Preview: American Eagles at Colgate Raiders HAMILTON, N.Y. (Interstat) — Two teams trending in opposite directions will meet Wednesday night when the American Eagles visit the Colgate Raiders in a Patriot League men’s basketball clash at Cotterell Court. American (9-6) enters on a two-game winning streak, including a gritty 64-62 road victory at Boston University last Saturday. The Eagles have found success at 9-6 by protecting their home court, but face a test on the road against the defending conference champions. Colgate (8-7), the perennial league power, has righted itself with consecutive wins after a three-game skid against tough non-conference foes Harvard, Florida and Saint Bonaventure. The Raiders most recently won 76-69 at Army. A key matchup will feature each team’s versatile standout. American guard Greg Jones is averaging 13.0 points per game and comes in hot, scoring 16 and 17 points in the Eagles’ last two wins. For Colgate, forward Andrew Alekseyenko is a stat-sheet filler, averaging 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He nearly posted a triple-double at Army with 6 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists. American’s recent success has been fueled by balance. Against Boston U., Julen Iturbe added 14 points and Madden Collins had 13 points and seven rebounds alongside Jones’ team-high 16. Colgate counters with depth of its own, as Ben Tweedy and Kyle Carlesimo each scored 18 points in the win at Army. The Raiders hold a significant historical edge in the series and have dominated league play in recent years. However, the Eagles’ current form suggests they could pose a serious threat to Colgate’s home court advantage. A win for American would signal a potential shift in the Patriot League hierarchy, while a Colgate victory would reassert its familiar position atop the conference. Wednesday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the schools, with the rematch scheduled for Jan. 21 in Washington, D.C. Following this game, American will host Holy Cross on Saturday. Colgate continues its homestand against Lehigh on Saturday.