WASHINGTON – Trailing by six with less than six minutes remaining, American University men's basketball scored the final 12 points of the game to defeat Harvard, 70-64, in front of 2,431 fans at Bender Arena on Sunday afternoon. Sophomore
Madden Collins scored a game-high 25 points, and senior
Julen Iturbe delivered the go-ahead basket in the final minute as the Eagles earned their second straight victory.
Notable
- Collins has scored at least 20 points in all four games this season and is averaging 22.8 points per game. He also recorded three steals in the win.
- Sophomore Chris Eagen joined Collins in double figures with 11 points, scoring nine in the first half.
- American's bench outscored Harvard's 20-7, with sophomore Dean Hogans providing a spark with eight points.
- The Eagles overcame a tough day from long range, as Harvard shot 46.2 percent from beyond the arc compared to 21.1 percent for AU.
- American had the advantage on the glass, committed fewer turnovers than the Crimson, and outscored Harvard 34-22 in the paint.
- The Eagles welcomed a crowd of 2,431 for their home opener, including former U.S. President Barack Obama, who was in attendance to support Harvard.
First Half
- Harvard held a slight lead early, but the Eagles forced two turnovers and a shot clock violation in the opening six minutes to keep the Crimson from pulling away.
- American went on an 11-2 run midway through the half that included two three-pointers from Hogans and one from senior Matt Mayock to give the Eagles a 22-16 lead.
- The Crimson regained the advantage with a 10-0 run, capitalizing on three AU turnovers to eventually take a 30-26 lead with five minutes remaining in the half.
- The teams traded baskets down the stretch, with Harvard taking a 40-35 lead into halftime.
Second Half
- The Eagles chipped away at the deficit early in the second half, with a Hogans layup tying the game at 48-48 with 13:20 remaining.
- Harvard responded with seven straight points, holding American scoreless for more than three minutes to take a 55-48 lead.
- Collins scored five straight points on a three-point play and a layup to bring the Eagles back within two at 55-53.
- With American trailing 64-58, Collins came up with a steal and nearly went coast-to-coast before a Harvard defender knocked the ball loose. Iturbe was there for the follow-up layup to start what would become a game-ending 12-0 run.
- Collins tied the game at 64-64 on a jumper in the paint with 1:25 remaining, bringing the Bender Arena crowd to its feet.
- On American's next possession, Iturbe grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed three-pointer and converted the putback to give the Eagles their first lead since the first half at 66-64.
- Collins and senior Greg Jones sealed the victory at the free throw line as the Eagles held Harvard scoreless for nearly six minutes to close out the game.
Up Next
- American returns to Bender Arena to face Mary Baldwin University at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19.
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