EMMITSBURG, Md. – American University men's basketball (6-2) won its sixth straight game on Tuesday night, 69-61, over Mount St. Mary's (4-6, 1-1 MAAC). Led by junior
Johnny O'Neil with 18 points and eight rebounds, the Eagles shot 53.2 percent from the field to keep their win streak alive.
QUICK NOTABLES
- O'Neil's 18 points is a season-high for the junior.
- The Eagles have not lost a game since Nov. 13.
- American's six game win streak is the program's longest win streak since the 2013-14 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- American won the tip and took the ball down the court for the first points of the game.
- Mount St. Mary's tied up the game just a few seconds later, before it was junior Matt Rogers who went on a 7-0 run of his own to give American a 9-2 lead with 17:17 to play in the half.
- Mount St. Mary's pulled itself within four, 11-7, as the first media timeout of the half was called.
- The Eagles came out of the timeout with a 6-0 scoring run to put the score at 16-7. They then pushed their lead to 22-7 as the second media timeout of the half was called.
- Mount St. Mary's broke American's run with a layup and then a three-pointer to put the score at 22-17, American, with 9:18 left in the half.
- The two sides traded extra shots to put the score at 24-14 with 6:27 left to play.
- The Eagles were able to hold the 10-point lead as the score stood at 34-2, in favor of American, heading into halftime.
- The Mountaineers opened the second half with a three-pointer to pull within seven.
- Back-to-back baskets by senior Jaxon Knotek and freshman Geoff Sprouse pushed American back out to a 36-27 lead.
- Mount St. Mary's then countered with a 5-0 run to pull back within seven, before Rogers drained a shot from beyond the arc to push out American's lead once again.
- The two sides traded baskets with American holding a 10-point lead until with 13:07 left to play in the half, a jumper by the Mountaineers pulled them with eight.
- The Mountaineers pulled within four, 49-45, a few minutes later with 7:34 left to play. They then pulled with a basket, 49-47, with 6:47 left to play before tying the game 49-49.
- O'Neil put in a dunk to break the tie and put American up 51-49, drawing an and-one in the process. He made his extra shot to put the Eagles up 52-49.
- The Mountaineers pulled back within three, 54-51 with just over five minutes left to play, but a three-point shot from O'Neil put American back in the lead by six.
- The home team made one final push with a 6-0 run with 0:27 left to play, but three shots from the charity stripe for the Eagles was enough to run down the clock and secure the win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Three Eagles ended the game with double figure points. O'Neil led the way with 18 point, while Rogers and Sprouse totaled 16 and 11, respectively.
- American held the rebounding advantage, 30-23.
- The Eagles totaled 18 assists in the game while Mount St. Mary's recorded 16.
- American shot 53.2 percent from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc and 60 percent from the charity stripe.
UP NEXT
- American will remain on the road, making the short trip to George Washington University on Saturday, Dec. 10 for a 4 p.m. game.
- The Eagles will then return to Bender on Tuesday, Dec. 13 for a 6 p.m. matchup with the Virginia Military Institute.
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