AU Loses Forward Simon For Final

American University forward Bryce Simon has a torn knee ligament and will miss tomorrow's Patriot League championship game against Colgate, Coach Jeff Jones said yesterday.

Simon, one of two players to start every game for the top-seeded Eagles, was injured attempting to rebound in the first half of the semifinal against Army on Sunday. The 6-foot-6 junior college transfer is fourth on the team in scoring with a 7.2-point average and tied for first in rebounds at 4.1. He is also second in assists (67), second in three-pointers made (43) and is shooting 74.3 percent from the free throw line.

Frank Borden, a 6-4 junior with one previous start, is likely to replace Simon in the lineup for the 4:45 p.m. tip-off against the third-seeded Raiders (18-13) at Bender Arena.

The Eagles (20-11) are seeking their first NCAA tournament berth after losing in the conference final three times in the previous six years.

"It's a big loss for us," point guard Derrick Mercer said. "Frank and the other guys off the bench just have to be ready to give us some good minutes."

Simon had a career-high 19 points in the regular season finale, an 84-72 victory over Lafayette that clinched first place. He had 12 points and four rebounds in a quarterfinal win against Holy Cross and contributed eight points and three rebounds in 12 minutes Sunday before getting injured.

"Bryce is a smart player, a capable passer and he gave us an additional perimeter threat," Jones said. Borden "is probably our best athlete, more of a high-energy guy, and he will have to elevate his game. We'll have to adjust a little bit to having a different type of a player in there."

Simon's absence will also probably provide additional playing time for freshman Nick Hendra, who had a career-high 11 points and five rebounds against Army after not appearing in the previous nine games.

Patriot Notes: Billy Lange, who guided Navy to a second-place finish and was named the league's coach of the year, was given a contract extension through the 2012-13 season, the academy announced. In Lange's fourth season, the Midshipmen were 16-14 (9-5 Patriot) after being picked to finish seventh in the eight-team league.

"He has diligently and professionally rekindled a sense of excitement and pride within the basketball family," Navy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk said in a written statement. "We are again legitimate contenders for the league."