Men’s Basketball Advances to Conference Semifinals

Thursday, March 3

West Point, NY

7 PM

Army West Point

19-12

Colgate

13-17

Colgate

Army West Point

Men’s Basketball Advances to Conference Semifinals

March 03, 2016 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Kyle Wilson scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half as the Army West Point men's basketball team advanced to the Patriot League Tournament Semifinal with a 79-72 victory over No. 5 Colgate on Thursday evening at Christl Arena.

The No. 4 Black Knights (19-12) will host No. 9 Holy Cross on Sunday at noon and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting GoArmyWestPoint.com/tickets or calling 1-877-TIX-ARMY. Fans can also buy tickets in person at the ticket office at Gate 3 of Michie Stadium during its regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.). The Holleder Center ticket office, located just outside Christl Arena, opens 90 minutes prior to Sunday's game.

Tanner Plomb scored 23 points and Kevin Ferguson netted 19 and pulled down 10 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season in the win.

Colgate (13-17) had four players score in double figures, including 16 apiece by Jordan Swopshire and Alex Ramon. Austin Tillotson added 14 and Sean O'Brien had 11.

The Black Knights made the game's first run and led 20-15 after a Larry Toomey three and a three-point play by Ferguson midway through the first half.

The Raiders closed the gap to a point (22-21) on a baseline fadeaway jumper by Swopshire, before Plomb countered with a deep three on the other end.

Army took a 36-29 lead into the locker room after an evenly played first 20 minutes. Army shot 46.7 percent (14-for-30) and Colgate was at 44.4 percent (12-for-27). Rebounding favored Colgate 18-17, but the difference was at the free throw line, where Colgate was 0-for-6 and Army made 4-of-5.

The Raiders opened the second half on a 7-2 run and pulled within one as Army called timeout at 16:25 with a 37-36 lead. Tillotson, who played 12 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, opened the scoring with a three, Dylan Cox hit a runner, and O'Brien and Swopshire each scored for the visitors.

Wilson countered with a pair at the stripe and a wing three, before a stop led to a fastbreak layup for Cox. The 7-0 spurt prompted a timeout by Colgate with Army in front 44-36 at 13:54. Ramon put in a reverse layup after the stoppage, but Wilson came back with a foul-line jumper moments later.

The Army lead increased to 49-40 after a missed layup by Tillotson led to a three-point play by Ferguson. Colgate came back with a straightaway three-pointer by Swopshire, but Plomb hit one on the next trip down. Tillotson responded with a finger roll, but John Emezie buried a corner triple to put Army up 10.

The Black Knights were up by as many as 11 before an 8-2 stretch by Colgate pulled the Raiders within five points. Army's lead was 58-53 after a Malcom Regisford slam at 6:46 and the Raiders drew within four with four minutes to play when Rivard scored over Ferguson.

A lay-in by Army's center on the other end gave Army a 66-60 edge, before Wilson nailed a straightaway three-pointer with three minutes left that sealed the eventual 79-72 win.

Game Notes: Kevin Ferguson posted the 16th double-double of his career … it is the 20th double-digit rebounding game of his career … Ferguson passed Todd Mattson '90 and is now sixth in academy history with 708 career rebounds … Ferguson became the fifth player in Patriot League history to block 200 shots in his career ... Tanner Plomb scored at least 20 points for the 27th time in his career … head coach Zach Spiker won his 102nd career game, tying him with Bob Knight for second on Army's all-time wins list … the win was Army's first against Colgate in the Patriot League Tournament (1-2) … the Black Knights improved to 4-2 in the Patriot League Tournament as the No. 4 seed … Army's 19 wins are the most since the 1977-78 season when it won 19 games ... the Class of 2016 won its 65th game, the most since the Class of 1971 (71 wins) ... Army improved to 16-1 when leading at halftime this sesaon ...