SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Sophomore Cameron Dobbs (Albany, N.Y.) led all scorers with a season-high 29 points to help American International College defeat Assumption College, 85-73, in Northeast-10 men's basketball this afternoon from the Butova Gymnasium.
The Yellow Jackets improve to 14-3 on the season and 9-2 in the NE-10 while the Hounds fall to 7-10 overall and 4-8 in conference play.
After a slow start and trailing 10-8 through the first 7:30 of the game the AIC offense erupted thanks to Dobbs who converted a traditional three-point play and then dialed one in from long range halfway through the period to ignite a 25-6 run over the next 5:30 to give the Jackets a 33-16 edge.
American International continued to pressure their opponents and didn't allow them to convert back-to-back possessions into points for the remainder of the first half. AIC even extended its lead to 20 points after a pair of free throws from sophomore Max Risch (Marion, Mass.) made the score 42-22 at the two-minute mark.
Early in the second half Assumption used a 12-2 run to cut the deficit in half at 48-38 after five-straight points from sophomore Marcus Murray (Washington, D.C.) with 16:06 to play.
The Hounds kept the pressure on cutting the deficit to single-digits after a layup from sophomore Kamali Bey (Springfield, Mass.) made the score 52-44 with 14:26 on the clock.
Assumption looked to be turning the momentum in their favor after getting to within seven after a free throw from junior Julian Aiken (Randolph, N.J.) made the score 62-55 with 8:08 to play.
However, on the ensuing possession senior Al-Shabazz Jabateh (East Orange, N.J.) brought the house down with a two handed slam, but the Greyhounds came right back as Aiken drained a three and the score was now 64-58 with 7:33 to play.
AIC slowed the pace down at that point and the teams traded baskets throughout the final minutes and Assumption wasn't able to get to within seven for the remainder of the game.
Senior Bobby Harris (Berlin, N.J.) joined Dobbs in double-figures with 21 points while Assumption junior Karl Ziegler (Annandale, Va.) registered a team-best 21 points and eight boards and Bey added 17 for the visitors. Murray added 13 to round out the Greyhounds in double-digits.
The Jackets shot 33-for-60 (55 percent) from the field and Assumption was 26-of-56 (46 percent) and held the slim 30-27 lead on the glass over the hosts.
American International returns to action Tuesday as they host Saint Michael's in a Northeast-10 contest at 7:30 p.m.
