WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point started fast and maintained a double-digit lead over the final three quarters in claiming a 69-49 Patriot League decision here Wednesday.
 
The Black Knights took control early, shooting the ball well in the first quarter and forcing seven Colgate turnovers. Their 20-point opening quarter (20-8) was Army's first since the Black Knights put up 20 in the fourth period at Colgate back on Jan. 24.
 
Army's largest lead in the first half of 34-14 came on a Madison Hovren free throw with 3:21 left before intermission. Kateri Stone knocked down a 3-pointer and Colgate rallied to within 36-21 at the break.
 
First-half points-off-turnovers were 19-4 Army, and the Black Knights finished the game with a 25-8 edge.
 
Colgate's best quarter was the third when the Raiders pulled within 45-35 on a Tori Pozsonyi layup with 4:34 on the clock. Colgate outscored the hosts 17-14 in the period and trailed 50-38 heading to the fourth.
 
That's when Army put the game away with three more long-range jumpers. The Black Knights built their largest lead to 65-43 before coasting home for their 11th straight win over Colgate.
 
The home side finished the game an impressive yet uncharacteristic 9-of-17 from 3-point distance. Army entered Wednesday's play at 25.9 percent from long range for the season and 22.2 percent against conference opponents.
 
But Morgann Yancey was 3-of-4 off the bench from downtown in the first half to help reverse that trend. She finished 3-of-5, and both Jess Lewis and Libby Tacka added a pair of threes.
 
King led the Raiders in scoring with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor and 4-of-4 at the line. King has made 28 of her last 32 free throw attempts (87.5 percent). Seniors Kateri Stone and Tori Pozsonyi tossed in eight points apiece.
 
Army's Hovren missed a double-double by one rebound, finishing with 18 points and nine boards. Janae McNeal scored 14 points, including eight in the first quarter to spark the early Black Knight surge.
 
Bottom Line
• Army West Point 69, Colgate 49
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate is now 6-21 overall and 2-14 in the Patriot League
• Army improved to 15-12 and 8-8 after winning for the sixth time in the last eight games
 
Key Raider Info
• Stone made two 3-pointers and jumped into a tie for eighth on Colgate's all-time list with 111, matching Gretchen Polinski (2006-09).
• Stone needs one more triple to tie Katie (Garmen) Kammerdiener (2007-10) for seventh.
• Colgate committed just three second-half turnovers, finishing with 16.
• Mylah Chandler tied her career high with three steals.
• Colgate's 47.5 percent shooting afternoon was its best since the season-high of 57.9 against UMass Lowell.
• The Raiders shot better than 70 percent from the line (8-of-11 for 72.7) for the fourth straight game, their best stretch of the season.
• Army's nine 3-pointers were a season-high. The only game with a better percentage was 63.6 on 7-of-11 in the opener against Binghamton.
• Army's overall shooting percentage of 49.1 was second only to 53.2 in a 107-46 triumph over St. Joseph's Brooklyn in December.

From the Source
• Head Coach Bill Cleary (On the game) "We shot the ball well today but they shot better. One of our strengths the last half of the season has been our defending. That's who we are right now. If we're going to win games, we have to be able to get stops.
 
"Credit Army today; they did a fantastic job. It was a great atmosphere – kids games always are – and we got a little bit disheveled. We lacked in communication. We did a great job offensively but we couldn't get stops."
 
(On trying to rally) "We got it down to 10 but we've got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. Today it was the first quarter. Basketball is a game of runs and we have to limit the opposing teams' runs. Our players played hard but we just had too many defensive lapses."
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance inside Christl Arena for the kids day game was 1,085."
 
Up Next
• Colgate plays its final regular season road game Saturday at Holy Cross.
• The Crusaders are 10-17 overall and 5-11 in the Patriot League after Wednesday's 72-57 loss at first-place American.
• Tip-off is 1 p.m., with the Patriot League Network carrying all the action.