WEST POINT, N.Y. – A season that turned out better than expected ended sooner than desired.
 
Army West Point displayed top-three Patriot League credentials and held off a determined group of Colgate Raiders 83-76 here Monday night in the Patriot League Tournament Quarterfinals.

The Black Knights needed a big effort and they got it, scoring their highest point total against a Patriot League opponent this season. They also dominated the free throw line, attempting 50 charity tosses and making 29 while Colgate finished 16-of-19.
 
Turnovers hurt the Raiders, who committed 25 miscues to just miss their season high. Army took advantage and posted a 26-12 edge in points-off-turnovers.
 
Kateri Stone scored 17 and Katie Curtis 15 to lead the Raiders. Stone swished three 3-pointers to finish the season with 62 – the third-highest total in program history and the most by a Raider since Allison Lipinski made 85 in 2004-05.
 
Curtis's final trio came on a 3-pointer in the closing seconds, giving the Indiana senior 98 made 3-pointers in a distinguished career for the All-Patriot League second teamer. Her 47 threes for the season marks the 10th-best total in Colgate history.
 
Rachel Thompson posted her second straight double-double and third of the season, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Summer King added a dozen points.

Colgate's season ends at 10-20, but not before the Raiders put together a sixth-place Patriot League finish in the debut campaign under head coach Bill Cleary. 
 
Bottom Line
• Army West Point 83, Colgate 76
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate finishes at 10-20.
• Army West Point improved to 22-8 and plays second-seeded Navy in Friday's semifinals at Bucknell.
 
Quick Recap
• Just as they did in the regular season meeting here last month, the Raiders jumped to an early lead.
• Colgate's first six baskets came from six different Raiders. King's layup at 5:03 capped that early run and made it 12-4 visitors.
• But Army's pressure is always a factor. The Black Knights lead the league in steals, and they came up with three in rallying for an 18-18 tie by quarter's end.
• Curtis drained the game's first three-pointer at the 7:35 mark of the second quarter to give the Raiders a 24-20 advantage.
• Army's Madison Hovren dropped in a pair of buckets to spark a 14-6 Army streak to close the half as the Black Knights pulled ahead 41-36 heading into the locker room.
• Colgate came out cold in the third quarter. It wasn't until Stone scored on a runner in the lane with 6:34 showing that the Raiders dented the scoreboard and pulled within 45-38.
• Katie Curtis followed with a three-point play that made it 45-41 before the Black Knights rattled off the next seven points to take a double-digit lead.
• An NBA-range 3-pointer from Stone halted the Black Knight streak at the 4:26 mark and ignited a 16-4 Colgate run.
• Back-to-back treys from Chelsey Koren and Stone capped the Raider flurry as Colgate came all the way back to take a 57-56 lead.
• The Black Knights scored the game's next four points before a Koren jumper ended the quarter. The Raiders were within 60-59 heading into the final term.
• Army turned up the defense to start the fourth quarter and opened the stanza on a 14-5 run that gave the Black Knights a 74-64 lead as the clock wound down to 3:41.
• Five points from King and three from Curtis helped Colgate pull within 78-72 with just under a minute to play.
• It was as close as the Raiders would get. Army added five points from the charity stripe in the final minute to pick up their ninth straight win over the Raiders.
 
Facts & Figures
• Curtis scored in double figures for her team-leading 20th time this season.
• Stone led the Raiders in scoring for the seventh time in the last nine games and a team-leading 13th time overall.
• Thompson's double-double was the third of the season for the Patriot All-Rookie recipient, also a team best.
• The Raiders finished with a 41-39 rebounding edge and a 38-36 advantage in points in the paint.
• Thompson went without a steal for the first time in 10 games yet still finished as the team leader with 46.
• By comparison, Army entered Monday's game sporting four players with 60 or more steals
• Abby Schubiger matched her season high with seven rebounds.
• Army's Hovren led all scorers with 23 points. Aliyah Murray added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
 
From the Source
• Colgate head coach Bill Cleary: (On the season) "We played our hearts out. We left everything on the floor. I was proud of every single one of our players. I'm very lucky and blessed to be here to coach these fantastic young women, who bought in to what we are trying to do."
 
(On the third-quarter comeback) "It speaks to the character of our players, the grit and the determination they have. And what they don't realize it it's part of the culture they have built and are building. When we took the lead, I thought, 'OK, here we go.'

"But the future is very bright."
 
Listen to the rest of Coach Cleary's comments HERE.
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance at Christl Arena was 190.
 
Up Next
• Colgate's season is complete.