“Same old Army.”
“It was a good season. It’s great just being here in the postseason.”
These were some of my thoughts after Army Men’s Basketball fell behind by 21 points early in the second half of their College Basketball Invitational (CBI) first-round game. I admit I underestimated this team.
The Men notched their first postseason win since 1970 in the First Round of the CBI, while the women gave mighty Rutgers a scare in the second round of the WNIT. Both teams showed that the future of basketball is bright at West Point.
Army’s Men Beat Elon
The Army Men continued their resurgent season with a dramatic 83-78 come from behind victory over Elon in Daytona Beach yesterday. After falling behind 51-30 early in the second half, Army went on a 34-11 run to take a lead they would never relinquish. The team’s tenacious defense created numerous opportunities. The Black Knights forced 10 steals and 14 turnovers. Army had few unforced errors in their second half run, only committing five turnovers themselves
Jalen Rucker and Jorn Everson stole the show on Sunday, combining for 49 points. Rucker led the way with 27. Tate Laczkowski and AJ Allenspach locked down Elon’s 7’4″ giant Matthew Van Komen. Van Komen could only muster one rebound and had zero points in 13 minutes of play.
Still, the men must improve their efficiency on offense. Army made just 37% of their shots and hit just 35% from beyond the arc. Maybe some of that owes to their over two-week layoff ahead of the CBI. Regardless, they’ll need to improve to advance.
As the Northern Arizona-Illinois State crowd trickled in, they began pulling for Army. No matter the sport, Army remains an easy favorite nationally. The Manhattan-Incarnate Word game that preceded Army-Elon was not nearly as loud. I am willing to bet the two first-round games that followed Army did not have as electric an atmosphere, either. As a lifelong Army Athletics fan, it’s always fulfilling to see random people care about the Black Knights, even in passing. Army plays one-time March Madness darling Florida Gulf Coast in the second round later this afternoon. Those not immediately involved in the contest will likely pull for the Black Knights once again.
JORN IS ON 🔥🔥🔥
— Army Men's Basketball (@ArmyWP_MBB) March 23, 2025
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Army’s Women Fall to Rutgers
Although the Women did not have the success the Men had, they still had much to be proud of in their game against Rutgers.Like the Men, the Women fought back from a large deficit. Army reduced an 18-point Rutgers lead to just two points but ultimately fell, 71-60. The Black Knights forced 19 Scarlet Knight turnovers, while Camryn Tade, Fiona Hastick, and Kya Smith all scored double-digits.
Unfortunately, poor shooting led to the Army Women’s downfall. The Black Knights shot just 25% from the field, including just six of 33 from three-point range. Most teams would not compete with a Big Ten team with those numbers, but Army’s performance against Rutgers is a testament to the special type of competitor West Point recruits. If nothing else, the team plays the kind of tough defense that keeps them in nearly every contest.
Looking Forward
It’s easy for Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams to get lost in the shuffle at West Point, especially after the monumental year the football team put together. However, both teams showed that the NCAA Tournament could be in their future on Sunday, with solid performances against quality competition. These postseason tournaments become building blocks for future Army teams.
Go Army! Beat Florida Gulf Coast!!!
