NEW HAVEN, Conn. American International College senior guard Cameron Dobbs (Albany, N.Y.) scored a season-high 32, but the Yellow Jackets lost in a shootout at nationally ranked No. 7 Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Southwest Division play at Moore Field House, 107-94.
With the loss AIC falls to 0-3, both overall and in league play, while the Owls improve to 4-0 and 2-0 in NE-10 tilts.
American International used the long ball to stay in the game in the first half, hitting 8-17 from three in the opening 20 minutes of play. Senior guard Cameron Dobbs (Albany, N.Y.) connected on 4-7 from beyond the arc, using timely treys to keep the Owls from breaking open the game. Freshman Jayvon Pitts-Young (Portland, Maine) ended the half with a three to bring AIC within one at the intermission, 47-46.
Southern Connecticut came out of the break and went to work, using an Austin Carter dunk to start a 15-4 Owl runs and open a 12 point lead early, 64-52. Dobbs halted the run using back-to-back fast break layups to bring it back to a single digit deficit. Dobbs scored 14 of the team's first 20 points in the half.
The Yellow Jackets would not go away. After Dobbs saved a batted rebound in the back court, the ball ended up with Pitts-Young in the corner, who connected from three to bring it back within five, 80-75. On the next possession, Michael Mallory hit his sixth from behind the arc, adding to his 31 points.
With Mallory hitting from all over the court, AIC needed to be efficient on all of their offensive possessions and junior Juwan Moody (Pontiac, Mich.) helped. Moody started a 7-0 Jacket run with a trey. Dobbs made it 30 for the night, while senior forward Trahmier Burrell (Albany, N.Y.) hit a pair from the foul line to ring it within eight, 92-84, at the five minute to go mark.
Mallory went on to knock down two more from three-point land to finish with 43 and was too much for AIC to overcome.
American International shot well for the game, 33-70 (47.1%), but allowed SCSU to shoot nearly 50 percent from the floor.
All five AIC starters finished in double figures while Pitts-Young chipped in 11 off the bench. Moody (14), freshman guard Bruce Spruell (Hanover, Md.) finished with 11, while senior's Oscar Assie (Ansonia, Conn.) and Burrell chipped in 10 apiece.
Three Jackets notched six boards apiece, but SCSU dominated the glass, outrebounding AIC, 49-33 and 20-12 on the offensive glass.
AIC returns to action Friday, Nov. 27 at the IRMC Classic hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The Yellow Jackets take on Pitt-Johnstown on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and the host Hawks Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
