The Colgate Raiders (24-10) will return to March Madness for the first time since 1996 after defeating Bucknell 94-80 to win the Patriot League tournament championship.
Colgate is expected to receive a #15 seed, which probably means a match against Zion Williamson and #2 Duke. The last time Colgate appeared in March Madness, they were a #16 seed.
This season, Colgate fielded their best team since the Adonal Foyle days. In the early 1990s, Foyle emerged as the best player the Patriot League history. Foyle would go on to play in the NBA, but he led Colgate to their last March Madness berth in 1996.
Peak Raiders
Colgate set a school record with 23 victories heading into the Patriot League championship game. With the win over Bucknell, Colgate now has 24 wins. Colgate won their eleven games in a row, which also marks a new school record.
“I’m thrilled to be their coach and to have this win go down in Colgate history,” said head coach Matt Langel. “For me it means a lot. Obviously, we don’t have a ton of history and tradition. I’m really proud of the program that we’ve built.”
Jordan Burns, a 6-foot sophomore guard, stepped up to score a career-high 35 points for Colgate including six three-pointers. Burns became vital counterpoint to Bucknell’s Canadian sharp shooter Kimbal Mackenzie.
Bucknell trailed by 13 points at halftime. Mackenzie came out of the locker room on fire. He drilled four treys and scored 16 of Bucknell’s first 18 points to spur a comeback. Bucknell got within two points thanks to Mackenzie’s hot hand.
“I was just playing in the flow, just taking the opportunities I had, nothing different than any other way I’d approach the game,” said Mackenzie. “I just happened to be open a couple of times. You just get into your groove. The net gets a little bigger. It’s hard to describe.”
Colgate swiftly counterattacked with a couple of key treys from Burns. Mackenzie cooled down and Bucknell ran out of gas. Mackenzie finished with 23 points in a losing effort. Colgate cruised to a 14-point win to secure their first Patriot League title since 1996.
St. Mary’s also punched their ticket to the Big Dance. The Gaels upset the top team in the country, Gonzaga, to win the WCC championship in Las Vegas. They will join Ja Morant and Murray State, who became the first team to advance to March Madness. Wofford, one of the best shooting teams in the country, earned an automatic bid by winning the Southern Conference title over the weekend.