Hamilton, NY — The Colgate Raiders (12-13, PL 4-8) will be entertaining the Patriot League’s top team for the second time this season, when they play host to Lehigh (17-8, PL 10-2) Friday night at Cotterell Court. Tip-off is 8 p.m. The game will be televised live on the YES Network and DirecTV (Channel 622).
Earlier this season, Lafayette came to Cotterell Court undefeated (7-0) and the Raiders pinned a 75-66 loss on the Leopards.
In the first meeting this season between Colgate and Lehigh, the Mountain Hawks came away with a 61-56 win, snapping a three-game losing streak to the Raiders. This is the 60th meeting between these two Patriot League rivals with the Raiders leading the overall series, 39-20.
Colgate has a 12-game winning streak over Lehigh at Cotterell Court. The Mountain Hawks last victory at Cotterell Court was during the 1990-91 season, 100-81.
Colgate has three players in double figures led by senior forward Howard Blue with 13.9 points per game – fourth in the Patriot League. After missing six straight games with a knee injury, Blue has seen action in the last three games as a reserve player. Also in double-digits are senior guard Mark Linebaugh (12.8) and sophomore guard Alvin Reed (11.4). Linebaugh is 7th and Reed 10th in the Patriot League in scoring.
Junior center Andrew Zidar is second in rebounding in the Patriot League with 6.4 caroms per outing and is averaging 9.2 points per game (18th in PL).
Reed leads the team in assists with a personal season-best 87 and steals with 33. Linebaugh is second in assists with 74, followed by Zidar with 51. Freshman Kendall Chones, three time Patriot League Freshman of the Week, leads in blocked shots with 10.
Linebaugh is the second leading free throw shooter in the Patriot League making .835 percent of his shots, while Reed is seventh (.760).
OTHER COLGATE NOTES: Colgate is third in the Patriot League in scoring (69.3), third in free throw shooting (.703), fourth in field goal percentage (.436), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (.354), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.349), fourth in assists (13.92 pg), and tied for first in turnover/assist ratio (1.01).