Throughout its four-game losing streak this month, AU Men's Basketball struggled to put away opponents late - and that's if it even had a chance from the beginning. But in the final two games of the season, the Eagles seem to have turned things around.
AU got 62 points from its five seniors in their final home regular-season game and overcame an intense Navy team to win its second consecutive game, beating the Midshipmen, 84-77, at Bender Arena Saturday.
The victory secured AU (15-11, 8-6 Patriot League) the No. 3 seed in the PL tournament, its lowest since joining the conference. But the win, combined with the ending of futility against Lehigh on Wednesday, gives the team the best position it could have hoped for after struggling in February.
"We may have gotten worn down, particularly in that weekend with losses at Bucknell and Colgate," AU coach Jeff Jones said. "But I think it was rewarding at Lafayette, and we moved upward. Then the win at Lehigh lifted our spirits. To now win two in a row, it helps the players feel better at this point."
AU's five seniors can definitely feel good for combining for most of the offense. Leading the way was forward Raimondas Petrauskas, who scored 17 points, nine of which came from free throws and added to the team's 25-of-28 shooting from the free-throw line. Guard Jason Thomas also scored 17 points despite sitting most of the game after committing three fouls in the first eight minutes as his team fell behind early.
"I was very disappointed," Thomas said of his foul trouble, which included a technical in the first half. "I just wanted to go out and support the team, but I just went to the bench and tried to keep spirits up."
AU fell behind early after the benching of Thomas, who opened the game with three quick 3-pointers. Navy (9-18, 5-9) used an 11-0 run that led to a 10-point advantage as sixth man David Hooper scored 16 of his game-high 20 points in the first half.
"At the beginning it looked like nobody would win," Jones said. "[Navy] kept being scrappy, and we didn't match their intensity until late."
The Eagles eventually struck back at Navy after a 47-45 halftime deficit. AU controlled much of the second half as the Midshipmen encountered a seven-minute scoring drought. The Eagles only scored eight points in that span, but it was enough to keep Navy in check.
"That's when we got a handle on the game," Jones said. "They just come at you so hard, so I never felt comfortable, but to hold them as long as we did, that was critical."
Senior forward Patrick Okpwae was also a boost down the stretch, pleasing the crowd of 1,334 by swatting away two Navy shots and finishing two one-handed slams en route to 12 points.
Sophomore guard Andre Ingram, who was slowed by the flu last week, scored 11 points for AU, which had four players score in double figures. That balance proved too much for Navy.
"AU played great and they're the most talented offensive team in the league," Navy coach Billy Lange said. "That was a shootout, and that's not our game, so the pace favored AU."
Thanks to the win, and Lehigh's loss to Lafayette, the Eagles will be spared opening the tournament in the bracket of 22-5 Holy Cross and a trip to Worcester, Mass. They will be in a group with Navy, Lafayette and host Bucknell, but Jones said it won't be any easier, especially with the tournament road opening with another date with No. 6 Navy.
"We don't relish the opportunity to play them again, but it looks like that's what's going to happen," he said.
The Eagles' journey to the PL title begins Friday in Lewisburg, Pa.
