Army snatched a wild 79-77 win against St. Thomas on Saturday, a game where Kevin McCarthy absolutely balled out, dropping 18 points to lead the Black Knights to a nail-biting victory. This one was a certified thriller, folks, proving that early season hoops can bring some serious heat.
McCarthy and Watt Power Army’s Second Half Surge
McCarthy wasn’t just piling up points, he was efficient, hitting 7 of 11 from the field and draining 4 of 8 from beyond the arc for the Black Knights, who now sit at 2-2. He put up eight points in the first half alone. But the real story? Army went into the break trailing 39-35, and that’s when Dillon Watt decided it was his turn to take over. Watt poured in 13 of his 16 points in the second half, going 6 of 8 overall and hitting 3 of 5 from deep. Tate Laczkowski chipped in with 11 points on 5 of 8 shooting. This wasn’t some blowout, this was a grind, with Army pulling off the comeback after a second half that saw the lead change 11 times and the score tied up six separate times. Talk about gut check time!
Tommies Fought Hard, But Couldn’t Close It Out
Don’t sleep on St. Thomas, though. Hayden Tibbits was a problem for Army, leading the Tommies with 21 points and dishing out six assists. Jeremy Lorenz was a force inside, adding 10 points and grabbing eight boards, while Carter Bjerke also hit double digits with 10 points. The Tommies, now 2-3, brought the fight and held that halftime lead, but Army just had a little too much firepower down the stretch. You gotta feel for them, they left it all out there.
What’s next for these squads? Army heads back home for a Tuesday showdown against Marist. St. Thomas has a quick turnaround, visiting LIU on Monday. Both teams are looking to build some momentum early in the season, so these next games are huge for setting the tone.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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