Holy Cross

Wednesday'sTournament Predictions: Atlantic Sun, Big South, Patriot

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:18:38 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking almost conference tournament game over the next 2 weeks.

BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT AT ASHEVILLE, N.C.

(2) Coastal Carolina (19-10, 12-6) vs. (7) Virginia Military (15-15, 8-10)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: Big South Network. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – Coastal Carolina 87-78; Feb. 25 – Coastal Carolina 81-64*. RPI: Coastal Carolina 179; VMI 287. Analysis: The Chanticleers struggled late in the regular season. With a game under its belt, VMI should be able to keep this game close. Line: Coastal Carolina -6. Pick: Coastal Carolina 73, VMI 64.

(3) Campbell (17-14, 11-7) vs. (6) Winthrop (11-19, 8-10)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: Big South Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 17 – Campbell, 54-51*; Feb. 9 – Campbell, 67-58. RPI: Campbell 201; Winthrop 274. Analysis: Campbell really faded down the stretch. This could be the first conference tournament upset. Line: Campbell -1½. Pick: Campbell 61, Winthrop 60.

(1) UNC-Asheville (21-9, 16-2) vs. (8) High Point (11-19, 6-12)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: Big South Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Asheville, 86-79*; Jan. 26 – Asheville, 90-70. RPI: Asheville 123; High Point 276. Analysis: High Point has more talent than its record indicates and has a chance to keep this game close. Line: Asheville -8½. Pick: Asheville 80, High Point 73.

(4) Charleston Southern (18-11, 11-7) vs. (5) Liberty (14-17, 9-9)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: Big South Network. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – Charleston Southern, 81-76*; Feb. 9 – Liberty 75-74*. RPI: Charleston Southern 178; Liberty 282. Analysis: CSU is the higher seed and has the better record, but Liberty is playing better behind do-everything Jesse Sanders. Line: Charleston Southern -3½. Pick: Liberty 72, Charleston Southern 65.

PATRIOT LEAGUE AT CAMPUS SITES

(8) Navy (3-25, 0-14) at (1) Bucknell (22-8, 12-2)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Bucknell 66-51*; Feb. 25 – Bucknell 64-55. RPI: Bucknell 83, Navy 328. Analysis: It would take the return of David Robinson for Navy to stay in this game. Line: Bucknell -21½. Pick: Bucknell 80, Navy 51.

(7) Colgate (8-21, 2-12) at (2) Lehigh (23-7, 11-3)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 24 – Lehigh 78-56*; Feb. 11 – Lehigh 89-69. RPI: Lehigh 109, Colgate 300. Analysis: The Hawks will roll into the title game. Line: Lehigh -21½. Pick: Lehigh 75, Colgate 53.

(5) Lafayette (12-17, 7-7) at (4) Holy Cross (15-13, 9-5)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Lafayette 54-43*; Feb. 22 – Holy Cross 70-63*. RPI: Holy Cross 165, Lafayette 210. Analysis: The Crusaders win the rubber match with their seventh straight win. Line: Holy Cross -6½. Pick: Holy Cross 60, Lafayette 55.

(3) American (19-10, 10-4) at (6) Army (12-17, 5-9)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – American 67-55; American 74-50*. RPI: American 152, Army 300. Analysis: American has won 6 of 8 and the hot play with continue Wednesday. Line: American -13. Pick: American 73, Army 52.

ATLANTIC SUN TOURNAMENT AT MACON, GA.

(1) Belmont (24-7, 16-2) vs. (8) Jacksonville (8-21, 6-12)

Tipoff: 2:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 4 – Belmont 75-63*; Jan. 28 – Belmont 85-51. RPI: Belmont 61, Jacksonville 263. Analysis: Belmont’s explosive offense has led the Bruins to 11 straight wins. Make it 12. Line: Belmont -16. Pick: Belmont 90, Jacksonville 64.

(2) Mercer (21-10, 13-5) vs. (7) Lipscomb (13-17, 8-10)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – Mercer 79-72*; Feb. 23 – Mercer 63-54. RPI: Mercer 125, Lipscomb 219. Analysis: Mercer has had a nice season, but the Bears aren’t playing well late in the season. Line: Mercer -10. Pick: Mercer 68, Lipscomb 62.

*Road win

Thirty-Two Impact Freshmen, Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:59:30 -0700

After going over the teams expected to win their regular season titles, we move on to talking about the top freshmen in each conference. Will all automatically take over and become the stars of their respective teams and leagues? It's tough to say at this point in the season, but that doesn't mean that we can't discuss it. Below are the picks for final 16 conferences, and Part One can be found here.

MAC: Kris Brewer (Kent State)
The Memphis native spent last season at Brehm Prep in Illinois, and his presence will add to the options that Rob Senderoff can call upon. The Golden Flashes are expected to contend in the MAC this season due to their returnees, but the ability of a player like Brewer will help as well.

