WASHINGTON, D.C. — Navy's postseason magic finally ran out.

Second-seeded American took control early and never looked back, defeating fifth-seeded Navy, 74-52, in the Patriot League Tournament championship game on Wednesday night at Bender Arena. The Eagles (22-12) secured their first conference tournament title since 2014, clinching an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Navy (15-19), coming off two impressive road upsets over Boston University and Bucknell, struggled early and couldn't recover. The Mids were dealt an enormous blow when sophomore guard Jordan Pennick, a key perimeter threat, was ejected after committing a flagrant foul just two minutes into the first half. Pennick had scored 22 points and hit 6-of-8 three-pointers in Navy’s 68-60 victory at American on February 26, and his absence clearly impacted Navy's perimeter offense.

With Pennick out, American could collapse inside on center Aidan Kehoe without fear of Navy stretching the defense. The Eagles sent extra defenders at Kehoe early, daring the Mids to beat them from the perimeter—a strategy that paid off as they missed 10 of their first 12 threes. Kehoe, who had posted a double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds) in the teams’ previous meeting, was held to three points and five rebounds, attempting only two shots in 22 minutes.

The Eagles led wire-to-wire, starting the game on an 11-2 run, and held a 37-28 advantage at halftime. American extended its lead with an 11-3 run midway through the second half, effectively putting the game out of reach.

All-conference forward Matt Rogers led American with a game-high 25 points and eight rebounds. Colin Smalls added 11 points, going 3-for-5 from three-point range, as the Eagles shot 50.9% overall and 45.8% from deep.

Navy's offense sputtered without Pennick and with Kehoe limited, as they managed just 35.1% shooting and went 4-for-20 (20%) from beyond the arc. Junior guard Austin Benigni led the Mids with 18 points but shot only 8-for-20 from the field. While he typically thrives on getting to the line, Benigni was limited to just two free-throw attempts as the officials allowed physical play to go unchecked at the game's outset. Donovan Draper provided some support, recording a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, but Navy never truly threatened after halftime.

American reversed many of the statistical disadvantages it faced in the previous loss to Navy, particularly at the three-point line and on the boards. In February, Navy shot 46.2% from three and outrebounded American by 12. Wednesday’s rematch saw those numbers flip dramatically, with American outshooting Navy from deep (45.8% to 20%) and nearly matching the Mids on the glass (33-31).

With the victory, American advances to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in school history and the first under second-year head coach Duane Simpkins. Navy’s run as the first-ever fifth seed to reach the Patriot League final comes to an end, leaving the Mids still seeking their first NCAA appearance since 1998.