By Draven Dabrowski
Sports Writer
The Owls held off a late push from American International College and came away with a 61-57 win on Saturday, Feb. 14 at James Moore Field House.
Despite the win, Head Coach Scott Burrell made it clear that the performance was not a complete one, pointing to stretches where the team gave up second chance opportunities with a lack of rebounding.
“We got pounded on the boards. If we got more rebounds, it’s a 15-point game,” Burrell said. “We just got to get better at it.”
The university was able to build control in the first half after a tight opening five minutes that featured several ties.
The Owls went on an 11-2 run sparked by balanced scoring from guard Christian McClease, a sophomore, and guard Justice Ellison, a graduate.
McClease and Ellison have developed a steady rhythm in the backcourt, often feeding off each other’s energy.
“Justice is my brother, week in and week out. He is a great teammate,” McClease said.
The Yellow Jackets opened the second half on a 5-0 run and slowly chipped at the deficit.
Halfway through the first, the lead was cut to three, and the tempo shifted. AIC continued to pressure the ball and crashed the offensive glass, eventually tying the game at 54-54.
Coming out of the break, the energy shifted back to the court. American International opened the second half on a 5-0 run and began attacking the glass with more urgency.
AIC pressured the ball, forced tougher shots. When the Owls needed a response, Justice knocked down back-to-back mid-range jumpers to push the lead back to four. After the Yellow Jackets trimmed it to two again, Ellison hit another pull up.
Before transferring to the university, Ellison was a star for American International.
This was not the first time he faced his former team, but every time he does, it adds another layer to the game
“It’s definitely weird being on the other end of it,” Ellison said.
Ellison finished with 20 points, two assists and a block. McClease went for 18, which included a team-best three three-pointers. Guard Malik Banks, a junior, also contributed eight points and eight assists, helping control the pace throughout.
The Owls improve to 10-13 overall and 6-9 in the NE10. The university will travel to Adelphi University on Wednesday, Feb. 18 before returning home for Senior Day against Saint Michael’s College, looking to close out the regular season strong and keep its playoff hopes alive.
