Feb. 26, 2010

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SATURDAY'S GAME BASICS
Navy (13-15 / 7-6) travels to upstate New York for its regular-season finale against Colgate (9-18 / 5-8). The Mids and Raiders will wrap up the regular season against each other for the fifth straight year. The game has major implications on how the Patriot League Tournament seeding will play out as a Navy win will give the Mids a home game for the Quarterfinals on Wednesday nigh against either American, Colgate or Holy Cross. A loss, combined with an American win over Lafayette, will drop Navy to the fifth seed and will send the Mids to American's Bender Arena on Wednesday night. Pete Medhurst will handle the call on WNAV (1430 AM) and SIRIUS (Ch. 130), beginning at 3:45 pm. Live stats will be provided on GoColgateRaiders.com, while All-Access video and audio will be available on NavySports.com.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
• One of just two teams in the Patriot League to have a winning record against Navy, Colgate holds a slim 24-22 advantage over the Mids. A Navy win, however, will give the Mids their second-straight regular-season sweep and will allow the Mids to have won four of the last five games with the Raiders, dating back to the start of last year. Navy is just 7-13 all-time at Cotterell Court.
• Billy Lange is 4-8 against the Raiders, winning three of the last four games against Colgate. Eight of Lange's 12 games against Colgate have been decided by single-digits, including this year's 100-91 Navy win on Jan. 30 in Annapolis.
• Navy is looking to become the only team in the Patriot League to host a quarterfinal game in each of the last three years.
• The Mids are just 3-11 in games away from Annapolis this year. However, two of the wins came against the top two teams in the league in Lehigh and Bucknell.
• Navy will finish no worse than 7-7 in the Patriot League, giving it three straight years of .500 ball or better in the league. Navy last finished .500 or better in three straight years in 1999-01. Navy has now finished .500 or better in 11 of the 19 years as a Patriot League member.

BY THE NUMBERS
• With its three-point double-overtime loss to American on Wednesday, Navy is 6-1 this year, and 11-2 since the start of last year in games decided by three points or fewer. Both losses came to American (68-67 in Alumni Hall last year).
• The Mids are 7-2, and 20-8 since the start of last year, in games decided by six or fewer points. Twenty of Navy's 32 wins since the start of last year have come by six or fewer points.
• Navy has made 10 or more three-pointers in a game eight times (5-3) this year, including five times (3-2) in 13 league games.
• Navy's 228 three-pointers are now the third most in school history, behind the 2008 (288) and 2007 (260) teams.
• Navy is one of three schools nationally (Harvard and California) to rank in the nation's top 70 in free throw percentage in each of the last five years (including this year). Navy is currently 60th this year, shooting 72.2 percent from the free throw line. The percentage is tied for the eighth-best percentage in school history.
• Chris Harris continues to lead the Patriot League in scoring at 21.2 ppg. He is attempting to become the third different Navy player (Greg Sprink in 2007 and 2008; Kaleo Kina in 2009) to lead the Patriot League in scoring. His 21.2 ppg average ranks tied for 10th in the Navy record books.
• In addition, Navy is trying to become the second team in NCAA history to have three different players lead a respective conference in scoring four straight year. Murray State had three players lead the Ohio Valley in scoring from straight years from 1995-98. Louisiana-Lafayette had two different players lead the Southland Conference in scoring in 1978-81.
• Harris moved past Michael Heary (1995-98) into fifth place on the Navy career scoring list, now with 1,597 points. Harris also ranks 13th on the Patriot League chart and needs 58 points to likely rank in the top 10.
• Saturday's game features the top two scorers in the Patriot League in Harris (21.2) and Colgate's Kyle Roemer (18.9). In the career points race, Roemer has 1,603 points, while Harris has 1,597 points.
• Harris needs six points to become the fourth player (David Robinson, Greg Sprink, John Clune) to score 600 points in a season.
• With his three three-pointers against American, Harris now has 82 triples this season, moving into third place on the single-season list. Harris now holds the top three spots on the chart (91 in 2008, 85 in 2009, 82 in 2010).
• Jordan Sugars became the sixth player in school history to record 400 points and 225 rebounds in a single season, now with 442 points and 229 rebounds. He is just the third sophomore (David Robinson and Vernon Butler) to accomplish the feat.
• The duo of Harris and Sugars has scored 1,036 points between them, or 51.7 percent of Navy's points this year. The duo is averaging 37.0 ppg and over the last seven games, the pair is averaging 43.0 ppg, while making 49-of-108 (.454) three-pointers.
• When the duo of Chris Harris and Jordan Sugars scores at least 40 points combined, Navy is 7-4, but when scoring under 40 points, the Mids are 6-11. When scoring 45 or more points, the Mids are 5-2. When both of them score at least 20 points, Navy is 4-2.
• The duo's 37.0 point per game average ranks as the ninth-highest average by a pair of teammates nationally.

