BALTIMORE (Interstat) — Jinwoo Kim scored 25 points and Austin Benigni added 22 as Navy dominated from start to finish in a 78-51 victory over Loyola Maryland in a Patriot League men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Reitz Arena.

The Midshipmen, who entered as heavy favorites, validated their standing by building an 18-point halftime lead and never allowing the Greyhounds to mount a serious challenge in the second half. The win improved Navy to 24-6 overall and solidified its position atop the conference standings, while Loyola Maryland fell to 11-19.

The most important stretch of the game came late in the first half, when Navy transformed a tight contest into a commanding lead. With just over nine minutes remaining before halftime and Navy leading 20-14, the Midshipmen unleashed a decisive 23-5 run over the next seven minutes. The surge was fueled by a combination of stifling defense and efficient offense, with Kim and Benigni serving as the primary catalysts.

Kim, a junior guard from Overland Park, Kansas, ignited the run with a 3-pointer off an assist from Aidan Kehoe. After a Loyola Maryland turnover, Kim connected from deep again, this time assisted by Donovan Draper, pushing the lead to 12. The Midshipmen’s defense forced several empty Greyhounds possessions, and the offense continued to capitalize. Benigni, the sophomore from The Woodlands, Texas, hit a 3-pointer, and Kehoe converted a layup while being fouled, completing the three-point play. By the time Benigni sank a pull-up jumper with 2:47 left in the half, Navy held a 43-19 advantage, effectively putting the game out of reach before the intermission.

Loyola Maryland, which shot poorly throughout the night, could not string together enough scores to cut the deficit to single digits in the second half. Every Greyhounds push was met with an answering basket from Navy, often from Kim or Benigni. Kim’s 25 points came on an array of drives, free throws, and four 3-pointers, continuing his strong late-season form. Benigni’s 22 points provided a consistent secondary scoring threat.

Kehoe, a 6-foot-10 center from Montvale, New Jersey, was a force in the paint for Navy, contributing 10 points, six assists, and controlling the glass with multiple key rebounds. His presence defensively and as a distributor from the high post was instrumental in Navy’s offensive flow.

For Loyola Maryland, Emmett Adair of Sydney, Australia, led the way with 13 points. Braeden Speed of Phoenix added seven points and five assists, but the Greyhounds struggled with ball security and could not find a consistent scoring rhythm against Navy’s disciplined defense.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ meeting just over three weeks prior, a 87-71 Navy win in Annapolis. This result was even more lopsided, underscoring Navy’s current dominance in the league. The Midshipmen have now won eight consecutive games and 15 of their last 16.

The announced attendance was 714 at Loyola Maryland’s on-campus arena. Navy will look to continue its momentum when it hosts Colgate on Saturday in a key Patriot League matchup. Loyola Maryland travels to face Holy Cross, also on Saturday.

Navy outperformed both the point spread, which listed them as 7.5-point favorites, and the projected win probability from analytics systems. However, the combined score of 129 points fell well under the posted over/under total of 144, a testament to the defensive tone set by the Midshipmen, particularly during the game-defining first-half run.