March 6, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - The 2009 Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament moves to the semifinal round on Sunday, with No. 4 Army at No. 1 American at Noon on three Comcast SportsNet affiliates and No. 6 Colgate visiting No. 2 Holy Cross at 4 p.m. The winners will advance to play in the Patriot League Championship on March 13 at 4:45 p.m. on ESPN2 at the site of the highest remaining seed.

Patriot League Men's Basketball Semifinal Preview - 3.6.09

Patriot League Semifinal Preview

Spots in the 2009 Patriot League Men's Basketball Championship game will be on the line on Sunday, as No. 4 seed Army visits No. 1 American and No. 6 Colgate goes to No. 2 Holy Cross in semifinal contests of the League Tournament. The Army/American game will tip at Noon and be shown live on three Comcast SportsNet affiliates, while the Colgate/Holy Cross matchup begins at 4 p.m. from Worcester. The winners will face off in the Patriot League Championship on March 13 at 4:45 p.m. on ESPN2.

No. 1 American advanced to the semifinals with a 78-56 victory over No. 8 Lafayette on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. The defending champion Eagles have made it to the semifinal round in all eight of their Patriot League seasons, and are in search of their fifth title game appearance. They are 4-3 in the semifinals. American is led by Patriot League Player of the Year Derrick Mercer and senior guard Garrison Carr, both of whom earned First-Team All-League honors. The Eagles are in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense.

No. 4 Army opened up a 12-point second-half lead and then held on the rest of the way for a 53-50 win at home against No. 5 Lehigh on Wednesday. The Black Knights have now made three straight semifinals for the first time, and are in search of their first Patriot League Championship appearance. Army is 0-4 in the semifinals. Army is among the NCAA leaders in scoring defense.

No. 2 Holy Cross got a career-high 31 points from Patriot League Rookie of the Year R.J. Evans to knock off No. 7 Bucknell, 75-56, on Wednesday. The Crusaders are trying for their 10th League title game apperance. They are 9-2 in the semifinal round, and have not lost a semifinal contest since 1994. The Crusaders are in the top 15 in the NCAA in rebounding margin.

No. 6 Colgate had to go to overtime to become the only road team to win in the quarterfinals, knocking off Navy, 64-59. The Raiders seek their second straight Patriot League title game appearance, and fifth overall. Colgate is 4-6 in the semifinal round. The Raiders have three players averaging over 10 points per game.

American swept Army and Holy Cross swept Colgate during the regular season. American is 2-0 in the Patriot League Tournament against Army, including a 72-60 win at Bender Arena in last year's semifinals. Colgate holds a 2-1 edge in Tournament games against Holy Cross, with the teams last meeting in the event in 2000.

Patriot League Semifinal Notebook

Patriot League  Quarterfinal Recap

The top two seeds in the Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament held serve on their home court with big wins in Wednesday's quarterfinals, while there were a pair of down-to-the-wire contests in the other games that included one upset as No. 6 seed Colgate won at No. 3 Navy, 64-59, in overtime. No. 1 American began defense of its Patriot League Championship with a 78-56 win over No. 8 Lafayette, while No. 2 Holy Cross beat No. 7 Bucknell by a nearly identical 75-56 score. No. 4 Army won its third straight quarterfinal contest over No. 5 Lehigh, holding on for a 53-50 win.

Army/American To Be Shown on Comcast SportsNet

A national television audience will get a chance to watch No. 4 seed Army and No. 1 American square off for a berth in the Patriot League Men's Basketball Championship on Sunday, as the semifinal matchup will be televised live at Noon by three Comcast SportsNet affiliates. The game will be shown live from American's Bender Arena by CSN-Mid-Atlantic, Philadelphia and California. Veteran Patriot League broadcasters Bob Socci and John Feinstein will handle the call.

American Tries To Keep No. 1 Seeds Perfect in Semis

On Sunday, American will try to do what the previous 19 No. 1 seeds in League Tournament history have all done: make the title game. No. 1 seeds have a 19-0 mark in the semifinal round (Navy and Lafayette shared the No. 1 seed in 2000), including American's win last season against Army. The top seed has won 14 of the 18 League Tournaments. American continued that trend by winning the Championship as the No. 1 seed last year.

Holy Cross Has History On its Side, Too

The No. 2 seeds are almost as successful as the No. 1 in the Patriot League Tournament. Eleven of the previous 17 No. 2 seeds have made it to the Patriot League Championship game. Holy Cross has advanced to the League Championship each of its previous three instances (1993, 1996, 2002) playing as the No. 2 seed, winning it all in 1993 and 2002. The second-seed is 11-1 in the semifinal round, and has not lost in the semis since the first Patriot League Tournament in 1991.

