WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Tyler Nelson (Jr., Monroe, N.C.) scored nine points during a 10-0 run by the Navy men's basketball team late in the second half of a 55-46 win by the Mids (18-8, 11-4 Patriot League) over American (7-19, 3-11)  Wednesday night at Bender Arena in Washington, D.C.

The victory by the Mids assures them of a top-four seed in the Patriot League Tournament.  

"It was a slugfest," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis.  "It always is when we play American.  We do a good job of guarding them; they do a good job of guarding us.  I am just happy to get the win over here.  It is a tough week for us, academically. Very, very challenging academically."

Navy scored the first seven points of the game and took a 13-5 lead with 12:12 left in the half.  The Mids then had a nearly six-minute scoring drought that allowed American to tie the game at 13-13 with 6:38 still to play.  Navy closed the half by scoring nine of the last 10 points to head into the locker room with a 22-14 lead.  The Mids held the Eagles scoreless for the last five minutes.

The second half began with the Mids missing eight of their first nine shots and the Eagles sinking a pair of three-point field goals as part of a 4-7 effort, which allowed American to tie the game at 24-24.  Patrick Dorsey (Jr., Raleigh, N.C.) answered with a three-point basket on the next Navy possession to break the tie.  

After American scored to close to within 27-26, a 6-0 Navy run that began and ended with Daniel Deaver (Jr., Falls Church, Va.) jumpers made the score 33-26 with 10 minutes left on the clock.  The Eagles slowly whittled the margin down to three points at 34-31 with 7:19 remaining, then Nelson hit a three-point shot.  An American missed shot was grabbed by Deaver, then Nelson snared an offensive board and scored on the putback to stretch the lead out to 39-31.  John Carter Jr. (Sr., Spring Hill, Tenn.) made it a 40-31 lead with a free throw the next time the Mids had the ball.  Two possessions later, Nelson drained another triple to put the Mids in front, 43-31 with just under five minutes left to play.  Nelson again had the next score as he made one foul shot with 3:23 showing on the clock to make the score 44-31.

Another Nelson foul shot returned the Navy lead to 13 points at 47-34 with 2:11 left.  Then after the Eagles sliced the margin down to eight points at 48-40, Nelson made a pair of free throws to make it a 10-point game with 75 seconds showing on the clock.

Navy which entered the day ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense at 59.7 points per game, has now held three-straight opponents to less than 50 points.  The Mids accomplished that this evening by holding the Eagles to a 31-poercent shooting night, which included a 6-22 (27.3%) showing from three-point land.  Navy matched American's field goals made (17) and shot just a few percentage points higher (32.7%).  

"We made just enough shots to win," said DeChellis.  "Our defense was outstanding."

The difference in the game was Navy going 16-24 from the foul line and American shooting just 6-11.

Navy, which played without starting center Richard Njoku (Sr., Washington, D.C.), and American each grabbed 10 offensive boards and 38 rebounds, and both teams scored seven second-chance points.  The Mids held a 10-3 edge in points scored after turnovers (10 for Navy, 16 for American) and a 22-6 lead in bench points.

Nelson scored 12 of his Navy-best 14 points in the second half and snared five of his team-high eight rebounds after halftime.  Carter scored 10 points to join Nelson in double figures.

Navy will play its next two games in Annapolis.  The final homestand of the regular season begins Saturday at noon when the Mids play host to Holy Cross.