ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Interstat) — In a commanding display of efficiency and defensive pressure, the Navy men’s basketball team solidified its position atop the Patriot League with an 85-69 victory over Colgate on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Hall.

The Midshipmen, improving to 25-6 overall and continuing their dominant conference run, never trailed after the opening minute. They built a 47-40 halftime lead and methodically extended it throughout the second half, avenging a narrow overtime win against the same opponent just two weeks prior. The Raiders fell to 17-14.

The most important part of the game was Navy’s immediate and sustained offensive execution, which established a tone Colgate could never disrupt. After Colgate’s Sam Wright opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, Navy responded with a 9-0 run, fueled by quick ball movement and early contributions from reserve Sam Krist, who scored seven points in just four first-half minutes. This early burst gave Navy a lead it would not relinquish, effectively putting Colgate in a chase mode for the remaining 38 minutes.

Navy’s offensive performance was a model of precision. The Midshipmen shot an even 50% from the field, connecting on 29 of 58 attempts, and were a sharp 10 of 25 from beyond the arc. They supplemented this with aggressive drives, earning 26 free throws and making 17. Equally critical was their defensive effort, which generated 10 Colgate turnovers and limited the Raiders’ second-chance opportunities despite an even battle on the offensive glass.

Colgate, which shot 41.4% overall and a respectable 11 of 27 from three-point range, was led by Kyle Carlesimo’s 20 points. Ben Tweedy added 16 points and four assists for the Raiders. Their offense, however, operated in fits and starts against Navy’s consistent pressure, managing only seven assists against 14 turnovers.

Navy’s attack was balanced and synergistic. Aidan Kehoe, a 6-foot-10 junior from Montvale, New Jersey, anchored the effort with 17 points, five assists and a commanding defensive presence with a block and several key rebounds. Point guard Austin Benigni of The Woodlands, Texas, orchestrated the offense with 15 points and nine assists, while Cam Cole of Bristow, Virginia, provided a potent scoring punch off the bench with 16 points.

Donovan Draper of West Palm Beach, Florida, was a disruptive force on both ends, finishing with 12 points, four assists, four steals and a block. The Midshipmen’s bench outscored Colgate’s reserves, with Mike Woods of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, contributing nine points and two blocks in just 13 minutes.

The game’s trajectory was set early. Following Navy’s initial run, Colgate stayed within striking distance for much of the first half, closing to within 22-20 on a Carlesimo three-pointer midway through the period. Navy answered with a 7-0 spurt, capped by a Benigni three-pointer, to re-establish a nine-point cushion. The Raiders would get no closer than seven points for the remainder of the contest.

In the second half, Navy systematically widened the gap. A 10-2 run early in the period, featuring scores from Kehoe, Draper and Cole, pushed the lead to 59-44. Colgate’s Andrew Alekseyenko, who finished with 11 points, and Tweedy tried to rally the Raiders, but every Colgate push was met with a composed response from Navy. A late 8-0 run by the Midshipmen, culminating in a Cole three-pointer with 4:33 remaining, extended the advantage to 80-62, sealing the outcome.

The victory marks another step in a standout season for Navy, which has now won 14 of its last 15 games. Colgate, which had battled through several close contests recently including an overtime loss to Navy on Feb. 14, was unable to replicate that late-game drama, hampered by Navy’s superior shot-making and ball security. The Midshipmen committed only 10 turnovers and finished the game with an offensive rating of 119.1 points per 100 possessions, a mark that underscored their controlled and effective performance before an announced crowd of 2,428.

The regular season concludes for both teams next week as they prepare for the Patriot League tournament, where Navy will enter as the clear favorite.