Dec. 3, 2003

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. -- The Patriot League's seventh year of producing men's and women's basketball games for television returns to DIRECTV for a second season (Channel 615). All League-produced games will be available to DIRECTV's more than 12 million customers beginning Jan. 23, 2004.

The 11-game schedule will feature six consecutive Friday night men's national telecasts, all four Patriot League Tournament semifinal games (two men's and two women's) and the women's Championship game, Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich announced today. Friday night broadcast start times are scheduled for 8 p.m. (EST).

Returning for his second season as the play-by-play commentator for the men's and women's games will be Bob Socci. John Feinstein, author of The Last Amateurs and numerous other best-sellers, will handle the color commentary duties for the men's games for the third year, while Jody Lavin Patrick returns for a third season as color analyst for the women's contests. Jim Satalin will serve as analyst for the Feb. 6 Lafayette at Colgate match-up.

Patriot League basketball returns to DIRECTV on Channel 615 on Friday, Jan. 23, featuring one of the League's oldest rivalries - Lehigh at Lafayette. When the teams get together, it will mark the 199th meeting (Lafayette leads the series 131-67) between the two schools. Lafayette has dominated the Mountain Hawks in the Fran O'Hanlon era, posting a record of 13-5. Second-year Lehigh head coach Billy Taylor will try to notch his first win at the Allan P. Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa.

The following Friday, the rivalry match-up intensifies as Army travels to Annapolis, Md., to meet the Midshipmen of Navy Friday, Jan. 30. Second-year Army coach Jim Crews will battle his biggest League rival for the third time, in search of the Black Knights first win over Navy under Crews. The Navy Midshipmen are 21-3 against Army in Patriot League regular-season contests and have won 25 of the last 27 games.

Friday, Feb. 6 will feature the Lafayette Leopards' second appearance on the Patriot League/DIRECTV package as the squad will visit Hamilton, N.Y., in a match-up with the Colgate Raiders. Last season, Lafayette knocked Colgate out of the Patriot League Tournament with an 89-76 victory in the quarterfinals and defeated the Raiders in the DIRECTV Game of the Week, 60-56 at Lafayette. Colgate narrowly holds the advantage in the all-time record between the schools, 37-32.

Patriot League Tournament runner-up American University opens the first of its two DIRECTV National Games of the Week by visiting Lehigh University Friday, Feb. 13. The Eagles venture into Bethlehem, Pa., looking to avenge last season's 57-54 loss at Stabler Arena.

The following week, American hosts Holy Cross, Friday, Feb. 20, in a rematch from last year's Patriot League Championship duel. The Crusaders lead the head-to-head series 6-1; 5-1 in Patriot League meetings including back-to-back tournament championship victories. Last season, American defeated Holy Cross at Bender Arena, 72-49.

The Friday night "Game of the Week" campaign concludes on Feb. 27 as Holy Cross hosts the Bucknell Bison. The Bison and Crusaders have met 33 times, with Bucknell holding a slim 17-16 series lead. The two teams had never met until joining the Patriot League in 1990-91. Last season HC swept the Bison in the regular-season (69-47 in Worcester; 54-43 in Lewisburg) and defeated Bucknell in the semifinals of the League tournament 75-50 at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md.

All four Patriot League Tournament semifinal games will be broadcast from the 14th Annual Tournament at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md. The broadcast day will open with back-to-back women's semifinal contests starting at noon. The men's semifinals will feature back-to-back contests with a 5 p.m. tip-off (estimated). The Patriot League Tournament opens March 5 with four women's contests followed by four men's games on March 6. All contests will be played at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md. For ticket information, please call 301-952-7900 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

The Patriot League women's championship contest will be played on the highest remaining seeded team's home court. This DIRECTV broadcast is slated for a 7 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday, March 10.

ESPN2 will broadcast the Patriot League men's championship game on Sunday, March 14 at noon from the highest remaining seeded team's home court.

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2004 Patriot League Basketball TV Schedule
Games Broadcast on
DIRECTV Channel 615