Jan. 28, 2009
Box Score
Annapolis, Md. - The American University men's
basketball team won in thrilling fashion Wednesday at Navy, taking
their final lead of the game with 30 seconds remaining on a Garrison Carr
three for the 68-67 win. Carr led all scorers with 28 points on
10-of-16 shooting while Derrick Mercer
added 12 points and 11 assists.
American (12-7, 4-1) and Navy (14-7, 3-3) began the game at a
torrid pace, combining to score 28 points through the first
seven-plus minutes. Derrick Mercer led
the charge early for AU with six points, including back-to-back
layups to tie the score at 12. Jordan Nichols
converted a three-point play off a feed from Brian Gilmore with
12:33 remaining in the half, giving American a 15-14 lead. Two
possessions later Garrison Carr put
the Eagles up by four with his second three-pointer of the half and
then hit an eight foot jumper on AU's next trip down the court to
put the team up by six, 20-14, with just over 11 minutes to play.
Navy cut American's lead to one on a Chris Harris three but AU
answered back with an 8-2 run to take a 30-23 lead. Nick Hendra began the
run with a tough driving layup and later finished it, taking the
ball coast-to-coast off a steal. Carr then lifted the Eagles to a
nine point lead, 38-29, as he scored eight straight points over a
1:30 span. The Midshipmen scored on consecutive possessions to get
back to within five, 38-33, with 1:29 to play but would get no
closer in the half. With under one minute to play Gilmore drove the
lane and sank a floater as the shot clock expired to retake a
seven-point lead. Gilmore then hit a spot-up three from the right
corner to beat the halftime buzzer, giving American a 43-33 lead at
the break.
Carr led American in the first half with 16 points on 6-of-8
shooting and was a perfect 4-of-4 from behind the arc. Gilmore
notched 10 points in the frame on 4-of-8 shooting and pulled down
eight rebounds, four on each end of the court. Both teams shot over
50.0 percent from the field as the Eagles recorded a 56.7 mark
(17-30) and Navy shot 57.7 percent (15-26).
Navy came out of the break as the aggressor and twice cut AU's
lead to five within the first eight minutes of the half. The Eagles
answered each of Navy's challenges though, ending the first run
with a Mercer driving lay-in and the second with a Carr
three-pointer which put the team ahead by eight, 53-45. Carr then
hit his second three of the half with 10:52 remaining to give AU an
11-point lead, 56-45.
Navy took off on a 16-3 run following Carr's three to regain the
lead, 61-59, with 4:37 on the clock. Kaleo Kina scored five points
for the Midshipmen during this stretch, including two free-throws
to bring the score to within two, before Clif Colbert put Navy on
top with a fast break layup. Hendra retied the game with a pull-up
jumper but an Adam Teague three-ball gave the lead back to Navy,
64-61, with 3:24 remaining.
Mercer answered Teague's three with one of his own to tie the
score back up at 64. Navy regained a two-point lead at the
free-throw line, 67-65, but gave the ball back to the Eagles on a
missed jumper with under one minute to play. American set up a play
for Carr at the top of the key and the senior responded by hitting
his seventh three-pointer of the night to give his team a 68-67
lead with 30 seconds to play. After a timeout, the Midshipmen put
the ball in the hands of Harris in the post with a chance to steal
the victory but his shot was blocked by Nichols. Navy was awarded
the ball back however with 12 seconds left as Nichols stepped out
of bounds after coming down with the rebound. Kena received the
ensuing inbounds pass on the right wing and drove the lane for a
final shot but his attempt was off the mark. Hendra came down with
the rebound and got the ball to Carr who was fouled with three
seconds left, sending him to the line. Carr was unsuccessful on his
free-throw attempt and Navy came away with the rebound, but a last
second half-court heave for the Midshipmen was off target, sealing
the 68-67 victory for American.
Carr led all scorers with 28 points and seven three-pointers.
The senior shot 10-of-16 from the field and was 7-of-11 from three.
Mercer scored 12 points in the victory while recording a game-high
11 assists, three steals and three rebounds. Gilmore also netted 12
points and finished the game with nine rebounds.
American will return to action this Saturday, Jan. 31, at 2 p.m.
against Lafayette in the team's seventh annual Phil Bender Day.
Sideline chairback seats are sold out for the game but endzone
reserved seating is still available. Tickets are priced at $9 for
adults and $7 for youth under 17 and can be purchased by clicking
here or by calling (202) 885-TIXX.
