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Patriot League Basketball: 2022 Conference Tournament preview and prediction

By Daniel Benjamin

Colgate Raiders players celebrate during the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday, March 19, 2021, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Mandatory Credit: Albert Cesare/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports
Colgate Raiders players celebrate during the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday, March 19, 2021, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Mandatory Credit: Albert Cesare/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports /
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Patriot League Basketball John Carter Jr. Navy Midshipmen (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
Patriot League Basketball John Carter Jr. Navy Midshipmen (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

No. 1 Colgate (20-11, 16-2)

The Raiders are the conference’s top seed for a third straight year. Colgate went 16-2 in conference play this year and is on a 12-game winning streak. This year marks the program’s sixth regular-season crown and the third in the last four years.

The Raiders are extremely unselfish and an excellent 3-point shooting team. They led the conference in scoring (75.8), field goal percentage (48.7%), 3-pointers made a game (9.1), defensive rebounds, and total rebounds while also ranking second in several defensive categories.  Head coach Matt Langel, a two-time Patriot League COY, has an experienced squad and uses a guard-heavy eight-man rotation with all five starters average double-figures.

Six-foot point guard Nelly Cummings leads the way with 14.6 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.0 rebounds. Tucker Richardson (12.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.4 APG), Jack Ferguson (11.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG), Ryan Moffatt (10.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG), and Keegan Records (10.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG) are the other top contributors.

No. 2 Navy (19-10, 12-6)

The Midshipmen have earned the highest conference seed under Ed DeChillis, and their 12 Patriot League victories match their most with the veteran coach in the first seat. Navy likes to control the pace and is superb on the defensive end, ranking sixth in the nation in scoring defense (58.8) 30th in field goal defense percentage (40.1%).

They also led the conference in offensive rebounds (11.9) and were second in total boards and third in defensive rebounding. Six-foot-3 guard John Carter Jr. leads a well-balanced attack with 12.9 points a game.

No. 3 Boston University (20-11, 11-7)

The Terriers have reached the 20-win plateau for the third time under coach Joe Jones. Just like Colgate and Navy, BU is an experienced club though the Terriers are probably the deepest in the conference. The Terriers are an athletic team that likes to play fast, and they shoot the ball decently well. Boston U. also defends the 3-point line particularly well.

They led the conference in field goal attempts and two-point field goals while ranking second in scoring at 72.1 points a game. Javante McCoy (17.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.0 APG) is a dangerous shooter, and he, along with 6-foot-10 double-double machine Sukhmail Mathon (15.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG), form the conference’s top inside-outside duo. Walter Whyte (12.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG) also scores in double-figures.

No. 4 Lehigh (12-18, 10-8)

The Mountain Hawks won three of their final four games to secure a top-four seed and the right to host a quarterfinal matchup. Lehigh finished with a winning conference record for the first time in three years, thanks in large part to a much-improved offense during league play. The Hawks led the Patriot in 3-point made (9.1) and 3-point percentage (42.2%) while ranking third with 72.1 points a contest. They also did an excellent job at defending the 3-point line.

Evan Taylor (13.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG) leads three players in double-figures Six-foot-7 Jeamirl Wilson (10.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.0 APG) and 6-foot-11 center Nic Lynch (10.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG) are other top scorers. Freshman guard Keith Higgins Jr. could be the wild card as he improved his production dramatically during conference play.

No. 5 Army (15-15, 9-9)

The Black Knights closed the regular season with two straight victories but was 3-7 down the stretch overall. Offensively, Army takes care of the ball well and gets to the free-throw line though they struggle shooting the rock overall. The Knights also struggle mightily on the defensive end.

No. 6 Loyola, MD (14-15, 8-10)

The Greyhounds went 3-12 over their last 15 contests. Loyola struggles to put the ball in the hoop despite having the conference’s leading scorer Cam Spencer (18.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.2 APG). Senior Jaylin Andrews (13.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG) is the team’s other top scorer.

No. 7 Holy Cross (9-21, 7-11)

The Crusaders have lost three straight and five of six. Holy Cross struggles shooting the ball and does not have any who can create for others. They also struggle mightily on the defensive end, particularly with fouling.  Six-foot-6 forward Gerrale Gates (16.1 ppg, 8.6 RPG) is a load down- low.

No. 8 Lafayette (10-19, 7-11)

The Leopards have dropped three of their last four. Lafayette is not very deep and loves to shoot the ball from beyond the arc, but they are not very good at it (31.8%). They also don’t get to the free-throw line a lot. However, the Leopards do share and protect the ball well and do not foul.

No. 9 Bucknell (8-22, 5-13)

The Bison won two of the last three games. Andrew Funk (17.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.0 APG) leads a solid offensive squad that features three players in double-figures and can score at all three levels. However, Bucknell does not rebound the ball well, and they are the worst defensive team in the conference.

No. 10 American (9-21, 5-13)

The Eagles have split their last six games. American led the league in turnovers (13.4), and they don’t rebound the ball well. However, they don’t foul and have held their opponents in conference play to just 32.6% from the 3-point line.