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Patriot League preview: Lehigh ready to rise again

Lehigh guard Kahron Ross has a talent for sharing the ball as he averaged 5.8 assists per game last season for the Mountain Hawks. Rick Scuteri/AP Images

Every league preaches parity once conference season arrives. "There's so much talent in this league that any team could win the conference crown," said every coach in America once league play begins. It's not always true because most conferences only feature a handful of teams that can make a legit run.

Well, that parity thing in the Patriot League is real. Last season, five teams finished .500 or better. Even Army, which collapsed after January, collected six conference wins. Lafayette, a 9-9 squad in Patriot League play, won the conference tournament and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after defeating American (8-10) in the title game.