Dec. 20, 2008
Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Canisius scored the last six points of the game and held on for a 68-63 victory over the Navy men's basketball team on Saturday afternoon. Navy shot a frigid 30.3 percent from the field and was outrebounded, 57-45, in falling for just the third time this year. Navy falls to 8-3 overall, while Canisius improved to 4-7.
Navy struggled early in the first half, falling behind 14-7 midway through the first half. However, Adam Teague and Mark Veazey would spark a 20-13 spurt over the last 10 minutes to tie the game at 27 at halftime. Teague would connect on a three-pointer to start the Navy run and Veazey tallied a pair of interior jumpers, his second would give Navy a 20-18 advantage with 5:15 left, its first lead since 2-0.
The Mids sho wed rust in the first half, as they were playing their first game in 11 days following final exams. Navy shot just 9-of-31 (.290) from the field in the first half, including 2-of-11 (.182) from three-point range, and committed nine turnovers. However, the Navy defense would limit Canisius to just 33.3 percent (10-of-30) shooting from the field to stay in the game. The lead would change hands seven times in the first half and there were five ties in the opening 20 minutes.
After Canisius opened up a three-point lead at 34-31, Navy would embark on a 9-0 run to take a 40-34 advantage with 16 minutes left on a Romeo Garcia lay-up. Canisius would answer with a 17-8 spurt over nine minutes to take a 51-48 lead with seven minutes left.
The two teams would trade leads down the last five minutes with Navy taking its last lead at 63-62 on a jumper by Kaleo Kina with 1:19 to play. However, Chris Gadley would score a three-point play off an offensive rebound with 49 seconds left and Canisius would end the game on a 6-0 run to hand Navy a 68-63 setback.
Navy shot just 30.3 percent (20-of-66) from the field and was just 4-of-24 (`.167) from three-point range. Canisius shot just 32.8 percent (22-of-67) from the field and 4-of-21 (.190) from three-point range. Navy committed 14 turnovers to Canisius' 16.
Kaleo Kina led Navy with 21 points, six rebounds, five rebonds and three assists. Romeo Garcia added 11 points. Mark Veazey scored eight points with nine rebounds.
Canisius was led by Julius Coles with a career-high 19 points, while Frank Turner and Gadley added 16 and 10 respectively.
Navy will battle Villanova on Monday night at 7:30 at the Pavilion in Villanova, Pa. The Wildcats are 10-1 and ranked 17th in the country.
# GO NAVY #
