Adelphi defeats Men's Basketball in foul-filled game

GARDEN CITY, New York - In a game where 88 shots were taken at the charity stripe, the American International College men's basketball team dropped an 85-78 Northeast-10 Conference matchup at Adelphi University on Saturday, November 18.

AIC is now 2-2 on the year and 0-1 in the NE10.

Justice Ellison opened the scoring with a three just 13 seconds into the game off of a pass from Jack Hall, and shortly after another triple put AIC ahead 12-4. Just over five minutes in, the advantage grew to 18-7 after Omarion Jett-Dobbs knocked in a pair of free throws.

Over the next 12 minutes Adelphi began chipping away at the lead, finally tying the score 27-27 with just over three minutes remaining in the half. AIC countered, rebuilding its advantage to six by holding the Panthers to just a single free throw in the last stretch, and led 34-28 at the break.

In the second half, the teams traded threes and free throws early, with Hall putting AIC up 10 again just shy of five minutes in and Kanye Wavezwa knocking a deep shot down after Tyrae Washington grabbed a board and kicked the ball out to him on the next AIC possession. This time, Adelphi recovered more quickly, tying the game at 59-59 with 10:00 to play on a Dayshaun Walton three.

It was a back-and-forth battle down the stretch, with Adelphi narrowly leading with just over five to go, and AIC tying the contest on free throws with 2:27 remaining. The shots at the line continued, but it was the Panthers hitting them for the most part to take the win.

Ellison led all scorers in the game with 31 on 9-of-16 shooting and 10 at the line; Washington narrowly missed a double-double as he posted nine points and nine rebounds, while Lovre Zaja scored seven points and dished six assists.

AIC returns home to face Bentley University on Tuesday, November 21 at 6:30 p.m.