March 7, 2008
Center Valley, Pa. - After the closest quarterfinal round in history, the Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament is back with the semifinals on Sunday afternoon with No. 5 seed Army visiting No. 1 American and No. 7 Bucknell going to No. 3 Colgate. Both games will tip off at 2 p.m, and are available with the Patriot League All-Access package and through SIRIUS satellite radio.
The winners will face off in the Patriot League Championship game, set for March 14 at 4:45 p.m. on ESPN2. All Patriot League Tournament games are played at the site of the higher seed.
Defending champion Holy Cross was eliminated from the field by American in the quarterfinals, so a new champ will be crowned on March 14. Bucknell and Colgate each have two titles to their name, with the Bison triumphing in 2005 and 2006 and the Raiders winning it all in 1995 and 1996. American and Army are both seeking their first Patriot League crown.
Bucknell is also vying to become the first team in League history to make it to four consecutive title games. The Bison have advanced to the League Championship tilt in the last three seasons and seven times overall. American (2002-04) and Colgate (1994-96) both have three title game appearances that came in consecutive seasons, while Army has never played for the League Championship.
American got an old fashioned three-point play from Brian Gilmore with 18 seconds left for the winning points in a 62-60 triumph over Holy Cross in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday. The Eagles, who are playing as the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2002, enter Sunday with an overall mark of 19-11 after finishing 10-4 in League action. They rank in the NCAA top 50 in scoring defense, free throw percentage and three-point field goal percentage. They are all the way up to fifth in the nation with a 41.3 three-point field goal percentage after going 9-of-15 from beyond the arc in the opening round. First-Team All-League representative junior guard Garrison Carr is 14th in the nation with a 45.3 three-point percentage, and also has a League record 121 threes on the season after a 4-for-5 effort against the Crusaders. Second-Team All-Patriot League junior guard Derek Mercer averages 13.0 points and 4.1 assists per game. The Eagles are 10-6 in Patriot League Tournament history, with every game coming with eighth-year Head Coach Jeff Jones. They have made the semifinals in all seven of their seasons.
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Army climbed up to the No. 5 seed by notching victories in its last two games, and then won at Lehigh for the second year in a row in the quarterfinals with a 64-61 triumph in overtime. The Black Knights are 14-15 overall and finished 6-8 in League action. Senior guard Jarell Brown places second in the Patriot League with 18.3 points per game and earned First-Team All-Patriot League honors. The Black Knights are in the NCAA top 50 in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense. Army Head Coach Jim Crews is in his sixth season at the helm, and is looking to lead the Black Knights to their first League title game.
The Black Knights and Eagles have only met once in their Tournament history, with American earning a 65-48 win in the quarterfinal round in 2004. The Eagles also swept the season series between the teams.
No. 3 seed Colgate is the hottest team left in the Tournament, as the Raiders have won five consecutive games after knocking off Lafayette, 76-74, in the quarterfinal round. The Raiders are now 17-13 overall, and finished 7-7 in the League. They are led by Second-Team All-League junior guard Kyle Roemer, who averages 15.9 points per game for the year and put up a career-high 32 points in the win over Lafayette. Senior forward Kendall Chones tallies 12 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest. The Raiders lead the League by connecting on 44.5 percent of their shots from the field. Head Coach Emmett Davis is in his 10th season at the helm, and has a 4-9 record in Patriot League Tournament games. He is trying to make his first League Championship game, and the first for the Raiders since 1996.
Bucknell won the first triple overtime game in Patriot League Tournament history in dramatic fashion when John Griffin hit from 40 feet out at the buzzer to win at Navy, 87-86 in the quarterfinals. The No. 7 seed Bison are now 12-18 overall, and finished 6-8 in League play with a balanced effort on the court. Griffin, a First-Team All-Patriot League pick, leads the team with 13.4 points per game, while Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year sophomore Stephen Tyree has 7.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. The Bison have advanced to the semifinals for the past eight seasons under Head Coach Pat Flannery, who has a 19-11 Tournament record and two titles to his name. The Bison are trying to become the first Patriot League team to go to four consecutive League title games.
Bucknell swept two games from Colgate during the regular season, claiming a 65-61 win at home on Jan. 26 and a 91-85 victory in overtime at Colgate on Feb. 6. Bucknell has a 3-1 advantage in Patriot League Tournament matchups, with a 2-1 edge in semifinal contests. The teams have not met in the League Tournament since the Bison scored a 75-68 win in the 2001 quarterfinals.
