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HAMILTON, N.Y. - The Colgate University basketball team (12-8 overall, 3-4 Patriot League) begins the second half of its Patriot League schedule Saturday afternoon, when the Raiders travel to Washington, D.C. to take on first place American University (11-9. PL 5-2).  Tip-off is 1 p.m. at Bender Arena.

            The Raiders will carry a three-game winning streak into the matchup against the Eagles, who defeated Navy in overtime in their last outing.  The last three victories have come at the expense of Lafayette, Binghamton and Army.

            Sophomore Mark Linebaugh tied his career-high with 27 points Wednesday night against Army.  He had help from senior forward Pat Campolieta who posted his fifth double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds, and sophomore center Howard Blue, who netted 16 points.

            This is the third meeting between Colgate and American with the series knotted at one apiece.  Colgate won the first game in 1962, 70-69, at Cotterell Court, while the Eagles defeated the Raiders, 76-59, earlier this season on Colgate’s home court.

            Campolieta, the first player in school history to rank in the Top 10 in career scoring (1,518), rebounding (641), assists (220) and steals (176), continues to lead Colgate in scoring and rebounding.  He is averaging 15.8 points per game and 7.3 caroms per outing, which is good for third place in the Patriot League scoring and second in rebounding.

            With his double-double against Army, Campolieta moved into fifth place on the school’s all-time scoring list and eighth place in rebounding.

            Linebaugh, who has posted back-to-back 20-plus scoring nights, is second in scoring with 13.0 points per game, while Blue is third with 11.2 points per game.  Tim Sullivan, who is questionable for the American game with a sprained ankle, is averaging 9.3 ppg and Dave Hardy 8.5 ppg.

            Patrick Doctor is American’s leading scorer with 12.3 points per game followed closely by Steven Miles with 11.4.  They are followed in the scoring column by Valdimir Buscaglia (9.1) and Glenn Stokes (8.6).  The Eagles’ leading rebounders are Doctor and Keith Gray with 5.5 per game.