Feb. 10, 2016
Box Score
BALTIMORE, Md. - Senior guard Tilman Dunbar scored 20 points with six assists and sophomore guard Shawn Anderson added 18 points as the Navy men's basketball team (17-9, 8-5 PL) routed Loyola (8-16, 7-6 PL), 71-51, on Wednesday evening at Reitz Arena.
Navy improved to 10-2 on the road to establish a program record for most road wins in a season. Navy was 9-4 in true road games in 1985 and 9-3 in 1987. The Mids are 12-3 in combined road/neutral games this season.
"I thought it was a great team effort," said head coach Ed DeChellis. "Our backs have been against the wall and we had to get something done. Our kids were focused and played really hard on both ends of the floor. We made some shots and that fueled our defense on the other end."
The teams traded baskets on their first two possessions and then Navy reeled off a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to stake an 11-2 lead. Senior Will Kelly got a dunk off an offensive rebound and Anderson hit a 3-pointer and followed with a layup off a nice feed from Dunbar on the next two possessions.
Loyola answered with a 9-3 run to cut the margin to 14-11, but Anderson knocked down a jumper and then Tim Abruzzo drilled a 3-pointer on the next trip down the floor. Anderson grabbed a steal and then Tom Lacey hit Nourse Fox on a back-door cut to put the Mids ahead 10 at 21-11 and prompt a Loyola timeout.
Dunbar scored eight straight Navy points on a layup and two 3-pointers and then a halftime buzzer-beater by Jace Hogan gave the Mids a 16-point edge at halftime (35-19).
Navy continued to grow its lead in the second half and a 10-2 run over four minutes allowed Navy to take a 25-point edge at 51-26. Kelly scored inside during the run, while Anderson buried a 3-pointer and Dunbar scored on a layup.
Loyola cut the margin to 19 points with seven minutes left in the game, but Dunbar converted a layup, then Hogan hit a jumper on the next trip. After a Loyola turnover, Anderson grabbed an offensive rebound, which led to another layup by Dunbar. On the next trip down Dunbar bounced an in-bounds pass off a defender's back under the hoop for an easy layup and two free throws by Anderson put Navy up 27 at 68-41 with five minutes left, its largest lead of the game.
DeChellis played all 14 players that were dressed on Wednesday and freshman Nathan Messer drained his first career 3-pointer for Navy's final points in the 71-51 victory.
Navy shot 57 percent (27-of-47) in the contest and held Loyola to 33 percent (15-of-45) shooting and just 51 points. Navy was 7-of-16 on 3-pointers (44 percent), its most 3-pointers made in its last seven games.
Navy outrebounded Loyola, 31-25, and held a 32-16 advantage in points in the paint.
Dunbar was 8-of-11 from the floor and made a career-best three 3-pointers (3-of-4) for his 20 points. Dunbar scored in double figures for the sixth straight game, the longest such streak of his four-year career.
Dunbar moved into 23rd place on Navy's all-time scoring list, moving past Wes Cooper ('95) and he currently sits just 14 points away from 1,000 with his career total of 986. Dunbar also moved past Kaleo Kina ('09) into seventh place on Navy's all-time assist list with 395.
Anderson's 18 points came on 6-of-10 shooting and he made two 3-pointers.
Kelly scored 14 points with five rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots in a solid all-around game.
"Kelly and Dunbar were tremendous tonight," said DeChellis. "Shawn Anderson was tremendous too."
No players scored in double figures for Loyola, but Jarred Jones and Andre Walker each tallied eight points. Cam Gregory had a game-high nine rebounds.
Navy has won four straight games against Loyola and has swept the season series for the second straight year.
Navy has matched last year's conference win total (8-10) and the Mids have won four more games than they did last season (13-19).
Navy is in a three-way tie with Boston U. and Lehigh for second place in the Patriot League at 8-5. The three teams are two games behind first-place Bucknell (10-3). Navy has five conference games left.
Navy will next play at Lafayette (5-19, 2-11 PL) on Saturday at 2:00 PM.
