Jan. 23, 2003

Box Score

Bridgeport, Conn. - The Adelphi men's basketball team led with 3:16 remaining, but were unable to hold on for the win, suffering a dissappointing 70-67 loss to host Bridgeport University, Thursday evening. The Panthers drop to 8-7 overall and 7-5 in the NYCAC. The Purple Knights improve to 11-4 on the season and 8-4 in the NYCAC.

Senior Sherman Whittenburg led a balanced Panther attack with a season-best 16 points. Senior Wayne Nelson notched 13 points, pulling down a team-high 14 rebounds. Senior Tony Kellman and junior Thomas McCormack added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Bridgeport came out strong, opening up a 21-12 lead over the first nine minutes of the first half. Back-to-back three pointers by Nelson closed the Panther deficit to within three points. McCormack followed with the layup to bring Adelphi to with one, 21-20, with 6:19 remaining. The Purple Knights would not reliquish its lead, and the Panthers trailed by three, 36-33, at the end of the half.

Adelphi opened the second half on a 9-2 run, capped by a Kellman three-point field goal, to realize its first lead, 40-44, with 13:22 left in the contest. Bridgeport would rally back as the game tied four times over the next 10 minutes. McCormack hit the layup and the extra point as the Panthers went up by one, 61-60, at 3:16. The Purple Knights pulled away by three before Whittenburg drained the three-pointer to tie the game for the fifth time, 66-66, with 1:16 on the clock. Bridgeport's Sean Mills answered with a three-pointer of his own to seal the Purple Knight win.

Bridgeport held a slight advantage from the field, shooting 42.3 percent to Adelphi's 34.9 percent.

Gordan James led Bridgeport with 18 points and 16 rebounds. The Purple Knights snap a five game losing streak to the Panthers. It's last previous win, 85-78, occured on December 7, 1990.

The Panthers, who have picked up their two losses on the road, returns to Woodruff Hall on Wednesday, hosting C.W. Post at 7:30 p.m.