Carr Hits 3-Pointer To Beat Navy

American 68, Navy 67

American's Garrison Carr had not scored for 10 minutes, an untimely second-half drought in an otherwise excellent performance last night at Navy. But with his team trailing by two points, the senior sharpshooter took advantage of his defender falling with 31 seconds left and swished his seventh three-pointer to lift the Eagles to a 68-67 victory before 2,675 at Alumni Hall.

In the first four Patriot League games, Carr was 8 for 28 on three-pointers, but in a fast-paced encounter against the Midshipmen, he found the space to score 28 points and help the Eagles (12-7, 4-1) keep pace with Holy Cross (10-11, 5-1). Despite overcoming a 12-point deficit in the second half to lead by three, Navy (14-7, 3-3) lost its second straight and fell at home for the first time in 10 games.

"We chased him all over the floor," Midshipmen Coach Billy Lange said of Carr, who made 7 of 11 three-pointers and 10 of 16 shots overall. "But their offense is like a warm blanket for him; he is just very comfortable with it."

Navy led 67-65 and had the ball, but Adam Teague missed a long jumper with 45 seconds left. Before the Midshipmen were able to set their defense, Carr received the ball beyond the top of the key. Kaleo Kina, who had 26 points for Navy, lost his footing, which provided the league's most dangerous shooter with a unimpeded look at the basket.

"I saw that Kina fell down, and when I came off the screen, the big guy [from Navy helping on the play] wasn't close enough, so I had room to shoot it," Carr said.

Said Kina: "He swept through and I went to step with his sweep, and I just fell down. He came off the pick and hit the three -- tough shot and he made it."

AU had botched the same play on the previous possession, but this time executed perfectly.

"We can talk about X's and O's and everything else, but the game very well may have come down to the fact that Kina fell down and we got an open shot," Eagles Coach Jeff Jones said.

The Midshipmen had three opportunities to regain the lead, but Chris Harris missed on the baseline, Kina's one-hander was off target with four seconds left, and after Carr missed a free throw, Harris's 30-footer hit the rim.

The teams shot at a torrid pace in the first half -- AU at 57 percent and Navy at 58. Kina slashed into the lane or fired a three-pointer at every opportunity and the Eagles used the distant shooting threats by Carr and Brian Gilmore.

AU scored eight straight and Navy responded with 10 in a row. Carr matched Kina's output, stroking a 15-footer and a pair of three-pointers. At the end of the half, Gilmore beat the shot clock with a banker from the lane, and after a Navy miss, he beat the game clock with a three-pointer for a 43-33 lead.

The frantic pace continued after halftime, the efficiency did not. The Eagles had three turnovers and five misses before scoring again, allowing Navy, the league's highest-scoring team, to draw within five. That was the margin later when Carr hit two three-pointers and a free throw, giving AU its biggest lead, 57-45.

But the Eagles' sloppiness created another opening for the Midshipmen. Kina and Harris made three-pointers, slicing the deficit to 59-55, and Kina and O.J. Avworo converted four free throws to tie it.

AU's offense continued to disintegrate and Clif Colbert's transition layup put Navy ahead with 4:40 left. Nick Hendra's jumper tied it again, and after the teams exchanged three-pointers and free throws, Carr made the game-winner.

Derrick Mercer had 12 points, 11 assists and 3 steals, and Gilmore added 12 points and 9 rebounds for the Eagles, who committed 13 turnovers in the second half.

GW Loses 10th Straight

Yves Mekongo Mbala scored 22 of his career-high 26 points in the first half, Rodney Green had 20 points and eight assists, and La Salle handed George Washington its 10th consecutive loss, 76-66, in Philadelphia.

Ruben Guillandeaux had 14 points and Paul Johnson scored 13 for the Explorers (12-7, 3-2 Atlantic 10). Mbala's 22 points at halftime was the most by a La Salle player since Steve Smith scored 23 in the first half against Cincinnati in 2004.

Noel Wilmore scored 16 points for the Colonials (6-12, 0-6).