Army women’s hoops looks to extend winning streak

Army basketball players started to clap as coach Missy Traversi headed to the whiteboard in the team’s locker room.

Traversi first wrote 20 on the board, indicating the amount of free throws that Army women’s team shot against Colgate Wednesday night. She erased the 20 and replaced it with 5. Players took guesses at what the number signified. Traversi told her team that the Black Knights had just achieved Army’s first five-game winning streak since Dec. 2, 2017.

“It’s been about the process,” Traversi said. “We don’t focus on the win streak. It’s about every day showing up and get a little bit better. It’s about moving the sled a little bit closer to Nome every day.”

What makes Army’s current run impressive is that all five wins are in conference. Army hadn’t won five straight Patriot League games since the 2016-17 season. The Black Knights look for their sixth consecutive win at last-place Lafayette (2-7 Patriot) Saturday. Army’s last six-game winning streak was also in the 2016-17 season against non-conference opponents.

Junior guard Trinity Hardy has scored in double figures in all five games and is averaging 14 points during the streak.