ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Greg Summers (Jr., Ocoee, Fla.) scored a career-high 21 points and the team's reserves combined for 27 points to help the Navy men's basketball team (9-1, 6-0 Patriot League) stave off American (0-2, 0-2), 71-59, Sunday afternoon at Alumni Hall in Annapolis.
 
"The schedule has been favorable for us," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis.  "Getting these two games at home worked in our favor.  The kids gutted it out at Bucknell.  Lehigh, I thought we played pretty well on both days.  Feeling really proud of the team.  It has been different, but we have embraced everything about it.  The players have done a really good job of embracing everything we are about, and what the schedule is about."
 
Navy has posted its best 10-game start to a season since beginning the 1983-84 campaign with a 10-0 record.  The only better starts to a league season for Navy came in 1997-98 (Patriot League, 9-0) and in 1984-85 (ECAC South, 7-0).  Also, Navy's eight-game winning streak is the longest for the program since a 13-game streak during the 1999-00 season.
 
Playing one day after the teams went to overtime in an 87-86 Navy win, the Mids scored the first seven points of the game and eventually took a 16-6 advantage.  The Eagles promptly scored the next 15 points to take a 21-16 lead, which resulted in DeChellis calling timeout. 
 
The first Navy possession after the stoppage saw Patrick Dorsey (So., Raleigh, N.C.) sink a three-point shot while being fouled.  His four-point play –– his second in as many days –– quickly drew the Mids back to within one point.  One minute later, Tyler Nelson (So., Monroe, N.C.) drilled a three-point field goal to put Navy back in the lead, 23-21.  Nelson stole the ball to end the next American possession, with Summers scoring after the turnover to make the score 25-21.  Dorsey grabbed an errant American shot on the ensuing possession, then he drained a triple on the other end to stretch the lead out to 28-21.  One minute later, Nelson scored a layup off of a pass from Dorsey to put Navy in front, 30-21 and close out a 14-0 run.
 
Navy would go into halftime nursing a 33-24 advantage.
 
The Mids scored 16 of their 33 points after American turnovers.  Additionally, 14 points came from Navy's bench players.
 
Navy was able to take a 10-point lead at 35-25 in the early moments of the second half, but suddenly found itself leading by the score of 35-32.  Another timeout was called by DeChellis.  Once play resumed, Austin Inge (Fr., Greensboro, N.C.) converted a three-point attempt to double the advantage to 38-32.
 
The margin was soon back to three points at 40-37.  Neither team could score for over two minutes of clock time.  The lid popped off the basket when Inge fed Summers for a layup.  Dorsey soon registered another steal and scored on the other end to push the lead out to 44-37.  After another short lull, Cam Davis (Sr., Battlefield, Mo.) made a jumper to make the score 46-37 with 11:33 still to play.
 
American would close to within six points at 46-40, 50-44, 58-52, 60-54 and 62-56.  However, Navy scored on its ensuing possession in four of those five instances –– the Mids scored on their second possession after it was 58-52 –– to thwart the Eagles from cutting more into the margin.
 
The teams had very similar shooting statistics, except from the foul line where Navy was 14-17 (82.4%) and American was 8-14 (57.1%).  The Eagles won the rebounding battle, 34-30, but the Mids were on the better end in turnovers, 14-21.  Navy scored 22 points after those 21 American turnovers.
 
"I thought we played better defense this afternoon," said DeChellis.  "We allowed too many backcuts Saturday.  We did a better job of keeping their offensive players in front of us."
 
In addition to the 21 points from Summers, Nelson scored 12 points –– which included an emphatic dunk to put Navy up, 62-54, with three minutes left –– Dorsey attained career highs in points (11), assists (5) and steals (3) and added five rebounds, and Inge registered 10 points and five steals.
 
"Greg had a rough night last night," said DeChellis.  "Everyone can't play well.  That's why we are a team. We have a good group of guys who can come off the bench in a second wave.  But I thought tonight he was aggressive. 
 
"Our bench again, our second wave guys that come in off the bench have been outstanding.  I thought Dorsey was great; Austin Inge was really, really good for us Alec Loehr (Sr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) gave us really good minutes.  Greg didn't play well yesterday, but he played really, really well today."
 
"During the week I had a meeting with coach DeChellis," said Summers.  "He definitely challenged me.  I've been struggling early on this season; getting to the rim, getting boards, just being aggressive.  I definitely wanted to accept that challenge and do my part so we could get the win."
 
Navy will continue its homestand this weekend when it plays host to Army on Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday's 2:30 p.m. game is the Star Game and will be televised by the CBS Sports Network.