Army, Colgate Attempting a League First

The success of top seeds in the Patriot League Tournament does not bode as well for Army or Colgate, who are each trying to become the lowest seed to make it to the League Championship game. No team seeded lower than No. 3 has advanced to the League Championship.

Familiar Semifinal Participants

American, Army and Colgate are in the semifinals for a consecutive season, while Holy Cross is also a usual suspect in the round. The Eagles have now made it to the semifinal round in all eight of their Patriot League seasons. Army is back for a school record third straight appearance, while Colgate is in the round for the second straight year. Holy Cross is in the semifinals for the fourth time in five years.

Patriot League Semifinal Records

Holy Cross has the best Patriot League semifinal history of all of Sunday's participants. The Crusaders are 9-2 in the semifinal round as they seek their 10th League title game appearance. Holy Cross has won seven straight semifinal contests, and has not fallen in the round since 1994. American is 4-3 in the semifinals, while Colgate is 4-6 and Army seeks its first title game appearance as it is 0-4 in the semis.

Home Court Huge in Semifinals

Home court has been very important in the Patriot League semifinals in the last four years, as the hosts are a perfect 8-0 in the round since the Tournament moved back to home sites in 2005. American and Holy Cross are very tough on their home courts, anyway. The Eagles are 11-1 at Bender Arena this year and have 15 straight home wins against PL teams, while the Crusaders are 11-4 at the Hart Center and 7-1 at home against Patriot League competition in 2008-09.

Going For the Trifecta

Both of Sunday's semifinals feature matchups that finished in series sweeps in the regular season. American won both of its games against Army, while Holy Cross knocked off Colgate in each of their meetings.

American Enters Exclusive Company in League Annals

By clinching the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament, American became 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.

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.

Tickets Available For Semifinal Contests

Tickets are now on sale for both semifinal contests. At American, tickets can be purchased at Bender Arena, by calling 202-885-TIXX or visiting aueagles.tix.com. Tickets for Holy Cross' contest are available at the Hart Center box office, or by calling 508-793-2573. Semifinal tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens.

2009 Patriot League Semifinals on All-Access

The 2009 Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament continues with the semifinals on Sunday, and all of the action will be available through Patriot League All-Access. The package can be purchased for a $7.95 monthly fee.

American Continues to Roll

American's 11-game winning streak is the third-longest in the country, and the Eagles are among the top teams at home and on the road. Their 10-game home winning streak is tied for the 14th-longest in the country, and the Eagles are tied with three other teams for the best mark in the nation with 11 road wins. With their recent hot stretch, the Eagles have moved up to the No. 17 position in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major top 25.

Award Winners Prove Their Worth

The three individual award winners for the 2008-09 Patriot League season showed why they are so highly thought of on Wednesday. Patriot League Player of the Year Derrick Mercer had 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting in American's win over Lafayette. Patriot League Rookie of the Year R.J. Evans had a career-high 31 points to lead Holy Cross past Bucknell. Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Nelson did it on both ends for Army, scoring a season-high 13 points and limiting Lehigh's Marquis Hall to 10.

Exclusive Company For Two Patriot League Guards

American's Derrick Mercer and Navy's Kaleo Kina both have some of the top career statistics in League annals. Mercer is the first player in League history with 1,200 career points and 500 career assists. Kina joins Lafayette's Brian Ehlers (1996-00) as the only players in Patriot League history with 1,500 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists and 150 steals.

Mercer Pulls Off A Rare Double

When he was named Patriot League Player of the Year on Monday, American senior guard Derrick Mercer became just the fifth student-athlete in League history to earn both Rookie and Player of the Year recognition. Mercer joins a group that includes Holy Cross' Rob Feaster (1991-92 Rookie, 1994-95 Player), Colgate's Adonal Foyle (1994-95 Rookie, 1995-96 and 96-97 Player), Lafayette Stefan Ciosici (1995-96 Rookie and 1997-98 Player) and Holy Cross' Tim Szatko, who was the last to pull off the feat when he was named Rookie of the Year in 1999-00 and Player of the Year in 2000-01.

Patriot League All-League and Major Awards Announced

The Patriot League All-League teams and major awards were announced on Monday. Mercer earned American's first Patriot League Player of the Year award since 2002, while Head Coach Jeff Jones received Coach of the Year recognition for the first time. The remaining two major awards went to student-athletes from Holy Cross and Army. Freshman guard R.J. Evans received Rookie of the Year honors for the Crusaders, while junior guard Marcus Nelson was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year from the Black Knights. For more information on the All-League team and major award winners, go to www.patriotleague.com or see the sidebar on page two of the Patriot League men's basketball release.