For more information on the Patriot League men's basketball semifinals, read the Patriot League Men's Basketball Semifinal Release - 3.7.08 
Patriot League Tournament Notebook
Every Quarterfinal Game Goes Down to the Wire
On a night that featured the first triple overtime game in Patriot League Tournament history and all four contests decided by three points or less, No. 1 seed American, No. 3 Colgate, No. 5 Army and No. 7 Bucknell emerged with victories in the Patriot League Men's Basketball Quarterfinal matchups on Wednesday. The Bison rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit and outlasted No. 2 seed Navy when John Griffin hit a 40-foot three-pointer at the buzzer in triple overtime for an 87-86 Bucknell win in Annapolis. American got a three-point play from Brian Gilmore with 18 seconds left, and did not allow No. 8 seed Holy Cross to get a shot off on the other end in a 62-60 victory at home. Army and Lehigh also went to overtime, and the road team also triumphed in that contest with the Black Knights pulling off a 64-61 victory over the No. 4 Mountain Hawks. It also marked the first time since 2004 that two Patriot League Quarterfinal games have gone to overtime. Colgate opened up a 17-point second-half lead and then had to hold on in the final possession as well, as the Raiders scored a 76-74 victory at home against No. 6 seed Lafayette. The eight-point cumulative difference in the four games made it the closest quarterfinal round in League history.
Patriot League Semifinal Coverage
The entire Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament can be heard on SIRIUS satellite radio, and can also be seen live via the Patriot League All-Access broadband package. Sunday's games can be heard on SIRIUS channel 152 (Army/American) and channel 153 (Bucknell/Colgate.). The Patriot League Championship is set for 4:45 p.m. on March 14 on ESPN2.
Bison Trying to Make History
With a win on Sunday at Colgate, Bucknell would become the first team in Patriot League men's basketball history to play in four consecutive Tournament Championship games. Colgate, Lafayette, Holy Cross and American have also appeared in three consecutive title games, with the Crusaders doing it twice (2001-03 and 2005-07). Holy Cross saw its hopes to join the Bison end in the quarterfinals.
Three Teams Return to Semifinals
The Patriot League semifinals look very similar to a year ago, with Army, American and Bucknell all making the round once again. The Black Knights are in the semifinals for the second year in a row, while the Eagles (seven years) and Bison (eight) have more extended streaks. Colgate is in the semifinals for the first time since 2004, as Holy Cross misses out for the first time in four years.
Home-Court Advantage
Playing at home was not a huge advantage during the Patriot League season, with the home squads holding a 31-25 edge during the year and splitting the four games in the quarterfinals. But Sunday's hosts are catching fire on their own court. American has won five consecutive home contests, while Colgate has won its last four home games. Since the Patriot League Tournament moved back to home sites in 2005, the home squads are 6-0 in semifinal games, with all the wins coming by Holy Cross or Bucknell.
Going for the Trifecta
American and Bucknell are both going for something that many believe is difficult, as they will try to win all three games this season against their semifinal opponent. The Eagles beat Army by 9 and 13 points, while Bucknell won by four at home and by six in overtime at Colgate. Army has already proven that the three-game sweep is difficult, as the Black Knights had been swept by Lehigh during the regular season before winning in the quarterfinals.
Working Overtime
Bucknell and Navy played the first triple overtime game in Patriot League Tournament history with the Bison's 87-86 last-second win on Wednesday. The longest previous contest was Holy Cross' double overtime win in the 1991 semifinals against Lehigh. Army also had to go to overtime to beat Lehigh, as two Patriot League Tournament games went to the extra session on the same day for the first time since the 2004 quarterfinals. There have been 12 overtime tilts in Patriot League Tournament history. The extra session has also been a common sight this season, as seven Patriot League games have gone to overtime. Bucknell (3-0) and Colgate (0-3) have both played three extra sessions against League teams.
Close Calls, Comebacks No Surprise
The Patriot League quarterfinal matchups were decided by 1, 1, 2 and 3 points, and three of the four winners had to rally from second-half deficits to claim the victory. Not that those type of results are anything new in the Patriot League this season. Sixty games have now been played, and the winner had to come back in the second half in 39 of them, with 23 of those comebacks from six or more down. Twenty-three games have also been decided by five points or less, with 43 of the 60 within 10 points.
Record-Setting Night
In addition to being the longest game in the history of the Patriot League Tournament, the Navy/Bucknell contest set Tournament records for the Midshipmen's attempts from the floor. Navy's 40 three-point field goal attempts broke the old mark of 30. Greg Sprink set a record with 28 field goal tries in his 37-point night, while Sprink and Chris Harris shared the mark with 14 attempts from long range.
