WEST POINT, N.Y. – With the 2020 Women's Basketball Star on the line Saturday at Christl Arena, Navy put forth a valiant effort and battled for 40 minutes, but clutch free throw shooting by Army helped the host Black Knights (7-19, 3-12 PL) hold on for the 62-52 victory. Trailing by 11 through three quarters, the Mids (7-19, 2-13 PL) cut their deficit to as little as three points midway through the final quarter before the Black Knights thwarted them and clinched the victory. Saturday's contest was part of the Army-Navy Star Series presented by USAA.
 
Navy was led by its senior class in Saturday's clash for the star. Morgan Taylor (Evans, Ga.) and Mary Kate Ulasewicz (Doylestown, Pa.) both reached double-figures in points as Evans netted a team-high 15, while Ulasewicz added 10. The Mids' team captain, Ulasewicz, also recorded a game-high six assists. Laurel Jaunich (Charlotte, Vt.) was Navy's third-highest scorer with seven points. Montana Braxton (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) left her mark on the contest with a game-high four steals.
 
"Army just made too many plays at important junctures of the game," remarked head coach Stefanie Pemper. "When we cut it to six points late, they were able to finish it out. We just didn't shoot it well enough on the road to win. I thought that their [Army's] home crowd helped them. This was an emotional game and result for our seniors, who have meant a lot to our season. They are four special young women; they really wanted this win and I think you saw that today. Congratulations to Army they played well.
 
"Natalie Stralkus was a big difference maker for Army from game one in January versus today. She had 11 big first half points for them. Hope Brown also had a nice game with 18 points. We didn't have Sophie Gatzounas and they had Kamryn Hall back from injury so there was some different personnel and different people stepping up today. I'm not implying that the personnel that was here or not here affected the outcome. This game was played between the lines for 40 minutes. Both teams had chances. It was a good, competitive game with the exception of both teams missing some shots. There was tough defense both ways. This was a tough one to lose."
 
Ulasewicz, Jaunich and Taylor all scored early for Navy as the Mids jumped out to a 7-3 lead after Taylor's three-pointer from the corner at 7:11. The host Black Knights slowly edged closer as the Mids were held scoreless for a little over two minutes. With the score 7-6, Taylor asserted herself once again with a mid-range jumper to go up three at 4:53. The back-and-forth action continued with Army countering with a basket before Mimi Schrader (Fr., Plymouth, Minn.) sank her first field goal of the game at 2:27. Another score by Jasmine Bishop (Jr., Twinsburg, Ohio) put Navy up 13-8 before a late Natalie Stralkus trey from the corner drew Army within two points by the end of the quarter.
 
Coming out in the second quarter up 13-11, Lindsay Llewellyn (Fr., North East, Md.) immediately left her mark with a layup 25 seconds into the frame. After Army evened it at 15-15, Taylor came through with four straight points courtesy for a three-pointer and one made free throw. Another free throw, this time by Nyah Garrison (Fr., Brookhaven, Pa.) at 5:49 helped the Mids go up by five, 20-15. That lead was short-lived as the Black Knights tallied a quick five points to tie it, 20-20 by 3:54. With 80 seconds remaining in the quarter, Army took its first lead since the opening minute of the game with a Lindsey Scamman jumper to go up 22-21. Another three-pointer by Stralkus in the waning seconds of a period bolstered the Black Knights to a 25-21 lead at the halftime break. For the quarter, Army shot 50.0 percent (5-10) from the field, while Navy was held to just an 18.2 percent (2-11) mark.
 
The hosts found success their first time down the court in the second half to grow their lead to six, 27-21. The Mids didn't allow that margin to last long as Ulasewicz drove and found Taylor wide open in the corner for a three-pointer at 9:21. While a Garrison layup two minutes later at 7:20 cut the visitor's deficit to just two points, 28-26, that would be the final points for Navy over the next 2:30 as Army went on a 7-0 run. A layup by Bishop at 4:50 ended that streak and pulled the Mids closer 35-28. Unfortunately, the Black Knights offense re-engaged quickly with four more points to take their first double-digit point lead, 39-28 at 3:05. A crisp pass and layup connection between Ulasewicz and Jaunich got Navy back within single-digits at 1:04, though Army came right back and went up by 11 again.
 
With the score 41-30 to start the fourth quarter, Ulasewicz scored the first four points over the opening 2:45 for the Mids to edge her team closer. Navy's comeback attempt continued as Jaunich answered an Army basket with a three-pointer from the wing. Now trailing 43-37, the three-ball aided the Mids again when Taylor sank a trey from the corner at 5:57. Army scored nine of the next 12 points over a span of 2:47 to go up 52-43. The game stayed at that score for the next 1:48 until both teams went back-to-back, Army with a Kamryn Hall layup and Navy with a Jennifer Coleman (So., Richmond, Va.) three-pointer. Down eight, 54-46 with 1:03 remaining, the Mids tried to edge closer, but were unable to as the Black Knights went 8-8 from the foul line. Navy was only able to counter with six points of its own and the game went final with a score of 62-52 in favor of the host team.
 
For the game, Army outshot Navy, 40.0 percent (20-50) to 35.3 (18-51) from the field and 72.0 percent (18-25) to 62.5 (10-16) from the foul line. Neither team had much success from three-point range as the Mids won the category marginally, 25.0 percent (6-24) to 23.5 (4-17).
 
The Black Knights won the rebound battle by 16 boards, 42-26. Scamman corralled a game-high 13 rebounds for Army, while Taylor led Navy with five caroms.
 
Defensively, Navy forced Army into 18 turnovers and were credited with 12 steals. Braxton was at the forefront of the Mids' physical buzzing defense as she tallied four thefts. Taylor, Bishop and Schrader each gathered two steals each.
 
"In the first game, we would not have won without Morgan's individual defense. That was going to be critical today," said Pemper. "I thought she was tough defensively, but what she also brought today was her offense. M.K. was solid offensively too, Laurel hit that big three, Montana made some nice plays on defense. You could see how much this game meant to our seniors."
 
"We want to build on today's performance. There will be some good things to take from this game. We just have to continue working on our chemistry and having people being ready to step up when their name is called. There's a chance we could meet up with Army in the postseason so obviously the film and stats from today's game is important too."
 
Navy will be back in action on Wednesday with a road matchup at Loyola. Tip-off between the Mids and Greyhounds is set for 5:30 p.m. at Reitz Arena.