Hicks scored 28 in men's basketball loss at Bentley

WALTHAM, Massachusetts - The American International College men's basketball team headed to Bentley University on Saturday, January 22 for a Northeast-10 Conference game. Despite a late push from the Yellow Jackets, the Falcons took the game by a score of 92-89.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score: Bentley 92, AIC 89
Records: AIC moves to 6-13 (3-8 NE10), while Bentley moves to 13-2 (8-2 NE10)
Location: Dana Center Waltham, Massachusetts

KEY STATS:
AIC:
Shyheim Hicks: 28 points, six rebounds
Frankyn Batista: 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists
Donovan Miller: 11 points, four rebounds, five assists
Jalen Jordan: 11 points

Bentley:
Colton Lawrence: 25 points, four rebounds
Jordan Mello-Klein: 19 points, six rebounds, seven assists
Zach Laput: 14 points, four rebounds, four assists
Brian Wright-Kinsey: 13 points, eight rebounds
Mason Webb: 11 points

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After a quick Bentley score, the Yellow Jackets used back-to-back baskets by junior Frankyn Batista and senior Shyheim Hicks to take a 5-2 lead.
• Trailing 21-18 with 12:33 on the clock, graduate Xion Golding found nylon on a layup to make it a one-point game. The Yellow Jackets recorded a stop on the other end and rookie Donovan Miller hit a three to give AIC the two-point advantage. Almost a minute later, classmate Tyrae Washington extended the lead with a shot inside the arc.
• With 5:30 remaining in the half and down one, Batista hit a shot in the paint to retake the lead. Covington added a pair to the lead almost two minutes later with a jumper of his own. Sophomore Jalen Jordan nailed a layup to make it a five-point game.
• Ninety-one seconds remained in the frame when Batista hit a pair at the line to make it a 46-42 game. As the minute mark passed, Hicks drilled a deep ball to give AIC a seven-point lead, their largest of the first half. Nine seconds remained when Bentley added two points and went into the locker room down five.
• Miller gave AIC its largest advantage of the night on a three that started the scoring in the second half. The Falcons started to chip away and tied the game four minutes in.
• The two teams battled in the second half as there were nine times where a team took the lead or tied the game.
• Trailing 70-67, Washington opened a scoring spurt with a jumper. AIC forced a miss on the other end and Hicks took advantage as he hit the fifth three of the night. The run continued as Washington and Golding scored 36 seconds apart, each in the paint, and gave AIC the 76-70 lead and forced a Bentley timeout.
• Bentley once again started to slowly make its way back into the game as with 5:27 left the Falcons took the one-point lead. They extended it to six over the next minute.
• AIC trailed 90-83 with 64 seconds on the clock when Hicks was fouled shooting a three. He hit all three with the clock stopped and the Yellow Jackets started to extend the game. After a pair of free throws from the Falcons, Hicks hit his career-high seventh three to bring AIC within two with 43 seconds left. The Yellow Jackets tried to tie the game but fell just short of the comeback as the Falcons won 92-89.

NEXT UP:

• AIC is scheduled to return home on Tuesday, January 25 at 7:30 p.m. when they host Stonehill College.
• Any changes to the schedule will be updated on aicyellowjackets.com as well as social media.