WEST POINT, N.Y. ‘ Junior forward scored 22 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead 51³Ô¹ÏÍø to a 68-58 win over Army in a Patriot League game Saturday afternoon at the Christl Arena.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø (10-13, PL 5-5) snaps a two-game losing streak with its seventh straight win over Army (5-17, PL 0-10). The Raiders’ victory was only their third on the road in 12 outings and moved 51³Ô¹ÏÍø into a three-way tie for fourth place in the Patriot League standings.
Also in double figures for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø was with 12 points and five assists. Hardy becomes only the second player in school history to record 100 assists in a season for a second time. He has 104 this season and had 109 during the 2000-01 campaign.
Army was led by Matt Collins with 18 points and Bill Mohr with 10.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø held an earlier 9-6 lead before exploding for 11 straight points behind Linebaugh’s eight points for a 20-6 advantage with 10:39 remaining. The Raiders increased their lead to 15 points before settling for a 36-26 halftime lead.
In the second half, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø was leading by 16 points, 53-37, with 13:34 left, before Army launched a 12-1 run to draw within five points, 54-49. 51³Ô¹ÏÍø answered immediately with seven straight points on Howard Blue’s jumper and Tim Sullivan’s five points to take control of the contest.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø made 46 percent of its field goal attempts including a blistering 9-of-21 from 3-point range. Army shot 51 percent making 23-of-45 shots, but was only 4-of-14 from behind the arc.
The Raiders outrebounded the Cadets, 28-24, led by with five.
GAME NOTE: Linebaugh moved into 23rd place on the school’s all-time scoring list with 936 points ‘