Navy Basketball faces Boston University Sunday as Patriot League semifinal arrives

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — As of Saturday at 10: 00 a. m. ET, navy basketball is set to host the Boston University Terriers on Sunday in a Patriot League men’s tournament matchup that both teams have been tracking toward all week. The timing is significant because the pairing is now locked into the league’s semifinal round, putting a championship berth on the line.

Navy Basketball vs. Boston University set for Sunday afternoon in Annapolis

The game is scheduled for Sunday, March 8 at 2 p. m. ET at Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Maryland. Boston University enters as the No. 4 seed and Navy as the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League semifinal.

Records listed for the matchup show Boston University at 16-16 overall with Patriot League marks cited as 11-8 and 10-8 in different previews, while Navy is listed at 26-6 overall with Patriot League marks cited as 18-1 and 17-1. The game will be played in the Patriot League Tournament setting, with Navy described as the regular season champion.

Betting information posted for the matchup lists Navy as a 7. 5-point favorite with an over/under of 137. 5.

Navy’s recent form and Boston University’s streak sharpen the “why now”

Navy brings a 10-0 stretch over its last 10 games, averaging 78. 4 points, 33. 3 rebounds, and 19. 3 assists per game while shooting 51. 2% from the field. Over that same span, its opponents have averaged 63. 5 points per game.

Boston University, meanwhile, is described as riding a three-game win streak and is 8-2 over its last 10 games, averaging 78. 7 points, 31. 0 rebounds, and 15. 0 assists per game while shooting 52. 4% from the field. Over that span, its opponents have averaged 70. 2 points per game.

The matchup also sets up a clear statistical contrast: Boston University is listed as fourth in the Patriot League in scoring defense, allowing 74. 0 points per game while holding opponents to 46. 0% shooting. Navy is averaging 74. 8 points per game, which is 0. 8 points more than the 74. 0 Boston University allows.

• Navy offense: 74. 8 points per game
• Boston University defense: 74. 0 points allowed per game; opponents held to 46. 0% shooting
• Boston University perimeter: 9. 6 made 3-pointers per game
• Navy perimeter defense: 7. 6 made 3-pointers allowed per game

January 29 result and key performers entering the Patriot League semifinal

The teams will play for the third time this season. Navy won the last meeting 58-50 on Jan. 29, with Austin Benigni scoring 20 points for Navy and Ben Defty scoring 19 for Boston University.

Benigni is averaging 18 points and 4. 3 assists for Navy. Aidan Kehoe is averaging 16. 2 points, 11. 5 rebounds, and 4. 2 assists over the last 10 games.

For Boston University, Michael McNair is shooting 48. 3% and averaging 16. 9 points. Chance Gladden is averaging 16. 8 points over the last 10 games.

The next confirmed milestone arrives at 2 p. m. ET Sunday when Navy and Boston University tip off in Annapolis. If Navy wins, it advances to the Patriot League championship game; if Boston University wins, the Terriers take the semifinal spot into the title matchup.