Forgive Lafayette fans if they’re looking a little too far into the future. This year’s incoming freshman class is Lafayette’s first group on athletic scholarships, and it looks like Fran O’Hanlon’s squad will be back in the Patriot League mix in no time. Meanwhile, there’s a season to play this year and the Leopards are undermanned to compete in the league. Sophomore point guard Andrew Brown is back after flirting with transferring, but 2005-06 leading scorer and rebounder Andrei Capusan is graduated and the upper-echelon frontcourts of the league tower over Lafayette’s. The Leopards have some talent in place and have the always-dangerous O’Hanlon, but it will be an uphill battle to be competitive in the Patriot League this year.

American University downed four-time Canadian National Champion Carleton 64-62 in overtime. Brayden Billbe had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Andre Ingram added 12 points and 9 boards in 40 minutes of work. The loss was Carleton’s second in their ten-game exhibition schedule; the other was a one-point loss to Louisville.

Jack Eggleston of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, FL, has committed to Penn. Eggleston had narrowed his list to Penn, Lafayette, and American and had taken official visits to all three schools in addition to a visit to Lehigh. He also attended prospect camps at Princeton and Columbia over the summer. Last year the 6-8 forward averaged 8.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game for a team that went 20-8 and advanced to the Florida 5A regional semifinals.

Army fans hope the worst is over. The Black Knights went 5-22 last season, with just one conference win, and it feels like there’s nowhere lower that they can fall. Army finished last in the league in scoring offense and field goal percentage. But Jim Crews returns four starters, boasts a deep backcourt and brought in a freshman class that addresses Army’s size deficiency. Army seems primed to improve, but can they pass also-improving Navy and Colgate squads? The Black Knights are stocked with players who have shown flashes of brilliance but have yet to put it together consistently. If a few of those players find themselves this year, Army could make a rare venture out of the bottom of the Patriot League.

Kyle Roemer, Colgate’s leading scorer last season with 11.4 points per game, will miss the entire 2006-2007 season after having ankle surgery according to Colgate Athletics. Roemer injured the ankle in August.