Semifinal Games
No. 5 Army (14-15, 6-8) at No. 1 American (19-11, 10-4), Sunday, 2 p.m.
Bender Arena, Washington, D.C.
Series: American, 14-2 Streak: American, Three Wins Last Meeting: AU, 49-40 (2.20.08)
Army/American Tournament Notes The Eagles and Black Knights have only met once in Patriot League Tournament history, with American claiming a 65-48 in the quarterfinal round in 2004...American was the No. 2 seed in that contest, with Army as the No. 7 in a game at Lehigh's Stabler Arena...Both teams also made last year's semifinals, and the Eagles have advanced to the second round in each of their seven seasons as a Patriot League member...American Head Coach Jeff Jones moved to fourth all-time with 10 Tournament victories after the quarterfinal win over Holy Cross...American advanced to Patriot League title games in 2002, 2003 and 2004, while Army has never made it to the Championship...Both teams are in search of their first League title.
2007-08 Series American earned a sweep against Army during the regular season, with a 66-53 win at West Point on Jan. 23 and a 49-40 triumph at home on Feb. 20...The Eagles led for all but the first two minutes of the game, and built a 21-9 advantage less than 10 minutes into the contest in the win on the road...They posted their sixth win in a row by outscoring Army 17-8 in the last 11 minutes of the victory at Bender Arena.
Army The Black Knights notched a quarterfinal victory at Lehigh for the second year in a row with a 64-61 overtime victory on Wednesday...They advance to consecutive semifinal rounds for the first time since 1995 and 1996...They also move to 2-0 against Lehigh in Patriot League Tournament history, with the wins coming in the last two seasons...Army has dropped six consecutive regular-season games at Lehigh, but has the two quarterfinal wins in that span...Army has won three straight games overall...Lehigh had swept the series during the regular season...Army had a 28-20 lead at halftime, but fell behind by seven with 3:52 left...It closed regulation on a 9-2 run, sending the game to overtime on Doug Williams' dunk with 22 seconds to play...Lehigh went up by as many as three points in the extra session, but Army took the lead for good at 62-61 on its only field goal of the overtime, a shot by Cleveland Richard with 1:02 left...Richard then blocked a Marquis Hall shot and gathered the loose ball on Lehigh's possession, and picked up another loose ball to seal the 64-61 win...Josh Miller scored a career-high 25 points, including 19 after halftime...Jarell Brown scored 13 points... Army connected on 45.7 percent of its shots and nailed 20-of-25 free throws, including all eight attempts in overtime...They also maintained a 34-28 advantage on the boards...Army will try to pull off a similar feat on Sunday, as they travel to an American team that swept them in the regular season...The Black Knights are 0-1 in Tournament matchups with the Eagles...They are winless in seven visits to Washington...They are trying to advance to their first League title game.
American The Eagles narrowly avoided becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 8 with a 62-60 victory over Holy Cross in the Patriot League Quarterfinals on Wednesday...It was their first victory in four tries against the Crusaders in the League Tournament...The Eagles have now advanced to the semifinals in all seven of their Patriot League campaigns...They also beat Holy Cross at home for the first time since 2004, and extended their overall home winning streak to five games...American trailed by six at halftime, but tied the score in less than two minuts of the second half and finally took its first lead at 51-50 with 5:51 to play...There were five lead changes from that point until Brian Gilmore converted an old fashioned three-point play to put American ahead, 62-60, with 18 seconds to play...The Crusaders had a shot to tie the game, but lost the ball out of bounds with just over a second remaining and could not get a shot off on the subsequent inbounds pass...They placed four players in double figures, led by 16 from Derek Mercer and 14 from Garrison Carr...Carr nailed 4-of-5 three-pointers, and the Eagles hit 7-of-9 threes in the second half and 9-of-15 for the game...Carr has made 121 three-pointers this season, smashing a Patriot League record and just eight away from cracking the NCAA single-season top 25...The Eagles committed eight turnovers, with just one in the second half...American will host a Patriot League Semifinal game for the first time when they take on Army on Sunday...They are going for their third win of the season over the Black Knights, who they have never lost to in seven meetings at home...American has a three-game win streak in the series...The Eagles are trying to get back to the title game after going in their first three seasons in the League from 2002-04, dropping each of the three contests.
No. 7 Bucknell (12-18, 6-8) at No. 3 Colgate (17-13, 7-7), Sunday, 2 p.m.
