SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts The American International College men's basketball team battled back from an 18-point deficit to force overtime, but fell short 95-92 in overtime to Adelphi University on Wednesday, February 5.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score:Adelphi 95, AIC 92 (F/OT)
Record:The Yellow Jackets move to 7-16 (4-10 NE10), while Adelphi improves to 16-7 (9-5 NE10)
Location:Henry A. Butova Gymnasium Springfield, Massachusetts



STAT LEADERS:
AIC:
Zekiah Owens: 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists
Goree Venable-Gonzalez: 16 points, nine rebounds
Jordan Vidal: 16 points
Bane Terzic: 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists
Xion Golding: 12 points, nine rebounds
Shyheim Hicks: 12 points, four rebounds

Adelphi:
Ronnie Silva: 37 points, five assists, six rebounds
Spencer Foley: 25 points, seven rebounds

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After nearly two minutes of scoreless action, Adelphi converted in the paint at the 18:08 mark. On the Panthers following possession, junior Chris Coalmon buried a jumper to go up four.
• AIC's first two points came from the free throw line, when redshirt-sophomore Bane Terzic knocked down a pair of free throws.
• At the 15:40 mark, junior Xion Golding knocked down a three-pointer to cut the Adelphi lead down to two.
• Following the Golding bucket, Adelphi went on a 15-0 run to take a 22-5 advantage. Senior Zekiah Owens ended the Yellow Jackets drought with an emphatic dunk.
• The dunk from Owens sparked a 14-7 run to trail Adelphi 29-19 with 6:07 to play in the first half.
• With Adelphi back up 13 and 4:11 to go in the first half, Owens stripped his defender and converted the fast break dunk while drawing the foul. Owens converted the three-point play to bring AIC back within 10.
• After being down by 18 points at the 8:30 mark, the Yellow Jackets ended the first half down 41-34.
• AIC opened up the second half on a 5-2 run to trail the Panthers by just four points. Adelphi slowly grew their lead back up to 12 with 11:38 to play but was quickly brought back to 10 after a vicious dunk by Terzic.
• At the 8:21 mark, AIC scored a four quick points with a made layup from senior Goree Venable-Gonzalez plus a strip and slam from senior Logan Santiago to trail Adelphi by just seven points.
• The Panthers lead grew back up to 10 points with less than six minutes remaining. AIC fought back to tighten the gap to just three points with just under one minute to play in regulation.
• On Adelphi's next possession, senior Austin Beech quickly inbounded the ball to a leaking Panther to go up five points. AIC responded with a bucket made from Owens after a couple of second-chance rebounds.
• The Panthers went on to go 1-for-3 from the free throw line, which allowed junior Jordan Vidal to score on back-to-back AIC possessions to tie the game up at 76 with eight seconds remaining.
• The Yellow Jackets forced a stop on the other end and forced overtime with the Panthers.
• AIC struck first in overtime. Owens buried the jumper on the first possession to give the Yellow Jackets their first lead of the game.
• Adelphi answered with consecutive three-pointers from sophomore Ronnie Silva to give the Panthers an 82-78 advantage with 3:16 to play in overtime.
• Owens went 3-for-4 on the next two AIC possessions to cut the deficit to just one point, but on the other end the Panthers banked in a three from the corner at the 2:23 mark.
• Adelphi's lead went up to seven after Silva made a pair of free throws with 42 seconds to go. Terzic cut the deficit to five on the next possession and Vidal brought it to within three after he knocked down a clutch three with 22 seconds to play.
• With time against the Yellow Jackets, junior Shyheim Hicks was forced to foul which resulted in two more points for the Panthers. Vidal drove it to the hole for two shortly after to bring the deficit back to three with just 15 seconds remaining.
• AIC forced a must needed turnover on the next possession but was not able to find the game-tying three, falling 95-92 to the Panthers.

UP NEXT:

• On Saturday, February 8 at 3:30 P.M., the Yellow Jackets host Southern Connecticut State University.
• AIC will honor the team's seniors prior to tip-off.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates on the men's basketball team, follow@AIC_MBBonTwitterandInstagram. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticsonTwitterandInstagram, and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook.