30 In 30: Patriot League

6-11 junior Mike Muscala will be a big part of Bucknell's road to a second straight Patriot League title. (Photo courtesy of The Mid-Majority)

This is nothing more than a coincidence: The Patriot League is next up in the conference preview series, and it has absolutely nothing to do with today being September 11th. Nonetheless, here it is without any further ado:

1) Bucknell - Last season's Patriot League champions are intent on raising another banner inside the Sojka Pavilion, and return the duo of 6-11 junior Mike Muscala and Canadian junior shooting guard Bryson Johnson this season to prove it. Last season, Johnson shot a staggering 46 percent from three-point range. Bryan Cohen will be the primary replacement for the departed Darryl Shazier at the point for the Bison.

2) Holy Cross - The Crusaders return their leading scorer as guard Devin Brown is back for his senior season, and former St. John's recruit Mike Cavataio will join him in the backcourt as the probable point guard in what will be the Queens native's final year of eligibility after transferring from the Red Storm after the 2007-08 season. Coincidentally, Holy Cross welcomes a 5-8 freshman guard named Justin Burrell, no relation to the former Johnny who is now playing in Japan, to their program.

3) Lehigh - C.J. McCollum averaged almost 22 points per game a year ago as a sophomore, and now has two more seasons to add to those gaudy numbers from a season ago. Even more impressive was that the 6-3 McCollum managed to pull in just under eight rebounds a night as well. Gabe Knutson should help McCollum on the glass, as the 6-9 junior will be the focal point inside the paint for the Mountain Hawks.

4) Navy - The Academy gets a new head coach in former Penn State boss Ed DeChellis, who led the Nittany Lions into the NCAA Tournament last season, where they almost beat Temple in the round of 64. The one-two punch of guard Jordan Sugars and forward J.J. Avila is intact once again, and Avila will be looking to make a name for himself in his sophomore season.

5) Lafayette - Jim Mower was the Leopards' go-to guy from beyond the arc last year, shooting 39 percent from three. Mower returns for his senior year alongside 6-8 Ryan Willen, also a fourth-year player, to give Lafayette a one-two punch capable of delivering key baskets and dagger outside shots in the same motion.

6) Colgate - Nick Pascale, a 6-10 senior, could hold the key to the Raiders' season this year. Pascale may have averaged only seven points per game a year ago, but was Colgate's leading rebounder. The big man will need to pick up the pace offensively for a team that returns point guard Mitch Rolls and swingman Yaw Gyawu to a squad intent on crashing the top half of the Patriot League standings.

7) American - Two years ago, the Eagles nearly upset eventual Final Four participant Villanova as a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, this is a completely different squad in our nation's capital, one that will have to look for a phenomenal year from guard Troy Brewer, who is far and away Jeff Jones' top returning player.

8) Army - Sharpshooters Ella Ellis and Julian Simmons return to West Point as the primary options in an offense that loses leading scorer Jeremy Hence; and after Simmons, who averaged over twelve points per game, it's a long way down to guard Josh Herbeck, who is the next name on the list when looking at last year's scoring leaders. Herbeck averaged only 5.2 points a night.