Preview: Struggling Lafayette Visits American in Patriot League Clash

WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The American Eagles look to solidify their position in the Patriot League standings when they host the struggling Lafayette Leopards in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at Bender Arena.

American (13-9 overall) enters the contest seeking to rebound from a 77-68 road loss at Loyola Maryland on Wednesday. Prior to that, the Eagles had won four of their previous five games. They are led by guard Madden Collins, who is averaging 19.3 points over his last four contests, including a 22-point performance in the loss to Loyola Maryland.

Lafayette (6-15) snapped a two-game skid with a narrow 81-79 home victory over Bucknell on Wednesday. The Leopards’ season has been defined by inconsistency, particularly on the road where they are 1-9. Their fortunes often hinge on the performance of standout guard Caleb Williams, who is coming off a 28-point effort against Bucknell and has scored 20 or more points in five of his last nine games.

The matchup pits one of the conference’s top offensive threats in American’s Collins against a Lafayette team that allows an average of 76.2 points per game. The Eagles have shown a balanced attack, with Geoff Sprouse and Greg Jones providing consistent secondary scoring.

For Lafayette to pull off the road upset, they will need more support for Williams. Mark Butler and Andrew Phillips, who combined for 31 points in the win over Bucknell, must contribute again. The Leopards rank last in the Patriot League in scoring defense, a vulnerability American will aim to exploit.

This is the first of two scheduled meetings between the teams this season. They will meet again at Lafayette on Feb. 22.

American holds a commanding advantage in the recent series, having won seven of the last ten matchups. The Eagles won both contests last season by an average of 17 points.

Saturday’s game tips off at 2 p.m. EST in the nation’s capital.