Dartmouth Drops Another Close Game on the Road

Wednesday, December 21

West Point, N.Y.

4:00 PM

Dartmouth College

3-9

Army

5-7

Dartmouth

Army

Dartmouth Drops Another Close Game on the Road

12/21/2011 6:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Dartmouth

WEST POINT, N.Y. — Dartmouth had five players score in double figures, but Army countered with Jason Pancoe and Ella Ellis scoring 20 apiece as the Black Knights fought off the visiting Big Green on Wednesday afternoon at Christl Arena, 67-64. Dartmouth (3-9) rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit to take a six-point lead with 4:25 to play, but Army (5-7) outscored the Green, 15-6, down the stretch to win consecutive games for the first time since January.

Dartmouth drained 12 three-pointers, its most since canning a dozen in a 100-82 loss at Providence on Nov. 18, 2008, with junior R.J. Griffin leading the way with four triples and a team-high 15 points. Freshman Jvonte Brooks hit 5-of-7 from the floor in scoring 13 points, while a trio of Big Green players finished with 10 — senior Jabari Trotter, and freshman John Golden and Mack McKearney.

The second half began with Dartmouth sporting a two-point advantage, but after junior R.J. Griffin hit on a short jumper in the lane, Ellis scored eight straight points as Army streaked to a 12-0 run for a 38-30 lead. Brooks snapped the string with a hard-fought layup, but a Julian Simmons 18-footer and a three-point play by Jordan Springer extended the Black Knight to 11, the only double-digit bulge of the game.

It took just one minute for the Big Green to whittle that deficit down to two as senior David Rufful and McKearney provided three-pointers and Brooks converted a three-point play, making it a 43-41 contest with 12:32 remaining.

Army was back up five two minutes later when Golden drained a three. For the next two minutes, the game was still a one-possession game when Golden got the ball with the shot clock almost expired. His three-point heave hit nothing but net, tying the game at 50. The next time down the court Golden put the Big Green on top, 52-50, with a layup.

Ellis tied the game with a pair of foul shots, but Griffin and Trotter teamed up to drain back-to-back three-pointers for the six-point lead and 4:30 to go. Simmons answered with a three of his own, and Ellis canned two more freebies with just under three minutes to play.

Dartmouth's inability to convert foul shots started to haunt them as Brooks sank just 1-of-2, giving Army the opportunity to tie, which it did as Pancoe deftly passed to a streaking Ellis who scored an easy deuce. The Big Green missed on its possession, and Simmons gave the Black Knights the lead for good with a three-pointer and 1:51 on the clock. A minute later, Dartmouth missed two free throws, then quickly fouled Pancoe, who drained two from the line.

Down five, the Big Green did not give up as Brooks dropped in a layup. Pancoe managed just 1-of-2 at the line, and Griffin got Dartmouth within one with a three-pointer and just 9.7 seconds left. Simmons sank two foul shots leaving the Green with a chance to tie with a three-pointer, but Trotter's shot from the wing came up short as the buzzer sounded.

Three-pointers dominated the first half as Dartmouth and Army each drained five from beyond the arc. The Big Green were able to overcome nine turnovers in the opening stanza, however, to head into the locker room with a two-point lead at 28-26. Both teams had 10-point surges during the half, and Pancoe did not miss a shot going 5-of-5 with three three-pointers for 13 points.

Army's performance at the line carried the Black Knights to victory, converting 17-of-21 (.810) while Dartmouth struggled at just 8-of-17 (.471). The Big Green did outshoot Army from downtown, 12-of-28 (.429) to 8-of-20 (.400), and bested it on the boards, 37-30, with freshman Gabas Maldunas leading all players with nine while Brooks grabbed eight.

Pancoe finished the game 7-of-9 from the floor with his three triples plus four assists, while Ellis hit 5-of-9 with two treys and an 8-of-10 afternoon at the line. Simmons joined the 20-point duo in double figures with 13 points, and Springer led the Black Knights with seven rebounds.

Dartmouth finishes its three-game road trip in New York on Friday when it plays at Albany at 2 p.m. Army will take to the hardwood again after Christmas on Dec. 28 in South Carolina at Presbyterian at 7 p.m.