WEST POINT, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a commanding performance fueled by a dominant first half, the Army women’s basketball team defeated New Hampshire 63-44 on Thursday afternoon at Christl Arena.

The Black Knights improved their record to 4-1, while the Wildcats fell to 2-4.

Army seized control of the game early, closing the first quarter on a 9-2 run to take a 16-13 lead. They extended their advantage significantly in the second period, outscoring New Hampshire 19-12 to carry a 35-25 lead into halftime. The Wildcats struggled to mount a comeback, mustering only nine points in the third quarter as the Black Knights continued to pull away.

The victory was anchored by a standout double-double from Army forward Kya Smith. The 6-foot-1 sophomore from Lubbock, Texas, was the game’s most impactful player, logging 34 minutes and tallying 18 points and 14 rebounds. She also contributed three assists and two blocks, controlling the paint on both ends of the floor.

Smith was complemented by a potent backcourt duo. Camryn Tade, a 5-9 guard from Southlake, Texas, scored 14 points in 28 minutes, while Taylor Wilson, a 5-10 guard from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, added 15 points.

As a team, Army’s offense was efficient, shooting 50 percent from the floor on 25-of-50 shooting. They also connected on 7 of 16 attempts from beyond the three-point line. Defensively, the Black Knights forced 22 New Hampshire turnovers, converting those into 19 points. They also held a significant 34-18 advantage in points in the paint.

New Hampshire was led by Katie Ledden, who came off the bench to score 10 points. Elizabeth Lavoie of Derry, New Hampshire, posted seven points and six rebounds, while Eva DeChent added eight points. The Wildcats shot just 34 percent from the field and were hampered by their ball-handling issues throughout the contest.

Army never trailed after the opening minutes. The game was tied at 7-7 in the first quarter before the Black Knights began their decisive run. A three-pointer from Tade and a layup from Soleil Montrose, who finished with 10 points, helped stretch the lead to double digits by halftime, and New Hampshire could not close the gap to single digits in the second half.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 597.

Army’s next game is on the road against Saint Francis (PA) on Saturday. New Hampshire will look to rebound when they travel to face Brown on Tuesday.