Army Takes Revenge on Boston University, 68-62

WEST POINT – Army West Point men’s basketball (10-8, 4-2) earned its fourth straight win on Saturday afternoon, taking a 68-62 win over the Boston University Terriers (9-9, 3-3).

The win continues the Black Knights’s longest win streak of the season and allows the program to gain its tenth win of the season. The tenth win this season also ties the number of total wins the Black Knights had last season.

One of the biggest aspects that fueled the Black Knights’ win over the Terriers was an absolutely dominant first half offensively and defensively.

Army finished the first half shooting 64 percent from the field and 46 percent from the three-point line. They were able to hold the Terriers to 35 percent shooting from the field and 18 percent from the three-point line. The Black Knights also caused eight turnovers leading to 12 points off turnovers. Army’s hot shooting allowed them to take a 41-20 lead into the locker room, and were able to maintain that lead through the end of the game.

The Black Knights went on to finish the game shooting 55 percent from the field and 43 percent from the three-point line. Boston U would go on to finish the game shooting 48 percent from the floor and 27 percent from the three-point line.

Jalen Rucker led the Black Knights in scoring for the second straight game and finished the night with 23 points while shooting 67 percent from the floor and 75 percent from behind the arch. Rucker also added two assists.

Josh Scovens also finished the afternoon in double-digits scoring 15 points with two rebounds, two assists and one steal. Meanwhile, Ryan Curry and AJ Allenspach both finished the game with eight points and eight rebounds.

Army took control from the first tip, going on a quick 6-0 run to take their first lead of the game, led by three-pointers from Jalen Rucker and Ryan Curry. Boston U would follow up with a 7-0 run to take its only lead of the game. That lead lasted 12 seconds.

The Black Knights would go on a 19-2 run over eight minutes to take a 25-9 lead with 7:31 left in the first half. To start the run, Jorn Everson hit a three-pointer and Blake Barker scored on a wide-open layup. Boston U would score on a jumper, then Army scored 14 consecutive points. Jalen Rucker and Isaiah Caldwell scored five points each plus AJ Allenspach and Josh Scovens each added two points each.

Army continued to extend its first-half lead by scoring six points in under a minute. This quick burst was led by Josh Scovens, with a steal and slam, and two free throws, plus Rucker who added a jumper of his own. This gave Army a 31-13 lead with 5:46 left in the first half.

Then with 3:40 left on the first half clock, the Black Knights went on a 7-0 run in 90 seconds. This run was started by a driving dunk from AJ Allenspach, another two points from Rucker and then three straight points from Josh Scovens. Then as time expired in the first 20 minutes of play, Army took its 41-20 lead into the locker room.

The Terriers did not give up that easily in the second half. After the Black Knights gained a 22-point lead with another powerful dunk by Josh Scovens with 16:37 on the clock, the Terriers began a run of their own.

First was a 9-0 run which was broken up by a three-pointer from Blake Barker, making the game 48-32 with 13:23 left in the game. Then the Terriers went on another 9-0 burst stopped by a three-pointer from Jalen Rucker to cut the Army lead to 10 points with under 10 minutes left to play.

The Black Knights kept the Terriers at that deficit up into the final few minutes of the game. The Terriers went on an 11-4 run in the final few minutes to make the game a one-possession game with 30 seconds left. But three straight defensive stops by the Black Knights and two free throws from Josh Scovens lifted Army to a 68-62 win over the Terriers.