SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - A career night for Coleman Hopson kept the American International College men's basketball team in contention, but Assumption University ultimately took a 91-80 Northeast 10 Conference victory at the Butova Gym on Saturday, January 10.

AIC is now 2-13 overall and 1-4 in the NE10.

Hopson started the scoring and accounted for AIC's first five points, but a quick run put the Greyhounds up 12-5 before Hopson set up Abdullah Mahamed just prior to the first media timeout. AIC was unable to tie the score during the middle of the first half, but kept it close, and threes from Chase Nelson and Blair Thomas cut the gap to 26-24 with 6:57 to play.

The visitors went on another run from there, building a 14-point lead with a 12-0 run, and that was the margin after one, with Hopson making the final shot of the half to bring the score to 45-31 in favor of Assumption. 

Out of the break, Hopson again had AIC's first five in the half, and Thomas made some key shots as well, helping AIC trim the deficit back to single digits. A run down to the first media timeout saw AIC pull as close as within four after Amadou Diallo swiped the ball and broke away for a layup.

Assumption re-extended the lead to 10, but again AIC stormed back, with Hopson nailing a three and Aguibou Balde scoring five straight to bring AIC within two again, down 66-64 with 7:49 to play.

That was as close as AIC could manage to get, however; the Greyhounds made key shots down the stretch, with free throws adding to the total in the 91-80 win.

Hopson led the game with a career-best 24 points and nine rebounds; Balde scored 16, and both scored the bulk of their points in the second half. Chase Nelson added 14, and Blair Thomas notched 13.

AIC next faces Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts in an NE10 contest on Wednesday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m.