WINCHESTER, Va. – The Coast Guard Academy shot a sizzling 61 percent Friday night to down host Shenandoah 99-87 in the opening round of the Shenandoah University Holiday Classic.
Coast Guard (8-1) claims a spot in Saturday's championship game with the win over Shenandoah (3-7).
The Bears will play Eastern (Pa.), who defeated Southern Virginia 86-69 in Friday's opening game.
SU and SVU will meet at 7:00 Saturday in the tournament consolation.
IN BRIEF
CCA led the entire way Friday night in the first-ever matchup between the two schools; the Bears jumped out to a 21-9 lead and eventually grew their advantage to 20 points by the time the game was 10 minutes old.
Shenandoah got itself back into it by closing the first half on a 28-12 run, and after Alan Dabney hit a 3-pointer to open the second half scoring, trailed by just one, 44-43.
Unfortunately for the Wilkins Center faithful, CCA answered with a 23-9 run of its own over the next 5:32 to extend its lead back out to 15 points.
SU eventually cut its deficit to five points, 88-83, with 2:52 left, but could not come all the way back. The Bears closed out the contest with an 11-4 run.
GAME NOTES
- Tonight's game was the first-ever men's basketball matchup between Shenandoah and the Coast Guard Academy.
- CCA shot 39-of-64 (61 percent) and was 10-of-15 (67 percent) from behind the arc.
- The Bears were 20-of-30 (67 percent) from the field in the second half.
- Shenandoah shot 43 percent (33-of-77) from the field
- Dabney and Christopher Chaney led the hosts with 19 points each
- Jaylen Williams had 18 points and Jalyn Jarrett 11
- CCA had a 44-32 advantage on the glass
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