Black Knights Down Wagner, 75-64 at Home

WEST POINT – Army Men’s Basketball (4-5) played at Christl Arena for their second consecutive game versus. Wagner (4-3) on Saturday and was victorious by a score of 75-64.

At the 11:52 mark in the first half, Freshman Coleton Benson provided a big spark for the Black Knights when he drilled a three-pointer in the left corner on which he was also fouled on the play. Benson went to the line and completed the four-point play.

Soon after with the score tied 16-16, Army got hot and went on a 13-0 scoring run, highlighted by another Benson triple, a Jared Cross three and a Jalen Rucker three to grow its lead to 29-16, forcing a Wagner timeout. At the half, Army led 39-30, paced by 11 points from Junior Jalen Rucker. Army capitalized at the charity stripe connecting on 12-15 (80%), highlighted by Rucker who was 6-6 from the line.

In the second half, Army grew its lead to 15 early on, its biggest lead of the afternoon, 47-32 by way of an Abe Johnson made bucket. Wagner would respond and cut into Army’s lead, by three-point makes by Brandon Brown and Javier Ezquerra seeing Army’s lead shrink to 56-51. Army’s freshman duo of Benson and Ethan Roberts would connect on three point makes over a minute stretch from 9:32 to 8:36 to play in the second half, getting the lead back to 11 at 62-51.

Wagner would stay in the hunt, cutting the lead back down to six, 70-64 after a Delonnie Hunt three ball with 2:10 to go. With the score remaining the same for much of the last two minutes, Wagner began fouling with 37 seconds to play. Army’s Jared Cross split a pair of foul shots and Isaiah Caldwell connected on a pair to get Army’s lead back up to nine, 73-64 with 15 seconds to go as Army hung on for a 75-64 victory.

The Black Knights saw four players in double figures Rucker (15), Mann (15), Benson (12), and Roberts (12). Benson logged an individual best six rebound and shot 3-6 from three-point range.

Delonnie Hunt lead the way for the Seahawks with 17 points on 6-16 shooting, including 3-6 from three.

Army will take on New Jersey Institute of Technology on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:00pm at Christl Arena.