Patriot League preview

A team-by-team glance at the Patriot League heading into the 2009-10 season.

(In CBSSports.com predicted order of finish)

1. Holy Cross

Holy Cross was last year's Cinderella squad of the Patriot League.

With a roster packed with underclassmen, the Crusaders marched all the way to the Patriot League tournament final before falling to American.

Now with a new coach -- former Notre Dame assistant Sean Kearney -- and a strong nucleus, Holy Cross has been tabbed an early favorite.

The core group includes junior forward Andrew Keister, sophomore guard R.J. Evans (last year's Patriot League Rookie of the Year), 6-8 senior Eric Meister (an all-tournament team pick last season) and 6-4 junior playmaker Andrew Beinert.

Keister (8.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg) in particular was the fulcrum of an exciting shooting attack. Keister shook off an injury-plagued start to his college career to have a fine season.

During league play, he averaged 12.5 points and 8.8 rebounds. The league leader in field-goal percentage, Keister shot 58.8 percent from the field overall, 67.3 percent in league games.

Under former coach Ralph Willard, now an assistant with Louisville, Beinert (8.5 ppg, 2.1 apg) led the league in 3-point field goal percentage as a sophomore. He hit 49 of 108 shots from behind the arc.

The Crusaders were the top rebounding team in the league, hauling in an average of 13.6 boards per game on the offensive glass.

Throw in a highly touted rookie class, and Kearney has a solid roster to work with as he looks to build on last year's success. The new coach admitted over the summer that he was not completely aware of what he had as a team. He was learning as practice began, and the rest of the Patriot League will know soon enough.

2. Lehigh

Following 10 wins in the non-conference portion of their schedule, the Mountain Hawks fell apart against their Patriot League foes last season, going just 5-9 and finishing 15-14 overall. Part of the problem was a lack of experience. Only one senior filled out the rotation.

This season, the Mountain Hawks are a bit more balanced, led by a pair of seniors -- forward Zahir Carrington and point guard Marquis Hall. Hall, who averaged 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season, is an All-Patriot selection in each of the past two years. He has started 88 of Lehigh's 89 games since he arrived on campus.

The 6-7 Carrington (14.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg) is a beast in the post and led the Mountain Hawks in scoring and rebounding. He posted 10 double-doubles last season to lead the team.

After Carrington and Hall, it gets a bit iffy for Brett Reed's team. Junior guard Rob Keefer has had shooting issues and junior guard Michael Ojo is recovering from a concussion. The Mountain Hawks have a gaping hole in their frontcourt.

Freshman C.J. McCollum, last season's Gatorade Player of the Year in Ohio, is the first-year player most likely to grab minutes for Reed. McCollum averaged 29.3 points and nearly eight rebounds a game as a senior.

Freshman Gabe Knutson is also a dynamic talent, a two-time class 4A all-state selection from Iowa, where he was also chosen the state's 19-U AAU MVP.

3. Navy

Navy was an offensive juggernaut last season, dominating the Patriot League in scoring at 71 points per game. But the season came to a crashing halt as the Mids lost in the first round of the conference tournament.

And now the team no longer has scoring sensation Kaleo Kina, who averaged 18.0 points last year.

So it could be an uphill climb for Billy Lange's team, but there is reason for optimism in Annapolis. Senior guard Chris Harris, who averaged 15.4 points last season, would appear to be the heir apparent to Kina. Harris is coming off a season in which he hit 85 3-point shots. He also hit 91 in his sophomore year. He is shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc over his last 51 games.

Harris won't be alone. Junior center Mark Veazey (7.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg) scored in double figures on eight occasions last season and gives the Mids the requisite size. Starting point guard O.J. Avworo (5.2 ppg, 3.6 apg) is also back, looking to improve on last year's sometimes suspect shooting.

From there, Lange will be plugging in other underclassmen to support a loaded backcourt.

Riding a fairly easy non-conference schedule and the big guns of Harris and Veazey, Navy will contend again in the Patriot League. Whether or not the Mids can put their tournament woes behind them, however, remains to be seen.

4. Colgate

Last season was a disappointing one for the Raiders.

Coming off an appearance in the 2008 Patriot League final, Colgate fell victim to inconsistent play and injuries to key players. Now, with a roster laden with returning starters, and the return of medical redshirt small forward Kyle Roemer, the Raiders look to improve on last season's struggles.

The 6-3 Roemer, who tore a knee ligament during last year's preseason, joins a roster featuring 6-6 forward Ben Jonson, the Raiders' only other senior. Mike Venezia and backup point guard Joe Hoban, both 6-1, are the only juniors.

This team is young, but they can definitely score. Venezia (10.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg) led the team in scoring last season and knocked down a team-high 55 3-pointers. Jonson (10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and 6-5 sophomore forward Yaw Gyawu (10.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg) also averaged in double figures. Now Roemer joins the fray.

Roemer is already Colgate's third-leading 3-point shooter of all-time. Coach Emmett Davis expects Roemer to be particularly useful setting up an inside-outside attack with Venezia.

With a tenacious defense and the addition of a top scorer, the Raiders could be a surprise winner this season.

5. Bucknell

Dave Paulsen's debut season with the Bison was a nightmare, a 7-23 wreck punctuated by four overtime losses and slumps on both sides of the floor. It was the fewest wins for a Bucknell team since 1982.

Nagging injuries to expected starters G.W. Boon and Darryl Shazier, and the preseason loss of 2008 Patriot League Defensive Player of the year Stephen Tyree, put the Bison behind the eight ball right from the start.

Heading into the 2009-10 season, however, there is room for optimism.

