HAMILTON, N.Y. – Jeremy Hence scored a career-high 23 points and Army held off a furious Colgate rally to win 73-66 on Saturday in the Patriot League opener for both teams.
The Black Knights (9-7), who snapped a six-game losing streak on the road against the Raiders (1-13), are 1-0 in league play for the first time since 2001-02.
Army led 54-37 with 13:50 to go, but Colgate used a 22-7 run to close to 61-59 with 3:57 left.
The Black Knights then went on a 7-0 spurt, thanks to a four-point play by Julian Simmons and a 3-pointer by Jason Pancoe. Colgate could get no closer than five the rest of the way.
Simmons finished with 20 points, giving Army two 20-point scorers for the first time since its 101-87 loss to Central Connecticut State on Nov. 15. Jordan Springer had a career-high 11 rebounds for Army, which has won four of its last five.
Yaw Gyawu led Colgate with 16 points.
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