By Michael Kelley ’14

The Lafayette Men’s Basketball team was picked to finish fourth, tied with Holy Cross, in a 2012-2013 Patriot League Preseason poll released on Wednesday’s Media Day at Arts Quest Center in Bethlehem. Both teams received 55 votes.

Voting was conducted by league head coaches and sports information directors, who could not vote for their own team or athletes.

There were no surprises atop the league as Lehigh and Bucknell were picked to finish first and second.

Lehigh is coming off one of the best seasons in Patriot League basketball history in which they won the Patriot League Championship and went on to defeat No. 2 seeded Duke 75-70 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Star point guard C.J. McCollum was picked to win Patriot League Player of the Year for the third consecutive season.

Bucknell won the Patriot League regular-season title and defeated Arizona 65-54 in the National Invitation Tournament. The Bison feature two players on the preseason All-League team, guard Cameron Ayers ‘14 and center Mike Muscala‘13.

Lafayette made the Patriot League semifinals last season, but lost their three leading scorers (Ryan Willen, Jim Mower, and Rob Delaney) to graduation. Guard Tony Johnson ‘13 captains a team that has just four upperclassmen and nine underclassmen. Fran O’Hanlon will begin his 18th season as Lafayette’s Head Coach.

American was picked to finish third in front of Lafayette, Holy Cross, Army, Colgate, and Navy.

The 2012-2013 season begins November 9 and Patriot League play begins January 12.