Navy ‘wanted to win one’ at Veterans Classic
Mids knock off Pittsburgh, 71-62
Pittsburgh coach Kevin Stallings has an entirely new team from a year ago. He brought in 11 new scholarship players, most of any NCAA school. Pitt is one of only six programs with no returning starters and featured nine players (seven freshmen, two transfers) who had never played in a Division I game.
So it stood to reason that Navy, which had eight returning lettermen, including four starters, would have an advantage over Pittsburgh in terms of chemistry and cohesion Friday night. The Midshipmen used their experience and teamwork to earn a rare victory over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent, 71-62, in the Friday nightcap of the Veterans Classic before an announced 3,238 in Annapolis.
Senior guard Bryce Dulin led a balanced attack with 18 points as Navy maintained a comfortable lead most of the way. Senior swingman Shawn Anderson had 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Midshipmen, who won for the first time in four tries in their own season-opening tournament.
It was Navy’s first win over an ACC school since it beat Wake Forest in 1971.
Navy coach Ed DeChellis said it was meaningful for the Midshipmen to knock off a Power 5 conference opponent and get a win for this event.
“It’s important. I’m not going to downplay that. This is our fourth year and we wanted to win one,” DeChellis said. ”
OREGON 70, COPPIN STATE 54: The debut of former Maryland basketball star Juan Dixon as coach of the Eagles started slowly, but his team outplayed the Pac-12’s Ducks in the second half. Dejuan Clayton and Tre’ Thomas led Coppin with 13 points each.
NO. 19 NORTHWESTERN 79, LOYOLA MARYLAND 75: The Wildcats, which won a first-round game in last year’s NCAA tournament, made defensive stops on three of the Greyhounds’ last four possessions to seal the victory. Andrew Kostecka scored a career-high 22 points to lead Loyola.
BINGHAMTON 76, MORGAN STATE 59: Trailing by a point at the half, the host Bearcats opened the second half with a 3-pointer from J.C. Show to spark a 19-2 run that put them on top for good. Phillip Carr led Morgan State with 14 points.
SMU 78, UMBC 67: Shake Milton had 28 points and the host Mustangs overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to beat the Retreivers in the season opener for both teams. Jairus Lyles and Arkel Lamar scored 24 and 23 points, respectively, to lead the Retrievers, who shot 21 of 50 from the field (42 percent).
MARUQUETTE 80, MOUNT ST. MARY’S 59: Andrew Rowsey scored 23 points and Matt Heldt had 11 of his 13 points in the first half to help the host Eagles pull away early for a win over the Mountaineers in the season opener for both teams.