Let's get ready to rumble
The real fun begins tonight. We'll be in Lewisburg for the Bucknell pod, with full updates as often as we can get them posted throughout the evening.
If you are wise, though, you won't be home checking the computer. You'll be in the Hart Center or in Sojka Pavilion for what ought to be some pretty good hoops.
In the original print version of Hoop Time, we used the slogan "We'll see you at the game." No better time than now to roll that one back out.
By the way, there's still time to order your Hoop Time T-shirt to wear to next week's final. We just added a new look, the top of the line T with a hoop time logo on the front and a back that asks the question everybody wants the answer to.
Patriot League scoreboards
ESPN | CBS Sportsline | PennLive.com | Yahoo!
AT WORCESTER, MASS.
(4)Lehigh vs. (5)Colgate, 5:30 p.m.: These two split in the regular season and this should be another close one. Lehigh probably has a slight edge in pure talent, but Colgate has played harder on a more consistent basis all season. Two keys here: 1) Andrew Zidar inside. If Zidar can use his quickness to cause damage in the paint against taller, but slew-footed Lehigh center Jason Mgebroff, that could help open things up for the Raiders deadly three-point shooters on the perimeter. 2) Alvin Reed vs. Joe Knight. They might not be matched against each other, but whichever guard has the bigger game will have a lot to say about the outcome.
Colgate notes | Lehigh notes | USA Today matchup | 'Gate radio
(8)Army vs. (1)Holy Cross, 8 p.m.: Is there a danger of Holy Cross coming out flat and stumbling? Sure. There is also a danger of space junk falling out of the sky and landing on your head. If you have to choose which possibility to bet on, take the space junk, even if you have to give up points.
Army notes | Holy Cross notes | USA Today matchup | Gametracker | HC radio
AT LEWISBURG, PA.
(6)Navy vs. (3)American, 5:30 p.m.: They say it is tough to beat a team three times. We will see tonight when the up-and-down Eagles try for a sweep against the down-now-up Midshipmen. Navy is widely viewed as the most dangerous team in the first round of the tournament. Nobody wanted that matchup. Ironically AU got it by winning its regular season finale while Lehigh and Colgate were losing. The winner gets Navy, the losers ride a bus to Worcester. Hard to say who got the best of that deal.
If Ingram and Thomas are on, and the rest of the Eagles buckle down on defense, Au should advance. But Navy plus the points would be awful attractive if they actually placed a line on Patriot League games.
American notes | Navy notes | USA Today matchup | Navy Radio
(7)Lafayette vs. (2)Bucknell, 8 p.m.: Lafayette has gotten better late in the season. But it is doubtful they have gotten better enough to beat the Bison, who have given them more trouble than anyone, according to Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon.
The problem for Lafayette in this matchup is that they don't have the firepower to win in a run and gun affair against Bucknell and most of their success has come when they have managed to push the pace. Five of Lafayette's 9 wins have come in games they scored over 80 points. But Bucknell has allowed 70 or more only three times all season, none of those against Patriot League foes.
It's a lose-lose for the Leopards. Slow it down and play half-court, they can't score enough to win. Chuck and duck and the Bison's superior talent will outscore them, especially in Sojka.
This is, by the way, a good first round match for Bucknell. While not a walk-over like Holy Cross has against Army, it should give the Bison a chance to rev up the offense and get in sync after a week off while not taking too much out of their legs for Sunday's semi.
Bucknell notes | Lafayette notes | USA Today matchup | Bucknell radio
If you are wise, though, you won't be home checking the computer. You'll be in the Hart Center or in Sojka Pavilion for what ought to be some pretty good hoops.
In the original print version of Hoop Time, we used the slogan "We'll see you at the game." No better time than now to roll that one back out.
By the way, there's still time to order your Hoop Time T-shirt to wear to next week's final. We just added a new look, the top of the line T with a hoop time logo on the front and a back that asks the question everybody wants the answer to.
ESPN | CBS Sportsline | PennLive.com | Yahoo!
AT WORCESTER, MASS.
(4)Lehigh vs. (5)Colgate, 5:30 p.m.: These two split in the regular season and this should be another close one. Lehigh probably has a slight edge in pure talent, but Colgate has played harder on a more consistent basis all season. Two keys here: 1) Andrew Zidar inside. If Zidar can use his quickness to cause damage in the paint against taller, but slew-footed Lehigh center Jason Mgebroff, that could help open things up for the Raiders deadly three-point shooters on the perimeter. 2) Alvin Reed vs. Joe Knight. They might not be matched against each other, but whichever guard has the bigger game will have a lot to say about the outcome.
Colgate notes | Lehigh notes | USA Today matchup | 'Gate radio
(8)Army vs. (1)Holy Cross, 8 p.m.: Is there a danger of Holy Cross coming out flat and stumbling? Sure. There is also a danger of space junk falling out of the sky and landing on your head. If you have to choose which possibility to bet on, take the space junk, even if you have to give up points.
Army notes | Holy Cross notes | USA Today matchup | Gametracker | HC radio
AT LEWISBURG, PA.
(6)Navy vs. (3)American, 5:30 p.m.: They say it is tough to beat a team three times. We will see tonight when the up-and-down Eagles try for a sweep against the down-now-up Midshipmen. Navy is widely viewed as the most dangerous team in the first round of the tournament. Nobody wanted that matchup. Ironically AU got it by winning its regular season finale while Lehigh and Colgate were losing. The winner gets Navy, the losers ride a bus to Worcester. Hard to say who got the best of that deal.
If Ingram and Thomas are on, and the rest of the Eagles buckle down on defense, Au should advance. But Navy plus the points would be awful attractive if they actually placed a line on Patriot League games.
American notes | Navy notes | USA Today matchup | Navy Radio
(7)Lafayette vs. (2)Bucknell, 8 p.m.: Lafayette has gotten better late in the season. But it is doubtful they have gotten better enough to beat the Bison, who have given them more trouble than anyone, according to Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon.
The problem for Lafayette in this matchup is that they don't have the firepower to win in a run and gun affair against Bucknell and most of their success has come when they have managed to push the pace. Five of Lafayette's 9 wins have come in games they scored over 80 points. But Bucknell has allowed 70 or more only three times all season, none of those against Patriot League foes.
It's a lose-lose for the Leopards. Slow it down and play half-court, they can't score enough to win. Chuck and duck and the Bison's superior talent will outscore them, especially in Sojka.
This is, by the way, a good first round match for Bucknell. While not a walk-over like Holy Cross has against Army, it should give the Bison a chance to rev up the offense and get in sync after a week off while not taking too much out of their legs for Sunday's semi.
Bucknell notes | Lafayette notes | USA Today matchup | Bucknell radio
