Nov. 18, 2009

Box Score

Pleasantville, N.Y. - The Adelphi men's basketball team opened its 2009-2010 season with a convincing 79-64 victory over Pace University tonight at Goldstein Fit Center. The Panthers are 1-0 on the season and 1-0 in Northeast-10 action, while the Setters drop to 0-2 and 1-0 in the conference.

Junior Richard Byrd led all scorers with 23 points. Senior Casey Cosgrove also posted double digit results with 15 points and 11 rebounds along with four assists and four steals. Junior David Akinyooye collected 14 points and a game-high 12 boards.

The Panthers led from the opening play, connecting on 16-of-31, or 51.6 percent from the field. In comparison, the Setters were held to just 32.1 percent shooting from the field and only one basket in the first 9:30 of play. Adelphi's lead balloned to 17 points, 19-2, on a John Calarco layup at 12:47. Byrd, who tallied 14 points in the stanza, gave the Panthers their largest lead,38-20, with 3:12 to go. The Setters managed to outscore the Panthers 8-2 in the remaining minutes but still trailed, 40-28, at intermission.

Adelphi maintained a double digit lead throughout the second half and were never really challenged. The Panthers went 11-for-14 down the stretch from the charity stripe, including 5-for-8 from Akinyooye, to cruise to their first conference contest in the NE-10.

Ryan Woods led three Setters in double figures with 18 points. Laurence McGhee and Tristan Benjamin and 17 and 10 points, respectively.

Adelphi returns to action this Saturday, November 21, as they travel to Rockville Centre to take on former conference foe Molloy College at 8:00 p.m.