WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American International College men's basketball team defeated the University of the District of Columbia 80-72 on Saturday, December 21.

AIC is now 2-10 on the season.

Jack Hall opened the scoring with a three, but a series of triples by the host Firebirds put them in the lead, 13-7, just over five minutes in. Hall cut that back with another deep shot, while Justice Ellison landed some in-close shots to shrink the gap further. Chase Nelson set up Hall for a deep bucket that returned AIC to the lead, and then assisted Ellison on a mid-range jumper. Ellison returned the favor, finding Nelson open beyond the arc for a 22-15 AIC advantage with 10:28 to play in the half.

The Firebirds were able to draw even again and then take the lead after Khyrie Staten pulled a swipe and score, forcing an AIC timeout with 5:50 to play and the Yellow Jackets down 29-25. The stoppage worked, as Tyrae Washington and Hall tied the game, and Reece Brown put back a Hall shot, drawing contact and completing an old-school three for a 32-29 lead. Both teams piled up points down the stretch, but Hall and Ellison finished off the frame with back-to-back buckets, giving AIC a 40-37 lead at halftime.

Both teams continued to score in the second, with Ellison garnering eight straight points, the last off a breakaway after a steal by Lovre Zaja that put AIC ahead nine less than two minutes in and forced a home timeout. Ellison kept up his scoring and Zaja found Hall for a pair of threes. An Abdullah Mahamed lay-in with 13:05 to play gave AIC a 15-point lead. That expanded to 19 when Brown dunked a Coleman Hopson pass for a 67-48 advantage with 11:19 to play.

The deficit seemed insurmountable, but the Firebirds found a way, pulling to within seven thanks to a 12-point run capped by a Tevin Curtis triple, but Buka Peikrishvili countered with a three of his own to keep AIC afloat. The home squad went on anothe rrun to cut the gap down to just two points, before Ellison knocked in a jumper to stop the run. He then found Hall open for three to give AIC some breathing room, and the Yellow Jackets hit free throws from there to put the 80-72 win away.

Ellison posted 33 points and six assists, with three assists and three steals, while Hall scored 22, knocking down six threes and grabbing six boards and four assists. Brown led AIC with eight rebounds. 

The Yellow Jackets do not play again until 2025, returning home for a Northeast-10 Conference battle with Saint Michael's College on Thursday, January 2 at 7:30 p.m.