| Final | |
|---|---|
| Navy (1-1, 0-0 Patriot League) | 66 |
| Delaware State (1-1, 0-0 conf.) | 60 |
Navy held on for a 66-60 win over Delaware State on Thursday at Alumni Hall, improving to 1-1 on the season. The Midshipmen seized the lead for good with 1:12 remaining in the first half—going up 28-27—and steadily extended their advantage the rest of the way.
Jordan Pennick led Navy with 24 points on 5-of-14 shooting, adding 11-of-14 at the free-throw line and four rebounds. David Burnett contributed a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, pulling down eight offensive boards. For Delaware State, Nehemiah Reedus finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, and Nasir Muhammad added 16 points and six assists, but the Hornets' 18 turnovers—which Navy converted into 19 points—proved too costly.
How it happened
Delaware State came out of the gate hot, using a 9-0 run to turn a 12-6 deficit into a 15-12 lead with 13:21 left in the first half. Navy answered and kept battling through five ties and nine lead changes before finally grabbing the edge for good late in the half. The Midshipmen led 32-29 at the break. The second half followed a similar pattern of grinding basketball, but Navy maintained its cushion and outscored Delaware State 34-31 to close it out. The Hornets shot just 24 percent from three (5-of-21) and 60 percent from the free-throw line, keeping them from mounting a serious charge.
Standout performances
- Jordan Pennick, Navy: 24 points, 4 rebounds, 11-of-14 from the free-throw line, doing much of his damage from the stripe to protect the lead.
- David Burnett, Navy: 14 points, 12 rebounds, 4 steals, 8 offensive rebounds that repeatedly extended Navy possessions.
- Nehemiah Reedus, Delaware State: 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, the Hornets' most consistent offensive threat going 7-of-14 from the field.
- Nasir Muhammad, Delaware State: 16 points, 6 assists, 4 steals, but 6 turnovers hurt his impact in a losing effort.
Up next
Navy hosts Central Penn on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. ET (ESPN+).