagles’ overtime win over Colgate, controlling the paint on both ends. The freshman added seven offensive boards and came up with timely plays late in regulation and overtime while logging 42 minutes. She is tied with Army West Point junior forward Kya Smith for most rebounds in a game this season at 22.
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK
CBS Sports Network will provide live coverage of four Patriot League Women’s Basketball games this season. The network will carry both Army West Point–Navy matchups, beginning with Navy hosting the Black Knights on Saturday, Jan. 24, followed by Army West Point welcoming the Mids on Saturday, Feb. 21. CBS Sports Network will also feature one in-state rivalry matchup with Boston University hosting Holy Cross on Monday, Feb. 2. The Patriot League PenFed Credit Union Women’s Basketball Championship Game will air on CBS Sports Network for the 17th consecutive season on Sunday, March 15, at noon.
 
PATRIOT LEAGUE AMONG NCAA GRADUATION RATE LEADERS
The Patriot League’s 10 women’s basketball programs tied for the best GSR score (100) and posted the highest FGR score (93) among NCAA DI conferences. Boston University, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Loyola Maryland recorded perfect GSR scores, with Army West Point (95), American (92) and Navy (88) all finishing above the national average. Boston University and Lehigh finished with perfect FGR scores, while Colgate (93), Bucknell (92), Holy Cross (92), Loyola Maryland (92), American (85), and Lafayette (71) all finished above the national average. 
 
PENFED CREDIT UNION RETURNS AS SPONSOR
The Patriot League announced that PenFed Credit Union will return as the presenting sponsor of the 2024-25 League men’s and women’s basketball championships. PenFed Credit Union became the first presenting sponsor of the Patriot League Championship for the 2020-21 season. This will mark the fifth season that the nation’s second-largest federal credit union will partner with the League.
 
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.