LEHIGH, COLGATE SET FOR PATRIOT LEAGUE CLASH

HAMILTON, N.Y. (Interstat) — Patriot League rivals Lehigh and Colgate will meet Saturday at Cotterell Court, with the host Raiders looking to continue their positive conference start and the visiting Mountain Hawks aiming to build on a rare win.

The matchup features teams trending in opposite directions within league play. Colgate (9-7 overall) has opened its Patriot League schedule 3-0, including a narrow 64-62 home victory over American on Wednesday. Lehigh (5-11) snapped a three-game skid with its own 66-58 conference win over Holy Cross that same afternoon, marking just its second victory since late November.

A key battle will unfold between two of the league’s top scorers. Lehigh’s Hank Alvey enters on a hot streak, averaging 20.8 points over his last five games. He scored 20 in the win over Holy Cross and poured in 26 in a loss at Bucknell on Jan. 3. Colgate counters with Ben Tweedy, who has led the Raiders in scoring in three of their last four games. He posted 19 points in the win over American and 18 in a road victory at Army.

The Raiders have found success with balance. In their last outing, Andrew Alekseyenko added 13 points and Josh Ahayere provided key minutes off the bench. Lehigh also saw a secondary scorer emerge Wednesday as Edouard Benoit matched Alvey’s output with 22 points, offering a needed offensive boost.

Historically, Colgate has dominated the series in recent years, winning the last 11 meetings. The Raiders won all three matchups last season by an average of 17 points.

Colgate’s 3-0 league start positions them early as a conference contender, while Lehigh seeks to prove its recent win is a turning point. The Raiders’ defense, which held American to 62 points, will be tested by Alvey’s versatile scoring. Lehigh must find a way to slow Tweedy and contain Colgate’s supporting cast to have a chance on the road.

Saturday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the programs this season, with the rematch scheduled for Jan. 31 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. EST on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at Cotterell Court.