March 8, 2003

Box Score | Photo Gallery

Brookville, N.Y. - The No.2 seed Adelphi University men's basketball team captured the NYCAC Championships, upsetting No.1 seed C.W. Post, 70-57, Saturday night at the Pratt Center. Senior Wayne Nelson was named the NYCAC Tournament MVP and senior Tony Kellman was also voted to the All-Tournament team.

This is Adelphi's 11th straight win, improving to 22-8. The Pioneers, previously undefeated at the Pratt Center with 14 wins, drop to 23-7.

Kellman led a balanced attack with 18 points. Freshman Jamaal Wagner poured in a career-high 15 points, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Nelson had 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while senior Sherman Whittenburg chipped in 11 points.

Both teams got off to a slow start, trading free throws to start. Kellman picked up the first field goal at 17:58 to give Adelphi a 4-1 lead. Spurred by Reuben Statam who accounted for 15 of the Pioneers' 32 first half points, CWP rallied on a 13-4 run to take the lead. Adelphi struggled from the field in the opening minutes, shooting 30.3 percent in the half. Wagner hit back-to-back three-pointers to help close to within one, 16-15, at 10:53. Post rallied six unanswered points, before Nelson and Kellman combined for the next ten points to take the lead, 25-24 at 6:50. The Pioneers again fired back, outscoring the Panthers 8-3 to hold the advantage at the half, 32-27.

Jamaal Wagner collected a career-best 15 points for Adelphi.

The Panthers trailed by as much as eight in the second half. Adelphi came to life in the second half, connecting on 6-of-8 from three-point range, down the stretch. Adelphi was 54.2 percent on the field and 91.7 percent from the free-throw line. Poor shooting by Post, they were 0-of-5 from beyond the arc, coupled with a tough Panther defense, allowed Adelphi to take the lead late in the second half as they coasted to the win, 70-57.

Adelphi held a 37-29 advantage on the boards and were 40.4 percent from the field.

Statam, named to the All-Tournament team, led all players with 28 points and 10 rebounds for C.W. Post. Justin Cole also scored in double-figures with 15 points.

This is the fourth NYCAC Championship in Adelphi history and first since the 2001 season. They are now tied with former NYCAC member, St. Rose College for most championships won since the conference's first tournament in 1990.

Ranked fifth in the Northeast Region in last week's poll, Adelphi will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Northeast Regional Tournament. The NCAA selections will be announced on Monday afternoon.