Jan. 13, 2009

Box Score

Sparkill, N.Y. - The Adelphi University men's basketball team traveled to Sparkill, New York on Monday, January 12 to take on St. Thomas Aquinas in an East Coast Conference contest. The Panthers used a very balanced attack, getting seven or more points from six different players, to turn away St. Thomas Aquinas, 64-55. With the win Adelphi improves to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in conference play, while the Spartans fall to 4-7 overall and 2-2 in the ECC.

Adelphi and St. Thomas Aquinas played back and forth in the opening seven minutes of action as the Spartans clung to a one point lead, 14-13 with 12:53 on the clock. An Alvin Vivican triple sparked an eight minute, 18-4 run that was capped by a Vivican jumper, giving Adelphi a 32-17 edge with 2:51 remaining in the half.

The Spartans cut the margin to 12 on a Vincent Johnson three with 1:09 left, but a Mike McDuffie lay-up with 48 seconds on the clock gave Adelphi a 36-22 cushion at the break.

Adelphi opened the second half by extended their lead to 19 points twice in the first five minutes of action. First on a David Akinyooye jumper with 16:34 on the clock and then again on a Casey Cosgrove bucket with 14:39 left, 48-29. St. Thomas Aquinas battled back, bringing Adelphi's lead down to just eight, 50-42, with 9:03 remaining, before four straight points from Sky Khaleel pushed the margin back to double digit, 54-42.

However, the Spartans were not done, pulling to within seven points, 59-52 on a Chad Williams made three with 1:51 on the clock and then getting two within six points, 61-55, on a Shaun Weaver made free throw. But, that was as close as the Spartans would get as three late Cosgrove free throws would ice the game.

Akeem Comas led the way for St. Thomas Aquinas with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Jelani Winfield chipped in eight points.

Khaleel dropped in 14 points and pulled down five Spartan misses, while Cosgrove netted 13, picked up seven boards and handed out six assists. Richard Byrd and Vivican also reached double figures, as Byrd scored 11 points and added five rebounds and Vivican scored 10 points and had four assists.

Adelphi returns to action on Wednesday, January 14 when they play host to Molloy College at 7:30 pm in Garden City, New York.