SPRINGFIELD, Mass.-A cascade of threes were drained by both squads, but in the end the Adelphi Panthers proved too much for American International men's basketball as they held on for a 68-62 win at the Henry Butova Gymnasium.

It was AIC that jumped out to a big lead in the first half, and after junior guard Al-Shabazz Jabateh (East Orange, N.J.) buried a three midway through the half, AIC was up 19-9; though the Panthers struck for the next basket, the Jackets were able to respond, this time getting a three from senior guard Jason Perrier (Bridgeport, Conn.) with 8:04 left to go up 22-11.

Adelphi went on a run of 8-0 in the next 1:10, but AIC ran right back, with Perrier scoring five straight points to push the lead back to double digits, 29-19, with 5:23 left in the frame. However, Adelphi again drained some threes, scoring 13 over the final 4:49 to get to within two at the half, as the Jackets took a 34-32 lead into the locker room, with Perrier's 10 leading the game through the first twenty minutes.

The second half saw Adelphi use the long ball to take the lead :29 in, a lead they would not relinquish for the entire frame, as they shot 6-of-11 from downtown in the period and cleaned up on the glass, outrebounding the Yellow Jackets 19-12 in the frame. They built the advantage as large as 16 with 7:34 left and then held on to earn the victory.

Both players had four teams in double figures; sophomore guard Anthony Libroia had a game-high 18 for the Panthers, including four threes, while AIC got 17 from senior guard Spencer Braithwaite (Dorchester, Mass.) and 10 points plus 12 rebounds from junior forward Marcus Porter (New Castle, Del.).

The Yellow Jackets' remaining schedule features a contest February 19 at New Haven with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off, senior day at home against Le Moyne on February 22 at 3:30 p.m., and the regular-season finale at 16th-ranked Southern Connecticut on February 25 at 7:30 p.m.