ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Navy's defense came to life in the second half while offensively four Mids (13-18, 10-8) scored in double figures during an 81-68 victory over Loyola (11-18, 6-12), Saturday afternoon at Alumni Hall in Annapolis. The game was the last to be played during the 2025 Patriot League regular season.
The Mids posted a 5-1 record over their final six games to post a 10-8 mark against league foes and share third place in the final standings with Colgate, Boston and Army. After tiebreakers are applied, Navy received the No. 5 seed and will play at No. 4 Boston Thursday night in the quarterfinal round of the league tournament. The game will tip at 7 p.m. in Case Gym.
Navy had placed eighth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Mids have improved upon their poll position in six of the last seven and nine of the last 11 years, with Navy matching its position in those two outlier years. Also, this is the eighth time in those nine seasons in which the Mids improved upon their poll selection by at least two spots.
"As disappointed as I was in the first half with our defensive effort," said Navy head coach
Ed DeChellis, "I was really proud of our guys for the second half. We were more active, challenged some shots better. In the second half we played like Navy plays; we were energetic, we ran the floor after balls, knocked some free. We had some steals, which we turned them over into points."
The score was tied at 14-14 before Loyola built seven-point leads at 33-26 and 35-28. The Greyhounds took a 39-35 lead into halftime thanks to their shooting 6-11 from three-point land and 57.1 percent from the floor overall. Conversely, Navy shot 41.4 percent from the floor and 5-13 from beyond the arc.
Navy quickly tied the game at 39-39 less than one minute into the second half. The Greyhounds soon took a 49-43 lead, but the Mids responded and knotted the score at 50-50. The score also would be tied at both 52-52 and 55-55. The Mids scored on three-straight times down the floor to take a 61-55 lead. A
Donovan Draper jumper started the run, then an offensive board by Draper led to a basket by
Austin Benigni. Benigni then scored again to give the Mids a 61-55 lead with just under eight minutes remaining.
A Loyola basket stalled the Navy run, but the Mids scored the ensuing eight points to stretch their lead to 69-57 with just under five minutes showing on the clock on their way to building a 73-60 cushion one minute later. Altogether, the Mids ran off an 18-5 run in seven minutes.
The Greyhounds made it a nine-point game at 75-66 with 2:25 still to play, but a pair of free throws by Draper pushed the advantage back out to 11 points with 105 seconds remaining.
Navy held Loyola to just a 35.7 percent shooting effort after halftime, which included a 4-12 (33.3%) production from three-point land. On the other end, the Mids improved their shooting mark to 48.3 percent from the field. Navy also was 16-18 from the foul line in the second half and 22-26 from the charity stripe overall while the Greyhounds were 6-9 from the free throw line for the game.
Navy registered nine steals in the second half and 17 for the game. That ties the Mids for second for the most in school history during a Patriot League game and also ties them for 15th place overall.
Mike Woods accounted for seven of those steals. His efforts are tied for second for the most by a Mid in a league game and tied for third for any opponent.
"Woods was good tonight," said DeChellis. "Very active. I thought he was good."
Draper just missed a double-double with nine points and 14 rebounds. Six of those boards came on the offensive end, and he has now totaled 46 rebounds in the last three games. Benigni tallied 17 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. He also dished out five assists in the game.
Jordan Pennick tallied 11 of his 18 points in the first half. Team captain
Lysander Rehnstrom, who was recognized alongside fellow classmates
Mitch Fischer and
Kam Summers prior to the game, made a trio of three-point field goals in scoring 11 points. Rounding out the list of Mids in double figures was
Aidan Kehoe with 10. He also grabbed six boards in the game.
"It was a total team effort," said DeChellis. "I can't say enough about that. We knew it was a really big week and this would be a really physical game. They have the two big bruisers inside and that's challenging for Draper to guard those guys. But he had 14 rebounds. He has had 16, 16 and 14 rebounds (in the last three games). He is rebounding his brains off."
Navy and Boston split the 2025 season series, with the home team winning each game. The teams also met last season in the quarterfinal round of the league tournament. The Terriers posted a 70-61 victory in the game.
"We have improved," said DeChellis. "We were picked eighth and tied for third. Our guys have improved. It hasn't been all seashells and cotton candy. We have had some battles. But somehow they figured it out. They all have played better. We haven't made egregious mistakes. I am proud of them.
"You can't limp into the tournament and expect to play well. You just don't turn it on all of a sudden. You have to get better each day. You have to stack good wins, you have to stack good practices. Guys are believing. That's the thing as a coach you have to try and get them to see things how you are seeing them. Now they are believing and believing in themselves. They think they can win."
2025 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men's Basketball Tournament
First Round - Tuesday, March 4
No. 10 seed Holy Cross at No. 7 Lafayette
No. 9 Lehigh at No. 8 Loyola
Quarterfinal Round - Thursday, March 6
No. 6 Army at No. 3 Colgate
No. 5 Navy at No. 4 Boston
Winner of No. 10/No. 7 seeds at No. 2 American
Winner of No. 9/No. 8 seeds at No. 1 Bucknell
Semifinal Round - Sunday, March 9 | Hosted by Higher Seed
Winner of No. 6/3 vs. Winner of 10/7/2
Winner of No. 5/4 vs. Winner of No. 9/8/1
PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Championship Game - Wednesday, March 12
Updated Patriot League Men's Basketball Standings
1. Bucknell: 13-5
2. American: 13-5
3. Colgate: 10-8
4. Boston: 10-8
5. Navy: 10-8
6. Army: 10-8
7. Lafayette: 7-11
8. Loyola: 6-12
9. Lehigh: 6-12
10. Holy Cross: 5-13