Patriot League Semifinals

No. 4 Army (11-18, 6-8 PL) at No. 1 American (22-7, 13-1 PL), Sunday, Noon
Bender Arena, Washington, D.C.; TV: CSN Mid-Atlantic, Philadelphia, California
Series: American, 17-2 Streak: American, Six Wins
Last Meeting: American, 58-36 (2.18.09) Last Army Win: 60-55 (1.17.07)

Army/American Tournament Notes No. 4 seed Army and No. 1 seed American face off in semifinal action at Bender Arena for the second year in a row on Sunday...The Eagles topped the Black Knights, 72-60, on the way to their first Patriot League title in last year's semis...The only other Patriot League Tournament matchup between the schools was a 65-48 win for the Eagles in the 2004 quarterfinals...American has appeared in the semifinals in each year of its Patriot League tenure, and has a 4-3 mark in the round...Army has an 0-4 all-time mark in the semifinals as it goes in search of its first title game appearance...The Black Knights are in the semis for three consecutive years for the first time... The Eagles are 5-1 in Tournament games at Bender Arena, and hold a four-game tourney win streak since losing the 2002 League Championship at home...The Eagles are the No. 1 seed in the field for the second year in a row, and third in their eight-year Patriot League history...The No. 4 seed is the highest in Patriot League history for the Black Knights.

Army/American Series The Eagles have controlled the series with the Black Knights, including a convincing sweep of this year's contests...American posted a 58-34 win at home against Army on Feb. 4, and a nearly identical 58-36 triumph over the Black Knights at West Point on Feb. 18...The Eagles have won the last six meetings with the Black Knights, and are 17-1 against Army as a Patriot League member...That includes the 2-0 mark in League Tournament action...Army's lone Patriot League win over American was a 60-55 triumph at home in 2007.

Army The No.4 seeded Black Knights won their first home Patriot League Tournament game in a decade with a 53-50 triumph over No. 5 Lehigh in Wednesday's quarterfinals...Army has defeated the Mountain Hawks in the quarterfinals in three consecutive seasons, winning three straight quarterfinal games for the first time in its League history...Army is playing the Patriot League Tournament as its highest-ever seed, and was the higher seed in a Tournament contest for the first time on Wednesday...The Black Knights built their lead as high as 36-24 with 13:40 to go, but Lehigh cut it to one at 44-43 with 2:34 to go...A Cleveland Richard three-pointer put Army up, 49-45, with 1:34 left, and the Black Knights held on as Lehigh missed a pair of three-point attempts in the final seconds...The Black Knights did it with an outstanding defensive effort, holding Lehigh to 28.6 percent (16-for-56) from the floor and a 1-for-17 showing from three-point land...It was Army's best field goal percentage defensive effort of the season...Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Nelson held Hall to a 1-for-13 night while also scoring a season-high 13 points...Richard led Army with 15 points, and tied a career-high with four steals...Army was at home for a Patriot League Tournament game for the first time since 1999, when it hosted the first two rounds of the tourney...Army is trying to advance to the Patriot League Championship game for the first time, as it holds an 0-4 mark in semifinal matchups.

American The top-seeded Eagles remained perfect in Patriot League quarterfinal games by beginning defense of their League title with a 78-56 win at home over No. 8 Lafayette on Wednesday...American is 8-0 in its Patriot League history in the quarterfinal round...American opened the game with an 11-3 lead, and went up by double-digits (41-30) at halftime...The Eagles scored the first 13 points of the second half to build a 54-30 advantage and cruised to the 22-point win....The Eagles got balanced scoring from their three All-Patriot League players, led by 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting from Patriot League Player of the Year Derrick Mercer...Garrison Carr added 19 points, while Brian Gilmore scored 17...American shot a blistering 57.9 percent (33-of-57) in the game, and tallied 16 assists with 11 turnovers...American held a 35-21 advantage on the boards...The Eagles, ranked eighth in the country in scoring defense, have now held an opponent to 60 points or less in eight of the last nine games...The No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament has made it to the Championship game in each of the previous 18 seasons...The Eagles are 4-3 in the semifinal round, including the win over Army last season...They are trying to advance to the Patriot League Championship for the fifth time in their eight years in the League.