MEAC: Dwight Meikle (Hampton)
Meikle was originally expected to attend St. John's but the school released him from his Letter of Intent in April, clearing the way for Hampton to land a player who could be among the best in the MEAC. Meikle's a versatile wing who can both score and attack the glass, something the Pirates will need if they're to win the MEAC.

Missouri Valley: Christian Kirk (Missouri State)
Kirk had to sit out his senior season due to Missouri transfer rules, but there's no doubt that Missouri State gets a player who is a serious candidate for Newcomer of the Year honors. As a junior at St. Charles (MO) High, Kirk averaged 17.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Mountain West: Hugh Greenwood (New Mexico)
Big things are expected from the Australian, who many expect to slide right into the starting role left open by the departed Dairese Gary. Greenwood averaged 17.1 points per game for the Australian U-19 team at the U-19 World Championships this summer in Latvia, and at 6'3", 209 he's got the size needed to play the point with a physicality not seen in many freshmen.

Northeast: Andrew Nicholas (Monmouth)
Nicholas has the ability to step in and play right away in the first season of the King Rice era at Monmouth. Nicholas can play both forward positions and is a versatile offensive player, something the Hawks need given their offensive issues last season (averaged just 60.5 points per game).

Ohio Valley: Nino Johnson (Southeast Missouri State)
Getting the Memphis native to commit during the early signing period last season was quite the coup for the Redhawks, who get a 6'8" forward more than capable of contributing immediately. Johnson's physical tools have made him the trendy pick to be the best freshman in the OVC, and it would come as no surprise if he were to make good on the preseason praise.

Pac-12: Josiah Turner (Arizona)
The case could be made that the Sacramento native is the best point guard in the Pac-12 before playing a game in college. He's that skilled, possessing the ability to make plays for himself as well as setting up teammates for quality shots. If Turner performs at the level many expect him to, don't be surprised if the Wildcats win the league.

Patriot: Justin Burrell (Holy Cross)
The Crusaders lost their leading assist man in Andrew Beinert, which could open the door for the 5'8" Burrell. The Virginia native averaged 20.0 points, 8.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a high school senior and spent last year at Fishburne Military School in Virginia.

SEC: Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
Davis' upside (not going to go into the overused story of his growth spurt during high school) makes him a candidate to be one of the best players in America and not just one of the nation's best freshmen. The power forward can do a variety of things on both ends of the floor, and his play as a senior earned him a McDonald's All-America Game selection.

Southern: Adjehi Baru (College of Charleston)
With returning starter Willis Hall being lost for the season due to a torn ACL it was critical that the Cougars received some good news from the NCAA on Baru. Thursday brought that news, bolstering the frontcourt of a team expected to once again contend for the SoCon title. Baru averaged 19.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia last year.

Southland: Luke Mergerson (Texas State)
With just two starters returning the Bobcats will likely need to call on some of their nine newcomers to contribute this year. One of those players is Mergerson, who played at Duncanville (TX) High School. At 6'8", 240, Mergerson has the size needed to be an impact freshman in the Southland Conference.

SWAC: LeAntwan Luckett (Alcorn State)
Luther Riley takes over as head coach at Alcorn State with the hope being that he can turn around a program that won just six game over the last two seasons. Luckett will be a key component for the Braves, as he is a slasher who averaged just under 20 points per game as a high school senior. Luckett received offers from BCS programs but chose Alcorn, and the Braves could benefit greatly from his decision.

Summit: Matt Poches (Oakland)
Given the loss of big man Keith Benson, some may not think that Greg Kampe's Golden Grizzlies can win the Summit League again. But they will be right back in the mix thanks in large part to the number of contributors returning on the perimeter. There lies the problem for a talented player like Poches: when and how often can he get on the floor? But the freshman is athletic enough to help Oakland out if he can earn playing time.

Sun Belt: Mychal Ammons (South Alabama)
Ammons led his Vicksburg (MS) High team to a 6A state title last season, averaging 21.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a senior. And as Ronnie Arrow looks to rebound from a disappointing 2010-11 without four starters from that team, players such as the versatile Ammons will need to step up.

WCC: Gary Bell, Jr. (Gonzaga)
Mark Few put together a very good recruiting class and the Kent, Washington native is the centerpiece of it. Bell was the state's Mr. Basketball last year, and he also played on the same Seattle Rotary Select team as Washington freshman Tony Wroten Jr. Bell's versatility on the wing will help account for the loss of Steven Gray and allow the Zags to once again contend for a WCC title.

WAC: Shaquille Stokes (Hawaii)
It's probably a safe assumption that Stokes doesn't have issues with homesickness given the fact that the New York City native picked the furthest possible location to attend college. Stokes averaged 18.4 points and four assists per game as a senior at Lincoln (NY) High, helping lead the Railsplitters to a 29-3 record last season.

