Preview: Bucknell Bison at Colgate Raiders

HAMILTON, N.Y. (Interstat) — A surging Bucknell team will look to continue its recent turnaround in Patriot League play when it visits Colgate on Saturday at Cotterell Court.

The Bison (6-12, 3-2 Patriot) have won three of their last four conference games, including a 76-69 victory over Lafayette on Wednesday. They will face a Raiders squad (10-8, 4-2) that sits near the top of the league standings and is coming off an 86-80 road win at Loyola Maryland.

Bucknell’s resurgence has been fueled by guard Pat Curtin. The sophomore is averaging 15.6 points per game in Patriot League play, including a 25-point performance in a win over Loyola Maryland on Jan. 10 and 17 points with four assists against Lafayette. His backcourt leadership will be critical against Colgate’s pressure.

The Raiders counter with versatile forward Andrew Alekseyenko, who impacts the game in multiple facets. Over his last six contests, Alekseyenko is averaging 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. His ability to facilitate, highlighted by an 11-rebound, 7-assist effort in a win at Army, makes him the focal point of Colgate’s offense.

Colgate holds a clear advantage in overall record and has performed well at home, including non-conference wins over Fordham and a narrow victory over American earlier this month. However, the Bison have shown marked improvement since the start of league play after a difficult non-conference slate that included blowout losses to power-conference foes Iowa and Akron.

Historically, Colgate has dominated the recent series, but Bucknell’s current form suggests a more competitive matchup. The Raiders will need to contain Curtin and exploit their depth, which includes key contributors Jalen Cox and Ben Tweedy, who combined for 28 points in the win over Loyola Maryland.

Saturday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the schools, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 7 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. EST.