WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 17: during the game between the American Eagles and George Washington Colonials at Bender Arena on November 17, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/American University)
2022 Scott Taetsch
71
Navy Navy 1-29,1-17 Patriot
78
Winner American Americ 9-21,7-11 Patriot
Navy Navy
1-29,1-17 Patriot
71
Final
78
American Americ
9-21,7-11 Patriot
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Navy Navy 21 14 12 24 71
American Americ 16 16 24 22 78

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women’s Basketball Sinks Navy to Advance to the Patriot League Quarterfinals

WASHINGTON – While each side traded baskets through the first half of the game, the American University basketball team (8-21, 7-10 PL) took control offensively in the third and was able to maintain the lead through the second half to sail to victory over the Navy Midshipmen (1-29, 1-17 PL) in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament.

No. 7 seed American will now face off with No. 2 seeded Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. on Monday, March 6 at 7 p.m.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Four Eagles were in double-digits when the final whistle was blown. Junior guard Kayla Henning led the charge with her career-high 19-point performance on 8-for-9 shooting from the floor. She also had three rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
  • Henning was followed in performance by senior forward Lauren Stack and junior forward Emily Johns with 17 and 16 points respectively. Johns led for the Eagles on the boards with nine rebounds, followed by Stack with seven.
  • Ivy Bales also had a stat sheet filling night with 13 points, five rebounds, nine assists, and two steals.
  • The Mids were led in scoring by Lindsay Llewellyn and Sydne Watts with 19 and 17 points respectively and on the glass, Navy was led by Kate Samson with eight
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Eagles and Navy traded early buckets as neither team could break away until the Midshipmen were able to build some momentum in the second half of the opening quarter. The Midshipmen went on a 14-8 run through the final minutes of the quarter.
  • Through the first quarter, Henning and Stack led the Eagles' efforts with five points apiece, while Henning closed out the quarter with a dagger from beyond the arc to cut into Navy's lead and keep American within five points, 16-21.
  • Johns picked up the momentum American closed the first frame with and kept it rolling by hitting a mid-range jumper to score the first points of the second quarter. Henning followed up with a steal before hitting the jumper on the other end to cut Navy's lead down to one in the first two minutes of the quarter.
  • Though American continued to trail through the second quarter, the Eagles managed to systematically cut the lead down while trading baskets with a 16-14 advantage on the scoreboard for the frame.
  • At the break, American was trailing, but only by three, with the score line at 32-35 with the advantage to Navy. American and Navy were neck and neck in shooting percentage from the field, both shooting 47 percent from the floor.
  • The second period opened with the Eagles going on an 9-3 run, leading the Mids 41-38 with 5:03 left to play in the third frame, Stack led the way with four of those nine points. The energy continued through the end of the third, American going outscoring Navy 24-12 in the frame to hold a nine-point lead with ten minutes left in regulation.  
  • By the end of the third, three Eagles were in double-digits; Henning had 15, Stack had 14, and Johns had 10. Bales wasn't far behind with nine points to her line on the sheet. Two of Stack's point were in a buzzer-beating layup, giving the Eagles positive vibes heading into the final frame.
  • The fourth saw the Eagles offense keep coming, scoring 10 to Navy's five with 4:50 left to play in the contest when Stack got her 16th point of the game with a layup assisted by Kayla Henning. American led Navy by 12, 66-54, with 3:56 to play in regulation.
  • The game got a little back and forth with fouls in the final two minutes of play, a combined 13 fouls committed by the Eagles and the Mids with 54 seconds left to play. The Eagles had a six-point, 74-68, lead with 42.1 seconds left to play.
  • In the end, American would hold out over their DMV area neighbors to claim the 78-71 victory to advance to the quarterfinals to the Patriot League tournament.
UP NEXT
The No. 7 Eagles are on the road to take on No. 2 seed Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, in a Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal matchup on Monday, March 6, at 7 p.m.

KEEP UP WITH US
For the latest on American University Women's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WBasketball) and Instagram (@auwbasketball).
 
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