OPENING TIP
- Lafayette returns to Kirby Sports Center looking to start a new winning streak on Wednesday against Navy. The Leopards have won six straight Patriot League games at home dating back to last season, including an 85-70 victory over Loyola in the conference home opener on Jan. 9.

- Under head coach Fran O'Hanlon, Lafayette has been traditionally strong from beyond the arc through the years, but the Leopards are relying on outside shooting for an even greater majority of their scoring in 2018-19. 37.3 percent of Lafayette's offense has come from the three-point line this season, and that number increases to 47.9 percent in Patriot League contests.

- Navy won both meetings with the Leopards a year ago, both by three points or less. The Mids used a buzzer-beater for a 75-72 win in Easton and eked out a 71-69 win in the return to Annapolis.

LAST TIME OUT
Lafayette had its three-point shooting on display at the Hart Center in Worcester, Massachusetts on Saturday afternoon, but Holy Cross still proved too tough in a 77-70 defeat in Patriot League action.

The Leopards shot a scintillating 15-for-28 from beyond the arc (53.6%) on the day, including a combined 11-for-17 from sophomores Justin Jaworski (6-of-8) and Alex Petrie (5-of-9). Unfortunately, they went 30.1 percent from the floor on two-point attempts and four double-figure scorers for the home side proved to be the difference.

Holy Cross was efficient throughout its offensive possessions on the afternoon, going 30-of-54 from the field (55.6%) and 8-of-14 from three (57.1%), including 7-of-10 in the opening 20 minutes. Preseason All-Patriot League selection Jehyve Floyd was formidable in the paint, tallying a game-high 25 points with six rebounds and six assists to lead Holy Cross offensively. Jacob Grandison, Caleb Green and Austin Butler rounded out the Crusader offense with 18, 15 and 10 points, respectively.

Senior co-captain Paulius Zalys paced the Maroon and White on the glass with seven boards to go with seven points as the only other Leopard with more than five. Holy Cross won the battle on the glass, 33-26, and recorded 18 assists to just seven turnovers.

THE SKINNY ON THE MIDS
Navy, picked one spot ahead of the Leopards at eighth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, has impressed in the early going of the league season, carrying a 2-2 conference record with victories over Colgate (72-66) and Holy Cross (50-48), each predicted to finish in the top five of the Patriot League standings. The Mids sit at 5-10 on the year overall, defeating Coppin State (77-58), Bryant (83-79) and Delaware (80-65) in the non-conference portion of their 2018-19 slate.

George Kiernan, Cam Davis and Hasan Abdullah provide the bulk of the offense for the visiting side, averaging 12.3, 11.3 and 9.7 points per night, the only players for Navy averaging more than seven points per outing. Kiernan paces the Mids on the glass as well at 5.2 boards per night, while Davis has been a sharpshooter from distance, knocking down three's at a 41.3 percent clip.
 
LAST MEETING
Alex Petrie shot his way into the record books on Feb. 14, 2018 in Annapolis, Maryland, but his effort wasn't enough as the comeback fell short  for the Leopards in a 71-69 loss to Navy.

With the Mids up by six into the final minute, Petrie turned it on, scoring all nine of Lafayette's points late to give the Leopards a chance to tie with six seconds left. Speeding up the left side of the floor as the clock ran down, Petrie wasn't able to get a shot off, however, losing control of the ball as the buzzer sounded in defeat.

The Midlothian, Virginia native finished with a team-high 21 points to move his season number to 394, the most by a freshman Leopard in program history. Additionally, Petrie knocked down a pair of threes on the evening to give him 62 on the year, tying Mike Homer '00's freshman mark, set in 1996-97.

Lafayette shot it well from the field, going 28-for-58 (50.0%), but 15 turnovers proved costly as the Mids were able to convert 18 points off those miscues. Joining Petrie in double-figure scoring was classmate Justin Jaworski with 15 points, four boards, three assists and two steals, as well as Paulius Zalys with 11 points, nine rebounds and three helpers.

OUR HOUSE
Lafayette places its six-game home Patriot League winning streak on the line versus Navy. The Leopards finished the 2017-18 season with five straight victories at Kirby Sports Center, including a tournament triumph over American on Feb. 27, 2018. Lafayette won its 2018-19 Patriot League home opener against Loyola on Jan. 9, using 11-of-20 shooting from beyond the arc to propel the 85-70 victory. 

The six-game league winning streak at home is tied for second among current Patriot League teams as Colgate has also won its last six in league play in Hamilton, New York. Everyone is chasing Bucknell as the Bison have been victorious in their last 13 league contests at Sojka Pavilion in Lewisburg. 

THE POLISH RIFLE
Sophomore Justin Jaworski has been on a tear from the three-point line in recent games, moving up to 13th in the nation in three-point percentage at 46.5 percent for the year. Over his last four outings, Jaworski has gone 17-for-27 from distance (63.0%), including a 6-of-8 performance at Holy Cross on Saturday. At that percentage, it's only fitting that Jaworski leads the Patriot League in three's made per game as well, knocking down just shy of three per contest.