Clarification and correction appended
The AU men’s basketball team defeated Army 58-54 in Bender Arena on Feb. 22.
“We lost intensity and came in lackadaisical,” sophomore guard Jesse Reed said after the game. “But we brought it back towards the end of the game and came up victorious.”
The Eagles (16-11,12-4 PL) started out strong taking a 30-16 lead into halftime and continued to surge into the second half expanding their lead to 23 with a score of 47-24.
After looking outmatched, Army flipped a switch in the second half and made it a three-point game with 1:18 left when Army’s Mo Williams hit a free throw. The Black Knights (13-14,9-7 PL) had two chances to tie the game but missed two three-pointers, spoiling the comeback.
After dominating a majority of the game, AU let down their offense and defense in the second half, which led to Army’s major comeback.
Junior guard Darius Gardner hit two clutch free throws and an Army missed jumper followed by an AU layup which ultimately clinched the win for the Eagles.
“It’s human nature to kind of let up a bit, they made a few shots and came back in it,” senior center Tony Wroblicky said about the second half.
Reed led the Eagles with 21 points on 9-10 shooting in addition to seven rebounds and two steals. Senior center Tony Wroblicky also had a strong game with 14 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and three steals marking Wroblicky’s third double-double in the month of February.
A crucial factor for AU’s victory was the decision to give starters a break and allow five players sitting on the bench score a combined 15 points and play for 60 minutes total.
“Being able to get those little breaks helped out stay fresh in the second half,“ Reed said.
Another key for the Eagles was shutting down Army guard Kyle Wilson, who ranked second in the Patriot League in scoring as of Feb. 19, averaging more than 18 points a game. The Eagles’ swarming defense held Wilson to only two points on 1-15 shooting.
“All five guys know [Wilson] can kill you,” head coach Mike Brennan said. “We knew where he was all the time. He’s dangerous, but I thought everyone was in tune to where he was.”
With just two games remaining, the Eagles sit No. 2 in the Patriot League standings, already clinching a spot in the quarterfinals for the Patriot League tournament. The Eagles will keep second place in the tournament if they win one of their final two games.
“The league is very balanced; anyone can beat anyone,” Wroblicky said. “Every game is hugely important. Games that come down to the wire are very beneficial to our players.”
AU will play its next game in Annapolis, Md. against the United States Naval Academy.
Clarification: The lede in this story has been altered grammatically to be more concise and clear.
Correction: A former version of the story said the Eagles were playing their final game in Annapolis, Md. It has been corrected.