No. 6 Colgate (10-19, 5-9 PL) at No. 2 Holy Cross (17-13, 11-3 PL)
Sunday, 4 p.m.; Hart Center; Worcester, Mass.
Series: Holy Cross, 49-16 Streak: Holy Cross, Two Wins
Last Meeting: Holy Cross 60-58 (2.25.09) Last Colgate Win: 63-55 (2.27.08)

Colgate/Holy Cross Tournament Notes No. 6 seed Colgate heads to Worcester for a semifinal matchup with No. 2 seed Holy Cross on Sunday at 4 p.m...The teams are meeting for the fourth time in Patriot League Tournament history, but the first since 2000...Colgate holds a 2-1 lead in the all-time tourney matchups, with a 74-65 victory in the 1996 Championship game and a 58-49 triumph in the 2000 quarterfinals...Holy Cross defeated Colgate in the first Patriot League Tournament game for both teams, a 92-74 triumph in the 1991 quarterfinals...The Raiders are the only active Patriot League team with a winning Tournament mark against the Crusaders...The teams are facing off in the semifinals for the first time...Holy Cross is trying to advance to its 10th Patriot League title game, and fourth in the last five seasons...The Crusaders are 9-2 in semifinal contests, and have a seven-game winning streak in the semifinal round...Holy Cross has not lost a semifinal game since 1994...The Crusaders are hosting a semi for the fourth time in the last five years...Colgate goes for its fifth Patriot League Championship appearance, previously making it in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 2008...Colgate is 4-6 in the semifinal round...Colgate is trying to become the lowest seed to make the Patriot League Championship game.

Colgate/Holy Cross Series The Crusaders swept the contests against the Raiders in 2009, with a convincing 68-44 win at home on Jan. 28 and a 60-58 nailbiter at Colgate on Feb. 25...Colgate swept last year's season series, but Holy Cross has won nine of the last 11 meetings overall...Holy Cross has a 49-16 lead in the all-time series, and a 27-14 edge in Patriot League regular-season and Tournament games...Colgate does have the 2-1 edge in the League Tournament.

Colgate The No. 6 seeded Raiders earned a quarterfinal victory for the second year in a row, going to overtime to win at No. 3 Navy, 64-59, on Wednesday...Colgate has won quarterfinal games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1999-00...Colgate earned the Tournament win at Navy after getting swept by the Mids in the regular season, including a 77-64 loss in Annapolis last Saturday...Colgate snapped a five-game losing streak with its first overtime victory since the 2006-07 season, and first road triumph since the Patriot League opener at Army on Jan. 10...Colgate scored eight straight points to go up, 46-41, late in the second half, but Navy tied the score at 52 on a three-point play with 2:24 left in regulation...The teams exchanged baskets for a 54-54 tie with 1:32 left, and each missed on chances to win in the final 10 seconds...Navy opened the overtime with a bucket, but Colgate scored six straight points to go up, 60-56...After Navy cut it to one, Yaw Gyawu knocked down a pair of free throws with 21.1 seconds left for a 62-59 advantage...Navy missed a pair of three-pointers that would have tied the score...Ben Jonson had a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Gyawu totaled 20 points and eight boards...The Raiders did a great job defensively, holding Navy to 32.2 percent shooting from the field and a 4-for-19 effort from three-point range...Colgate will try to make its fifth Patriot League title game.

Holy Cross The No. 2 seed Crusaders advanced to the semifinal round with a 75-56 win at home over No. 7 Bucknell on Wednesday in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals...Holy Cross won in the quarterfinal round for the fourth time in the last five years...Holy Cross improved to 6-6 in Patriot League Tournament history against the Bison, the most-played matchup in the event...Holy Cross improved to 7-1 at home against Patriot League competition, and has now beaten every League squad at the Hart Center this season...Patriot League Rookie of the Year R.J. Evans had a huge game with a career-high 31 points, the most in Patriot League competition this season...Evans made 12-of-17 shots from the field and 5-of-8 from the foul line... Andrew Beinert (15) and Colin Cunningham (10) also scored in double figures for the Crusaders, who dished out 17 assists while committing just 10 turnovers...The efficient offensive effort also included a 50 percent (27-of-54) showing from the field...Holy Cross was up at seven at the half...Bucknell cut it to 38-35 early in the second half, but Evans scored six straight points to give the Crusaders some breathing room... Beinert nailed a trio of three-pointers in a span of 1:33 to push the Holy Cross lead to 53-39, and the Crusaders led by double digits the rest of the way...The Crusaders are trying to make the Patriot League Championship game for the fourth time in the last five years.