ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– A career-high 34 points for Cam Davis (Sr., Battlefield, Mo.) helped the Navy men's basketball team (8-1, 5-0 Patriot League) overcome an 11-point second-half deficit to force overtime and defeat American (0-1, 0-1), 87-86, Saturday afternoon at Alumni Hall in Annapolis.
 
Navy has now posted its best nine-game start to a season since putting together a 9-0 mark at the beginning of the 1983-84 season, is 5-0 to start a conference season for the third time in 40 years (1984-85, 1997-98) and has recorded a seven-game winning streak for the fourth time in the last two decades (2008-09, 2015-16, 2016-17).
 
"We found a way to win the game," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis.  "It was a gutty performance by our team."
 
The Eagles, who were opening their 2020-21 season Saturday, quickly jumped out to a 12-4 lead less than four minutes into the game.  Navy sliced the deficit down to one point at 12-11, but soon found itself trailing, 25-14, with seven minutes remaining before halftime.  The Mids quickly responded with a 12-2 run to close to within 27-26.  Davis accounted for eight of those 12 points.  American would go into the locker room at halftime holding a 34-32 advantage.
 
Davis scored 13 points on 5-9 shooting from the field and a 3-5 effort from three-point range in the first 20 minutes of play.  The remainder of the Navy team was 7-21 from the floor and 0-5 from three-point land in the first half.  The Mids shot 40 percent from the floor as a team, which was contrasted by the Eagles sinking 56 percent of their shots.
 
American scored on each of its first five possessions of the second half to stretch its lead out to 46-37.  Navy cut the margin down to five points, but it soon was a 56-45 lead for the Eagles with 13:36 left to play.
 
A 9-0 run –– with seven of those points coming from players on Navy's bench –– brought the Mids back to within two points at 56-54.  The Eagles responded by taking leads of 61-54 and 63-56 with eight minutes still to play.
 
A Davis triple made the score 63-59.  A short while later, Daniel Deaver (So., Falls Church, Va.) would score after grabbing an offensive board to make it a two-point game.  After an American turnover, Davis hit another jumper to tie the game at 63.  Deaver would grab a defensive board while being fouled on the next American offensive possession.  He walked to the other end of the court and made both free throws with 5:52 remaining to give the Mids their first lead of the game at 65-63.  After 90 seconds of clock time had expired, John Carter Jr. (Jr., Spring Hill, Tenn.) made one of two free throw attempts to make the score 66-63.
 
Navy grew its lead to five points at 70-65 with 2:46 left, but American had another run left in it.  Josh Alexander made a layup with two minutes remaining, then Jamir Harris scored on a backdoor play to bring the Eagles to within one point at 70-69 with 1:06 left.  Navy would come away without any points on its next possession, then Stacy Beckton Jr. drilled a three-point field goal from the top of the key while being fouled.  His four-point play with 15.2 seconds left gave American a 73-70 lead.
 
Davis quickly drove through the American defense and was fouled while attempting a layup with 10.2 seconds left.  He made both free throws to make the score 73-72.  American inbounded the ball to Beckton and he was fouled with 8.5 seconds left.  Beckton missed the front end of the bonus and the carom was grabbed by Navy's Patrick Dorsey (So., Raleigh, N.C.).  Just as on the previous possession, Davis found a seam, drove to the basket and was fouled.  He would step to the charity stripe with 0.9 seconds showing on the clock.  Davis made the first attempt to tie the game at 73, but missed the second.  American grabbed the rebound and was unable to do anything with it before the horn sounded.
 
Navy scored the first four points of the overtime, then took an 81-76 lead at the midpoint of the five-minute extra session.  It again was a five-point Navy lead at 85-80 with 27.4 seconds left after Davis made two foul shots.  Harris promptly made a long triple for American with 18.5 seconds remaining to make it a two-point game.  Davis was fouled on the inbounds pass, and he made both attempts to give Navy an 87-83 lead with 16.2 seconds left.  The Eagles misfired on their first shot of their resulting possession, but grabbed the offensive board and kicked it out to Johnny O'Neil whose three-point attempt dropped through with 3.5 seconds remaining.  Davis again was fouled and would go to the foul line with the Mids clinging to an 87-6 lead and 2.7 seconds showing on the clock. 
 
He would miss his first attempt, which was followed by DeChellis calling timeout.  Davis intentionally missed the second, which was snared by the Eagles.  However, American was only able to advance the ball to halfcourt before the horn sounded without the visitors being able to attempt a shot.
 
"American played well," said DeChellis, "especially their shooting.  It will be another tough game Sunday."
 
The foul line proved to be the difference in the game.  Navy was 29-40 from the line for the game, which included a 14-17 effort in the second half and a 10-13 production in overtime.  Conversely, American was just 6-9 from the charity stripe for the game, which included a 5-8 showing in the final 25 minutes of the game.
 
The bench also played a large role in the outcome as the Mids totaled 28 bench points to just eight for the Eagles.  Navy also held a 40-34 advantage on the glass, which included a 21-9 edge in offensive boards, and committed 13 turnovers while forcing 20.
 
Davis ended the game with a career-high 34 points.  He was 10-22 from the field, 4-8 from three-point land and 10-14 from the foul line in his 40 minutes of playing time.  On the other end of the court, Beckton totaled 30 points for the Eagles in his 34 minutes of court time before fouling out during overtime.  Beckton was 10-13 from the floor, 5-6 from three-point land and 5-7 from the foul line.
 
Navy and American will play again Sunday at noon in Alumni Hall.