Men's basketball falls to FPU
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts – The American International College men's basketball team came up short, 79-75, in a Northeast-10 Conference matchup with Franklin Pierce University on Saturday, January 21.
AIC falls to 4-16 with a 2-10 NE10 mark.
Jack Hall opened the game with a three, but the Ravens matched on the next possession. That started a parade of baskets across the first six minutes, which included a three and two twos from Omarion Jett-Dobbs that had AIC up 12-9. A lull in the scoring followed, until Kanye Wavezwa knocked down a triple just past the midpoint of the half, putting AIC ahead 18-13.
The teams continued to battle, and AIC began extending its advantage. Hall knocked down another three, and Buka Peikrishvili followed with a layup after Wavezwa swiped the ball. That set off a flurry of shots from deep, with Hall and Mohamed Traore each knocking in a pair for their respective teams. Hall landed a third in the sequence, off of a pass from Jalen Jordan, for his sixth of the half, and AIC led 36-33 at the break.
The first five minutes of the second saw only free throws fall until Justice Ellison made a layup at the 4:27 mark. However, the Ravens went on a seven-point run to regain the lead for the first time since early on. Wavezwa caught fire, knocking in a pair of threes to put AIC back ahead. Franklin Pierce closed that gap, but AIC had another six-point run, generated mostly at the line, that carried the Yellow Jackets into the final nine minutes up 58-52.
Hall and Wavezwa each knocked down another triple, with the latter's shot pushing AIC up 64-57, but the Ravens began to take over. They went on a 10-2 run to take the lead, and though Aguibou Balde briefly put AIC back ahead 68-67, it was not to be; a 9-0 Ravens run sealed the visiting side's victory.
Hall led the game with 26 points, a career-best, as he sank eight threes in total. His 59 triples on the campaign are one away from the rookie record set in 1997-98 by Jorge Garcia. Wavezwa scored 14 for the Yellow Jackets, while Jordan had five points but dished six assists and grabbed seven rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets next face Saint Michael's College on Suits and Sneakers Night on Saturday, January 28 at 3:30 p.m.