College Hoops Wednesday Recap: Maryland Knocks Off Duke

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:53:28 -0800

It's tough enough for most teams to manage the emotions that come with Senior Night; what happens when you add in a conference title and a team that's beaten you six straight times? If you're Greivis Vasquez and company all that meant on Wednesday night was the opportunity to show the nation that you can play with a highly-touted Duke team that blew you out in the first meeting this season. And from an individual perspective Vasquez made the plays late, showing off exactly why many feel that he should be the Player of the Year in the ACC, knocking down a pair of off-balance shots late to seal Maryland's 79-72 win over the Blue Devils at a raucous Comcast Center. Vasquez led four Terps in double figures with 20 points and Maryland also received a second-half boost off the bench from Adrian Bowie, who finished with nine points.

"Adrian really saved us in the second half," said senior guard Eric Hayes. "We were struggling to score and he came in there when Greivis and I were on the bench and he provided us a nice spark of scoring, playing good defense, getting out on the break. He really stepped up for us (quote courtesy of GoDuke.com)."

Jordan Williams also played well for Maryland, scoring fifteen points and grabbing 11 rebounds as he got the better of the matchup with Duke's frontcourt. But this night was about two things: Vasquez adding a line to his legacy and Duke's reliance on the three-point shot. The Blue Devils shot 41% from two, attempting 39 shots from inside the arc and 27 from behind it (making ten). You can't really complain about a style of offense that's gotten a team to 25-5 on the year but to be so reliant upon the three makes it that much more important that you not only shoot well in that area but also from inside the arc when afforded those opportunities. 41% won't get it done as the progress (hopefully in their case) through the NCAA Tournament.

As for the Venezuelan who put together a clutch performance in front of his parents, his growth as a player and person has been a sight to behold for head coach Gary Williams. "What he has done for himself, as a person, for his family, what lies ahead for him and his family, it is a great story," said Williams. "It is tremendous to see. That's the part of coaching that I enjoy and get a lot of satisfaction from, even at this point. To see the guy that comes over here and can barely speak English at all and now he is going to graduate with the other three seniors (quote courtesy of GoDuke.com)." But there's one thing that Vasquez and his classmates have yet to accomplish: an ACC title. With a win at Virginia on Saturday they'll have that piece of hardware in their hands as well.

Three Key Happenings

1. Kansas clinches the outright Big 12 title on an emotional Senior Night. The tears came down both before and after the Jayhawks' 82-65 win over rival Kansas State for point guard Sherron Collins, who had a hard time managing his emotions at the start of the game. Enter freshman Xavier Henry, who scored fifteen first-half points in helping get the Jayhawks into the locker room with a 45-38 halftime lead. Collins (17 points) made the plays during an important run on the heels of the Wildcats tying the game early in the second half to regain control of the contest, racking up his 125th victory as a Jayhawk in the process. But defense was just as important in the second half as Kansas limited the Wildcats to 29.2% shooting while making 61.9% of their shots.

"In the second half we came out and had an unbelievably bad start," said head coach Bill Self. "After we let them tie it up after a big run, we played very well down the stretch. We played smart and defended them well (quote courtesy of KUAthletics.com)." Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente combined to score 41 points but no other Wildcat finished with more than six points; the "supporting cast" made just eight of twenty-four shots from the field. But on this night it didn't seem like there was much that K-State could do to ruin Collins' moment; he (with help from his teammates) did what he's done for four years in Lawrence: he won.

2. Notre Dame picks up a key "bubble" victory against a listless Connecticut. In an important Big East matchup in regards to both the bubble and Big East Tournament seeding neither Notre Dame nor Connecticut put their best foot forward in the first half. The Huskies led at the half 20-17 in a game that didn't look too promising in regards to cleaning itself up. Well, one team got itself going and it wasn't the visiting team, who essentially went through the motions for forty minutes with the idea that they are either already in the field of 65 or have no desire to be there. Notre Dame came out like a team in need of a win and that's exactly what they got, winning 58-50 behind 22 points and four steals from senior guard Tory Jackson. Neither team shot well from the field but the differences were Notre Dame making six more free throws while also turning the ball over eight less times.

In games like these you need your seniors to step up, as was the case with Jackson. UConn's Jerome Dyson (2-14 FG, 5 TOs) and Stanley Robinson (four field goals attempted in 35 minutes) did not answer the bell while Gavin Edwards (10 points, 11 rebounds) did. The result now give Notre Dame a good chance at earning that final bye, protecting them from playing a first round game that will mean practically nothing in regards to their tournament resume. As for the Huskies, who really knows what's next. They've got three wins that no one else on the bubble can boast (Texas, Villanova and West Virginia) but they've also got a 1-5 record against fellow Big East teams on the bubble (Cincinnati, Louisville and Notre Dame).

3. Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun) and Holy Cross (Patriot) pick up upset quarterfinal victories. The conference tournament surprises got off to an early start on Wednesday with the Owls knocking off the top seed in the Atlantic Sun (Lipscomb) 72-69 to move on to the semifinals. A Kurtis Woods layup with 19 seconds remaining gave KSU the lead for good, and an impressive effort from A-Sun Player of the Year Adnan Hodzic (29 points, 16 rebounds) fell by the wayside as a result. These two actually split two regular season meetings but with Kennesaw's win coming all the way back in early December few gave them a chance to win. KSU shot 11-for-27 from behind the arc while Lipscomb made just six of twenty-two and that kept the Owls in the game, allowing them to pull the upset in the final moments. As for the Crusaders their win wasn't as much of a surprise to those who follow the Patriot League.

Sean Kearney's club has struggled for much of the season, and a team rounding into form can be a dangerous foe come March. That's exactly what happened to Bucknell, who learned the painful lesson that where you finish in the regular season means nothing in a one-and-done scenario with the 67-64 defeat. St. John's transfer Mike Cavataio led all scorers with 20 points while Darryl Shazier led the Bison with 19. The Crusaders, who beat Bucknell by thirteen in January, avenged a five-point loss at Sojka Pavilion on Valentine's Day by shooting 46.8% from the field and getting to the foul line (17-20 FT). The reward: Holy Cross visits Lafayette on Sunday, and they split that series as well (won 73-46 on February 6th). To all the remaining favorites: "beware the ides of March".

Top Three Games

1. Kennesaw St 72, Lipscomb 69 See above.

2. Holy Cross 67, Bucknell 64 See above.

3. Southeast Louisiana 60, McNeese St 59 Brandon Fortenberry's layup with two seconds remaining gave the Lions the win in Hammond. Trent Hutchin led the victors with fifteen while Stephan Martin, whose two free throws with 30 seconds remaining gave the Cowboys a 59-58 lead, led McNeese with fifteen.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Adnan Hodzic (Lipscomb) Hodzic accounted for 29 points and 16 rebounds in the Bisons' 72-69 loss to Kennesaw State.

2. F Darington Hobson (New Mexico) The junior helped the Lobos lock up the outright Mountain West title with 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in a 73-66 win over TCU.

3. G Kevin Palmer (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) Palmer led the Islanders to a 79-55 pasting of Lamar with 28 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Poll: Who Will Win the Patriot League?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:27:55 -0700

Holy Cross Basketball Preview: #131

Joel Welser — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:12:15 -0700

Holy Cross Crusaders

Overall Rank: #131

Conference Rank: #1 Patriot League

2008-09: 18-14, 11-3

2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: Sean Kearney (First year at Holy Cross, 0-0 overall)

Coach Ralph Willard decided to leave Holy Cross after turning the Crusaders into one of the most successful programs in the Patriot League. The new coach, Sean Kearney, was not named until early July, which is much later than usual, but the transition should be pretty smooth. Coach Kearney is a quality coach who spent the last eight years as the associate head coach at Notre Dame and he is stepping into a situation where he can win right away.

Key Losses: F Colin Cunningham, G Pat Doherty, F Alex Vander Baan

Key Newcomers:

Holy Cross has a nice group of freshmen coming in, but it is St. John’s transfer Mike Cavataio who will make the biggest impact right away. The 6-4 wing never saw much playing time during his one year with the Red Storm, but he is a good athlete who can score around the basket and has the potential to dominate the Patriot League. Jordan Stevens and point guard Dee Goens will compete for playing time off of the bench. The same can be said for fellow freshmen Phil Beans and Eric Obeysekere in the frontcourt. Those two will likely spend the year learning from the bench, but they will make an impact in the coming years.

Backcourt:

Even without Cavataio, the Crusaders already have a dynamic backcourt thanks to R.J. Evans and Andrew Beinert. Beinert will bring the ball up the floor, but both are combo guards who will score and can pass. Evans does most of his damage by attacking the basket and he should once again lead the team in scoring after averaging 13.4 points per game last season. Beinert is the only real threat from long range. He made 45.4 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc during the 2008-2009 campaign and between the two of them they make a solid one-two combination in the backcourt. The key to their success will be whether or not they can keep the turnovers down.

Frontcourt:

The frontcourt lost starter Colin Cunningham and part-time starter Alex Vander Baan. However, Andrew Keister and Eric Meister are proven players who are capable of filling the void. Despite averaging 8.5 points per game and leading the team with 6.3 rebounds per contest, Keister only started 17 games as a sophomore. Now that he is an upperclassman, Keister will be asked to play an even bigger role and emerge as the leader of the frontcourt. Meister is not as effective of a scorer or rebounder, but he is a strong defender and the best shot blocker on the team. With Adam May, who started 12 games as a junior, returning, Holy Cross has enough experience in the frontcourt to cover for their losses.

