Gamecenter: Army 60, American 55
17 January, 2007by Isaac Cass
1st | 2nd | Final | |
American (9-9, 1-3 Patriot) | 23 | 32 | 55 |
Army (12-7, 2-2 Patriot) | 17 | 43 | 60 |
Christl Arena – West Point, NY | Boxscore |
Postgame audio: Jim Crews | Jarell Brown | |
Army evened their Patriot league record at 2-2 with a 60-55 win over the visiting Eagles from American. Jarell Brown paced the Black Knights with a game-high 17 points, going 8-for-17 from the floor. Army continued its scorching play at home, upping its record at Christl to 8-1. With the loss, American dropped to 1-3 in the conference, its worst start since joining the Patriot League in 2001-2002.
The game was close throughout, but clutch free throw shooting from Army guard’s Matt Bell and Cory Sinning proved to be the difference in the end. Bell went 11-for-12 from the line on the night, while Sinning went 8-for-10. Bell was especially huge down the stretch, sinking 8-free throws in the final 1:24, including two with 4.4 seconds left, essentially clipping the wings of any Eagles comeback flight. Defensively, the Black Knights were stellar, recording 6 steals and 2 blocks. They were able to contain American’s lead scorer, Andre Ingram, to 10 points — below his season average of 14. Army Guard Marcus Nelson, who stands a Napoleonic 5’10, dunked home a rebound with 3:37 remaining in the second half, electrifying the home crowd and putting the Black Knights on top for good, 44-41. American was led by Arvydas Eitutavicius, who scored 17 points on the strength of 3 three-pointers and 8 free throws. He also added a team-high 7 rebounds. Sloppy play was the kiss of death for the Eagles, as they turned the ball over 20 times. Army will play the final game of a three-game home stand this Sunday, matching up against longtime rival Navy. The game figures to be a classic, and the decibel levels will surely soar to deafening limits. American will return home on Saturday to battle Patriot League foe Holy Cross. |
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Keys to the Game | |
Key sequence | Nelson threw down a dunk with 3:37 left in the game, putting the Knights on top for good, 44-41, and keeping momentum strongly on Army’s side. |
Key sign it was over |
The game was tight throughout, but Bell staved off the feisty Eagles for good, sinking 2 free throws with 4.4 seconds left in the game. |
Key performance | Bell turned in a key performance, sinking 11-of-12 free throw attempts, including 8 in the final 1:24. |
Key statistic | Army went 13-of-14 from the charity stripe in the final 1:24, after going 8-of-16 before that point. |
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Notes | |
– | The Black Knights defeated the Eagles for the first time 43 years. |
– | American recorded 4 steals, while Army had 6. |
– | American outrebounded Army 35-32. |
– | Bell scored the first 2 points of the game with a jumper, and the last 2 on clutch free throws. |