Holy Cross Comes Back to Down Men’s Basketball

Wednesday, January 20

Worcester, MA

7 PM

Army West Point

12-7, 3-4PL

Holy Cross

8-10, 3-4PL

Army West Point

Holy Cross

Holy Cross Comes Back to Down Men’s Basketball

January 20, 2016 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross erased an eight-point halftime deficit and benefitted by a pair of 20-point efforts by Malachi Alexander and Karl Charles to defeat the Army West Point men's basketball team 69-65 on Wednesday evening at the Hart Center.

Charles posted a double-double with 15 rebounds as Holy Cross outscored Army 37-25 after intermission to improve to 3-4 in conference play. The result improved the Crusaders to 8-10 overall.

Kennedy Edwards scored 11 points and Dylan Cox added 10 for the Black Knights in the losing effort as the Black Knights fell to 3-4 in the Patriot League and 12-7 on the year.

"I thought their offensive rebounds were very timely," head coach Zach Spiker said. "We did not have any answer for Karl Charles on the glass and that hurt us. It is frustrating to be this close, we challenged our guys going into the game and I thought they had some effort plays that made a difference in the game and credit goes to Holy Cross."

Army broke an early 4-4 tie with a 7-0 spurt that included consecutive threes by Kyle Wilson and Adam Roe as Army went in front 11-4. Moments later, a strong drive and left-handed finish on an old-fashioned three-point play by Larry Toomey had the Black Knights in front 14-6.

Army's lead was 18-10 after Cox found Edwards for an easy deuce, before Holy Cross scored the next seven points to force an Army timeout at 10:12. The Crusaders tied the game at 20-20 on a layup by Anthony Thompson and the run continued with a bucket inside by Jehyve Floyd. A free throw by Charles capped the 13-2 run and Holy Cross was up three at that point.

Army went into the break with a 40-32 lead after closing the period on a 9-3 spurt that included Nathan Dodge's second three. The triple came two possessions after Dodge drew a charge on a two-on-one. Army was 14-for-16 at the free throw line and outrebounded the Crusaders 21-14 in the opening 20 minutes.

Four turnovers and a 1-for-5 shooting effort to start the second half by Army helped Holy Cross pull within three (42-39) five minutes into the stanza. An Edwards three was answered by a three-point play by Thompson on the other end and a basket from Matt Husek following another Army giveaway. Alexander rattled home a three-pointer to push Holy Cross in front 47-45 seven minutes into the half and polish off a 15-5 start to the second half.

Three minutes passed without any scoring before a backdoor cut by Mac Hoffman led to a reverse layup, plus a foul, off a dish from Cox. The bonus free throw was good and Army reclaimed a one-point edge. Cox finished with four assists on the night.

A transition layup by Cox broke a 51-51 tie with seven minutes to play and a minute later the lead was four after a slashing finger roll by John Emezie. Alexander countered with consecutive paint buckets to tie the game and then put Holy Cross in front with two additional free throws. The home team was up 57-55 with 4:54 left.

Holy Cross' advantage was 60-57 a minute later following a steal and layup. Army used a timeout and out of the stoppage Cox got to the rim to pull Army within one. Cox was fouled on the play, but missed the potential tying free throw. Army finished the night 17-for-22 at the charity stripe, while Holy Cross was 24-for-29.

After two free throws made it a three-point game again, Wilson drilled a three from the top of the key to level the score at 62-62. Following a three-point play by Charles on a baseline drive, Cox scored on a drive of his own with less than a minute left.

Holy Cross used a timeout with 24.8 seconds to go and nine seconds on the shot clock but Charles' shot was blocked by Toomey. Army had the ball with a chance to take the lead, but Wilson's floater off the glass missed and Holy Cross corralled the rebound. Robert Champion made both free throws and Cox was fouled with three seconds left. He made the first and missed the second before two free throws by Charles sealed the win.

"We had a stop when we needed one," Spiker said of Toomey's rejection. "It was an open-floor play with Dylan Cox going to the rim and Kyle Wilson ended up taking the shot. I thought that one was going in and we have all the confidence in the world in Kyle. We trust him and want him to have the basketball. His shots didn't fall as much as they normally do tonight, but that is OK. We will continue to go to Kyle as we move along this season."

Army's next game is Saturday afternoon when it hosts Navy at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Patriot League contest is scheduled for 2 p.m. and follows the conclusion of the Army-Navy women's game. Both games of USAA presents Army-Navy Basketball at Madison Square Garden will be broadcast to a national audience on CBS Sports Network.

Game Notes: Army fell to 7-4 on the road this season … Kennedy Edwards scored in double figures for the fourth time in 2015-16 … Army suffered its first loss of the season when leading at halftime (11-1).