Who to Watch:

Beinert is only a junior, but he is the experienced player in the backcourt. That means he needs to become a leader on the floor, but he has to do a lot more than that if the Crusaders want to make a trip to the NCAA Tournament. He will bring the ball up the floor and must make better decisions than he did last year and he is also the lone outside shooting threat on the team. If his shot is not falling, the opposition can clog the lane and stop the big guys from getting the ball and prevent Cavataio and Evans from slashing to the basket.

Final Projection:

This is a team that looked pretty bad early in the 2008-2009 season. They rebounded very well and ended up with a very impressive 11-3 conference record. American University was obviously the best team in the conference, but it was Holy Cross who gave them their only loss during Patriot League play. The Crusaders might need a little time to get everything straightened out with their new coach, but this should be the team to beat and anything but a conference title should be considered a disappointment.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Andrew Beinert, Junior, Guard, 8.5 points per game

R.J. Evans, Sophomore, Guard, 13.4 points per game

Mike Cavataio, Sophomore, Guard, DNP last season

Andrew Keister, Junior, Forward, 8.5 points per game

Eric Meister, Senior, Center, 6.7 points per game

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

Patriot League Tournament: Preview & Prediction

Evan Dorey — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:09:29 -0800

This is one in a series of conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, give a brief statistical review and present the log5 projections, using in-conference offensive and defensive efficiency. The basic log5 methodology comes from Bill James, and this is an area Ken Pomeroy has looked at in the past as well. I claim nothing new in the application, but obviously with slightly different methodologies, these numbers may differ from others you find. I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular conference, and I’m sure there are some mis-characterizations on some players I’ve seen sparingly at best, so please add your thoughts in the comments. Anyway, with no further ado, the preview follows below:

Patriot League Championship

The Patriot League Tournament features all league teams, with all games being hosted at the higher seed.

Tournament Odds

#	Team	SF	F	W
1	American	99.07%	97.22%	86.03%
2	Holy Cross	93.81%	80.21%	12.37%
3	Navy	85.31%	17.26%	1.28%
4	Army	66.79%	1.75%	0.16%
5	Lehigh	33.21%	0.83%	0.08%
6	Colgate	14.69%	1.39%	0.04%
7	Bucknell	6.19%	1.14%	0.03%
8	Lafayette	0.93%	0.19%	0.01%

Between their domination of the league and the home court advantage, American is the single most dominant favorite in any conference tournament of the season. Holy Cross seem to have the only serious chance of stopping the Eagles’ run.

#1 – American Eagles (21-7, 13-1) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.219

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (1^st Round)

After earning its first NCAA Tournament berth last season, American doesn’t seem like it’ll take long to get its second, having lost just once since late December, and entering the tournament on a 10-game winning streak. It might be easier to list what American doesn’t do better than anyone else in the league, it’s so dominant. The Eagles are excellent shooters, 47% overall and at nearly 40% from behind the arc. They take a lot of threes, and play a slow, deliberate offense that focuses on ball control. They are also the best at defending shots in the PL, allowing opponents the same percentage from two that they shoot from three themselves. The Eagles also dominate the defensive glass, so opponents have a lot of one-miss-and-out possessions.

Players to watch:

5-11 SR Garrison Carr, 17.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 50.7 eFG% - Carr leads the Eagles in scoring, and is basically the only guy who takes threes on the team, his 251 attempts about the same as the rest of the team combined. He’s made nearly 38% of them, nearly as good a percentage as his two-point attempts. He’s a typical sort of high-usage player, providing solid efficiency over a large number of possessions, and freeing up other players into smaller, more effective roles.

6-8 SR Brian Gilmore, 11.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 60.7 eFG% - Gilmore is the main option for American inside, a very good inside scorer with a great touch from outside as well. He leads the team in rebounding, but his rates on the boards aren’t particularly good. While he doesn’t often put up a big number, he chips in with effective shooting down low.

#2 – Holy Cross Crusaders (16-13, 11-3) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.114

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007 (1^st Round)

Holy Cross had a poor non-conference season, picking up a number of bad losses (including three against the Ivy), but turned it on when Patriot play started, and were the only team to beat American. The Crusaders dominated the rest of the league as well, and have the second best offense and defense, behind only the Eagles. Holy Cross depends on getting the ball inside to score, and going 50% on two-point shots makes up for struggles with long-distance shots and free-throws. It’s a good offensive rebounding team, and distributes the ball well, but turns the ball over too often to be really efficient. Defensively, the word is possessions. The Crusaders are decent at stopping shots, but really shine at denying opponents chances with turnovers and rebounds.

