EASTON, Pa. – No. 8 Bucknell downed No. 9 Army West Point, 65-55, and No. 10 Holy Cross edged No. 7 Lafayette, 82-77 in the First Round of the 2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship on Tuesday night.
 
Bucknell freshman guard Pat Curtin scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Bison past the ninth-seeded Black Knights. The eighth-seeded Bison will travel to Annapolis, Md. to take on No. 1 Navy in the quarterfinal round on Thursday.
 
No. 10 Holy Cross avenged a pair of regular-season losses to No. 7 Lafayette, behind 23 points from junior forward Gabe Warren. The Crusaders travel across the Lehigh Valley to take on No. 2 Lehigh in the quarterfinals.
 
Two more Patriot League men’s basketball quarterfinal-round games will be featured on ESPN+ on Thursday. No. 3 Colgate hosts No. 6 Loyola Maryland. No. 4 Boston University will meet No. 5 American in their second straight game. Coverage of all four games begin at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
 
For more information on Patriot League men’s basketball dates, times and coverage, visit the men’s basketball composite schedule on the League’s official website - www.PatriotLeague.org. For more information on the 2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship, CLICK HERE.
 
2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship

First-Round	Tuesday, March 3 – Hosted by Higher Seed	Time	Score
Game 1	No. 9 Army West Point at No. 8 Bucknell	7 p.m.	Bucknell, 65-55
Game 2	No. 10 Holy Cross at No. 7 Lafayette	7 p.m.	Holy Cross, 82-77
Quarterfinals	Thursday, March 5 – Hosted by Higher Seed	Time	Coverage
Game 3	No. 8 Bucknell at No. 1 Navy	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Game 4	No. 5 American at No. 4 Boston University	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Game 5	No. 6 Loyola Maryland at No. 3 Colgate	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Game 6	No. 10 Holy Cross at No. 2 Lehigh	7 p.m.	ESPN+
Semifinals	Sunday, March 8 – Hosted by Higher Seed	Time	Coverage
Game 7	Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4	TBD	CBS Sports Network
Game 8	Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6	TBD	CBS Sports Network
Championship Game	Wednesday, March 11 – Hosted by Higher Seed	Time	Coverage
Game 9	Lowest-remaining seed at Highest-remaining seed	7 p.m.	CBS Sports Network

 
AT NO. 8 BUCKNELL BISON (10-22, 6-12 PL) 65, NO. 9 ARMY WEST POINT BLACK KNIGHTS (11-21, 5-13 PL) 55
Sojka Pavilion/Lewisburg, Pa.                                               7 p.m. (ESPN+)
BOX SCORE
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Freshman guard Pat Curtin and senior guard Achile Spadone combined for 43 points to lead No. 8 Bucknell to a 65-55 victory over No. 9 Army West Point at Sojka Pavilion in the First Round of the 2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men’s Basketball Championship.
*Curtin scored a game-high 24 points to go along with nine rebounds and three steals, while Spadone added 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting in addition to five rebounds.  
*Freshman center Amon Dörries chipped in 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting to help the Bison advance to the quarterfinal round to meet No. 1 Navy.
*The Bison outscored the Black Knights, 39-30, in the second half, shooting 54.2% (13-of-24) from the floor after the break.
*Army West Point sophomore guard Jaxson Bell led the Black Knights with 14 points and six rebounds.
*Junior guard Ryan Curry and sophomore forward Jacen Holloway each contributed nine points. Curry added six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
RECAPS: ARMY WEST POINT | BUCKNELL
 
NO. 10 HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (11-21, 5-13 PL) 82, AT NO. 7 LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS (11-21, 8-10 PL) 77
Kirby Sports Center/Easton, Pa.                                      7 p.m. (ESPN+)
BOX SCORE
EASTON, Pa. – Junior forward Gabe Warren led four Crusaders in double-figures with a game-high 23 points to lead No. 10 Holy Cross to an 82-77 victory over No. 7 Lafayette at Kirby Sports Center in the First Round of the 2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Championship.  
*Warren hit a 3-pointer with less than one minute remaining in the game to break a 75-75 tie and the Crusaders never looked back.
*Sophomore guard Tyler Boston hit four straight free throws to seal the game. Boston posted a double-double with 17 points and a career-high 14 assists, the highest single-game total in the League this season.
*The Crusaders trailed by five points at the half before junior guard DeAndre Williams scored eight of his 14 points during a 16-4 run to open the second half.  Freshman forward Aiden Disu scored six of his 16 points early in the second half.
*Lafayette sophomore guard Caleb Williams scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half, including all three of his made 3-pointers.
*Junior guard Mark Butler recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists.
*Freshman forward Shareef Jackson and senior guard Ryan Pettit each scored 12 points or the Leopards.
RECAPS: HOLY CROSS | LAFAYETTE
 
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.