EASTON, Pa. -- A stout Navy defense combined with just enough offense gave the Mids (12-11, 5-6) a 53-34 victory over Lafayette (7-17, 5-6), Wednesday night at the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa.

The 34 points scored by Lafayette is tied for the fewest allowed by Navy in a Patriot League game (Holy Cross, Feb. 7, 2018).  The Mids held the Leopards to 11 second-half points, which also is tied for the least allowed by Navy in a half in a league game (Holy Cross, Feb. 7, 2018).  

Additionally, the 34 points are tied for the fourth-fewest points Navy has allowed in any game since records began in 1951-52, as are the 11 second-half points given up by the Mids in a half.

"I am really proud of our guys defensively," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis.  "We did a really good job of taking them out of their offensive sets from where we were the other day when we didn't guard at all (in a home loss to American).  Today, we really guarded."

Navy started the game 4-4 from three-point range in taking a 12-6 lead, but then had a four-plus minute scoring drought to fall behind 15-12.  The lead changed hands a few more times until Lafayette took a 21-19 lead. Navy responded with a 9-0 run to take a 28-21 lead on its way to heading into the locker rooms in front, 30-23.

The first half saw post players from both teams play well offensively.  Lafayette's Justin Vander Baan started the game 5-5 from the floor and ended the half 6-7 in scoring 12 points and added five rebounds.  Navy's Daniel Deaver (Sr., Falls Church, Va.) was 5-7 from the field in scoring 10 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists.  Deaver had a bit more support in the half as his teammates were 7-16 from the field and Vander Baan's were 4-17.

The Mids took a little bit of time to find a rhythm offensively in the second half, but soon built leads of 36-25 and 43-28.  The margin remained double figures over the remainder of the game as the Leopards made their final basket of the game with 7:21 left on the clock.

Navy shot 34.8 percent (8-23) from the field in the second half and limited Lafayette to a 4-25 (16%) shooting effort after halftime.  The Mids ended the game shooting 43.5 percent (20-46) and the Leopards made 28.6 percent (14-49) of their attempts.

Lafayette entered the game leading the Patriot League and ranked 20th nationally with an average of 9.3 three-point field goals made a game and were 8-20 in three-point shooting in the first game of the year between the teams, but the Leopards were 4-21 (19.0%) from beyond the arc this evening.

"That's how we have to play," said DeChellis.  "We have to defend and rebound.  (If we do that) we will then score enough points to win the game."

Deaver was 3-4 from the floor in the second half while Vander Baan was 0-2 and did not score a point after halftime.  Deaver ended the game with 16 points and nine rebounds to lead all players in both statistics.  He also added three assists, two steals and one blocked shot.  Patrick Dorsey (Sr., Raleigh, N.C.) totaled 11 points and Christian Jones (Sr., Bowie, Md.) scored five of his nine points in the second half.

Navy will play its fourth road game in a span of five games Saturday when the Mids play at Holy Cross.