Feb. 23, 2005
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (www.lafayette.edu) - Navy outrebounded Lafayette 71-33 and senior Taj Mathews scored 24 points as the Midshipmen posted a 76-57 win on Wednesday night at Alumni Hall. The Lafayette loss leaves the Leopards as the No. 7 seed in the Patriot League Tournament while Navy will earn at least a No. 6 seed.
The Mids had 18 offensive boards in each half and launched 84 shots in the game. Mathews was 6-of-10 from behind the arc, making four three's in the first five minutes while Navy sprinted out to a 16-6 lead.
Bilal Abdullah hit two three's around a jumper by Marcus Harley, who accounted for the Leopards' first six points on a pair of triples, to slice Navy's advantage to 16-14. Navy scored six of the next eight points before Abdullah's third three in four minutes cut the edge to 22-19.
An offensive rebound and layup by Jamaal Douglas gave Lafayette its only lead of the game, at 26-24, but the Mids went on an 11-0 run and led 35-26 with 3:21 to play before the break. Paul Cummins made a long two-pointer and a three in the final minute to pull Lafayette within 38-34 at the half.
Navy extended its lead to 11 with 15:04 remaining after a three by Mathews and a bucket by George O'Garro. Andrei Capusan brought the Leopards within seven several times in the middle of the half, but Lafayette was unable to make a push to get the game to a single possession.
Matt Fannin had 14 rebounds (eight offensive) to lead Navy's effort on the glass. O'Garro posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards, and David Hooper had 12 points and eight rebounds.
Abdullah finished with 14 points and Harley had 10 for the Leopards. Ted Detmer had a career-high seven rebounds, and Douglas equaled his career-high with three blocked shots.
Lafayette will finish the regular season on Saturday vs. Lehigh. Senior Day will honor co-captains Jamie Hughes and Sean Knitter before the game, and there will be a presentation to Lafayette's 2004 Patriot League champion football team at halftime.
The Leopards will play Bucknell, the No. 2 seed, in the first round of the league tournament on Friday, March 4 in Lewisburg, Pa.
