Colgate Basketball Updates and more - by Marty Johnson

3/10/2025

The Colgate Raiders’ season come to an end on the Hardwood at Bender Arena losing 72-62 to American. The third seeded men of the Chenango Valley finally ran out of steam after Thursday’s beat down of Army.  Final score 84-55, Colgate shot 52% from the field and 46% from behind the arc. 

This unfortunately was not mirrored in the Patriot League semifinal. Dropping down to 43% from the field and just 30% from the three point line. Tripped up by foul trouble Colgate was overmatched by American who will now advance to the finals against Navy on Wednesday night. 

Good luck to the winner and their auto bid to the tournament. Cheers!

Marty Johnson

2/23/2025

Colgate again split a pair of games this week taking out the Midshipmen from Navy 79-75 and then had an all too familiar set back against Loyola MD 84-65. The Greyhounds now have swept a pair of games against the Raiders on Sunday and it looms as an ominous sign for the Patriot League playoffs. Two final games for Colgate remain this week. Wednesday the Crusaders bring their three point game to Hamilton for a final showdown with Colgate’s dreaded rival. On Saturday America is hiking up to Colgate for a season finale. 

Hopefully working through these games Colgate will enter the Patriot League Playoffs healthy and looking to be a long shot and recapture their Championship.

Time will tell!

Marty Johnson

2/16/2025

Colgate stomped Holy Cross into the dirt last week, and then lost in double overtime to Boston University. 

So the season continues to be a yo yo of ups and downs for the Raiders. 

Marty Johnson

2/8/2025

Colgate split a pair of games this week, dropping the first game in Bethlehem, PA to Lehigh 94-68. Picking up a gritty win on Saturday against Loyola MD 82-68 back in the friendly confines of their home court in Hamilton NY.  The first loss on Monday certainly sent the coaches scrambling back to their drawing board as Lehigh ran them up and down the court with Colgate flustered and looking very much the outclassed team. It was an ominous tough game that had to be equally painful bus ride back to Colgate up through Binghamton and off 12B onto the Chenango Valley.

Saturday was not looking good as Loyola had a 34-25 half time lead over the Raiders. Clearly the regroup at halftime gave them a moment to reset their focus and Colgate came back to overcome the deficit pouring 57 pts in the second half. Led by Jalen Cox who had 22 pts and Nicolas Louis-Jacques who dropped 19 to help the Raiders snap their 4 game losing streak and spark new life into the Raiders season. Next week they take to the road to visit Worcester MA and the home Holy Cross Crusaders.

2/2/2025

Lafayette Leopards were on the prowl in Hamilton on Saturday looking to bite back at the Raiders of Colgate returning the favor of beating the home court team and avenging the earlier victory of Colgate in January. Colgate is experiencing a 3 game slide as they find themselves in an unfamiliar position of being  in the middle of the pack in the Patriot League. Taking their 6-4 conference record to Lehigh on Monday down in Bethlehem PA.

Earlier this week, Colgate stumbled at West Point dropping an 84-72 decision to the Black Knights of the Hudson. The touch behind the three point line has failed Colgate over the last three losses and they are in desperate need of turning that around to return to the win column. After the short trip to Lehigh, Colgate will host Loyola MD Saturday back in Hamilton NY. Hopefully there will be more than 707 paid fans that had turned out at the Lafayette loss.

Thanks for attending, cheers!

1/26/2025

Colgate winning ways came to an end on Saturday where they lost to American Univ. 81-77. Along with the national cold snap, Colgate’s starters went cold from behind the arc only hitting on one 3 pt shot by Nicolas Louis Jacques who is from Miami. Nicolas can’t be enjoying the winters in Hamilton where the temps have dropped in the single digits during January. Ouch!

Off the bench Kyle Carlesimo drained 4-4 from behind the arc. The Seattle native has been a welcomed transfer into Colgate. 

With one last game in January coming up at West Point, Colgate will be seeking to return to their winning ways in the Patriot League.

February will be critical for Colgate to position themselves if they are to repeat the automatic bid to the dance in March by winning the championship tournament.

1/21/2025

Colgate has rolled 5 wins in a row now this year with the latest victories recorded over Navy, Lafayette and in revenge over the Bison of Bucknell in the home confines of Hamilton NY. 

Three point shooting has been steady and Colgate seniors are playing to their usual high standards. Colgate is now 6-1 in league play and will face their biggest test traveling to DC to take on American Univ. 

1/12/2025

Colgate returns to their winning ways, taking two recent Patriot League games. The first was against Lehigh, and the second against Boston University. Both games fifth year senior Jeff Woodward lead the team in points, and is helping with the league record moving on to three and one.

Colgate travels to Annapolis to take on the Midshipmen of Navy, this week.  Anticipating a tough battle down there against the Midshipmen, but Navy history probably won’t help as there are few David Robinson’s amongst their current team. 

After Navy, Colgate takes on the Leopards of Lafayette and then back to battle the Bison of Bucknell. Who put the only league loss on the Raiders of Colgate. The daily average temps in Hamilton are around 18 degrees. I am happy to be reporting in from sunny St. Petersburg, Florida, where I am comfortably in a hoodie and sunglasses. Cheers!

1/5/2025

Colgate began defending their league championship run with conference play earlier this week and grabbed a quick win over the black Knights of Army. In the friendly confines of Hamilton, New York, Colgate was led by 6’11” Jeff Woodward who out played the cadets last Sunday. Leading the entire game with superior three point play and dominant big man play down low, the Raiders sent them home with the loss. 

Colgate as five time champions are seemingly always heavily favored, but unfortunately, this Sunday in a trip to Lewisburg Pennsylvania to face the Bison of Bucknell, Colgate came up short losing 66 to 60. Ironically, a road trip to Lewisburg Pennsylvania is always a reminder of the state penitentiary that resides in that town. Remember to never pick up unknown hitchhikers in Lewisburg PA. 

Colgate is now one and one in the league play, and they will continue to try and right the ship. This week they will face the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh this Wednesday back in Hamilton. As the cold continues to grip NY, old man winter hopefully can warm up the three point shooting and bring home a new win. 

12/22/2024

Colgate got back into it today against Iona, a battle of two 3 win teams, so there was not really much to go on as to who might come up victorious. Unfortunately, for the home team, Iona dictated the pace of play and aggressively won in Hamilton, New York, 79-73. Another thin fan base with most of the student body having left campus made Cotterell Court a vacuous barn. Perhaps a few hundred free tickets could have been dispersed amongst needy local kids in the spirit of the holiday season. 

Shaking off injury fifth year senior, Jeff Woodward was a welcomed return to the line up where he logged more than 30 minutes. After a victory last Sunday the Raiders had a tough week of finals and practice before the pending break. 

Colgate returns to Patriot League play in the new year, and it will be a great opportunity to get after the Black Knights of West Point. The second season begins in January let’s hope for a return to Patriot League dominance.  

12/15/2024

Colgate snapped a 5 game losing streak, with a home victory over the Catamounts of Vermont. After giving #5 Kentucky a second half scare down in Lexington. In front of 19,000+ in the Bluegrass state the Raiders lead by 1 into the second half. Ultimately falling to a deeper Wildcat squad Colgate took that experience and made their way back to a home court victory on Cotterell Court in front of a feisty 1,900+ fans. Taking apart Vermont 65-60 led by Nicolas Louis-Jacques throwing in 17 pts in the win.  

Yes, I spent the last few hours watching this game instead of football.  

Next up for Colgate is another home game vs. Iona on Dec 22nd.