WEDNESDAY'S AMERICAN RECAP
• American scored the final eight points of the contest, wiping out a Navy five-point lead in the second overtime to hand the Mids a heartbreaking 80-77 loss on Wednesday night.
• Navy trailed 42-30, but took a 58-50 lead with a 28-8 run, before American answered with a 12-0 run for a 62-58 lead. Navy would tie it at 63 heading into overtime.
• Navy's loss was its first in a double-overtime game since Feb. 1, 1969, a span of nine wins. Navy is 9-3 all-time in two-overtime games.
• The crowd of 3,528 was the ninth-largest non-Army crowd in Alumni Hall history.
• Chris Harris recorded his fifth 30-point game of the season wth 30 points. He and Jordan Sugars combined for 55 of Navy's 77 points, connecting on 19-of-38 field goal attempts and 9-of-16 three-point tries. The rest of the team went 8-of-29 (.276) and 2-of-13 (.154) from three.
• Sugars also recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 12 rebounds, the most double-doubles since Sitapha Savane had seven in the 1998-99 season.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE RAIDERS (Box score found later in packet)
Jordan Sugars scored a career-high 34 points with nine rebounds to lead Navy to a 100-91 win over Colgate. Navy led by as many as 21 in the second half, before Colgate cut the margin to three late in the game. Sugars went 13-of-17 from the field and the Mids made 15-of-25 three-point attempts, including 9-of-11 in the second half. Chris Harris added 25 points, while Kyle Roemer had 31 points and 11 rebounds for the Raiders. It marked just the eighth time ever that a Navy and opposing player scored 30 points in the same game.

WINNING THE TIGHT ONES
• Since Billy Lange took over at Navy, the Midshipmen have found a way to win the close games. Already this year, Navy is 9-2 in games decided by six or fewer points and is 6-1 in games decided by three or fewer points.
• Since the start of last year, Navy is 11-2 in games decided by three or fewer points, with both losses coming to American. In addition, Navy is 20-8 in games decided by six points or less.
• Overall under Lange, Navy is 17-10 all-time in games decided by three or fewer points and 45-43 in games decided by single-digits. In games decided by double-figures, the Mids are 37-49, including just 2-10 this year.
• Navy has just two wins this year (87-70 over Towson; 94-83 over Lehigh) in double figures.

FOUR SCORE
When Navy has at least four players in double-figurse, the Mids are 6-0 this year with wins over Bucknell (twice), Longwood, Elon, Lehigh and Holy Cross. Without four in double-figures, Navy is 7-15.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
In each of the last three years, Navy has been picked sixth or lower, but has easily exceeded those expectations.
• In 2007-08, despite returning four starters and the league's leading returning scorer in Greg Sprink, Navy was picked seventh in the preseason poll. The Mids ended the year second in the final standings and had a chance to win the regular-season crown on the final day of the season. Navy went 16-14 (9-5 PL) that year.
• Last season, Navy was picked sixth despite once again returning four starters and a pair of double-digit scorers in Kaleo Kina and Chris Harris. The Mids finished third with a 19-11 overall record and an 8-6 Patriot League mark.
• This year, despite returning three starters, another player who started all year as a freshman (junior Romeo Garcia) and the league's leading returning scorer in Chris Harris, Navy was picked seventh in the preseason poll. The Mids are currently in fourth place in the league standings with a 7-6 league record, and have swept the top two teams in the league, Lehigh and Bucknell.
• Over the last three years, Navy is 48-40 (.545) overall and 24-17 (.585) in the Patriot League. Just American at 54-39 (.581) and 29-12 (.707) have better records that Navy.
• American is currently in fifth place in the league standings, meaning if the Eagles finish in the lower half in the regular season, Navy will be the only team in the Patriot League to finish in the top half of the league standings in each of the last three years.

