Jan. 25, 2009

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Army shot 65.0 percent from the field while holding Navy to just 31.1 percent in handing the Navy men's basketball team a 76-71 setback on Sunday afternoon in front of 4,035 fans at Christl Arena. The loss drops Navy's overall record to 14-6 overall and 3-2 in the Patriot League, while Army improved to 5-13 overall and 1-3 in league standings.

"Army played a great game. They didn't do anything funky or fancy, but they just completely outplayed us," said Navy head coach Billy Lange. "I thought our guys had the right intentions, but we just ran into a team that was desperate to win a game. I had watched them on film and we knew they were better than their record."

The Army defense stifled the top-scoring unit in the league, holding the Mids to connect on just 19-of-61 (.311) shots from the field and just 7-of-27 (.259) from three-point range. Navy's two leading scorers, Kaleo Kina and Chris Harris, who entered the game averaging a combined 34.7 ppg, were held to just 11 points on 2-of-18 shooting.

"It was by far the best defense that we have faced all year. You have to move the ball against them and we had some good pockets, but in the end, I felt like we let Army's defense really distract us from doing what we wanted to do. I felt like our guys looked at deficits bigger than they were and panicked some for the first time all year," said Lange. "If you don't have phenomenal offensive energy against them, you are going to lose. They are very close to having seven or eight more wins."

Army led by as many as 17 in the second half, coming at 58-41 on a Cleveland Richard jumper with 7:56 to play. Navy began to chip away, emabarking on a 28-15 run to trim the margin to 73-69 with just 29 seconds to play. However, Navy could never cut the lead to a one-possession game and Army made enough free throws down the stretch to hold off the Mids' comeback, 76-71.

Meanwhile, Army sizzled on the offensive end. The Black Knights shot 60.0 percent in the first half (12-of-20) in racing out to a 33-26 halftime lead, then shot even better in the second half, making 70.0 percent (14-of-20) of their shots. Army led 46-39 with 13:26 to play, before taking its largest lead of the game (58-41), converting on six straight shots during a 13-2 run that spanned almost six minutes.

"We didn't play the defense we are capable of playing, but that is more of a credit to Army. It's easy to come back and I am proud we didn't quit, but that is easy to do. I don't look at that as a positive," said Lange, in referring to Navy's comeback.

"I am disappointed that we aren't to the point that we don't have mental toughness in every game that we play," said Lange. "That bothers me some. I think we can respond to that and get better. Our mental toughness has to be better."

Navy led early on in the first half, taking a 10-7 advantage on a Mark Veazey lay-up with 15:48 to play. However, the Mids went without a field goal for the first five minutes as Army surged ahead with a 10-0 run. Navy then ended the first half without a field in the final five minutes, but stayed in the game at the free throw line, as Army led 33-26 at halftime.

The Mids were also plagued by foul trouble in the contest that featured 55 fouls. Navy's starting guards Chris Harris, Kaleo Kina and O.J. Avworo all were saddled with four fouls for the majority of the second half. Harris would eventually foul out with 7:19 to play, and Adam Teague fouled out with 15 seconds left.

Teague led Navy with 16 points, including five three-pointers, and added five rebounds and three steals. Clif Colbert scored 14 points and added four steals. Freshman Jordan Sugars tallied career highs in points (13), rebounds (8), steals (3) and minutes (22). Sugars made all seven of his free throw attempts and gave the Mids a spark in the second half. Kina added nine points and a season-high seven assists. Avworo tallied eight points and seven rebounds and Mark Veazey scored nine points with four rebounds and a block.

Navy outrebounded the Black Knights, 33-29, including 18-4 on the offensive end, and had 15 turnovers (six of them on charge calls) to Army's 22. Navy made 26-of-31 (.839) free throws during the game.

Cleveland Richard led Army with 17 points, while Josh Miller had 14 points and five rebounds.

For the sixth year in a row, Army has won the first meeting of the season between the two teams. For the last five years, Navy has responded with the Star Game victory.

The Mids will return home for a huge early-season battle on Wednesday night against league-favorite, American. The Eagles enter the game with an 11-7 overall record and is 3-1 in league play. Tip-off will be at 7:00 pm from Alumni Hall. For ticket information, call 1-800-US4-NAVY.

# GO NAVY #