Players to watch:

6-9 SO Andrew Keister, 9.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 59.6 eFG% - Keister may not be the Crusaders’ first option, but he’s the most efficient offensive player by a wide margin. That tends to happen when you lead the team in rebounding and shoot a better percentage from the field (60%) than from the stripe (56%).

6-4 SR Colin Cunningham, 8.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 47.1 eFG% - If Cunningham were a half-decent three point shooter, he’d be an excellent player. However, his 29% mark from beyond the arc really drags him down. Beyond that, he’s a good ball distribution guard who leads the league in steals.

#3 – Navy Midshipmen (19-10, 8-6) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.030

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1998 (1^st Round)

Navy first came to my attention when it shot 71% from the field in beating Texas San Antonio, but it couldn’t keep that level of play when conference play came around, and ended up hanging just above .500 the whole season. The Midshipmen are a step down from the two leading teams on the offensive end, but are still clearly better than the teams below them. They play a fairly quick style that depends on avoiding turnovers, where they are best in the conference, and making long-distance shots, where they are only average. Navy is a pretty good team at defending the perimeter, but get beaten out inside, and are only an average league defense.

Players to watch:

6-4 SR Kaleo Kina, 17.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 44.4 eFG% - Kina leads the Midshipmen in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals, and when his shooting touch is on, he’s as dangerous a scorer as there is in the league. The problem comes when his shots aren’t falling, as he is capable of some frightening lines, especially from three, where he shoots just 25%.

6-2 JR Chris Harris, 15.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 48.3 eFG% - Harris is the team’s second leading scorer, and takes the majority of his shots from behind the arc, where he makes a better percentage than he shoots inside.

#4 – Army Black Knights (10-18, 6-8) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.052

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Army has had one of the nation’s worst offenses, and the worst in the Patriot League, so its 6-8 final record is a testament to its ability to defend. The Black Knights are decent shooters, 41 % overall, but struggle inside, and lose so many possessions with poor rebounding and turnovers that that their shooting doesn’t really matter. Army defends shots well, and forces a lot of turnovers, good enough for the Patriot’s third-best defense, but not good enough to keep up with the conference leaders.

Players to watch:

6-3 JR Cleveland Richard, 11.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 53.9 eFG% - Richard is the Black Knights’ main threat from behind the arc, and the team’s leading scorer. The team is quite deep, using a lot of players, but Richards’ shooting ability clearly sets him apart.

5-11 JR Josh Miller, 9.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 45.5 eFG% - The team’s best ball distribution guard, Miller doesn’t score much, and his two point shooting is a weakness at just 43%.

#5 – Lehigh Mountain Hawks (15-13, 5-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.057

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2004 (Play-In)

There’s not much separating the teams in slots 4-7, and the Mountain Hawks’ trip to Army to open the tournament should be a good one, if the triple overtime game the two played in the regular season is any indication. Lehigh’s in-conference inconsistency can be blamed, for a large part, on their shooting, which is among the worst in the nation, and easily the worst in the PL. It especially struggles from two, where it takes the majority of its shots, and even good rebounding and interior defense weren’t enough to get it to the .500 mark.

Players to watch:

5-11 JR Marquis Hall, 14.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.7 SPG, 44.7 eFG% - Hall is the first part of Lehigh’s inside-outside duo, and is a good guard in every area but his shot. He’s a decent rebounder, and has a very good assist rate, but his shooting inside the arc is quite weak, and is the major failing in his game.

6-7 JR Zahir Carrington, 14.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 44.2 eFG% - The conference’s leading rebounder, Carrington’s 44% from the floor is pretty disappointing, and really reduces his effectiveness as an offensive option. He does get a good number of points at the free throw line, where he makes fairly frequent appearances.

#6 – Colgate Red Raiders (9-19, 5-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.060

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1996 (1^st Round)

Colgate sat at 5-5 with two-and-a-half weeks left in the season, but a disastrous end to the season that included a tough series of road games saw them slump into the bottom portion of the conference. The Red Raiders are an average offensive team, though their slow pace makes them seem less potent then they are. They sit fifth in FG% and turnovers, so the middle-of-the pack overall efficiency fits with a balanced, mediocre unit. Defensively, they manage to hold opponents to a reasonable percentage, but have trouble stopping opponents from getting a possession advantage, with their rebounding a major culprit.

Players to watch:

6-6 JR Ben Jonson, 10.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 49.7 eFG% - The junior forward is Colgate’s best option inside, and has really upped his level of play while taking on a larger role. He’s a solid rebounder, and is a good scorer from the floor who puts up a lot of points at the free throw line.

6-1 SO Mike Venezia, 10.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 44.5 eFG% - Venezia leads the Red Raiders in scoring, but his shot needs a lot of work, especially with his 41% inside. Considering that he doesn’t contribute many steals or assists, he’s a very inefficient player when his shots aren’t falling, which is fairly often.

