The victory over the Black Knights (10-5) was the Big Green's (5-7, 0-0 Ivy) second straight win and fifth in six games after the squad began the year by dropping six straight. Captain Jason Meyer '06 said that the team's recent success is a key part of building momentum and confidence as the Big Green enters its Ivy League schedule.
"This win was very important for us. In years past, we have been struggling to find an identity just before the Ivy League begins and we usually have taken a few Ivy League games to get ourselves going," Meyer said. "This year we have found our identity, we have come together as a team and we have things moving in the right direction during the most crucial time of the year."
Dartmouth never trailed in the game against Army, but it was not until late in the second half that the Big Green sealed the win.
After the Black Knights hit two consecutive three-pointers to cut Dartmouth's lead to 47-45 with over six minutes remaining, Pattman led a 10-0 Big Green run by scoring the next five points, hitting two free throws and a three pointer. Alex Barnett '09 capped off the flurry with a thunderous dunk to give Dartmouth a 57-45 advantage with three minutes to play. After that, Army was forced to play catch up and continually foul the Big Green.
When asked what adjustments the Big Green made with its lead cut to just two points, Meyer said, "The biggest change we made was intensifying our defensive effort. The reason why we had our lead the whole game is because we were forcing them to take contested shots and making sure to grab all the rebounds. But once we let up for just a few minutes, they took advantage of it. Once we reverted back to what got us our lead, we were able to finish the game."
The Big Green jumped out to an early lead when Barnett started the scoring with a three point shot thirty seconds into the frame. After five more points from Pattman, Army got on the scoreboard with a jumper by guard Matt Bell to make the score 8-2 with 17:50 left.
Three-pointers by Meyer and Pattman extended the Big Green's lead to 24-9 with less than ten minutes left in the frame, and Dartmouth went into the locker room up 27-23. The Big Green went ten for 30 in the half on field goals, including four for 12 on three point attempts.
"As a team we were aware at all times where their shooters were," Meyer said of the Big Green's defense in the first half. "We knew coming into the game that their guards moved very well without the ball and they used the screens set by their big men very well. If you watched us during the 24-9 run, we were continually playing with a sense of urgency and intensity so as to not allow their shooters to get an open look at the basket."
Barnett finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Behind Pattman, guards Johnathan Ball '08 and DeVon Mosley '09 each chipped in 12 points. Bell led the Black Knights with 19 points.
While 11 Dartmouth players earned double-digit minutes in the contest, the Big Green bench contributed only 10 points compared to Army's 26. In contrast, Dartmouth racked up 23 points off turnovers, while the Black Knights connected for five points in the same situation.
Overall, the Big Green shot 44.9 percent from the floor, including 40.9 percent from three-point range, but Dartmouth shot only 58.3 percent from the free-throw line. Army ended the game with a 91.7 free throw percentage, and fared for a 52.9 percent three-point percentage on three less attempts than the Big Green.
Dartmouth begins its Ivy League campaign when it hosts Harvard (7-7, 0-0 Ivy), winner of the last three out of four contests against the Big Green, on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. at Leede Arena.
