Scovens Scores 22 and Rucker Returns as Men’s Basketball Takes Opener

Monday, November 4

West Point, NY

8:00 PM

Army West Point

1-0,0-0Patriot

UAlbany

0-1,0-0America East

UAlbany

Army West Point

Photo by: Mady Salvani

Scovens Scores 22 and Rucker Returns as Men’s Basketball Takes Opener

November 04, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point Men's Basketball (1-0, 0-0) was victorious in its season opener over the UAlbany Great Danes (0-1, 0-0), 67-59.

Second-year head coach Kevin Kuwik's club was led by Sophomore Josh Scovens, who led all scorers with 22 points, shooting 6-for-13 from the floor.

Blake Barker started and provided an immediate impact logging a +18 in plus-minus, scoring 11 points, and sinking two threes. Last season, Barker started in seven contests.

In his first game in over a year, Jalen Rucker returned to the lineup for the Black Knights, scoring 12 points.

Scovens got his night started early, scoring the first five points of the Army season.

Barker connected on his first of two three-pointers on the night as Army led, 14-10 early in the first half.

Army led 27-16, with five minutes to go but UAlbany scored eight unanswered as the Black Knights went into the break with a three-point advantage, 27-24.

The Great Danes received balanced scoring from Byron Joshua (15 points) and Sultan Adewale (11 points) as they begin the second half on a 22-12 scoring run, to take the lead.

Barker's second three-pointer of the night got Army back within four, 46-42 under the ten-minute mark in the second half. Army's next basket would come via Ryan Curry's first three-pointer of the season continuing to trail by four, 49-45.

Army knotted the game at 49 a piece on a layup from Tate Laczkowski.

Picking up where he left off from the 2022-23 season, Rucker splashed a go-ahead three-pointer under five minutes to play to put Army back on top, 52-49 and they would not relinquish the lead from that point forward.

Scovens added in a three-point play on a driving layup in which he was fouled extending Army's lead to seven, 59-52 with three minutes to play.

Knight Nuggets

Laczkowski logged a team-high and a career-best 10 rebounds.
Scovens scored 22 points, the fifth time in his young career scoring 20+ points.
Scovens converted a career-high nine free throw makes (9-for-12).
Army shot 44.0% from the field, 22-50.
Army won the rebounding battle, 41-34.
Army led for 29:42 minutes in the game.
Freshman Jacen Holloway (nine minutes) made his Army debut.