Kings (PA) vs Lafayette prediction: Lafayette opens McGarvey's fifth season by hosting King's at Kirby
A non-Division I guest gives the Leopards a first look at whether last season's slow, defense-poor profile has changed.
- Lafayette should have the edge at home against a King's program playing its first season under coach Pierfy.
- Lafayette's perimeter defense against whatever King's shoots from deep: opponents hit 35.6% of threes on the Leopards last season.
- No spread or total has been posted; Lafayette finished last season 318th of 365 in adjusted net efficiency.
A season opener with questions
Lafayette starts Mike McGarvey's fifth season at Kirby Sports Center on Thursday, Nov. 5, against King's College, the Monarchs from Wilkes-Barre. The Lafayette schedule lists a 6:00 PM ET tip. The Leopards went 11-21 last season and 8-10 in the Patriot League, and their year ended March 3 with a 77-82 first-round tournament loss to Holy Cross. The league doesn't expect a big jump: Lafayette was picked seventh of ten in the Patriot League preseason poll released Oct. 1. We don't know how much of last season's roster is back, so treat the numbers below as last season's baseline rather than a portrait of this team.
Slow tempo, soft perimeter
Last season Lafayette played at 64.6 possessions per 40 minutes, 319th in Division I, and that pace caps the margin in any game. The real weakness was defense. The Leopards allowed 114.5 points per 100 possessions, 318th nationally, and opponents made 35.6% of their threes, which ranked 305th. Rim protection didn't help much either, with a block rate that ranked 335th.
The offense had some strengths. Lafayette turned the ball over on 16.0% of possessions, 132nd nationally, and cleaned the defensive glass well, ranking 108th in defensive rebound rate. It rarely got second chances, though: its offensive rebound rate ranked 333rd.
A new era at King's
King's arrives in its first season under coach Pierfy, who added Corey Attivo to his staff in August. Nothing reliable on the Monarchs' 2026-27 roster or transfers has surfaced. The game counts as a non-conference tune-up on Lafayette's schedule, and the Leopards' home floor and Division I size should shape it more than anything King's has shown yet.
Numbers that matter
| Last season's adjusted net rank | 318th | Lafayette's 2025-26 adjusted net efficiency of -15.8 ranked 318th of 365 Division I teams. |
|---|---|---|
| Last season's pace | 64.6 | Lafayette's possessions per 40 minutes ranked 319th, so expect a slow game. |
| Opponent 3-point % | 35.6% | Opponents shot well from deep on Lafayette last season, a rank of 305th. |
| Preseason poll | seventh | Lafayette was picked seventh of ten in the Patriot League with 29 points. |
Kings (PA) vs Lafayette: quick answers
When is Kings (PA) vs Lafayette?
Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 12:00 AM ET.