#7 – Bucknell Bison (7-22, 4-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.055

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2006 (2^nd Round)

Just three years removed from the second of their pair of memorable NCAA runs, the Bison have shown just how fleeting success can be, slipping to a spot just above the Patriot League cellar. The Bison are good shooters, and don’t turn the ball over much, but are woefully outclassed inside, putting up one of the nation’s worst two-point percentages. Likewise, they defend the three well, but allow opponents to score with relative ease inside. A couple of things don’t quite fit with this profile; Bucknell forces very few turnovers, but is excellent at defensive rebounding, despite playing at a fairly high pace.

Players to watch:

6-8 JR Patrick Behan, 13.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 45.8 eFG% - Behan fits with what we’ve seen from several Patriot League forwards, a good rebounder who takes a lot of his team’s shots, but doesn’t shoot a particularly good percentage.

6-1 SR Justin Castleberry, 11.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 44.5 eFG% - Castleberry has a good scoring average, but not much else; he put up a good steal rate, and he’s a decent three-point shooter, but his sub-40% shooting from two means he’s a pretty inefficient player.

#8 – Lafayette Leopards (8-21, 4-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.117

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2000 (1^st Round)

When I’ve been describing some of the teams above as relatively poor defensively, this has been within the context of the Patriot League, where the average team has scored well below a point-per-possession. Lafayette is the only team that allows more than that, and have been easily the worst team in the conference. The Leopards’ opponents shoot 47% from the field, and manage to score inside and outside with equal impunity. Lafayette also commits a lot of fouls, giving opponents even more high-percentage chances. Offensively, Lafayette are about average in the conference, a three-heavy offense that doesn’t shoot a great long distance percentage, but is effective inside and at the line.

Players to watch:

6-2 SR Jeff Kari, 10.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 48.2 eFG% - Kari is 2^nd on the team in scoring, but he’s not a particularly effective guard, having an even assist/turnover ratio and a below average shot inside and outside.

5-11 SR Andrew Brown, 13.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 43.6 eFG% - Lafayette’s leading scorer and assist man, Brown is another player who’s struggled to make shots, below 30% from three and under 35% overall.

My statistical all-Patriot League team:

American SR G Garrison Carr, 17.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 50.7 eFG%

Navy SR G Kaleo Kina, 17.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 44.4 eFG

Navy JR G Chris Harris, 15.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 48.3 eFG%

Army JR G Cleveland Richard, 11.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 53.9 eFG%

American SR F Brian Gilmore, 11.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 60.7 eFG%

Patroit League Tournament: Quarterfinals Preview

Press Release — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:28:21 -0800

Center Valley, Pa. - The quest for the 2009 Patriot League Men's Basketball Championship begins with the quarterfinal round on Wednesday, with defending champion American playing as the No. 1 seed and hosting No. 8 Lafayette. No. 2 Holy Cross hosts No. 7 Bucknell, No. 3 Navy takes on No. 6 Colgate and No. 4 Army hosts No. 5 Lehigh in the other three contests.

Patriot League Quarterfinal Preview

It's win or go home time in Patriot League men's basketball, as the League Tournament tips off with the quarterfinal round on Wednesday. The evening's action begins at 7 p.m. with No. 7 seed Bucknell at No. 2 Holy Cross, No. 6 Colgate at No. 3 Navy and No. 5 Lehigh at No. 4 Army. The No. 1 seeded American Eagles begin defense of their League title at 7:30 p.m. at Bender Arena against No. 8 Lafayette. The winner of the Lehigh/Army game plays the winner of Lafayette/American in the semifinals on Sunday, with the winners on the other side of the bracket also facing off that day. All Patriot League Tournament games are played at the site of the higher seed, with the Championship on March 13

The Eagles won the Patriot League with a 13-1 mark in the regular season, claiming the top seed in the Tournament for the second year in a row. They are led by senior guards Derrick Mercer and Garrison Carr. Mercer was named Patriot League Player of the Year on Monday, while Carr earned his second consecutive First-Team All-League award. The Eagles are tied for third in the nation with a 10-game winning streak, and have victories in 16 of their last 17 games. Lafayette is led by senior guard Andrew Brown, who averages 13.6 points per game.

The Mountain Hawks and Black Knights play in the quarterfinals for the third year in a row. Lehigh is led by First-Team All-League selection Marquis Hall and Second-Team All-League choice Zahir Carrington. Army places 34th in the country in scoring defense, and has Patriot League Defensive Player of the year Marcus Nelson and Second-Team All-League pick Cleveland Richard on its side.

Bucknell and Holy Cross are meeting in the Patriot Leaguue Tournament for a record 12th time, with the Bison holding a 6-5 edge thus far. Bucknell is led by Second-Team All-League choice Patrick Behan, who has five consecutive 20-point games. Holy Cross boasts First-Team All-League pick Andrew Keister and Patriot League Rookie of the Year R.J. Evans for a team that went 11-3 in Patriot League action.

Colgate and Navy face off in Annapolis after just playing on Saturday in a game won by the Mids. The Raiders have lost five consecutive games coming into action, but do have three players scoring around 10 points per contest. Navy boasts First-Team All-Patriot League choice Kaleo Kina and Second-Team All-League pick Chris Harris, who each finished in the top three in overall and League only scoring in 2008-09.

Patriot League Notebook

American Enters Exclusive Company in League Annals

By clinching the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament, American become the first team since Lafayette in 1998-00 to earn the top seed in consecutive seasons. The Leopards are the only program to earn three straight No. 1 seeds, with Colgate (1995-96)?and Fordham (1990-91) the others to do it in consecutive years. American is also the first team in League annals to earn sole possession of the regular-season title for two straight seasons. The Eagles will play as the No. 1 seed in the Tournament for the third time in eight years as a League member, with the other instance in 2002. American has captured a top four seed in each of its League seasons.

No. 1 Usually Ends Up No. 1

If history rings true, American has to like its chances as the No. 1 seed with home court throughout the Patriot League Tournament. The top seed has won 14 of the 18 League Tournaments, and has advanced to the title game every season. American continued that trend by winning the Championship as the No. 1 seed last year.

Repeat Is No Unusual Feat

Also in the Eagles' favor is the history of repeat champions in the Patriot League. There have already been six repeat champions in League annals, with just four champions earning only a single crown. Lehigh is the only Patriot League program to win one title but never repeat as a champion, a distinction the Eagles will try to avoid joining this season.

-- From PatriotLeague.org

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the Patriot League?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:40:36 -0800

Patriot League Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:27:37 -0800

Conference Rank: 20th

10 year average: 23rd

Patriot League Conference Page

All-Patriot Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Garrison Carr	American	Sr
G	Derrick Mercer	American	Sr
G	Marquis Hall	Lehigh	Jr
F	Kyle Roemer	Colgate	Sr
F	Alex Vander Baan	Holy Cross	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Garrison Carr		Points: Garrison Carr 18.1 Rebounds: Alex Vander Baan (HC) 5.7 Assists: Marquis Hall 4.4

Patriot League Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

86	American**	Patriot	1	NCAA
170	Lehigh	Patriot	2
206	Holy Cross	Patriot	3
237	Colgate	Patriot	4
249	Bucknell	Patriot	5
253	Navy	Patriot	6
270	Army	Patriot	7
288	Lafayette	Patriot	8

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the Patriot? (soon)

Other Patriot Content

Conference Media/Coaches Poll

Other

Rise & Fall: Patriot

State of '08: Massachusetts

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:51:45 -0700

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON COLLEGE - No other team in Massachusetts can boast of a Sweet Sixteen trip or multiple Top 25 finishes in the past decade. While BC is by no means a BCS power, the Eagles finished.500 or better in the ACC or Big East (prior to 06) from 2001 to 2007.

HOLY CROSS - From 2001 to 2007, Holy Cross was one of the nation's best mid-major programs, as the Crusaders made 4 NCAA Tournaments and were a close 4-point loss away from making a 5th. While there are definite signs of slippage, it will take another couple of bad seasons before they move down from this position.

UMASS - It's been a decade since UMASS last made the NCAA Tournament in 1998. That team was still a remnant of John Calipari's tenure, and there's only been minimal success in the following years. Travis Ford did a great job getting the program back on track in just three seasons, winning an A10 regular season title in 2007, and almost making the Big Dance last year with an RPI of 42. But Ford has bolted for T Boone's Oklahoma State money, so the future is once again a bit murky.

NORTHEASTERN - Ron Everhart did a solid job transforming Northeastern basketball, as the program won at least 19 games from 04 to 06. While Everhart never led the Huskies to the postseason, he helped them move up to the more competitive CAA, and put the program in position for future success. Current third year coach Bill Coen might finally get the Huskies over the postseason hump, as this year's squad should be one of the better teams in the conference (according to CHN'd preview).

BOSTON UNIVERSITY - After enjoying a nice stretch from 2002 to 2005, BU has fallen on lean times. Since that run of four postseason trips in a row (including one AE title in 02), the Terriers have failed to finish above 200th in the RPI. This year's team should be a little better, but a return to the postseason will have to wait.

6. HARVARD - Harvard hasn't been good in forever, and the odds of Tommy Amaker making a huge turnaround are slim. The program's biggest accomplishment in the past decade is merely finishing .500 in Ivy play (in 99,00,01,02 & 05). There's a good chance the 2009 squad will match that feat.

Last: Maryland - Next: Michigan

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)