Cotterell Court, Hamilton, N.Y.
Series: Bucknell, 51-38 Streak: BU, Eight Wins Last Meeting: BU, 91-85 (OT) (2.6.08)
Bucknell/Colgate Tournament History Bucknell has a 3-1 advantage in Patriot League Tournament games against Colgate...The teams have not met in Tournament play since 2001, when Bucknell scored a 75-68 win in the quarterfinals...The other three meetings were all in the semifinal round, where Bucknell holds a 2-1 edge...The teams traded victories in semifinal matchups in 1996 and 1997, with Colgate winning, 67-61, in 1996 and the Bison posting a 71-58 victory in 1997...Bucknell also claimed a 75-73 win in the 1993 semifinals...The higher seed has won each semifinal matchup...Bucknell made it to the semifinals for the eighth consecutive season, while Colgate is in the round for the first time since 2004...The Bison have advanced to the Championship contest in each of the last three seasons and have seven title game appearances overall....Bucknell won the Patriot League title in 2005 and 2006....Colgate played its three title contests from 1994-96, and earned the Championship in the latter two years.
2007-08 Series Bucknell earned a sweep of the season series against Colgate, and extended their winning streak against the Raiders to eight games, with a 65-61 victory at home on Jan. 26 and a 91-85 triumph in overtime at Colgate on Feb. 6...In the victory at home, the Bison opened the game with a 23-0 lead and used another 13-1 run after Colgate go to within two points to notch the win...Bucknell had to rally in its win at Cotterell Court, coming from eight points down with 2:29 left to send the game to overtime on Darryl Shazier's three-pointer at the buzzer, then taking the lead for good with 30 seconds left in the extra session.
Bucknell The Bison earned their eighth consecutive semifinal berth with an epic 87-86 victory in triple overtime at Navy on Wednesday...They won the game when John Griffin hit a 40-foot shot as time expired in the third overtime session...The Bison improved to 2-3 against Navy in the Patriot League Tournament, beating the Mids in the quarterfinal round for the second year in a row...It was the first triple overtime game in Patriot League Tournament history...Bucknell trailed by 17 points in the second half, but scored nine consecutive points to close the gap to eight with 11:49 left, and chipped away to tie the score with 5:56 remaining...They fell behind by four in the final minute, but sent the game to overtime when freshman Todd O'Brien made three key plays...He put home a dunk to cut the deficit to 59-57 with 48 seconds left, blocked a shot on Navy's possession, and then converted a lauyup with two seconds left...Neither team scored in the last 52 seconds of the first overtime, and Navy hit a three with 16 seconds remaining to send the game to a third overtime...The teams traded three-pointers in the final minute of the third overtime, but Navy took the lead with three seconds to go to set up Griffin's heroics...Griffin had 21 points on 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc, while O'Brien notched 12 points, six rebounds, four blocks and three steals...The Bison nailed 9-of-18 three-point shots, including 4-of-7 in the overtime sessions. They played their first triple overtime game since 1970...Bucknell will go for its ninth win in a row in the series against Colgate...Bucknell has won its last four games in Hamilton...It is trying to become the first team in League history to play in four consecutive title games.
Colgate The Raiders opened up a 17-point second-half lead and then held on down the stretch for a 76-74 win over Lafayette in the quarterfinal round...Colgate won its first quarterfinal game since 2004, when it also beat Lafayette...The Raiders evened the all-time Patriot League Tournament series record with the Leopards at 4-4...Five of their eight tourney matchups have been decided by five points or less...It was Colgate's fifth win in a row overall...The Raiders used a 19-7 run to close the first half for a seven-point lead at the break...The Raiders added to the advantage in the second half, extending the lead all the way to 74-57 with 6:31 left...Lafayette closed the gap with a 17-1 run, but Colgate got a foul shot from Kendall Chones and a stop in the final seconds to seal the win...Colgate got a career-high 32 points from Kyle Roemer, who connected on 11-of-16 shots from the floor and 7-of-8 from the foul line...The Raiders had an efficient night from the field, shooting 46 percent overall and nailing 10-of-21 three-pointers. ..They snapped a three-game home losing streak against the Leopards...Emmett Davis is tied for the top spot on Colgate's all-time victory list with 137, matching Howard Hartman (1949-62)...The Raiders will try to break an eight-game slide against Bucknell, including a four-game home losing streak...They try for their first Patriot League Championship game berth since 1996...They also beat Bucknell in the semifinals that season, which is their only Tournament win over the Bison.
