Members of the Navy men's basketball team were miffed at being picked to finish last in the Patriot League by a preseason poll of coaches and sports information directors. The Midshipmen swore they would use the slight as motivation throughout the season.
That prediction appeared accurate after Navy was blown out by Bucknell, 88-58, in the conference opener. It was an embarrassing result that prompted coach Ed DeChellis to declare the subsequent home game against Holy Cross a "must-win." After all, the Midshipmen faced consecutive road games the following week.
Navy has rebounded from the "Bucknell debacle," as DeChellis termed it, in by winning three straight.