EASTON, Pa. (Interstat) — Geoff Sprouse erupted for a game-high 28 points, including six 3-pointers, to propel American to a decisive 75-61 victory over Lafayette in a Patriot League men’s basketball contest Sunday at Kirby Sports Center.

The Eagles avenged a two-point home loss to the Leopards just over three weeks prior, using a blistering first-half shooting display to build an insurmountable lead and improve to 16-13 overall. Lafayette fell to 9-19.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the opening minutes, where American established a commanding tone from beyond the arc. Sprouse, a 6-foot guard from Pembroke Pines, Florida, set the pace immediately, draining a 3-pointer on the game’s first possession. He then assisted on a Kade Sebastian triple before Greg Jones connected from deep, forcing a Lafayette timeout just over three minutes into the game with American leading 11-2.

The onslaught continued. Out of the timeout, Sprouse stole the ball and hit another 3-pointer, and Julen Iturbe followed with one of his own. By the first media timeout at the 15:43 mark, the Eagles had stunned the home crowd by hitting their first five 3-point attempts, building a 17-5 advantage. That early barrage proved to be the foundation of the win, as Lafayette spent the remainder of the game attempting to chip away at a deficit that never dipped below double digits after that point.

American’s offensive efficiency was stark, finishing 13 of 26 from 3-point range. Lafayette, by contrast, managed only 2 of 12 from deep. The Eagles’ offensive rating of 124.5 on 60 possessions underscored their effective, if not always pretty, execution. They compensated for a 42-26 disadvantage in points in the paint and a modest five assists by capitalizing on turnovers and in transition, outscoring Lafayette 12-2 off turnovers and 12-2 on fast breaks.

Sprouse, whose 28 points marked a season high, added four rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes. His backcourt counterpart, Lafayette’s Mark Butler, kept the Leopards within distant reach with 17 points and eight assists, but the early hole was too deep. Greg Jones provided 12 points and seven rebounds for American, while Iturbe filled the stat sheet with nine points, six rebounds and five assists.

Lafayette’s Shareef Jackson was a force inside, scoring 15 points on efficient shooting, and Ryan Pettit added 13. The Leopards shot 50% from the field but were undone by their long-range struggles and 16 missed free throws, making only 11 of 16.

American’s defense was opportunistic, recording five steals and forcing seven Lafayette turnovers, which they consistently converted into points at the other end. The Eagles also controlled the glass on the offensive end, securing six offensive rebounds to Lafayette’s four.

With the win, American moves above .500 in league play and continues its push up the Patriot League standings ahead of its next game against Lehigh on Wednesday. Lafayette, still seeking consistency, travels to face Colgate on the same night.

The victory was a textbook example of a team leveraging a singular, explosive strength—in this case, perimeter shooting—to seize control early and force an opponent to play from behind for 40 minutes. American’s precision from deep in the first five minutes didn’t just score points; it dictated the entire tempo and trajectory of the conference matchup.