ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Interstat) — A dominant first-half offensive display by Navy proved too much for NJIT to overcome as the Midshipmen secured an 86-70 victory in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Alumni Hall.

Navy, improving to 3-3, erupted for 51 points before halftime, shooting a blistering 64 percent from the field to build a commanding 15-point lead. The Midshipmen’s efficiency was staggering, as they finished the game with an offensive rating of 125.2, scoring 86 points on just 69 possessions. NJIT, which also moved to 3-3, managed an offensive rating of 98.8.

The Highlanders kept pace early, with Jeremy Clayville of Ridgewood, New Jersey, draining a 3-pointer on the game’s first possession. However, Navy quickly seized control with a 20-4 run, fueled by precise ball movement and relentless attacks inside. The Midshipmen’s offensive execution was near-flawless for much of the half, as they consistently found high-percentage shots.

Navy’s interior dominance was a key factor, outscoring NJIT 36-20 in the paint. The Midshipmen also capitalized on Highlander mistakes, scoring 20 points off 10 NJIT turnovers.

Aidan Kehoe, a 6-foot-10 junior from Montvale, New Jersey, was the catalyst for Navy, delivering a game-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. He was a constant presence in the lane, adding four assists and two blocks in 36 minutes. His frontcourt partner, Austin Benigni of The Woodlands, Texas, provided a dynamic guard presence, scoring 20 points and dishing out four assists.

The Midshipmen’s backcourt depth was also on display, with Jordan Pennick of Reisterstown, Maryland, contributing 17 points and Jinwoo Kim of Overland Park, Kansas, adding 13.

Facing a large deficit, NJIT showed resilience after halftime, outscoring Navy 34-35 in the second half. The Highlanders tightened their defense, holding the Midshipmen to 35 percent shooting after the break, but the first-half hole was simply too deep.

Clayville led the Highlanders with 16 points, while fellow New Jersey native Sebastian Robinson of Montclair came off the bench to score 12. Ari Fulton of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Jordan Rogers of Ridgewood, New Jersey, each added 11 points for NJIT, which struggled from the free-throw line, making just 17 of 25 attempts.

Despite the second-half push, Navy never allowed the lead to shrink below 12 points, maintaining its composure and answering every NJIT mini-run with a timely basket, often from Kehoe or Benigni.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 784 at Alumni Hall. Both teams will now prepare for road tests on Monday, with NJIT traveling to Cincinnati and Navy heading to a tournament in Wilmington, North Carolina, where it will face Gardner-Webb on Wednesday.