The American Eagles couldn’t ask for a better start in a road conference game.
The Eagles jumped out to a 16-point first-half lead but, after being down the five in the second half, needed a defensive stop with two seconds left to pull off the 64-62 win.
“Tough, gritty win on the road, I’m proud of our guys,” said head coach Duane Simpkins. “BU protects their home court really well, they haven’t lost there going on two years.”
American improved to 2-0 in the Patriot League, 9-6 overall.
Madden Collins
Collins is perfect for Simpkins’ offense because it’s based on getting players in space in a dribble-drive base. His ability to get two feet in the paint for most of the day enabled him to finish with 13 points along with seven rebounds.
The penetration helps players like Geoff Sprouse have the room to get off quality perimeter shots.
Of course, the four turnovers are a bit too many, but for a freshman who’s being asked to be a contributor, Collins is on a good path.
Overcoming Mistakes Late
No coach wants mistakes late, but American had them and were able to persevere. Up five, Greg Jones slipped and fell, allowing Chance Gladden to get a dunk. The Eagles’ following possession was one of the worst of the day. Jones drove towards the baseline, and it looked like he stepped out. He threw the ball back into play, and luckily, Julen Iturbe was able to snag it. But the luck was short-lived as Iturbe flung the ball across the court, where it was stolen by Sam Hughes.
After Matt Mayock hit a one-legged stepback in the lane with 23 seconds left, Iturbe fouled Gladden on a drive leading to a three-point play. Then, after the inbounds, the Wyatt Nausadis got tied up in a trap, and it was BU’s ball via alternating possessions.
Up 64-62 with 15.2 seconds left, American had to get one more stop. Gladden had a look at a long three-pointer with two seconds left, and Mayock got a quality contest, forcing Gladden to miss, and the Eagles avoided disaster.
Summary:
No matter how it looks, getting a conference road win is huge.
The Eagles got solid performances from Jones (16 points) and Sprouse (12 points) and made enough defensive plays down the stretch to overcome some mental and physical mistakes.
American’s offense was what one would expect from the talent on the roster, but the second half saw a lot of struggles on that side of the floor.
What Simpkins can be happy about is how the defense performed in the second half and how that side of the ball was the story in a road conference win.
Up next, American heads to Colgate (8-7), which is 2-0 in the Patriot League with both wins coming on the road (Lafayette and Army).
