Feb. 25, 2009
Box Score
WASHINGTON - The American University men's
basketball team claimed its second-consecutive Patriot League
Regular Season Championship on Wednesday with a 64-59 win over Navy
in Bender Arena. American battled back from a three-point deficit
with just over four minutes to play and sealed the victory with
clutch free-throw shooting from Garrison Carr and
Frank Borden
down the stretch. Carr was one of four Eagles to finish in
double-figures as he scored a game-high 20 points to go along with
11 from Derrick Mercer and
Nick Hendra
and 10 from Brian Gilmore.
`If anybody can tell me how we did it, I'm all ears,' Jones said
following the game. `It didn't look good. I thought we looked a
little bit fatigued, but maybe it was the fact that we've got a
great group of seniors, we just kept hanging in there. We got some
big stops. It's a great win, and I'm excited for our guys.'
American sprinted out to a 21-9 lead just eight minutes into the
game, connecting on eight of its first 14 shots and going 4-of-6
from three to start the game. AU broke a three-all tie with an 8-2
run to go on top 11-5. The Eagles followed that up with a 10-2
spurt to take the 21-9 advantage. Jumpers by Borden and Carr began
the stretch which was capped off by back-to-back three's from
Mercer and Gilmore.
Navy climbed back into the game with a 6-0 run to move the score
to 21-15 and with 8:31 to play remained within six points of the
Eagles, 26-20. AU however scored eight of the game's next 10 points
with a pair of three's from Carr and Hendra and went back ahead by
12, 34-22. A second Navy run cut American's lead to just three
points, 36-33, with 1:45 to play and the team's would take the same
score into the locker room for the half.
Carr scored 11 points in the first half and connected on three
three-pointers. Mercer added eight points and five assists. Both
teams shot well from the field in the game's first 20 minutes with
American going into the break shooting 48.1 percent (13-27) with
seven makes from three and Navy at 50.0 percent (14-28).
American opened the second half with a 7-2 stretch capped off by
a Gilmore three-ball to extend its advantage to 43-35. The
Midshipmen however answered right back and with 13:42 on the clock
had closed the lead four, 46-42. Navy pulled to within one point
minutes later, 48-47, taking advantage of a four-plus minute
scoreless stretch for AU.
The Eagles struggles continued as Navy's Kaleo Kina put the
Midshipmen on top for the first time since scoring the first basket
of the game, 49-48. Gilmore answered Kina's basket with his third
three of the night to regain a 51-49 lead for American but a
three-ball by Adam Teague gave the lead right back to Navy, 52-51,
with 6:15 to play.
Navy went ahead by as many as three points, 56-53, before the
Eagles retied the game off a Nichols offensive rebound and Hendra
layup. On the Midshipmen's ensuing possession Hendra came away with
a steal and then pulled down an offensive board of his own and hit
the putback to give American a 58-56 lead.
Teague responded for Navy with another three to put the
Midshipmen back on top, 59-58, with under two minutes to play. Navy
held the ball with a chance to increase its lead but a solid
defensive effort by Frank Borden on Kina
forced an errant shot, giving American the ball back with a chance
to retake the lead.
Navy put Carr on the line where the senior calmly sank both
shots of a 1-and-1 to move ahead 60-59 with 0:28 to play. Navy's
attempt to go back on top once again was no good at the other end
as a Kina layup attempt rimmed out. Nichols pulled down the rebound
and kicked the ball to Carr in the corner where he was fouled and
again sank two free-throws to push the score to 62-59 with 0:19 on
the clock. Navy's final attempt, taken again by Kina, was also no
good as Nichols came up with his fourth block of the night to
secure the victory. Borden finished out the game at the line with
an additional two freebies as American took the win, 64-59.
`It feels great. My teammates say I'm a little emotional about
this kind of stuff but I'm not going to cry now,' Nichols said.
`It's something you dream about a lot, winning basketball games in
college. It's not our ultimate goal, we want to win the league
title and the playoffs, but it's a great feeling to accomplish
something and come here and do something for the program. It feels
great, especially with the guys I was able to do it with, I feel
like I've got a family here.'
American's win clinches a second-consecutive PL Regular Season
Championship for the Eagles and home-court advantage throughout the
PL Tournament. This is American's fourth PL Regular Season title
since joining the conference in the 2001-02 season.
`It's a great feeling. It's a reflection of how hard the team
has worked over these past years,' commented Mercer.
The win also improves American's current win streak to nine
games and is the team's 15th win in 16 games. AU has won 14
straight home games against the PL and 17 of its last 18 overall in
Bender.
Carr finished the night with a game-high 20 points with four
three-pointers and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the line in the final
minute of play. Mercer and Hendra each added 11 points to the
winning effort and Mercer dished out a game-high seven assists.
Nichols filled out his stat line chipping in six points, nine
rebounds, four blocks, three steals and two assists.
American will close out its regular season this Saturday, Feb.
28, at Lafayette. The game will be broadcast in the Mid-Atlantic
region live on MASN with a 2 p.m. scheduled tip.
The Eagles will begin play in the 2009 PL Tournament next
Wednesday, March 4, at home in Bender Arena at 7:30 p.m. Matchups
for the PL Tournament Quarterfinals have yet to be determined.
Tickets to AU's PL Tournament Quarterfinal game are currently
on-sale and can be purchased online by clicking
here or over the phone by calling (202) 885-TIXX.
