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      HAMILTON, N.Y. – With two non-conference games remaining before the start of the Patriot League season, the  Colgate University basketball team (7-3) hopes to continue the momentum it has built up when the Raiders entertain Bethany (WV) College on Thursday night at Cotterell Court.  Tip-off is 7:05 p.m.

      The Raiders, who are enjoying their finest start since the 1971-72 season, had a five-game winning streak stopped on Sunday at Notre Dame, 92-61.  The streak was the longest for Colgate since they put together a string of seven straight wins during the 1996-97 campaign.

      Despite losing to Notre Dame, the Raiders continue to play with plenty of intensity.  After falling behind 19-4 against the Irish, Colgate clawed its way back into the contest trailing 37-31 at halftime.  A cold-start to the second half put the game out of reach for the Raiders as Notre Dame scored the first 10 points.

      Junior Tim Sullivan with 17 points –all in the first half – and sophomore Mark Linebaugh with 16 points led Colgate.  Sullivan was 3-of-6 from 3-point range while Linebaugh was a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc.

      Senior Pat Campolieta continues to lead the Raiders in scoring with 15.4 points per game and rebounding with 7.5 caroms per outing.  The second leading scorer in the Patriot League needs 48 points for 7^th place on the school’s all-time scoring list.  He has 1,357 points in 95 games.

      Linebaugh is second in scoring with 12.0 points per game followed by Howard Blue with 11.5 per contest.

      The Raiders have been impressive from the charity stripe this season.  The starting five has made .794 percent of its attempts led by Sullivan (.909) and Dave Hardy (.900).  Overall the squad is netting .751 percent of its free throws.

      Bethany (7-4) is making its first appearance on the Colgate schedule.  The Bison concluded the 2001 portion of their schedule with a second place finish in the Land of Magic Tournament in Orlando, Florida last Saturday.  After defeating Carroll (Wisc.) College in the opening round, 103-75, they dropped the title game to Embry-Riddle, 115-76.

      Following the Bethany game, the Raiders will travel to the University of New Hampshire on Saturday before opening their Patriot league campaign on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at home against the league’s newest member American University.

      GAME NOTES: Three Colgate players are category leaders in the Patriot League statistics.  Junior Martin Marek is leading the league in field goal percentage, while Sullivan is tops in assist/turnover ratio and Campolieta is first in rebounding … Colgate has a four-game home winning streak.  The Raiders are 4-1 at Cotterell Court … Linebaugh scored the 400^th point of his career during the Notre Dame, while Sullivan needs three points for 500 in his career.