The Colgate University men’s basketball team began its playoff journey on Thursday, March 6 with a home game against Army. This season, however, has looked different from years past. Instead of entering as a dominant force in the Patriot League, the Raiders were in an unfamiliar position — underdogs with everything to prove.
The Raiders beat Army 84-55 in the Patriot League quarterfinals at home at Cotterell Court. This game marked Head Coach Matt Langel’s 22nd Patriot League tournament victory as he became the Patriot League coach with the most postseason wins in league history.
Colgate then went on to face American in the semifinal round of the tournament. The Raiders faced the Eagles twice this season prior to their semifinal matchup. On March 9, the Raiders lost to the Eagles 62-72, ending their post-season run.
Langel recognized the Eagles’ skill and hard work in a post-game comment to Colgate Athletics.
“I want to acknowledge and tip my cap to American and their coaching staff. They’re a really tough, hard-nosed, disciplined, determined and talented group. Now they have a chance to play at home for a championship. I’ve coached a lot of guys who have had that opportunity and that’s something you don’t always get,” Langel said. “Obviously a hard-fought game tonight. We didn’t shoot well enough or play well enough to survive in this environment. We certainly gave it everything we had. I’m immeasurably proud of our group, especially our seniors, for all they’ve been through, for their commitment to the program, for the leadership, and for the teammates they’ve been. Sad to see our seniors go but very thankful and grateful for all that they’ve done for our program.”
Members of the men’s basketball team spoke to the Maroon-News prior to their game against Army on March 6 where they discussed their team culture and ability to overcome hard losses.
The Raiders’ strength this season has come from their culture and togetherness. First-year guard Blake Forrest pointed to the team’s chemistry as a major factor in their ability to stay competitive.
“We play for each other, not for ourselves,” Forrest said.
Fifth-year, forward and captain Jeff Woodward echoed that sentiment, crediting the team’s ability to learn from mistakes and improve over time.
“We’re young, but when we play together and do what we’re supposed to, we see how effective and good we can be. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’ve remained competitive right to the end. We don’t tend to make the same mistakes twice, and that’s been a big emphasis,” Woodward said.
The team has also drawn motivation from some tough losses in the regular season, using those experiences to sharpen their focus heading into the postseason. Senior guard Chandler Baker pointed to a couple of difficult games.
“Losing to Loyola [University Maryland] by 20 and then to Lehigh [University] — I don’t like losing. But we use that as momentum to keep going and put it behind us,” Baker said.
Leadership has been a crucial component in keeping the team grounded throughout the ups and downs of the season. Baker credited Woodward for his influence, especially in moments when he couldn’t be on the court.
“[Woodward] has been a great leader, even while injured, and has had a lot of influence on us,” Baker said.
Forrest also pointed out the impact of senior, guard and captain Nicolas Louis-Jacques as a vocal leader.
“[Louis-Jacques] has really taken it to a new level as a leader with [Woodward] this year, putting in a lot of effort in checking in on us and making sure we’re doing well on and off the court,” Forrest said.
The Raiders’ loss in Washington, D.C. marks the first time since 2017 that Colgate will not make a Patriot League championship game appearance. This loss also puts an end to Colgate’s four-year-long steak as Patriot League Tournament champions.
