Conference finals roundup: American, McNeese punch NCAA tickets

Matt Rogers scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds while leading American to a 74-52 win over Navy in the Patriot League championship game at Washington on Wednesday, sending the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years.Second-seeded American (22-12) scored the game’s first nine points. The Eagles were up by nine at halftime, and the fifth-seeded Midshipmen (15-19) never got any closer the rest of the way.Colin Smalls added 11 points for the Eagles, while reserves Matt Mayock and Geoff Sprouse had nine apiece.Austin Benigni put up 18 points for Navy, and Donovan Draper amassed 11 points and 12 rebounds.McNeese 63, Lamar 54

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