The United States Naval Academy secured a decisive victory over Colgate, winning 85-69 at Alumni Hall. The margin of 16 points underscored the significant gap between the two teams, with Navy's NET ranking of 140 surpassing Colgate's ranking of 217. By halftime, Navy had established control, leading 47-40, and the Midshipmen maintained their advantage throughout the second half.
Navy's dominance was evident in the second-half scores, outpacing Colgate 38-29 to seal the 16-point victory. The Raiders were unable to close the gap, and the final score reflected Navy's consistent superiority throughout the contest. The disparity in NET rankings was borne out on the court, as Navy demonstrated its superiority over Colgate.
A 17-point, 12-rebound effort from Aidan Kehoe set the tone for Navy, as his presence in the paint helped control the tempo of the game. With the game on the line, his ability to score efficiently, going 7-9 from the field, was a key factor in Navy's victory. The supporting cast, including Cam Cole, also made significant contributions, as his 16 points, fueled by 3-6 shooting from beyond the arc, helped to stretch the defense and create opportunities for his teammates.
Erupting for 15 points and adding 9 assists, Austin Benigni's performance was a crucial element in Navy's offensive success. His ability to distribute the ball effectively, finding open teammates and creating scoring chances, was complemented by his own shooting, as he went 3-8 from three-point range. In tandem with Kehoe's dominant performance, the collective efforts of Benigni and Cole, who also shot 5-8 from the field, helped Navy secure the 85-69 win over Colgate.
Despite the loss, the team's leading scorer, Kyle Carlesimo, had a notable performance, with his 20 points on 7-15 shooting from the field, including 6-10 from beyond the arc, serving as a highlight in an otherwise disappointing outing. Finishing with 16 points, Ben Tweedy's overall stat line, which included 5 rebounds and 4 assists, was a testament to his versatility, but ultimately not enough to propel Colgate to victory.
The contributions of Andrew Alekseyenko, who had 11 points and 5 rebounds, were overshadowed by the team's inability to contain Navy's offense, as his 5-11 shooting from the field, including 1-3 from three-point range, was not sufficient to make a significant impact on the game's outcome. His 2 assists were a minor bright spot in an otherwise difficult evening for Colgate.
Beyond the standout performances, the remainder of the players for both teams turned in efforts largely consistent with their seasonal trends.
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Final
The pre-game prediction of a Navy victory by 12.4 points ultimately proved to be a conservative estimate, as the Midshipmen emerged with a 16-point win. While the prediction was correct in terms of the outcome, the actual margin of victory exceeded expectations. This disparity suggests that Navy's performance was more dominant than anticipated, and a closer examination of the team statistics reveals some key factors that contributed to this outcome.
A notable aspect of Navy's performance was its exceptional shooting efficiency, with an effective field goal percentage of 58.6% that surpassed its season average. This proficiency, combined with a strong three-point shooting percentage of 40.0%, allowed the Midshipmen to capitalize on their scoring opportunities and build a substantial lead. Furthermore, Navy's ability to secure a higher percentage of offensive rebounds, at 31.0% compared to Colgate's 28.1%, likely contributed to additional scoring chances and limited the Raiders' ability to gain momentum. These factors, particularly Navy's shooting efficiency, appear to have been decisive in the game's outcome, enabling the Midshipmen to secure a more convincing victory than initially predicted.
The outcome of this contest has significant implications for both teams' postseason prospects, as they vie for position in the Patriot League standings. With the win, Navy strengthens its case for a high seed in the conference tournament, bolstering its chances of ultimately claiming the auto-bid. Conversely, Colgate's loss deals a blow to its own conference tournament aspirations, as it falls further behind in the standings. Given their respective NET rankings, neither team has a realistic path to the NCAA Tournament beyond winning their conference tournament, making each game a crucial step towards that goal. As the season draws to a close, Navy's ability to capitalize on a Quad 4 matchup against a struggling Colgate team, which was only a Quad 3 game for the Raiders, underscores the Midshipmen's potential to make a deep run in the Patriot League tournament, and it is clear that Navy is now the team to beat in the conference.