THREE-POINT SNIPING
• Navy has made a three-pointer in 212 straight games and at least three three-pointers in 171-of-174 games during the Lange era.
• The Mids' 15 three-pointers against Colgate tied for the second most in school history, while the 13 made against Coppin State, Lafayette and Bucknell tied for the 10th most in school history. Of the 25 times in school history that Navy has made 13 or more three-pointers in a game, 20 of the occurrences have come under Billy Lange.
• Chris Harris' 82 three-pointers are the third most in a single-season, while Jordan Sugars' 74 are the seventh most.
• Navy's 228 three-pointers are the third most in school history.
• Five of the top six three-point totals in a season have come in the Billy Lange era, including the top two (288 in 2008; 260 in 2007).

NAVY DEFENSE HAVING TOUGH TIME
• The Navy defense has allowed 10 opponents to score 80 or more points this year and over the last seven games, foes are averaging 80.0 ppg. Navy is last in the Patriot League by almost four points a game in scoring defense (75.5 ppg) and is seventh in field goal percentage defense (.448). The Mids are also last in rebounding margin (-5.8). In league games only, Navy is last in points per game allowed (77.2) and field goal percentage defense (.463) and seventh in rebounding margin (-6.0).
• Navy's 75.5 points per game allowed currently ranks as tied for the third-highest mark in school history, while the -5.9 rebounding margin ranks as the worst ever.

THE HARDEST THING
Did you realize that Navy has as many true road wins this season (3) as the combined total of DePaul (0), Louisiana State (0), Air Force (0), Georgia (0), Colorado (0), Oklahoma (1), North Carolina (1) and Washington (1)?

RARE FEAT TO LEAD THE LEAGUE
• Navy is trying to become the first school in Patriot League history to have an individual lead the league in scoring in four straight years. Greg Sprink led the league in scoring in 2007 (16.9) and 2008 (21.8), Kaleo Kina led the league in scoring a year ago (18.0) and Harris currently leads the league in scoring this year (21.2).
• Just two other programs in NCAA history have led their respective leagues in scoring in four straight seasons. Two Louisiana-Lafayette players led the Southland in scoring from 1978-81, while three Murray State players led the Ohio Valley in scoring from 1995-98.
• In addition, O.J. Avworo leads the league in assists (5.7 apg), giving Navy a 1-2 punch at the guard spots. The last Navy player to lead the Patriot League in assists was Brian Walker in 1997 (5.1 apg). Avworo's current average of 5.67 assists per game ranks just outside the top 10 on the single-season list in league history.
• Only twice before has a pair of teammates led the league in scoring and assists. Holy Cross' Kevin Hamilton (17.6 ppg) and Tory Thomas (4.8 apg) in 2006, and Lehigh's Brett Eppenhimer (24.7 ppg) and Tiwuan Hawkins (4.5 apg) in 1998 were PL leaders, respectively.

NAVY DUO PROVIDING FIREPOWER
• The Navy duo of Chris Harris and Jordan Sugars is averaging a combined 37.0 points per game between them, having scored 1,036 combined points this year. The pair has scored 51.7 percent of Navy's points this year and are on pace for 1,110 points, which would rank as the fifth-most points from a Navy duo in school history.
• Throw O.J. Avworo into the mix, and the trio of Harris, Sugars and Avworo average 44.8 ppg between them and have 1,253 points, the eighth-most points for a Navy trio in school history.
• Lastly, the 37.0 ppg by Harris and Sugars ranks as the ninth-best average nationally by a pair of teammates

