In Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, the Navy Midshipmen, seeded fifth, achieved a remarkable victory over the top-seeded Bucknell Bison with an 83-77 upset on Sunday during the Patriot League Tournament. This triumph propels Navy into the championship game, where they will face the winner between the third-seeded Colgate and the second-seeded American on Wednesday.
The standout performer of the game for the Midshipmen was Austin Benigni, who scored 24 points and provided seven key assists. His efforts were complemented by Jordan Pennick, who added 15 points. Pennick demonstrated precision shooting, making 4 out of 10 attempts from the field, including 2 of 6 from three-point distance, and converting 5 of 6 free throws. Jinwoo Kim also contributed significantly, scoring 13 points after hitting 4 of 5 field goals, including 2 of 3 three-pointers, and netting 3 of 4 from the charity stripe.
On the Bucknell side, Noah Williamson led with 22 points while also grabbing seven rebounds and achieving four blocks. Achile Spadone added 21 points and collected three steals, while Josh Bascoe chipped in 16 points and also had three steals. This defeat for the Bison ended their impressive five-game winning streak.
Navy set the pace early in the match, with Kim scoring nine points in the first half, allowing the Midshipmen to hold a narrow 36-33 advantage at the break. In the second half, Benigni’s 22-point surge was pivotal in securing the six-point victory for Navy.
