Box Score
HAMILTON – Carole Harris for the fifth time this season led Colgate in both scoring and rebounds, but it couldn't prevent Navy from grabbing a 76-47 win here Saturday afternoon.
The first-place Mids stayed one game clear of American in the Patriot League Standings, improving to 20-5 overall and 12-2 in the conference.
"They're a great team," Colgate head coach
Nicci Hays Fort said. "Obviously, there's a reason why they've won three straight Patriot League championships. These seniors have been starting or playing together for four years.
"We did a great job for the first 16 minutes of the first half, but against Navy – against a team that's that good – you've got to play a solid 40 minutes and we just didn't do that."
Colgate was close for most of the first half, riding a
Mariah Jones (pictured right) personal 8-0 run to tie the score at 20-all with 7:40 showing. And although the visitors immediately reclaimed the lead on a Jade Geif layup, Colgate had six ensuing possessions with chances to re-knot the score.
Navy snuffed all six and then turned on the jets, closing the half on a 19-2 run over that 7:40 to lead 39-22 at intermission.
Harris had eight at the break and finished with 17 points and six rebounds. The Lansing, Mich., native has led Colgate in scoring 10 times this season and in rebounding on 12 occasions – both team highs.
It's the second time in two games against Navy that Harris was Colgate's double-leader in points and rebounds, although they didn't come easy.
"She had 17 points but she didn't really shoot a great percentage," Fort said. "She had to fight and work for those 17."
Jones Shines for 16
Jones put eight more points on the board in the second half to finish with 16, her best scoring day since she posted 17 against Loyola on Jan. 25.
Missy Repoli added six points, while four other Raiders scored two points apiece.
Colgate shot 30.6 percent from the field, making 19-of-62. The Raiders were 6-of-23 from the arc and 3-of-5 at the line. Navy finished at 47.5 percent from the floor on 28-of-59. The Mids made 9-of-23 from long range and 11-of-19 at the line. Navy won the rebounding battle, 51-29.
The Raiders did match a season high with 11 steals, led by Jones and Harris with three apiece. Colgate entered the game third in the Patriot League in steals.
A nice crowd was on hand at Cotterell Court to see Colgate sporting brand new gray uniforms with pink numbers and trim in tribute to the annual Pink Game and Play for Kay, honoring former N.C. State head coach Kay Yow.
"It was a great crowd," Hays Fort said. "I loved the local community coming out. We had two great things going on today. We came out here to Play for Kay; it's women's basketball's way to give back for breast cancer research in honor or Kay Yow, the women's basketball coach at N.C. State who lost her life to breast cancer.
"And the National Girls and Women in Sports Day (pictured right). We had a great crowd, and all the credit to our administration for making the commitment and making sure these young girls – and young boys – have an outlet and are able to see our women athletes as role models."
Colgate dropped to 5-20 overall and 1-13 in the Patriot League. The Raiders continue a two-game Academy homestand Wednesday when Army visits for a 7 p.m. tip.
"We've got to just keep getting better," Hays Forts said. "We've got to have two solid practices and try to scrap something out here Wednesday night."
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