ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Interstat) — Aidan Kehoe scored 29 points and Austin Benigni added 25 as Navy used a dominant first half and a decisive advantage in free throws and turnovers to pull away from Holy Cross for an 85-68 victory in Patriot League men’s basketball on Wednesday night at Alumni Hall.

The Midshipmen, improving to 14-6 overall and 5-2 in conference play, never trailed after the opening minute. They built a 42-34 halftime lead by capitalizing on a rash of Holy Cross mistakes, then methodically extended the margin throughout the second half to complete a regular-season sweep of the Crusaders.

The most important part of the game was Navy’s relentless and efficient offensive execution, particularly in the paint and at the free-throw line, paired with a disruptive defense that crippled Holy Cross’s offensive flow. The Midshipmen converted Holy Cross’s 13 turnovers into 17 points while committing only six turnovers themselves. Furthermore, Navy attempted 27 free throws, making 21, compared to Holy Cross’s 12 attempts, of which they made 10. This 11-point disparity at the line was a critical factor in maintaining and building their lead, especially during a first half where Holy Cross kept pace offensively for stretches but could not get stops without fouling.

Kehoe, a 6-foot-10 junior from Montvale, New Jersey, was the focal point, hitting 10 field goals and going 9-for-12 from the foul line. He added three assists. Benigni, a 5-10 guard from The Woodlands, Texas, complemented him with a dynamic performance, hitting three 3-pointers and dishing out four assists. Jinwoo Kim added 18 points for Navy, which shot 55.8% from the field.

Holy Cross, which fell to 8-12 and 3-4, was led by Aiden Disu’s 18 points. DeAndre Williams scored 16 and Joe Nugent added 14 for the Crusaders, who shot 48.1% from the field but were hampered by their ball-handling and an inability to generate consistent offense outside of isolation plays, finishing with just three assists as a team.

Navy set the tone early. After Holy Cross’s Joe Nugent opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, the Midshipmen responded with a 10-2 run, fueled by Benigni’s outside shooting and Kehoe’s work inside. The Crusaders stayed within striking distance for much of the half, closing to 25-23 on a Declan Ryan 3-pointer with just over seven minutes left. However, Navy closed the period on a 17-11 spurt, capped by Kehoe’s layup off a Donovan Draper assist with 19 seconds left, to take the eight-point lead into the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Whenever Holy Cross threatened to cut the deficit to two possessions, Navy answered. A Disu jumper brought the Crusaders within 53-48 with 13:05 remaining, but Kim immediately responded with a jumper on the other end. Minutes later, a Williams 3-pointer made it 64-61 with 6:29 to play, but Kehoe was fouled on a layup and completed the three-point play, sparking a decisive 9-0 Navy run over the next two minutes. Benigni’s 3-pointer with 1:55 left pushed the lead to 79-68, and the Midshipmen sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Navy outscored Holy Cross 40-28 in the paint and held an 8-4 edge in fast-break points. Draper contributed seven points and a game-high seven assists for the Midshipmen.

The game drew an attendance of 855. Navy next hosts Army on Saturday. Holy Cross returns home to face American on Saturday.