Navy men’s basketball has become accustomed to being picked to place near the bottom of the Patriot League standings in the preseason poll.
It has been a motivating factor for the Midshipmen, who have made a habit of consistently finishing higher than predicted.
That narrative figures to be upended this season since Navy has already been rated in the top tier of the Patriot League by several media outlets. With four returning starters and a total of 10 returning lettermen, the Midshipmen are expected to contend for the conference championship. Navy last won the Patriot League regular season title in 1999-20.