EASTON, Pa. (Interstat) — The Patriot League men’s basketball season tips off Wednesday with a New Year’s Eve matchup as the Colgate Raiders visit the Lafayette Leopards at Kirby Sports Center.

Colgate (6-7) enters conference play looking to halt a three-game skid, most recently a 78-69 home loss to Harvard on Sunday. The Raiders have shown offensive firepower but have struggled defensively in defeats to power conference foe Florida and Atlantic 10 member Saint Bonaventure during this stretch.

Lafayette (3-9) seeks its first win since Dec. 5, carrying a four-game losing streak into the league opener. The Leopards have faced a rigorous non-conference schedule, including road losses to Georgia Tech, Charlotte and West Virginia.

A key matchup will feature the teams’ standout guards. Colgate’s Jalen Cox is averaging 16.5 points and 7.3 assists over his last four games, including a 26-point, 7-assist effort at Saint Bonaventure. He leads a Raiders offense that has four players averaging double-figure scoring.

Lafayette will counter with Mark Butler, who is coming off a 20-point, 8-assist performance at Georgia Tech. He has been a consistent playmaker, averaging 7.5 assists over his last four contests.

Historically, Colgate has dominated the series, winning 15 of the last 16 meetings. The Raiders swept last season’s matchups by an average of 24 points.

For both teams, Wednesday’s game represents a fresh start and a chance to build early momentum in the Patriot League standings. Colgate aims to leverage its experience and offensive balance, while Lafayette hopes home court and the play of Butler can help spring an upset to open conference play.

The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. EST tip-off.