March 4, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

(7) BUCKNELL (11-18 / 6-8) at (2) NAVY (16-13 / 9-5)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 • 7:00 pm (ET)
Alumni Hall (5,710)
Annapolis, Md.
STREAMING VIDEO: Navy All-Access at www.navysports.com
RADIO: WNAV (1430 AM), WFED (1050 AM), SIRIUS (Channel 181)
TELEVISION: None

GAME PREVIEW
• The Patriot League's second season begins on Wednesday for second-seeded Navy as it will host postseason basketball for the first time in seven years as seventh-seeded Bucknell comes to Annapolis for a Patriot Legaue Tournament quarterfinals matchup. The Mids own a 16-13 record and went 9-5 during the Patriot League slate. Bucknell enters with an 11-18 record and were 6-8 during league play.
• The game will be broadcast on the airwaves on WNAV (1430 AM - Annapolis) and WFED (1050 AM -Washington) with Bob Socci calling all the action, beginning with the Navy Basketball pregame show at 6:45 pm (ET). In addition, the game will be streamed online as part of the CSTV's All-Access packages at navyysports.com and patriotleague.com.

NAVY PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT FACTS
• When Navy takes the floor on Wednesday night against Bucknell, it will do so as one of the favorites to win the Patriot League Tournament -- a position it hasn't been in for seven years. Navy last appeared in the Patriot League Tournament finals in 2001, also the last time Navy won a postseason game.
• Navy is one of two teams (Holy Cross) to win at least three Patriot League Tournaments. The Mids won tournament titles in 1994, 1997 and 1998.
• The Mids have lost seven straight Patriot League Tournament games by an average margin of 12.6 points. The last six of those losses have come in the first round.
• Navy is unbeaten at Alumni Hall during the Patriot League Tournament, boasting a 9-0 record. However, Navy last hosted a Patriot League Tournament game on March 4, 2001, an 88-64 win over Bucknell.
• Navy is 3-1 all-time against Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament, including last year's 62-43 loss in the quarterfinals.
• Navy owns just a 4-10 record in the quarterfinals, but is 13-13 overall in the Patriot League Tournament.

MIDSHIPMEN STORYLINES
• Navy finished second in the Patriot League race after falling to Colgate on Saturday, 73-62. The Mids' No. 2 seed is the highest for the program since the 2000-01 team was also the No. 2 seed.
• Navy has been seeded No. 2 in the Patriot League Tournament four times. In the four times Navy was seeded No. 2, the Mids own a 5-3 record, winning the league title in 1998. Navy lost in the finals in 2001 and lost in the first round in 1996 and 1999.
• Navy's 16 wins are the most since 2000-01, as are the nine Patriot League wins. With three wins in the tournament, Navy would reach 19 wins for just the 11th time in school history.
• Navy is guaranteed of a winning record for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Since the start of last year, Navy is above .500 with a 30-29 overall record.
• The Mids have not lost two straight games since Dec. 3-17, 2007, against Mount St. Mary's and San Diego State.
• Navy is looking for its fourth straight home win on Wednesday night. Navy owns an 8-5 record at home and have won six of their last nine games in Alumni Hall.

MIDSHIPMEN-BISON QUICK FACTS
• This will be the 55th meeting all-time between the two schools with Navy owning a 30-24 series advantage. It will mark the second straight year that the two teams will meet in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals.
• Navy snapped a seven-game losing skid to Bucknell in the teams' last meeting, a 78-72 decision over the Bison on Feb. 9, in Alumni Hall.
• Even with the Navy victory, Bucknell has won 10 of the last 12 meetings, dating back to Feb. 14, 2003.
• Navy is 15-5 all-time at Alumni Hall against Bucknell, with two of the losses coming in the last three years. In games played in Annapolis, Navy is 27-6.
• During the Patriot League Tournament, Navy is 3-1 against Bucknell, including a 3-0 record in tournament games played in Annapolis (1997, 1998, 2001).

# GO NAVY #