THE BOOK ON HARRIS
Even senior guard Chris Harris seems to be outdoing himself as he tries to lead the Midshipmen to a Patriot League crown. Consider...
• Harris ranks 17th in the country and first in the Patriot League in scoring. His 21.2 ppg average is the 10th-best average in school history. He already has 594 points this year, ranking sixth on the single-season list and needing just six points to become the fourth player in school history to score 600 points in a season.
• In league games only around the country, Harris' 22.7 ppg is the ninth-best average nationally, and per 40 minutes in league games, he is averaging 26.7 ppg.
• His 82 three-pointers this year rank as the third most in a season in school history. Harris now owns the top three spots on the single-season chart for three-pointers made.
• Harris saw his 26-game streak double-figure streak end against Army as the fifth-longest double-figure streak in school history.
• Harris ranks 20th nationally in free throw percentage and his 88.2 percent this year is the second-highest percentage in school history, just seven percentage points behind Scott Long's 88.9 percent in 2002. He has had the two longest consecutive free throws made streaks this year in school history at 37 and 35, respectively.
• He has made 85.2 percent of his free throws during his career, ranking third in Patriot League annals and third all-time at Navy.
• Harris ranks fifth on the school's career scoring list (1,597 points) passing Michael Heary against American. Harris is already one of two players (Kaleo Kina) to score 1,500 points, dish out 250 assists and grab 150 steals in a career.
• Harris ranks fourth in career steals by a Navy player with 167.
• Harris ranks first on the career three-pointers made list (282) and is fifth on the Patriot League list, but could finish as high as third.
• Harris scored a career-high 40 points vs. Lehigh on Feb. 10, the most for a Navy player ever in a Patriot League game.
• The 40 points were the 12th most nationally this season, and the 11th most by a Navy player in school history.
• He surpassed 30 points for the fifth time this season with 30 points against American. He is one of five players in school history to have five 30-point games in a season. His six career 30-point games ranks as the sixth most.

A STAR IN WAITING
• There is no secret that Chris Harris has waited for his opportunity to become Navy's primary offensive threat, playing behind Greg Sprink in 2008 and Kaleo Kina in 2009.
• Now that Harris has taken the offensive reigns, a new offensive star appears to have emerged as a go-to-guy down the road. Jordan Sugars' 15.8 ppg average currently ranks as the fifth-best scoring average in school history by a Navy sophomore behind David Robinson (23.6), Kevin Sinnett (16.0), John Clune (21.2) and John Tolmie (17.5). In addition, his 8.2 rpg average is the fifth-best average for a sophomore.
• Sugars is one of seven sophomores in league history to win two or more Patriot League Player of the Week honors. He is the only player in the league this year to rank in the top five in both scoring and reboundings.
• He became the fifth player (Sugars, Eddie Reddick, David Robinson, Vernon Butler and Don Lange)in school history with 400 points and 225 rebounds in a season and just the third sophomore (Robinson and Butler) to reach those marks. His 229 rebounds are the most for a Navy player since Hassan Booker had 235 boards in 1998.
• Sugars' 12.6 point per game improvement from last year is the second-highest-scoring improvement by a player in the NCAA this year. Alabama State's Menji Mundadi (12.8 ppg improvement) leads the country.
• In addition, Sugars' 12.6 point per game improvment is third all-time on the Navy list.

MAY I ASSIST YOU?
• Since O.J. Avworo's insertion into the starting lineup at the start of last year, the junior transfer has accustomed himself nicely to Billy Lange's style of play. He is now playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 11.7 ppg and 7.0 apg over the last nine games, against 24 turnovers for an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.63 (63-to-24) in that span.
• Avworo already has 262 assists in just 57 career games, moving into 10th place on the school's career assists list. His per game average of 4.60 ranks fifth all-time behind Doug Wojcik (7.21), Mickey Hampton (5.93), Brian Walker (4.78) and Rob Romaine (4.71).
• His 153 assists this year are the 10th most in a season, and he owns a 1.96 assist-to-turnover ratio this year. In league play, the ratio is 2.24 (83:37), averaging 10.2 ppg and 6.4 apg in 13 league games. He ranks 15th nationally in assists per game (5.7) and his 6.4 assists per game in league games only ranks seventh nationally in teams' league games only, ranking behind some very good company (Wake Forest's Ishmael Smith, Maryland's Greivis Vasquez, Illinois' Demetri McCamey and Siena's Ronald Moore, Oakland's Johnathan Jones and Fairleigh Dickinson's Mike Scott).
• He became the first player in school history with 10 or more assists in three straight games (10 vs. Colgate, 10 vs. Bucknell, 11 vs. Lehigh), and now has 10 or more assists in four of the last seven games after his 13 dimes against Holy Cross. The 13 assists were the most by a Navy player in PL history, the sixth most in a game in Navy history and the 10th most in a game nationally this year.
• He has 48.26 percent (83-of-172) of Navy's assists in league games, ranking seventh nationally in percentage of team assists in conference games only, ranking behind Smith (WFU), Jaytornah Wisseh (Long Island), McCamey (Illinois), Moore (Siena), Scott (FDU) and Jones (Oakland). In all games played, he has dished out 41.13 percent of Navy's assists to rank 17th nationally.

# GO NAVY #