SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Senior Trahmier Burrell (Albany, N.Y.) scored a game-high 21 points, but it was not enough as the No. 14 nationally ranked Saint Anselm College defeated American International College, 87-80, in Northeast-10 men's basketball action Wednesday night from the Butova Gymnasium.
AIC falls to 7-10 for the year and 3-8 in conference action, while the Hawks improve to 15-2 overall and 10-2 in NE-10 tilts.
Down 12-5 early, Burrell ignited the Yellow Jacket offense with seven points as part of a 13-0 run to grab the 18-12 advantage at the 12:38 mark. Junior Juwan Moody (Pontiac, Mich.) and freshman Jayvon Pitts-Young (Portland, Maine) also dialed in from distance with a pair of treys during that stretch.
AIC continued to lead eventually extending the margin to eight; their largest of the half, on a pair of occasions after Burrell tickled the twine from behind the line at the 5:36 mark and Moody did the same at the 2:19 mark for the 40-32 lead.
Saint A's, however, managed to go into the locker room on a high-note as junior Ryan Hartung (Haverhill, Mass.) connected from three before the buzzer for the 42-40 margin at the break.
That three shifted momentum and the Hawks scored the first nine points of the second-half to grab the 49-42 lead at the 17:18 mark. Junior Harrison Taggart (Wallingford, Vt.) opened the half with a three-ball and classmate Chris Braley (Newport, Maine) made lay-ups on back-to-back possessions during that opening three minute stretch.
The Jackets cut the deficit to a single point after senior Cameron Dobbs (Albany, N.Y.) connected from long range, to cap off a 7-0 spurt, for the 56-55 score at the 12:42 mark.
Saint Anselm then held AIC without a field goal for a five minute stretch while narrowly increasing their lead before Pitts-Young sank an uncontested lay-up followed by a Moody three on the next possession for the 69-66 score at the 6:00 mark.
Dobbs then converted the rare four-point play at the 1:40 mark answering a three from the Hawks down the other end, but Saint A's responded with a four-point play of their own converted by senior Mike McCahey (Clarkstown, N.Y.) for the 82-75 advantage with 75 ticks remaining in regulation.
The visitors then hit their freebies down the stretch to secure the victory.
Both teams were hot from the field as AIC managed 46 percent (25-for-54) and Saint Anselm went 28-of-68 (41 percent) from the floor. The visitors also controlled the glass with a commanding 47-28 edge including 18 on the offensive side.
Dobbs finished with 15 while moody added 17. The Hawks saw five players reach double-digits with McCahey's 19 leading the way followed by Braley with 17 and Taggart with 14.
The Jackets return to action on Saturday as they head to Stonehill for a 3:30 p.m. affair.