"We have made significant progress in really trying to re-create that basketball culture where we are positioned for success in terms of work ethic, attention to detail, unselfishness and leadership. You have to have those things before you can win games, and you have to have them for sure before you can win close games," Paulsen told BucknellBison.com.

On the offensive end, Paulsen is hoping to continue last season's hot shooting from beyond the arc. Boon (53), Bryan Cohen (51) and Darryl Shazier (37) all ranked among the league leaders in 3-pointers. Senior Patrick Behan, a second-team All-Patriot League selection in 2008-09, led the team in scoring (13.8) and rebounding (6.8).

Shazier averaged a career-high 7.8 points per game and also became the first Bucknell player to lead the Patriot League in assists (4.6 per game) last season.

Cohen is coming off a breakout freshman year in which he averaged 11.8 points and 4.1 boards per game.

On defense, the Bison struggled defending the lane, allowing strong low-post players to have big games.

Injuries and inconsistency were a thorn in Paulsen's side last season. With a healthy squad and a full season of experience as the head coach, Paulsen could be able to turn last season's disaster into nothing more than a bad memory.

Despite losing guard Justin Castleberry and his 11.5 points per game, the Bison could be a league contender with an experienced rotation. Inserting a healthy Tyree into the lineup is a plus on both ends of the floor, and if Boon is fully recovered from the nagging shoulder injury that plagued him last season, he could be a conference player of the year candidate.

6. American

Two seasons ago, American coach Jeff Jones gambled on a slew of junior college recruits with the aim to win immediately. The result was back-to-back Patriot League titles and NCAA tournament appearances.

Now, Jones and the Eagles will face the backlash from that decision. The Eagles are coming off a 24-win season, but lost five of their top six scorers and rebounders, including one of the league's most prolific scorers in Garrison Carr and the 2008-09 Patriot League Player of the Year Derrick Mercer.

Jones will turn to junior guard Nick Hendra, by far the most experienced player on the roster. Hendra logged 21 minutes per game as a sophomore, averaging 6.3 points. Hendra will be flanked by electric forward Stephen Lumpkins.

After that ... it's anyone's guess.

The offseason move with the most potential is likely the recruitment of Vlad Moldoveanu, a 6-10 junior transfer from George Mason, who should give the team some size underneath. Moldoveanu, however, is not eligible until after his first semester. Moldoveanu averaged 18.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 35.5 minutes playing for the Romanian team in the 2009 FIBA EuroBasket Qualifying Rounds.

Daniel Munoz, 6-1, and Blake Jolivette will compete at the point guard position. Munoz averaged 11.1 points and 7.0 assists as a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Plantation, Fla. Jolivette averaged 12 points and eight assists at St. Thomas in Houston.

In the past two seasons, Jones emphasized a defense that put pressure on opposing shooters. Now turning to a batch of young players and those unfamiliar with the system, the pressure is on him to deliver a third straight Patriot League banner.

7. Army

Hoping to ignite its first winning season in more than two decades, the Black Knights made a late-summer coaching hire, turning to Cornell assistant Zach Spiker after firing Jim Crews following an altercation with a player.

Spiker inherits one of the most promising teams in the Patriot League, a defense-first squad with experience. Seven seniors return, led by guards Cleveland Richard (12.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Marcus Nelson (4.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and Josh Miller (9.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg). Chris Walker (2.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg) is a 6-9 senior with starting experience.

A potential standout is guard Julian Simmons (7.4 ppg), who did most of his damage last season as a bench player, although he did start 12 games. He will be a likely addition to Spiker's starting five.

Newcomer C.J. McElrath lettered three years at Grapevine High School. He was named first-team all-district and district Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, when he averaged 24 points and 3.5 assists per game. He was ranked as the 41st-best player in Texas by TexasHoops.com.

Freshman F Ella Ellis was added to the roster in September. Ellis, a 6-6 forward from Houston, Texas, played at the U.S. Military Academy Prep School last season. He was named the USMAPS most improved player and was listed among the top 100 players in the state by both RCSSports.com and TexasHoops.com.

Spiker will have to overcome some challenges with his new squad. Scoring was a big problem for Army last season, as the Black Knights finished at the bottom of the league in points scored and 3-pointers made. They also finished last in offensive and defensive rebounding. Walker will be an X-factor if the Black Knights are to gain some respect down low.

Over the past few seasons, Army has made strides in the Patriot League, twice earning victories in the league tournament. With American taking a step back, this could be the year the Black Knights make a splash. Their fans know it's been long enough.

8. Lafayette

The 2008-09 season was an awful one for Lafayette. With some of their top players coming off injury-plagued seasons, the Leopards enter the new campaign with a roster full of question marks.

For example, 6-8 sophomore Ryan Willen is coming off a solid rookie season, averaging 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds, but he has had foot problems.

Willen is flanked by 6-8 junior Jared Mintz (9.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg), coming off ankle and foot injuries. Junior Darion Benbow (4.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg) provides integral depth in the frontcourt, but he is recovering from shoulder surgery.

Injuries aren't the only issue facing Frank O'Hanlon's squad. The Leopards were last in the league in defense and prone to shoddy rebounding and turnovers. They are also an inexperienced team in a league filled with more-veteran opponents.

Their primary leadership will come in the form of a pair of 6-2 seniors -- Michael Gruner (8.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Jeff Kari (10.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg).

With most of the key players, including three returning starters spending much of the offseason trying to get healthy, the Leopards could face an uphill climb in the conference.

It has been five years since the Leopards turned in a winning season. For O'Hanlon to deliver one this season, they are going to have to hope their luck changes.