WASHINGTON – With the score even at 61, it was junior
Johnny O'Neil's layup in the final second that helped American University men's basketball (13-7, 5-4 PL) avoid overtime and secure the 63-61 win over Army West Point (11-11, 5-4 PL) Wednesday night in Bender Arena. The win snapped the Eagles' four-game skid and gave them their fifth league win of the season.
QUICK NOTABLES
- Junior Colin Smalls led the Eagles with 14 points and four assists.
- American has now won two straight in Bender Arena against Army and the win evens the 2022-23 regular season series with the Black Knights.
- Wednesday's game marks the second buzzer-beater shot for the Eagles this season. The first came on Jan. 5 at Holy Cross when freshman Geoff Sprouse made a three-point basket at the buzzer to force overtime with the Crusaders.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- American jumped out to a 3-0 lead off a three-point basket from junior Matt Rogers.
- The Black Knights responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead just minutes into the game before O'Neil broke the run with a layup to pull American within a basket.
- The Black Knights pulled away, taking a 21-16 lead as the second media timeout of the half was called.
- American was able to pull within seven, 37-29, at the end of the first half.
- The two sides traded off baskets to start the second half until the Black Knights took a 45-35 lead with 14:12 to play in the game.
- The Black Knights held the lead until a layup by sophomore Elijah Stephens started to help the Eagles chip away at the lead and start a comeback.
- Two extra shots from freshman Jermaine Ballisager Webb and another layup by Stephens pulled American with four, 49-45.
- Back-to-back buckets from senior Jaxon Knotek and Stephens pulled American within two, 51-49, with eight minutes left in the game. Graduate student Connor Nelson was then fouled and made both his extra shots to even the score 51-51.
- The Eagles and Black Knights traded baskets to keep the game tied before two extra shots by the Black Knights gave them the 55-53 lead.
- Nelson then put in a huge shot from beyond the arc, followed up by a layup from O'Neil, to give American the 58-55 lead with 3:47 left to play.
- Army took a 59-58 lead off a three-point basket with 2:44 left to play and then evened the score at 61 with 0:26 left on the clock.
- American handed O'Neil the ball and as the block hit zero, the junior floated in a layup to secure the 63-61 win for the Eagles.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- American held the 27-26 rebounding advantage, pulling down seven offensive boards and 20 defensive boards.
- The Eagles held the 7-1 block advantage, the 7-6 steals advantage, and the 11-8 assists advantage.
- American shot 28.6 percent from the charity stripe, 90 percent from the free throw line, and 49 percent from the field.
- Junior Matt Rogers also scored in double figures, putting up 13 points to go with his team-leading eight rebounds.
UP NEXT
- American will make the short trip to Annapolis, Md. on Saturday, Jan. 28 for its first game of the season against Navy. The game is slated for a 2 p.m. start.
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