PLEASANTVILLE, New York – The American International College men's basketball team held on for a 63-59 Northeast 10 Conference win at Pace University on Wednesday, January 28.
AIC is now 4-16 overall and 3-7 in the NE10.
AIC won the opening tip and scored first on free throws as Tony Felder drew contact on a shot attempt; the Setters likewise scored their first point from the line. Pace then hit a two and a three to build a four-point edge, but Chase Nelson hit a three from the top of the arc, and Aguibou Balde found Will Davis cutting to the paint for a layup to put AIC back on top on the following possession. Nelson stole the ball away from Pace and drew a foul, giving AIC possession again at the first media timeout.
Nelson knocked down another three to put AIC in double digits, and shortly after, Felder set up Pierce Prendergast for a right-side three that pushed AIC ahead 14-8. That edge expanded to nine after Coleman Hopson sank a three at the top of the arc. Pace scored the next points, and at the second media timeout, the Yellow Jackets advantage was 17-10.
The Setters stole the inbound out of the timeout, drawing and making a free throw as a result. Amadou Diallo answered two possessions later with a driving layup, finishing up-and-under on a defender, and then Balde set up Hopson for three from the left, drawing a Pace timeout. Hopson kept cooking, sinking another three, and pushing AIC's lead to 25-12 at the under-eight.
Davis made the game's next field goal, another layup from Balde. The teams traded buckets from there, with Nelson and Aleksy Walczak hitting a two and a three for AIC respectively, and Davis putting in another layup right under the hoop to give AIC a 34-17 edge. Nelson stayed hot with a left-side three, and the final media timeout of the half had AIC leading 37-19.
Pace scored four straight out of the stoppage, cutting into the lead, but AIC went into the locker room still up double digits, 38-25.
All of the scoring early in the second involved free throws, as AIC's first three came at the line and Pace's first three were in an and-one; a breakaway dunk by the Setters just shy of the three-minute mark ended that stretch, with Balde hitting a mid-range jumper on the next AIC turn. Pace scored again, leaving AIC up 11 at the first media timeout of the second half.
The Setters pulled within single digits briefly before Nelson sank a driving layup on the left side of the paint, but Pace again answered and continued to cut into the lead, forcing AIC to take a timeout as the score was 45-38 in favor of the Yellow Jackets at the second media timeout.
AIC's drought was broken with Prendergast free throws just shy of the midpoint of the half, and Blair Thomas added his name to the stats sheet with a make two possessions later. Balde scored a bucket to respond to two Pace free throws, putting AIC back in control by double digits; at the under-eight, AIC had a 51-40 lead.
Nearly three minutes elapsed before the next basket, a Felder breakaway after a Pace miss. The Setters were able to respond, scoring a third-chance opportunity to pull back within 11, and then hit a three two possessions later. Felder was able to respond by driving through the defense for a lay-in. At the last media timeout, AIC led 55-45, and was also in the bonus. Pace pressed out of the stoppage, and AIC made the Setters pay, with Balde slamming a three-on-one chance after Felder's pass broke through.
The Setters kept in it with two free throws and then forced a five-second violation, hitting a three to make the game two possessions. They stole the next inbound and repeated the triple, shrinking AIC's lead to just two with 2:41 left and forcing AIC to use its last timeout.
After AIC's next possession came up empty, the Setters had two looks to tie the game, but missed both; Felder won the rebound, but the Yellow Jackets were unable to score on the ensuing possession. Pace also missed its next chance, and Hopson was able to draw contact for AIC to garner free throws. He made the second, crucially putting AIC up four to start the final minute.
Pace answered, scoring an and-one to bring the game within one with 46.1 seconds to go. Nelson locked in from deep, nailing a three, which Pace quickly answered with two and took its final timeout with 11.6 to go. AIC was able to successfully inbound, and Felder drew a foul. He swished both, and that iced the game as the Yellow Jackets won.
Nelson led AIC with 16 points, while Hopson had 10. Felder scored nine points with nine boards, five assists, and three steals.
AIC next returns home to face Southern New Hampshire University in an NE10 contest on Saturday, January 31 at 3:30 p.m.
