Props To The Patriot League #2

After just one post, the Patriot League was the catalyst for an epic e-mail tirade. Perhaps the best in the brief history of this blog. Words were said, taunts were given, and the integrity of certain secondary degrees were called into question. It was really the epitome of why this blog exists in the first place. Thank you for being a Holy Cross graduate Chaz...it has made this blog a richer experience for all involved. Let's check back in with today's scholar-athletes before their first-round conference tournament games get under way tonight.

Here are the final regular season standings for the Patriot League:

1. American University Eagles - 21-7, (13-1) - (RPI: 76)
   
2. Holy Cross Crusaders - 16-13, (11-3) - (RPI: 172)
   
3. Navy Midshipmen - 19-10, (8-6) - (RPI: 143)
   
4. Army Black Knights - 10-18, (6-8) - (RPI: 288)
   
5. Lehigh Mountain Hawks - 15-13, (5-9) - (RPI: 244)
   
6. Colgate Raiders - 9-19, (5-9) - (RPI: 289)
   
7. Bucknell Bison - 7-22, (4-10) - (RPI: 295)
   
8. Lafayette Leopards - 8-21, (4-10) - (RPI: 312)

A few quick facts to make your Patriot League Tournament a more enjoyable experience:

• American's RPI (76) is 67 spots better than the next best team in the league (Navy).
• When Holy Cross hosts Bucknell in the quarterfinals tonight, it will be the 7th time in the last 8 tournaments that the two rivals have squared off.
• The number one seed has reached the championship game in all 18 previous tournaments. This would seem to bode well for American.
• Army's #4 seeding is it's highest ever in the Patriot League.
• If the games are as close as they were last season...look for Lafayette to do well. They shoot a league-best 74.6% from the free-throw line.
• Former Pitt head coach Ralph Willard holds a 15-5 record coaching the Holy Cross Crusaders in the Patriot League Tournament. He has led the team to 4 league championships...4 NCAA Tournament appearances.
  
• The Patriot League Tournament takes 10 days to complete...making it the longest conference tournament in all of college basketball.
• Navy led the league in scoring with 71.4 points per game. The Midshipmen have also lost 7 opening round Patriot League Tournament games in a row.
• Despite their miserable record, Bucknell defeated their first-round opponent (Holy Cross) in Worcester when the teams last met on February 7th by a score of 72-66.
• Colgate is still a very nice safety school for those who really wanted to attend Williams or Swarthmore.

Here are my picks for the first two rounds of the Patriot League Tournament. My pick for league Champion can be found in my column detailing the Conference Tournaments beginning on Wednesday, March 4th. Stay strong future leaders of tomorrow!

First Round: Wednesday, March 4th

• #1 American over #8 Lafayette
• #5 Lehigh over #4 Army
• #2 Holy Cross over #7 Bucknell
• #3 Navy over #6 Colgate

Semifinals: Sunday, March 8th

• #1 American over #5 Lehigh
• #2 Holy Cross over #3 Navy

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