Loading ...Patriot League Conference Tournament Preview
This preview was written February 26, 2010, before conference play was complete in the Patriot League. It had to be written early due to the large number of conference tournaments that we have to cover. Brackets for each conference tourney aren’t usually finalized until a day or two before each tournament. At this point of the year, we can accurately predict where teams will be seeded.
The winner of the Patriot League is likely going to be a 16 seed that winds up in the play in game. That means the winner of this tournament could be one of the first teams we see in NCAA Tournament play.
Chris Harris and Navy could pull the upset in the Patriot League Tournament.
The Favorite: Lehigh. Honestly, it’s hard to pick a favorite in a conference where first and last place are separated by just five games, but if there is a favorite it’s got to be Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks lead the league in PPG and three point shooting percentage. Four players average double figures, with C. J. McCollum leading the way.
The Darkhorse: American. I know the Eagles have been awful this year (9-19, 6-7), but they are the perfect example of a darkhorse. Last year American made the NCAA Tournament and had Villanova on the ropes in the first round before allowing a huge Wildcats run to close the game. Vlad Moldoveanu is good enough to lead the Eagles on a surprising run.
Player to Watch: Moldoveanu (AMER), a transfer from George Mason, is second in the Patriot League in scoring (19.1 PPG) and shoots nearly 40% from the three point line.
Prediction: In a conference like the Patriot League, it’s easy to pick the favorite, but remember there’s not any talent separation in this conference like there is in the Horizon or MAAC. That’s why I’m taking 13-15 Navy to get the auto bid. The Midshipmen swept Lehigh and beat Bucknell. Navy shoots more threes than any team in the league, and if those threes fall in the Patriot League tournament, I don’t see why Navy can’t make a run.
