The Patriot League was wide open this year, and that was good news for all of the teams outside of Colgate. The league was dominated by Colgate for a long time and this year there was a new champion in the Patriot League this season. The American Eagles completed the season sweep when they won the conference tournament. The Eagles secured automatic bid number 13 into the NCAA tournament when they beat Navy in the Patriot League title game.
The Eagles are making their 4th ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The last time American made the NCAA Tournament was in the 2013-2014 season. The Eagles came to the tournament with a 22-12 overall record and ended up 13-5 in the Patriot League regular season. The Eagles are still searching for their first-ever win in the event.
American is headed to Dayton to play in the First Four games and it will give the Eagles a fantastic chance to win their first ever NCAA Tournament game. Head coach Duane Simpkins built American into a winner in year 2 and he is hoping that he can get at least one more win before the year is out. Here are some reasons that American can win a game in the NCAA Tournament.
Pace of Play
I have mentioned this before, but there is something to be said about teams who play fast and do it well, ala Alabama and Florida. There is more to be said about teams who play slow and do it well. Playing slow makes teams far more uncomfortable than playing fast. Why? Playing slow isn’t normal and it is hard to prepare for if you are not expecting it, 95% of the teams in the NCAA like to play at a medium pace and don’t function well playing slow and deliberate. The Eagles are not one of those teams and will not speed up for anyone. Sure, they may not be able to score as many points, but they are going to slow the game way down to make sure that their opponents don’t either, and they have done that very well this season. The First Four game will match them with another team close to them in talent so they will have a good chance to win the game playing this way.
Matt Rogers
The Eagles will likely have the best player on the floor in the First Four matchup. Matt Rogers, who is the current Patriot League Player of the Year, is one of the best players in the low major ranks, and now everyone gets to watch him in the NCAA Tournament. The 6’9” forward is a great shooter and can jump out of gym. He anchors the American defense and leads their team in most categories. Rogers shoots 57% from the field, and when the game is on the line, the Eagles are going to give the ball to their star and watch him go to work. He is a tough cover for every opponent, and when he is playing well, the Eagles are tough to beat.
Quality Depth
Coach Simpkins has built a deep team that has a lot of different options. The Eagles play 9 guys at least 10 minutes a game and no one, not even their star Rogers, plays more than 30 minutes a night. That kind of depth leads to fresh legs as the game goes on and does a good job of helping explain how the Eagles are 9-2 in two-possession games this season. Depth is going to play a factor in the tournament because of how frequently you have to play and how much of a toll it can take on your team when the stakes are this high. Quality depth helps win close games. The advantage there goes to American.
The Eagles are underseeded and are a lot better than a team that is going to the First Four. That is a good piece of motivation for coach Simpkins and his American team. The Eagles are dangerous in the First Four and should get their first win in school history.