Washington, DC -- (Sports Network) - Garrison Carr scored 17 points as American won its first ever Patriot League Tournament by downing Colgate, 52-46.

Brian Gilmore added 11 points for the top-seeded Eagles (21-11), who have won four straight games and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the team's 82 year history.

Kyle Roemer finished with 17 points for the third-seeded Raiders (18-14), who had won six straight coming in. Kendall Chones netted 13 points and Alex Woodhouse had eight points and 16 rebounds.

Trailing by three entering the final frame, Colgate kept things close and actually surged ahead, 40-37, when Woodhouse nailed a jumper with about 7 1/2 minutes left.

The Eagles answered with a Cornelio Guibunda layup and a pair of free throws by Gilmore to go back in front, 41-40, with 5:21 remaining.

The nip-and-tuck affair continued from there. Jordan Nichols got loose inside for a layin to put the Eagles on top, 47-46 with just under two minutes to go. After Daniel Waddy missed a layup at the other end, Gilmore calmly drained two from the line to make it 49-46 with 31 ticks left.

Colgate had a chance to tie but Waddy lost the handle.

Forced to foul, the Raiders sent Derrick Mercer to the stripe and he stroked two to secure things with 19 seconds remaining.

Gilmore's layup with about 9 1/2 minutes left in the opening frame gave American its largest lead of the half, 15-9.

Colgate rebounded to even things at 23 after Mike Venezia drained a three with under four minutes to go.

Guibunda then capped the scoring in the frame with American leading 27-24 at intermission.

Game Notes

American won despite shooting just 34 percent in the game...Last year, Holy Cross defeated second-seeded Bucknell, 74-66, to win their fifth Patriot League title... Bucknell's victory over Kansas in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament was the first-ever for a Patriot League team in the NCAA Tournament...The number-one seed has won 12 of the last 15 tournaments.