Navy 79, Lehigh 69

1/16/2008 8:34 PM

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -Greg Sprink led Navy with 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Mids downed Patriot League rival Lehigh 79-69 Wednesday night.

Navy (8-9, 1-1) had been dominated by the Mountain Hawks (7-9, 0-2) in recent years, losing 8 of the last 11 to them (one win coming by forfeit) and not beating them at home since the 2002 season.

Sprink was just 5 for 19 from the floor and 2 of 11 from beyond the arc, but made 14 of 15 free throws and had five assists.

Over his last seven games, he is averaging 23.7 points and 8 rebounds. Sprink also became just the fourth player in Navy history to have 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists in his career.

Navy's hottest hand was Chris Harris, who had four second-half three-pointers and three during a decisive 11-0 run that gave the Mids the lead for good, 64-59, with 4:49 left.

Harris finished 6 of 9 from the field, making 5 of 7 three-pointers. Kaleo Kina finished with 15 points, scoring 12 in the first half.

Clif Colbert provided a spark off the bench with 9 points and 7 rebounds.

Lehigh, which lost its first two conference games for the first time since the 1998-1999 season, was led by Marquis Hall with 20 points and six assists.

Zahir Carrington added 14 points and Rob Keefer had 11 points. Bryan White also contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds for Lehigh.

The teams were tied at halftime, 33-33, after a seesaw first half that saw both teams go on scoring spurts, only to have the other team come back.

The pattern continued into the second half. Navy opened with an 8-0 run for a 41-33 lead, but Lehigh came back with nine unanswered points in 88 seconds to go ahead 42-41. The teams were tied at 51 when Lehigh took the lead at 59-53. Navy came back. Colbert hit a basket to start the 11-0 run and ended it with a pair of free throws for a 64-59 lead.

In between, Harris hit back-to-back-to-back threes.